Costa Rica is a delight, but it’s neither a secret nor really cheap. Nicaragua, though in the latter category, is fast making its name for more than simply saving a few dollars on the road. The country is an A-grade Central American attraction in itself, from brooding Volcán Concepción to the dreamlike experience of floating down the Río San Juan. True budget travellers trying to make it on US$20 a day (still possible here) may think twice about visiting the Corn Islands due to the cost of flying from the mainland, but Nicaragua does offer some of the cheapest beach living (and diving) in the Caribbean.