Natural Landmarks in Central America

The coastal area of Belize is a natural system consisting of the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere, offshore atolls, several hundred sand cays, mangrove forests, coastal lagoons, and estuaries. The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System’s seven sites are a significant habitat for threatened species.

Lake Atitlán and Volcán Atitlán lie in a spectacular setting in the Guatemalan Highlands of the Sierra Madre of southwestern Guatemala. The lake is the deepest in Central America and is renowned as one of the most beautiful in the world. As a result, it is the country's most important tourist attraction.

The Maya Mountains are a range of hills in west-central Belize that take their name from the Maya people who built great centers in the region. The Cockscomb Range is a spur of the Maya Mountains and includes Victoria Peak, a national monument of Belize.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is a Costa Rican protected area along the Cordillera de Tilarán. Named after the nearby town of Monteverde and extending over 35,000 acres, the cloud forest reserve is visited by roughly 70,000 visitors a year.