November 18, 2010
A Short Guide To The Best World Heritage Sites In Mexico And Central America
Sometimes you just need to get away for a little while. Whether you're going on a family vacation, a vacation with your buddies, or just a vacation for yourself, deciding where to go can be tough. However, don't submit yourself to just another traditional sort of vacation. Do something a little different, and just get yourself out of the country. A lot of people would say this costs more money but it doesn't necessarily have to. Taking a road trip to Mexico or boat trips to the Caribbean only require a USA passport card online, and the conversion rate means you'll get a bigger bang for your buck. And since you are able to get your US passport card online, you don't even need to leave your house until you're ready to go.
Say you want to fly to Mexico or even venture a little deeper into Central America. For this, you will need a passport. Express passport service, available online, means you can get a passport as quickly as you like, as opposed to having to play the waiting-and-hoping game required by standard passport service.
One of the greatest ways to see a country, a region, or even a continent is to look for the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. UNESCO, short for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, grants special recognition to these World Heritage Sites for being especially important to our global community as well as our common human history.
If you should choose to travel to our southern neighbor, Mexico, you will have the opportunity to visit twenty-nine World Heritage Sites. This is the largest number of sites available in any country located in the Americas. Two places that hold a strong attraction for lovers of beauty and natural wonder can be found at the El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve and the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. A visit to either or both of these World Heritage Sites will create a lifetime of memories.
Moving a little farther to the south, we find Central America and home to a host of World Heritage Sites. Off the coast of Costa Rica we find the Cocos Island which has become famous for its beautiful waters that draw scuba divers from all over the world. The vast depth of the water around this island creates a perfect habitat for some of the largest sea animals including shark, giant stingrays and dolphin. There are certainly a number of Caribbean islands you can choose from but this one is a jewel presenting the opportunity to explore volcanic caves and enjoy beautiful tropical vistas.
Joya de Ceren is a site in El Salvador that has been called the "Pompeii of the Americas." In the year 590 AD, Loma Caldera, an active volcano, erupted and effectively froze the village in time. Meals were left still half eaten on tables and the crops still held their original shape. Visiting this site gives a glimpse back to a time way before ours, and this can definitely put our history as humans into perspective.
Isn’t it wonderful to realize that numerous opportunities for awesome, international vacations can be found right outside of our own borders? The convenient location can even encourage an extended day since travel time is at a minimum. Remember, if you decide to travel to Mexico by car, you will only need a US passport card and since you can get a American passport card online online, it is a convenient and cost effective way to get your necessary travel documents. If you plan to fly, an express United States passport service online will get you must want you need quickly and safely. So much beauty and history is waiting right outside our boarders. Get to know your Central American neighbors and you will be glad you did.