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Propane, Camping, Border
Crossings, Shopping Locations,
and Fuel Prices in Central America
Compiled by Kathy & Rick Howe, kathyandrick@worldnet.att.net
Updated 5/15/08
The following information is intended
to be added to the existing literature on places to camp, shop and
locate propane in Central America. It is
by no means all-inclusive. We’ve also
included fuel costs during our journey and anecdotal border crossing
information. It is highly recommended that
anyone wishing to travel in this area investigate the following
extremely valuable websites: www.99daystopanama.com
, www.nextmillionmiles.com
, www.dare2go.com , www.questconnect.org , and www.xor.org.uk/silkroute/index.html.
Read their entire
Travelogue here!
PROPANE LOCATIONS
Note: RVs
(like ours) with chassis mounted propane tanks often must go to a
different location than those with removable tanks. There are more
locations that can service removable tanks.
Guatemala
Estanzuela. Zetagas is available on CA-10 at the north end
of town on the east side of the road.
Quetzaltenango. Between Cuatros Caminos and the Xela town
center, but south of the turn off for the bypass for San Marcos are two
plants. We got help at the Zetagas plant. It’s just below Km 93, on the east side of the
road. They couldn’t fill our tank but
guided us to a place where they had the truck meet us and fill our tank.
Santa Elena. There is an old, but operating Tropigas plant
about 2 Kms south of town on the road to San Francisco.
Heading south on the only major road out of town you
will approach a circulio and a Shell station on the left; make a left
turn in front of the station and this will put you on the road to San
Francisco. In about 1 Km you will see the
plant on your left. N16 54.170 W89 54.895
Villa Nueva. Reportedly there is a Zetagas plant at Km 19
along CA-9, a little south of town.
El Salvador
Joya
de Ceren. Tropigas
plant just off CA-1, approximately 2 Km after turn north onto Joya road.
Honduras
After leaving La Ceiba, somewhere
between Los Planes and Saba we saw a Tropigas propane
plant on the south side of the road, at N 15 33.290 W86 16.560.
Nicaragua
Esteli.
Tropigas on the highway in town on the east side,
just after you pass the Shell station on the same side of the street;
cross street is Calle 10a SE. N13 05.282
W86 21.107
Costa Rica
Belen (San Jose Area)
Heading east, between the airport and the turn off for the Belen
Trailer Park, approximately one mile west of the road you turn on to go
to the trailer park, on the north side of the highway is a Total Gas
service station that has pumps for propane as well as gasoline and
diesel. The station is most easily reached
going westbound; there is an unmarked off ramp right at the station. These stations are scattered around the San
Jose area at least and all seem to offer propane. The
sign for the station says “LP Carburacion” like the signs at propane
stations in Mexico. We’ve been told that
some other gas stations in Costa Rica offer propane as well. N9.59.834 W84.10.099
Panama
Cartago.
East of town, along the highway, there is a
Zetagas on the south side of the road at N9 51.450 W83 56.800.
David.
Between David and Chiriqui there is a Panagas on the
north side of the highway at about N08 25.300 W82 21.600.
about a half-mile further east there is a Tropigas
on the south side of the highway.
Divisa.
Just east of town on the north side of the road are
both Panagas and Tropigas, at about N8 09.150 W80 40.925.
PLACES TO CAMP
Guatemala
Antigua.
Tourist police yard. We
inquired at the tourist office as to a place that would be okay for
boondocking. They called the police yard
to confirm, and then sent us there. It is
a location outside the bollards that surround the center of the city,
and near the bus parking area.
Esquipulas.
We spent the night in the parking lot next to
the Pollo Compero, beside the basilica; $6 to the security guard.
Flores.
We spent the night, for free, on the malecon on the
island; turn left as soon as you cross the bridge.
We asked permission from the restaurant across the
way.
Huehuetenango. We were unable to locate other noted o/n
spots, and stopped at the Pino Montana Hotel, which welcomed us. It is located on the main highway (CA-1) on
the south side of the road at about KM 258. They
charged us $10 for the night.
Quetzal Sanctuary. We spent the night at the Mario Dary
Rivera Biotopo, about an hour below Coban. This
is a small parking lot, although they have a second one of equal size
nearby. We gave the security guard $3 for
the night.
Santa Elena. As you enter town from the east there is a
Puma station on the south side of the road. Will
find water and electric on a pole near the rest rooms.
Uspantan.
We entered town and looked for the tourist office,
which was closed; a nice fellow next door led us to the home of the
woman who was handling tourism duties at the time.
After a search, she found a hotel with a secure
interior yard, the Maya Parqueo. We stayed
the night; unfortunately, it was also a mechanic’s work yard, so it
wasn’t lovely; but it was secure. $5 for
the night.
Yaxha.
We stayed two nights, free, along the shores of Lago
Yaxha, inside the national park. There
probably was electricity at a palapa nearby, but they were working to
develop the area and we wanted to keep out of the way of the
construction crew.
El Salvador
Perquin.
We boondocked in the parking lot of the Museo de
la Revolution in this tiny town with steep, narrow streets; gave $4 to
the security guards.
Sonsonate. On CA-12, about 2 miles north of town there is
a fancy balneario on the east side of the road, San Bernardo; it is
also a nursery. We stayed two nights,
feeling somewhat conspicuous, at $25/2nights.
Suchitoto. A lovely balneario with restaurant, down by the
lake; El Mangal de Suchitlan, at N13 56.733 W89 10.077
Honduras
Gracias.
We spent the night, free, along the road into
Celaque National Park. This is a very
rough road and should be approached with caution; twisty and steep. We didn’t quite make it to the visitors
center, but hiked up the next morning. You
would only be able to get level with difficulty.
Lago de Yojoa. Finca Las Glorias; a lovely resort with a
level area for RVs at
N14 56.787 W88 02.280.
Miguel Guancapla. This is a small dusty town about halfway
between Gracia and La Esperanza. We
stopped at the police station and were told we were welcome to park
along the street, near the square. It was
okay, but not great. No charge.
Saba.
Hotel Executive. We had
to circle around town awhile before we found it; it’s on the road out
of town toward Olanchito, at N15 30.907 W86 13.846.
San Juancito.
We spent the night at the El Rosario entrance to
La Tigra National Park, near Valle de Angeles. We
do not recommend this for most vehicles. You
enter via San Juancito, which is tight and narrow.
Then you proceed 2 miles up a very narrow and tight
and steep rough road to the park visitors center. It
is, however, lovely up here and they let us boondock for free. Could not get level.
Seguatepeque. Shell station across from Wendys and on the
west side of the highway at N14 35.011 W87 50.881
Valle de Angeles. There is several places to stay in the area,
but we were advised the most secure would be in the hospital parking
lot. We asked for permission and were
allowed to overnight for free.
Nicaragua
Esteli.
We stayed at the Club Campestre, 4 kms north of
town, on the east side of the road. It was
free, but we tipped the guard $2.50/night. There
is a pool, showers, electricity and water; some shade; it is a large
grassy open field. We were delighted.
Matagalpa.
Selva Negra is 12 kms above town, on the road
north. This is a hideaway in a forest,
with flowers, birds, hiking trails, and real seclusion.
Boondocking was free after paying the $2 entrance
fee, and redeemable for a meal in the restaurant. Only
for small rigs, and we had trouble finding a place to get level. But well worth the trouble.
In a cloud forest; run by Germans.
Good food.
Costa Rica
Fortuna (north of
Bagaces, not La Fortuna near Arenal). Volcan
Miravalles area. This is on a loop road
going east between Torno and Guayabo. In
the middle of the ICE thermoelectric plant area is a hot springs called
Las Hornillas Pailas. They let us stay in
the parking area for $10/night. N10 42.884
W85 10.592.
Las Canas.
Hotel Capazurri, listed in several places as an
overnighting opportunity, is closed and carries a for sale sign. This is right next to the very interesting Las
Pumas animal refuge.
Liberia area.
About 4 miles northwest of town is the Delfin
Trailer Park. This
is an excellent base for exploring. Just
north of the entrance to the park is a turn to the east towards Rincon
de la Vieja National Park. This road goes
into the mountains about 8 miles. We
camped at the park entrance, for free, for two nights.
We entered the park during the day to hike, but
suspected they didn’t care. This is a
great spot.
Nuevo Arenal. Going west around the lake, we took a right
turn onto a road toward Volcan Tenorio. The
map marks this as the road to Tierras Morenas. After
2.9 miles we came to an unmarked, unpaved right turn going up a grade;
we followed it a ways and found a great place to park beside the road. Unparalleled views and quiet, although windy. N10 34.463 W85 00.627
Playa Pinuela. On the Pacific coast, east of Dominical. Small, lovely beach with several parking
places right along the water. The turn to
the beach is between Km 170-171; the signage is sufficient but not
great. Free during the week.
Volcan Arenal. We turned in on the dirt road toward Volcan
National Park, and then on beyond it. At
a total of 3.3 miles from the main road you cross a bridge and make an
immediate left. You ford a small stream
and continue for a short distance to the river. Can
park here for the night and can get a good view of the volcano if it is
active.
N10 26.300 W84 43.773
Panama
Boquete.
The Visitor’s Center will allow you to stay
overnight in their parking lot (they are about one mile outside town to
the south) but it seemed quite noisy and right on the road. We went into town, turned right a couple of
blocks before the square, and found our way to the river.
There is a soccer field ahead of you, with a fence
along its right side. If you go to the
right of this fence, along this road, you will come to a large open
field. It is public land and you are
welcome to stay there, apparently as long as you would like. It was perfect.
Volcan.
We spent a quiet night parked in front of the
fire station, about two blocks off the main street.
They let us fill with water. We
had heard there was a gravel lot on the south edge of town that could
be used; we think it has been built on, as we were unable to locate it.
PLACES TO SHOP
Guatemala.
Chiquimula. As you
enter town from the North, at the intersection for the road going into
the center of town, a new mall with a nice Paiz; also a Pollo Campero,
food court and several ATMs in the mall.
Santa Elena. As you enter town from the east there is a new
Maxi Bodega on the south side of the road.
El Salvador
San Miguel. Good shopping center on main road as you go
alongside the town. It is on the north
side of the road right where the Burger King sign is.
Costa Rica
Liberia. There is a
new Jumbo supermarket at the first signal intersection as you enter
from the north. Turn right toward the airport, then left into the
parking lot. Also several banks and ATMs at this location.
Panama
David.
There is a large new Rey supermarket and also a
big hardware store (Do-It Center) on the right hand side just after you
make the turn to the north to go to Boquete. Excellent
shopping.
Cartago.
There is a big new Mega Super on the north side of
the road, east of Cartago and before you get to Paraiso.
BORDER CROSSINGS
We have included here the border
crossings we used between the countries; the information is based on
our experience only and not meant to imply that these are the only
crossings. We advise that you bring the
equivalent of $75 in local funds to each border. If
you have “leftovers” they can be converted later. Our
costs are given in USD equivalents.
Mexico – Guatemala. Paso Hondo-La Mesilla. Quiet
and straightforward. No difficulties. You enter into the main street of La Mesilla,
but simply need to keep going straight to get out into the countryside. Cost: $20.83
Guatemala – El Salvador. Valle Nuevo. Very
well organized, helpful, quick and pleasant. Out
in the countryside. Cost: $7.84 entering El
Salvador, and $5.17 to return to Guatemala.
Guatemala – Honduras. El Florido-Copan Ruinas. Again, straightforward, easy and quick. Copan Ruinas is about 11 Kms from the border,
and makes a good evening destination. Cost: 38.06
Honduras – Nicaragua. Las Manos-Dipito. No
dificulties. A quiet, rural area; we went
on to Esteli for the night. Cost: $ 52.31
Nicaragua – Costa Rica. There is only one crossing, and it’s quite
difficult, expensive, and chaotic. No good recommendation. This
is the only crossing where we used local help, and then only because we
could not seem to avoid doing so. $101.23
Costa Rica – Panama. San Vito-Rio Sereno. This
is a small mountain crossing about half-way between the two oceans. It was very quiet (we almost had to wake them
up to let us through) with virtually no turmoil. Everyone
was nice and we had no trouble. There is a
short stretch (4 miles) of unpaved, rather rough road on the Costa Rica
side leading up to the border. Panama
requires actual stamps for your passport; they are not available at the
border so you have to walk a quarter-mile into town; they require US
funds to enact this transaction. Because
of the walk the entire process took about 1/12 hours.
Cost: $22.00
FUEL PRICES
These prices are the average for what
we paid in each country. We have a diesel
engine; the diesel prices are actual. We
have included estimated gasoline prices (regular).
Country
Diesel Price (Actual)
Regular Gas (Estimated)
Mexico (1/08)
$2.10
$0.35 higher
Guatemala (2-3/08)
$3.35-3.65
$0.25 higher
El Salvador (2/08)
$3.60
$0.30 higher
Honduras (3/08)
$3.10-3.15
$0.30 higher
Nicaragua (4/08)
$4.25
$0.20 higher
Costa Rica (4/08)
$3.90-4.05
$0.25 higher
Panama (5/08)
$3.65-3.95
$0.05 lower
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