This makes deciding on when to travel to Guatemala a lot easier. There is a rainy season, which runs from May to October, with the worst of the rain falling in September and October. Peak season is between December and March and again between July and August, seen as the best time to visit Guatemala in terms of weather, but best to avoid if you want cheaper accommodation. There are two international airports in Guatemala. If you visit Guatemala as part of a bigger Central America trip, a land or boat crossing is a great way to experience more of the region.
Buses are the most common way to travel around Guatemala. Some comfortable coaches run the main routes, while pricey shuttle buses take passengers between the main tourist centres.
But for an essential Guatemalan experience, a chicken bus or microbus is the order of the day. Be warned: they are bumpy, busy and fume-filled, but also cheap, convenient and often the only way to get to an off-the-beaten-track destination. There are no passenger trains in Guatemala, and the only internal flight runs from Guatemala City to Flores, gateway to Tikal.
Take a look at our full travel guide to getting around Guatemala. Short on time? Or you could focus your energy on one diverse region with our Western highlands route, which includes stops at the famous Chichicastenango market and Fuentes Georginas hot springs.
Take a look at all our Guatemala itineraries in more detail. Budget travellers, rejoice: cheap accommodation in Guatemala is plentiful. Hostels are often run by expats and offer everything even the most discerning backpacker could desire.
Our guide to accommodation in Guatemala will give you the full lowdown, as well as an option to book hotels and hostels. Stomach rumbling? Read more about food and drink in Guatemala. The two big local teams, both from Guatemala City, are Municipal and Communications. Guatemala has great hiking, particularly volcano climbing, which is hard work but almost always worth the effort.
There are 37 volcanic peaks; the tallest is Tajumulco in the far west, which at m is a serious undertaking. Pacaya is a fairly easy climb and a dramatic sight.
The Pacific coast offers exceptional sport-fishing, with some of the best waters in the world for sailfish, as well as dorado, mahi mahi and some blue marlin, jack crevalle, yellow and black tuna, snapper and bonito. The Caribbean side offers excellent opportunities for snook and tarpon. The northern Alta Verapaz region is the place to head.
There are terrific mountain bike trails throughout the highlands, with several professional operators organizing trips. Hotels in both these places offer kayaks for rent or contact Los Elementos in Santa Cruz La Laguna for expert advice and guided paddles.
The seas off Guatemala have little to offer compared with the splendours of the neighbouring Belizean or Honduran coastal waters. There is some surfing in Guatemala, but with a strong undertow along much of the Pacific coast, conditions are not ideal.
If shopping is your thing, visit as many markets as possible, particularly in the highland villages, where the colour and spectacular settings are like nowhere else in Central America.
The best place to buy them is in their place of origin, where prices are reasonable and their creators get a greater share of the profit. The most impressive craft has to be textile weaving — each Maya village has its own traditional designs, woven in fantastic patterns and with superbly vivid colours. Many choose to put down roots for a while to study Spanish. Similarly there are myriad opportunities for voluntary workers, and dozens of excellent projects, though little in the way of paid work.
Most schools offer a weekly deal that includes four or five hours one-on-one tuition a day, plus full board with a local family. There are dozens of excellent organizations offering voluntary work placements in Guatemala. Tikal is one of the largest and best known Mayan Ruin sites in Central America, and for good reason. Deep in the jungle, you will need at least 3 hours to take in this site because of its size. From learning Salsa in one of the many salsa studios to trying the Guatemalan street food, Antigua is the perfect place to start your Guatemalan adventure.
Start at Panajachel and work your way towards Santa Cruz. Semuc Champey is not the easiest place to reach—prepare for hours in a minibus with no air conditioning and treacherous roads.
A collection of turquoise pools with a natural limestone bridge, waterfalls, and caves in the heart of central Guatemala, Semuc Champey is a must-see destination. Guatemala has some amazing beaches—you can even learn to surf here! For a quieter time, take a shuttle from Antigua to El Paradon, which takes 2.
Water : Not safe. Drink bottled, or consider the merits of a SteriPen or LifeStraw for your trip. Internet Situation : You can find internet everywhere in Guatemala and it is decent to good.
You can upload photos and information and could run a virtual business from nearly any Guatemalan city. Internet cafes abound and your accommodation will offer WiFi. Local SIM : Super easy to procure and coverage is widespread. Go with Tigo over the other two. Full SIM card guide here —this covers all the Guate specifics you might need. Visas : American, EU.
Guatemala is a part of the CA-4 agreement , however, so that entry gives you a total of 90s in the four countries of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua.
Other nationalities can check the visa requirements here. When to visit Guatemala : Year-round is pretty good. Dry season is high season and runs from October through April.
Wet season usually just has a couple hours of rain each day and is still lovely, particularly because there are fewer people.
Even better, the country is well set up for this task. You have three main options: Xela, San Pedro, and Antigua. Budget : Guatemala is a budget-friendly country. Food Considerations : Traveling as a vegetarian in Guatemala is, well, boring on occasion.
It can be tough at times to find quick veggie food so bring your granola bars. Meals are often complemented with plantains and avocado and they will nearly always substitute scrambled eggs for the meat in any dish if you ask! If you decide to stick to budget and street food options, follow these food safety principles. Accommodation : Guatemala has an extensive tourism network of guesthouses, homestays, and hostels. While the links in city guides below go to a hotel booking site, many are also found on Airbnb if you are a member.
A Little Adrift readers get an Airbnb credit here to give it a go. For backpackers, Booking. Everything can be easily reserved online. If none of these will do, check out my detailed guide to finding good places to stay. Keep in mind though: The transportation is the most dangerous aspect of traveling because the drivers hug corners and drive far faster than is safe. Sometimes they let you shove it under your feet and you can relax a bit more knowing that your pack is safe.
This is the same for pickpocketing, walking in dark alleys late at night, etc. Festivals of Note : Semana Santa takes place most notably in Antigua and occurs in the week before Easter each year. Dia de los Muertos is celebrated across Guatemala and takes places on and around October 31st. Possible Issues : Keep your belongings close, and probably best to ensure you have both travel and gear insurance.
Be alert and cautious. Guatemala is one of the least safe areas of Central America, mostly because of the drug routes northward. How do you maximize your safety in Guatemala? Well, like many places in the region, night travel has higher risk factors. Above all, exercise caution and stay on the tourist route. Guatemala is not a place where you want to let your guard down, particularly on a travel day. You would have to be in the wrong place at the wrong time to experience more than petty crime.
Anything can happen on the road. I am a firm advocate of travel insurance like World Nomads ; these are my top tips to pick a good travel insurance. From the best travel gear to how to pick travel insurance—a detailed list of resources, tips, and advice to help you plan an amazing trip.
I find the Lonely Planet guides generally have the best transportation sections and the Lonely Planet Guatemala is no different. A need for clear transportation routes is doubly important when traveling Guatemala, where you really need to know your various options when plotting a route through the region—there is a mix of public buses, private transports, taxis, and more. The guidebook will also provide valuable safety details on which transport is safest for your planned route. Find more regional fiction and nonfiction books and long-reads and you can read all my Guatemala travel stories.
Guatemala has a large indigenous population, particularly in the northern and central highlands.
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