A country I have been dreaming to visit for a long time, a journey too much postponed, partly because of the worrying news about safety that I read around until a few years ago, partly because of the cost of the flight, not so cheap as it often happens in Central and South America.
Colorful Guatemala, great variety of landscapes, from the highlands to the tropical forest, lively markets, a special culture to discover, Christianity mixed with ancient pagan beliefs, volcanoes to be climbed, placid lakes where to relax, impressive Mayan ruins, villages where life seems still to a century ago, and a splendid former capital, Antigua, adorned with magnificent buildings, some beautifully restored, others in ruins, and remained exactly as they were at the time of the earthquake.
Is it worth going there? Absolutely yes!! Some of the places which stole my heart are rarely visited. A windy and sunny plateau before the long descent that leads to Todos Santos Cuchumatan, dotted with conifers, cactuses, colorful flowers and few houses: La Ventosa. Chajul, a small village near Nebaj, nestled among green mountains, myself, unique foreigner among a sea of red huipiles and heads styled with braids, ribbons and the typical pon pon. Santa Cruz, a small group of houses perched on the less frequented shores of Lake Atitlan. Other places I have loved are more or very popular among foreigners, the main square in Nebaj, the white facade of the cathedral and the bright colors of the murals reflected in the fountain, the superlatively splendid convent of Santo Domingo in Antigua with its silent and relaxing atmosphere which invites to recollection, all the historic center of Antigua. The navigation from Livingston to the entrance of Lake Izabal, between calm waters and lush vegetation. The imposing ruins of Tikal, the less frequented paths to the smaller temples, the thunderous and scary squeals of the monkeys, and the fear of getting lost
I spent 21 days in Guatemala, and never, not event or a second, I thought of leaving in advance and dedicate a couple of days to the Belizean Cayos. It has been 3 full and intense weeks, full of interesting activities and ideas. Surely a country that, although small, is very varied and has a lot to offer. When I had to return by land to Mexico, being my return flight from Cancun, I kept a few spare days in case of unforeseen events, which then did not happen, so I found myself on the beaches of Tulum regretting not having spent one more day in Antigua, in Todos Santos Cuchumatan, in Quetzaltenango ….
CHANGE (updated to July 2017)
The currency of Guatemala is the Quetzal (GTQ)
1 GTQ = 0.11687 Euro | 1 Euro = 8.15580 GTQ
Always prefer banks rather than change boots. Excellent rate at the Banrural. Absolutely DO NOT CHANGE at Global Exchange at the airport, it is the boot which attracts attention with big signs boards promising amazing discounts, and they cheated me like a fool.
EXPENSES
A fairly cheap country, not exactly like in Southeast Asia, but I still managed to survive without huge expenses. In fact, as soon as I crossed the border and arrived in Tulum, I was shocked by prices and the first evening, completely unprepared, since I could not find any cheap hotel like in Guatemala, I was obliged to sleep in a hostel dormitory.
In 21 days in Guatemala (details for Honduras and Mexico are separate) I spent, in total, 6760 GTQ. It would be 790 Eu, in any case I always paid in local currency. It is an average of 37.6 Eu per day. To give an idea, in Burma it had been 20 Eu per day …
Here are the details, in case someone is interested.
1536.6 GTQ for food and water. It’s an average of 8.55 Eu per day, keeping in mind that I am a frugal kind of person, and above all non-drinker ..
I paid water from a minimum of 3 GTQ in supermarkets to a max of 8 GTQ in stores or restaurants.
Hotels, expense of 2375 GTQ (277.5 Eu, with an average of 13.2 Eu per day). Minimum 80 GTQ at the Hospedaje San Jeronimo of Chichicastenango, max 200 GTQ at Hotel Green World in Flores
Transport, expense 1424 GTQ (166.42 Eu, with an average of 7.9 Eu per day). Spending refers to public transport
Excursions, expense 1424 GTQ (166.42 Eu, with an average of 7.9 Eu per day). It’s just the same figure, not a mistake. Lance transfers on the Atitlan side, and admissions to various attractions are also included.
FLIGHTS
Iberia – 564 Euro, departure July 17, return August 14, from Turin to Cancun, bought well in advance, stopover in Mexico City so I avoided the United States and ESTA.
Volaris 149 USD from Cancun to Guatemala City, initially I wanted to travel by land with bus, then on the last minute I changed my mind
INTERNAL TRANSPORT
BUS
Normal buses go only on a few routes, the rest of the territory is served by the so-called “camionetas”, i.e. the chicken buses, or microbuses, rather uncomfortable collective minivans, like the African matatus. In my opinion chicken buses are not that bad, if one just sits in the back. In fact, the frenetic gathering involves only the first rows, the local population usually travels short distances, so it is useless to stay on the front rows if you go from terminal to terminal. A 60 lt bagpack can be easily housed in the inner luggage racks. The ticket officers are honest, no one tried to make me pay more than the due amount, and they always gave me the change, even in the rare cases when I paid with big notes (50 or 100 GTQ). In short, I liked the chicken buses, I found them comfortable, at least there is room to breathe! And I did not have to keep your hand luggage on my knees…
On microbuses, on the contrary, the living space is a bit sacrificed. The big baggage is loaded on the roof, and protected from the rain by tarpaulins, however, in some cases, inside passengers are so packed that even a small hand luggage is a hindrance. It is possible that, without plausible reasons, one can be transferred from one van to another. The operation takes the appearance of a Fort Apache attack, with everybody jumping like crazed shards from one vehicle to another to grab the best seats. At the bottom of the vehicle chain we find collective pick-ups, passengers are accommodated in the box, where in some cases wooden benches are placed, in others they are sitting on the bottom.
The public transport offer is more abundant in the early hours in the morning. It would be better to always try to leave by 7.00, especially if it is necessary to change the vehicle.
SHUTTLES
On the most touristic routes (Lake Atitlan / Antigua / Flores) private minivans integrate or represent an alternative to public transport. They are very similar to public micro-buses, they are only less crowded, and each person occupies a seat. In some cases, they take absurd itineraries to pick up all passengers. In many cases they do not carry out a “from hotel to hotel” service, since drivers stop where they have a convenience…
My advice? With same connections, chicken bus are to be preferrred. Better opt for shuttles only in case when public transport involvs an exhausting succession of changes (for example from Antigua to Copan, Honduras)
TAXI
I tend to avoid them like the plague, so I took them only when it was really necessary, from the airport to the bus terminal in Guatemala City (shared with other foreigners), and then to and from the chicken bus terminal in Quetzaltenango when I had to go around with all the luggage (impossible to get on a city microbus with something bigger than a 20 lt backpack). Again in Quetzaltenango, I contacted taxi drivers to fill the gaps of the local travel agencies which did not have any tour groups leaving in the moment I was there. Unlike some Asian countries, the agreed price has never been put into discussion and bargained
BOATS
A public boat service connects all the villages overlooking Lake Atitlan. Affordable costs, as you can see from attached picture.
WEATHER / RECOMMENDED CLOTHING
In July/August it goes from hot/humid in Flores and Livingston to chill on the highlands (only after sunset). I have always worn long trousers, I had some in heavy cotton with side pockets, enough to protect me on evenings at high altitude, and some other very light (100% linen) for the jungle and beach (to protect me from mosquitoes). I brought a warm fleece and a light windbreaker, and I did use them. Little rain in the whole mountainous area, something more in Antigua and Lake Atitlan, but nothing disturbing. Copious tropical storms in the plains, connected to prolonged shortages of electricity and water supply.
DEDICATED TO SINGLE TRAVELLERS WHO WANT TO SAVE CASH
Nothing extraordinary to report, some saving is possible. One nice thing I noticed is that in many hotel rooms the cost of single rooms is exactly half of the doubles. I even happened to have a triple all for myself, paying the price of the single.
HOTELS
In the most touristic places there are accommodations for all budgets, ranging from splendid mansions such as “Palacio Chico” and “Santo Domingo Convent” in Antigua to flophouses like Hotel Cristal, also in Antigua, where I slept. In other places, however, the more pretentious travellers will have to keep down their expectations. In some cases I just walked-in, in others I booked via email a few days before. I will talk more in details about accomodations in each dedicated section in the various locations. Let’s say that the “ugliest” hotel is perhaps the one in Antigua (which is the most expensive city). The room was really modest, and the bathroom was unwatchable. The good points were the silence of my room, which did not overlook the main street, and the kindness of the owners. I’m kind of guy who is satisfied with little, so I did not mind. The prize for the best goes to Santa Maria of Nebaj Hotel, which is also one of the most expensive. Here as well, owner of an exquisite kindness. But I would like to mention Hospedaje San Jeronimo in Chichicastenango, and not just because it was the cheapest of the holiday. I cannot deny it is modest, but they have done everything to make it pleasant in the common areas by placing pieces of crafts, tiles and decorative fabrics here and there. My room, facing the street, was certainly simple and spartan, and perhaps with a little dust, but its bathroom, however old, was very clean, and generous in hot water supply. What do you want more, for 80 GTQ? Another gem, the Alida Hotel in Livingston, the only budget hotel facing the sea, with its long wooden balconies, and hanging hammocks. A room with a view for 150 GTQ
Useful advice, which was given to me in the first hostal but it proved to be valid everywhere: to have hot water in the shower, do not open completely the tap, but slowly turn the knob and stop just before the water jet becomes pouring.
COMMUNICATIONS
I did not buy a local sim card, I managed by calling or videocalling with Messenger using the hotels wifi. The wifi is also present in the cheapest place. All phone providers, like Claro, had fares which were not suitable for my needs (too much giga I did not need).
FOOD
The cheap restaurants, which I frequented in the most of occasions, offer a daily menu for lunch, and for dinner they propose again breakfast dishes (eggs, rice, cheese, beans, fried bananas). At breakfast I usually bought some pastries in the bakeries and then took a tea somewhere. I brought with me also some tea bags to use them wherever I found kettles. In Antigua, the restored historic houses host Taco Bell-style chains or classy restaurants, some of which are much cheaper than I thought (I did not eat them but I looked at the menus on the door). Several times I bought tortillas in the street (4 for 1 GTQ) and then cheese or sausages in the supermarkets. Other times, bread or similar in the bakeries. On some occasions I ate street food. In some areas of Flores and Antigua in the evening there are food stalls where local ladies sell viands they cook at home in pots, and flasks. Food is really good, and both locals and tourists are attracted. 2 vegetarian tamales 5 GTQ, tostadas with various toppings, tomatoes, minced chicken, lots of homemade cakes, rice with milk and cinnamon, various types of other drinks which I did not try because I drink only water. The sanitary conditions seemed good, in fact, no runs at night 🙂
SHOPPING
There is a lot to buy, more or less same stuff as in Mexico. Many items, even if serial, are still produced locally, and not in China. I bought everything in Flores, the last leg of the journey, because I wanted to stay light. A lot of stuff is in Chichicastenango, or in Santiago on Lake Atitlan. As for the huipiles, the same models that I saw elsewhere at 650 GTQ and even more, at Nebaj cost only 450. Also in Antigua, at the souvenirs market near the bus station, or at the large exhibition near the Arch of Santa Catalina you can find lots of nice things.
SAFETY
Guatemala has reputation for being a non quiet country. One evening I had the TV in my room, and I heard news about bus assaults. I think I was lucky, I do not know, but nothing serious happened to me. I say so because in any case at San Francisco El Alto market my wallet was stolen. I did not even realize it, to tell the truth. There were moments when there was a bit of crowd where the streets narrow, and it must have happened in one of these situations. I have to say that I have not seen other foreigners besides me, and therefore probably someone noticed me. Following the instructions I had read in various forums, I had brought very little money, and I had placed them in different pockets, in my trousers and in my shoulder bag. They stole only the largest wallet, a typical female model, which was in the bag. I had some other money in the same bag, in another small pocket, but that was left, and so I was able to go back to my hotel without begging the bus drivers to take me on for free. It could happen anywhere, even here in Italy. Immediately after that I felt really bad and stupid, and for the rest of the day I was looking suspiciously whoever approached me, then I started thinking that I could not ruin my relationships with the natives for a single episode of a single individual, and slowly the negativity disappeared and I started to relax again, with a slightly more careful eye for the rest of the days. The episode that occurred does not affect the very positive judgment of the holiday. The only advice I can give is to be careful.
Another issue concerning safety are the road conditions. After a heavy downpour it is normal for rocky debris to collapse and block the roads. You must therefore wait until someone arrives and fix the situation. Microbuses tend to skip the rows, if they can, but big buses remain stuck. Furthermore, road accidents are not infrequent, especially big lorries are involved. Also in this case, it’s hours of wait before the police, the ambulance, the priest arrive…. The resumption of circulation is always very slow, so take it into account, and allow some spare time for connections.
Some countries, such as San Pedro and Chichicastenango, are invaded by packs of street dogs, which did not seem particularly dangerous to me. More or less everywhere I saw stray dogs, but here they seem to be more numerous. I like dogs and I’m not afraid of them, I just point it out anyway
HEALTH
Strangely enough, and I say this because I am that kind of person who get the runs even in Australia or the USA, I enjoyed excellent health conditions in Guatemala. My intestins were ok on the highlands, in the first part of the journey, but I was really afraid to get sick passing from mountains to the humid plains, and instead… nothing happened…. even if I was not particularly careful, and bought juices and fruit salads from street vendors