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:: G U A T E M A L A ::
Guatemala
almost has everything to offer the adventurous traveler, and even the most
eager explorer will be amazed with its incomparable collection of ancient
Maya ruins, numerous volcanoes and vast plateaus, deep river valleys, and
prehistoric caves. The only thing it really lacks is pristine beaches and
diving opportunities, but then again, the range of other attractions sort
of accounts for it. Guatemala is without comparison the most dramatic
region in Central America in terms of spectacular landscape scenery, but
also in respect to its ancient Maya and modern civil war history.
Many travelers
come to Guatemala with the intention to stay there a few days as they
fantasize of paradise beaches in Honduras or Belize, but a great number
ends up spending all their time in Guatemala. They are captivated by Mayan
history, wrapped up by its beauty, and want to stay longer to absorb more
local indigenous culture and get it under their skin. And there is a good
change; Guatemala isn’t only the most populous country in Central
America, it also accounts for the highest amount of indigenous people in
all of Latin America. Many native Guatemalans are direct ancestors of the
fabled Maya people, an advanced civilization that constructed great cities,
grand palaces, pyramids and observatories, and carried out sophisticated
works of art, astronomy, literature and mathematics.
Regions visited
We spent 3
weeks in Guatemala in 2007 and managed to visit a range of different places
in north, south, east, west and central Guatemala.
:: Lago de Atitlán – Guatemala’s most dramatic
region ::
A caldera (collapsed
volcanic cone), deep waters and three powerful volcanoes
Panajachel – Beautiful views and bike-trips in the
mountains
San Pedro La Laguna – Bohemian lake-side retreat and kayak excursions on
the lake
Volcán San Pedro – Scenic trek through fields of maize and virgin
forest
:: Antigua & Around
::
Guatemala’s prettiest city and three massive
volcanoes dominating the horizon
Antigua – Spanish Mudéjar-Baroque
architecture and pretty churches everywhere
Volcán Pacaya – Magnificent trek, a smoking summit and
rolling red lava stones
:: The Central Highlands ::
Separates the Cuchumatanes Mts. from the volcanic
ranges of the Sierra Madre Mts.
Chichicastenango – Lively, colorful and fascinating
native-culture Sunday markets
Cobán – Warm days and cool nights in a city
surrounded by mountainous laden
Semuc Champey – 7 hidden lagoons in the mountains
displaying magical glassy colors
:: Northern Guatemala & the El Petén Region ::
A vast limestone plateau covered by grasslands,
tropical rainforests and numerous Maya temples
Isla de Flores – An beautiful island and city in Lake
Petén Itzá
Tikal – Central America’s Maya city numero uno
:: Southern Guatemala & The Pacific Slope ::
The Pacific lowlands offer grassy farmland,
volcanic sand beaches, swampy rivers and extreme humidity
Monterrico – Guatemala’s best volcanic black sand
beaches
Biotopo Hawaii – Early morning boat-tours on mangrove-channels
sprawling with life
Future places to go in Guatemala
First
of all, we want to go back and climb some more volcanoes, especially in the
Central Highlands and Western regions. Secondly, the Caribbean part of
Guatemala – especially Livingston and around – ought to be
visited. Thirdly, we would like to travel some of the more remote Highland
villages.
Fast facts and hints on Guatemala
Daily budget: On the cheap: 10-20
US$; More guided activities and temple hopping: 20-40 US$
Pros: Incredible beauty; lovely people; cheap
accommodation and local chicken bus transport
Cons: Somewhat uniform food;
corrupt police; A lot of criminals has gone bad, hence it’s risky to
trek volcanoes without armed guards
In a nutshell: Premier land of
volcanoes and Maya temples; La
cultura Maya
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