Tim Leffel: Don't worry—butterflies don't bite so you'll be safe! I haven't been there yet though, so I can't speak from experience on tour guides or websites. Try going old school and checking the guidebooks. They usually get plenty of feedback if a recommendation goes sour on someone, unlike a website where you don't always know who is behind it or what their agenda is. Budget Travel did a story on the butterfly migration and this area last March though.

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Atlanta, Ga.: My best friend and I are trying to plan a trip to Central America (girlfriend getaway). We have about three weeks and want a mix of beach, nightlife, and sightseeing. Very open to where but don't want to do a package tour. Have even discussed hoping from one country to another. We have from the end of July begin of Aug. So I guess my question is what the easiest way to get around? Should we look to rent an apartment/villa or stick with hotels? How much should we book ahead of time? Right now we were thinking Belize and Honduras. Any advice would be great. Thanks, Shannon

Tim Leffel: Here's what I would suggest. Do a "surf and turf" vacation in Belize for half of it, diving/snorkeling, island hopping, and then jungle exploring. Then go overland by bus to Tikal in Guatemala, then to Antigua and maybe Lake Atitlan. You could fly back from there (not expensive) to Belize or take an interesting boat trip from Río Dulce town down the river to the Caribbean and on to the Belize islands. From there, complete the loop back to Belize City.

Or, go on to Honduras as you planned, for more diving, Pico Bonito nature reserve near Ceiba, and the Maya ruins of Copan. You can do all this on public transportation—tourist shuttles part of the way—and hotels are not crowded that time of year so you'll have no problem picking and choosing.

I wouldn't rent an apartment or villa unless you intend to stay in one place. Hotels are reasonable in Belize and jaw-dropping cheap in Guatemala. Here's what I got for $60 at Lake Atitlan, breakfast for 3 included.

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Jersey City, N.J.: Tim, I want to wander around Central America, but I don't want to drive or go on a group tour. I've heard there is something called a Tica or Tico bus that goes the length of it. Can you point me in the right direction or tell me how that works? How are the roads down there, and is it easy to take the bus alone on my limited Spanish?

Tim Leffel: I'm not sure about that particular option--I don't think one company serves the whole region, but there are several like Hedman Alas that go from one capital to another and a few popular cities. In Costa Rica itself, Fantasy Gray Line serves 15 destinations, including two in Nicaragua. Quality Transfers, based in Monteverde, provides shuttles to and from various Pacific Coast locations, Arenal, and San José, among others.

In general, you will find nice buses or tourist shuttles between the big cities and popular tourist attractions. If you want to get off the beaten path though, you'll sometimes need to pile onto a "chicken bus" with the locals. These are old U.S. school buses repurposed as cheap ways for the locals to get from point A to point B.

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Lexington Ky.: Is it a good idea for non Spanishing speaking American tourists to drive in Mexico or Central America?

Tim Leffel: Definitely take a phrase book and dictionary, but the language only matters when asking directions, crashing, or getting a ticket. Definitely buy local liability insurance and good maps.

Conditions can vary greatly from place to place though. Much of Mexico is dead easy to drive around and I've done it a lot with no issues. Panama and Belize are pretty easy. I personally wouldn't drive in Costa Rica though unless I had a very clear idea of where I was going, especially without speaking Spanish. The roads are awful and there are almost no signs. People do it all the time though...

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Edison, N.J.: I have heard so much about negative messages regarding driving in Mexico, particularly dealing with police. A group of 6-8 people are considering to rent a van in Mexico City and drive around to visit Mexico antient sites. Our final destinationn will be Cancun. The trip may take 10-12 days sometime in next Feb. Do you have any suggestion regarding driving safety? Thanks. Wayne