Set sail for the Caribbean & Central America

Cuisine in Central America consists of a delightful fusion of flavors and ingredients from a variety of cultures, including native Mesoamerican traditions, Caribbean and Afro-Caribbean dishes and even Mediterranean influences, due to the region’s colonial past. The prevalence of coastline means that there is a strong reliance on seafood, as well as local vegetables and tropical fruits. Central American food is generally well-balanced and fresh, with a compelling balance of sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami components. Here are five popular Central American dishes that visitors may wish to try:

• Hojaldres (Panama)
  This traditional breakfast bread consists of a fried dough made from flour, sugar, salt and oil. Flat and round, hojaldres have the texture of a doughnut but are usually topped with cheese and served with salchichas guisados, a sausage stew perfect for dipping.
• Rice & beans with stewed chicken (Belize)
  This simple meal, which can be purchased from street-side vendors, is the national dish of Belize. Fragrant rice and red kidney beans are cooked with coconut milk to create a filling, flavorful base for tender chicken spiced with recado, a paste made from achiote peppers.
• Picadillo de papa (Costa Rica)
  Traditionally served with tortillas and rice, picadillo de papa is a savory dish comprised of finely chopped bell peppers, onions, ground meat and potatoes.
• Yuca al mojo (Panama)
  Usually served as a side dish, yuca al mojo is a flavorful Panamanian favorite that consists of boiled cassava marinated in a zesty sauce made with garlic, cilantro and lemon juice.
• Tres leches cake (Nicaragua)
  Many believe that the original recipe for “three milks cake” originated in Nicaragua, where it was printed on milk cans to promote sales. Today, this delectable sponge cake—covered in evaporated, condensed and whole milk—is popular throughout Central America.

The Caribbean's lush rainforests and national parks are not only natural wonders; they are integral to the region's identity and culture. While these tropical areas now draw travelers from all over the world, local residents have a strong connection with the unique ecosystems that have defined life on the islands for millennia.

For example, El Yunque National Rainforest, located in northeastern Puerto Rico, is the sole tropical rainforest within the national forest system of the United States. Its name is derived from the Indigenous Taíno word Yuke, or “white fields,” in reference to the thick fog that encircles the top of El Yunque Peak. The Taíno believed that the deity Yúcahu resided on the mountain, protecting his people from Guabancex, the goddess of chaos and disorder.

The natural environment has long provided Caribbean peoples with medicinal plants, herbs and fruits—many of which have had a significant impact on the region’s economy, cuisine and culture. Visitors may learn about some of these traditional plants during visits to facilities like the Lokono medicinal garden at PEG Farm in Barbados or Claremont Farms in Antigua, a private agricultural estate that cultivates the rare, exceptionally sweet Antiguan black pineapple.

Today, conservation is a critical part of Caribbean culture, and efforts to protect wildlife through education and outreach programs highlight the region's commitment to preserving its unique natural heritage. Such efforts can be seen in the case of the St. Lucia parrot (Amazona versicolor), which was designated as St. Lucia’s national bird in 1979. This intelligent, amusing and beautiful creature is only found in St. Lucia’s interior rainforests, where it is known to locals by its French name, Jacquot. With its green body, blue head and striking red chest and belly, it would be hard to miss this colorful avian.

As these examples show, the Caribbean's wildlife is a cornerstone of its identity and culture, reflecting the region's natural beauty, ecological diversity and cultural heritage.

There is no doubt about it—Central America and the Caribbean islands are home to a special kind of magic. With its tropical vegetation, glorious sunsets and abundance of marine wildlife, this sun-kissed area of the world offers countless pleasures for curious travelers. Read on to learn more about some of the most wondrous plants and animals this lush region has to offer:

Caribbean orchids
With a warm climate year-round, a phenomenal amount of radiant flora sprout from the wet, tropical soils of the Caribbean, including many beautiful orchids (Orchidaceae). An astonishing 25,000 species of orchid grow throughout the Caribbean, making them one of the most abundant flowering plants here.

Typically, orchids grow on trees or cling to rocks in the lush rainforests and river areas. These colorful, exotic flowers are famously known for their pretty petals, sepals (the protective cover of a flower bud) and an eye-catching lip (also called a labellum), which blossoms at its vibrant center and is used to attract pollinators. Another stand-out feature of the orchid is its column, which uniquely combines the stamen and pistil—male and female reproductive organs—into a single structure.

Puerto Rico’s unique coquí tree frog
The coquí tree frog (Eleutherodactylus coqui) is a common frog found in Puerto Rico, measuring about 1 in. (2.5 cm) in length and weighing about 4 oz. (113 g). They have a light-brown body, a yellowish-brown marking on their back and a whitish-colored belly. Unlike most frogs, these species do not have webbed feet; instead, the toe pads enable them to climb trees vertically and hang from leaves. Another unique fact about these frogs is that they do not undergo the tadpole stage but rather emerge as tiny frogs with short tails. They are nocturnal animals and spend most of their time resting when not hunting for food.

These creatures are carnivores and feed on crickets, spiders, lizards, snails and other arthropods. To catch their prey, they stay perfectly still, allowing them to get close before striking. During the mating season, the male produces a unique sound at night known as a “coquí”—where it also gets its name from—to attract females and repel their male counterparts. They tend to exhibit territorial behavior during this period, as they attack and chase intruders when they feel threatened.