I've traveled to every country in Central America. There are 5 places I can't wait to return to.

I've traveled to every country in Central America and have narrowed down my list of favorite places. Jackie Carbo After traveling to every country in Central America, there are a few places I'm dying to return to. When I'm looking to relax, I love heading to Tobacco Caye, an island off the coast of Belize. For an adventure, I love hiking volcanoes in Antigua, Guatemala, or scuba diving in Utila, Honduras. After studying in Costa Rica for a semester in college, I fell completely in love with Central America. My host family taught me about the Costa Rican lifestyle, as embodied in the phrase "pura vida." Its direct translation means "pure life," but its true meaning is more of a mindset of living in the moment and embracing life's simple joys. Since graduating in 2013, I’ve returned to the region every year and have now traveled to each of Central America’s seven countries. From quiet islands to cloud forests, volcanoes, and historic cities, every trip has given me another reason to come back. Here are the seven places in Central America I’d return to in a heartbeat. When in Belize, I love to relax on Tobacco Caye. Jackie Carbo I've visited Belize twice now, and I always love spending time on Tobacco Caye, an island that's the perfect retreat when I need quiet, nature, and relaxation. There are only a handful of small hotels and guesthouses on this tiny, 3-acre island off the coast of Dangriga, but its small size is part of its charm. I spent my week relaxing, snorkeling, taking walks around the island, and enjoying the delicious meals prepared at my guesthouse, Tobacco Caye Paradise. Here, I stayed in one of the over-water cabanas. It was the perfect week spent completely unbothered and disconnected, relaxing in a hammock overlooking the Caribbean Sea. There's so much to love about Antigua, Guatemala. Jackie Carbo I've visited Guatemala five times now, and each time I visit, I return to Antigua. The city itself is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and visiting feels like stepping into a time machine, with its cobblestone streets and old Spanish architecture. While there, I love hiking the nearby Volcán de Acatenango — a volcano that offers spectacular views of its erupting neighbor, Volcán de Fuego. Even after completing this hike three times, I'm always amused by the beauty. Costa Rica's Monteverde Cloud Forest is truly incredible. Jackie Carbo Although I absolutely love Costa Rica's beaches, my favorite spot to visit is actually inland. That's because, in my opinion, the Monteverde region really embodies the country's biodiversity. Here, I especially enjoyed hiking through the Monteverde Cloud Forest, a high-elevation forest shrouded in mist. The hanging bridges on the trails provide a unique way to get a bird's-eye view of the incredible landscapes, from the emerald-green hills to the rumbling rivers and waterfalls below. During the day, other than some birds and insects, I hadn't observed much wildlife. However, this all changed when I went on a guided nighttime hike. From bats flying overhead to tree frogs hunting for insects, the forest came alive after dark. When my guide asked if I'd ever seen a tarantula, and I answered no, he then tapped a stick gently outside a small hole near a tree root. A giant spider crawled out. It brought an entirely different perspective to the forest I had experienced earlier that day. Utila, Honduras, was the perfect place to go scuba diving. /iStock During my trip to Honduras, I spent most of my time on Utila, a Bay Island off the country's northern coast. I primarily came to scuba dive in the Mesoamerican Reef, which was full of life and did not disappoint. Even when I went for a swim right off the dock of my guest house, I saw a wide range of marine life, including fish, colorful coral, and an eagle ray. I really enjoyed visiting León, Nicaragua. Jackie Carbo After visiting Nicaragua four times, I can confidently say León, a historic city in the northwestern part of the country, is my favorite place to visit. The city is a great hub for a variety of outdoor adventures. About an hour outside León, I went volcano-boarding on Cerro Negro, a volcano that last erupted in 1999. And as a beach lover, I love that the Pacific coast is only a 30-minute bus ride away. What struck me most, though, was a much deeper experience. As a self-proclaimed history nerd, my favorite experience in León was visiting the Museum of the Revolution. It's rare to have the opportunity to learn about historic events firsthand from the people who lived them, but in this museum, many of the guides are veterans of the war. When I visited, my guide pointed out his picture in many of the museum displays. Hearing about his experience fighting in the revolution when he was just a teenager was so impactful. Read the original article on Business Insider

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