Guatemala

[midtown 3,346]

Flights are booked.  6 days.   No idea what to do.  Volcanos? lakes? School me

Planning on crossing off remaining three CA countries this year.  Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras

[Mo Horn 8,852]

26 minutes ago, midtown said:

Flights are booked.  6 days.   No idea what to do.  Volcanos? lakes? School me

Planning on crossing off remaining three CA countries this year.  Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras

Several different Mayan ruins in both Guatemala and Honduras. 

[Newdoc 3,448]

Antigua, Lake Atitlan and if up for traveling, Tikal

[midtown 3,346]

On 1/2/2024 at 7:20 PM, Newdoc said:

Antigua, Lake Atitlan and if up for traveling, Tikal

Yeah this is what my research has said.  I only have 6 days on the ground so 3 in Antigua, 3 in Panajachel (Lake) and then back to city for a night for my early flight home.  I'll throw up a review with pictures when I get back.

Edit.  I have a 8th night because I decided to leave a day early.  Should I do a night somewhere else?  Or split Lake Atilan into 2 nights in one town and 2 nights in Panajachel? or 3 vs 1?  It's 2.5 hours down to the Pacific.  Is it worth it to get down to a surf town? @Newdoc

Edited January 4 by midtown

[kevwun 15,811]

Stay in Flores and go to Tikal.  Flores is an awesome old town on an island in the middle of a lake about an hour from Tikal.

[futureman 22,510]

do you like offshore fishing?  some of the best in the world. 

pacific. 

[midtown 3,346]

22 minutes ago, futureman said:

do you like offshore fishing?  some of the best in the world. 

I love fising and will look into it but I've been fishing a lot recently.  Panama, Nicaragua and Belize in the last 8 months.  I got a 120lb sail in Costa Rica in 2022 so I was going to do something a bit different on this trip and save my next fishing trip for a big marlin in 2025.

Also after hanging out on Ometepe island in Nicaragua I'm kind of obsessed with the volcanos and lakes of CA.

Same goes for Tikal.  I'm going to be back in Belize before too long and will do St. Ignacio and into Tikal next trip.  

Edited January 4 by midtown

[kevwun 15,811]

We did the drive from Belize City to Flores before covid.  It's a day long trip because the border crossing takes 2-3 hours.  I probably wouldn't do it without a guide or people who had done it several times because it's a bit of an ordeal since Guatemala is still pissed Belize exists.

Edited January 4 by kevwun

[futureman 22,510]

48 minutes ago, kevwun said:

since Guatemala is still pissed Belize exists

are you willing to give a back-of-the-napkin history lesson on this?

[kevwun 15,811]

Belize used to be called British Honduras and the relationship goes back in to the 1700's.  When Britain and Belize started talking about independence for Belize in the 50's, Guatemala threw a monkey wrench in to the proceedings because they wouldn't agree on the border.  Guatemala wanted control of the entire country, which wasn't acceptable to Britain or Belize because it had never been part of Guatemala and the Guatemalan government has never been stable.  It went back and forth for many years and was never officially settled.  Meanwhile Guatemala went through a terrible decades long civil war.  The British keep a jungle warfare school in Belize to this today in part to keep Guatemala from doing anything stupid.

Edited January 4 by kevwun

[stc 1,462]

any specific recs in antigua or lake atitlan? will be in both of those places later this month but don't really have anything specific planned. would like to hike one of the volcanos. 

[Js1 85,449]

4 minutes ago, stc said:

any specific recs in antigua or lake atitlan? will be in both of those places later this month but don't really have anything specific planned. would like to hike one of the volcanos. 

I did a village boat tour in Lake Atitlan - I ended up being the only person on it, so I had a nice solo tour of a bunch of villages around the lake, got to see some local stuff like the loom weavers, coffee growers, handicraft markets, a nice lunch, see some of the historic churches, plus the boat ride.

Was awesome. 

Edited February 6 by Js1

[midtown 3,346]

any specific recs in antigua or lake atitlan? will be in both of those places later this month but don't really have anything specific planned. would like to hike one of the volcanos. 

I found this during my research.
I've got two nights in Santa Cruz La Laguna and one in Panajachel at the tail of my trip

https://www.livingoutlau.com/where-to-stay-in-lake-atitlan-guatemala/

[NeverMarryAStripper 21,912]

When the ex and I accidentally went to Antigua, one day I rented a motorcycle, and we spent the day riding around the countryside.  I enjoyed it immensely.

[alphahydro 334]

in ~2 weeks, i'll be in guatemala  

gonna hike acatenango/fuego with my son w/ https://wichoandcharlies.com/ (<- they have packages that include jackets, headlamps, you can rent poles, etc. just seemed really convenient and well reviewed). 

hiking acatenango/fuego is actually 3 separate hikes.

a) up to basecamp on an inactive volcano with a view of the active volcano

b) after reaching basecamp, that same afternoon/evening, you can cross a ridge and hike up the neighboring active volcano <- everyone says this is the best part, but it's challenging after the first hike up to basecamp.   a couple places will take you up to basecamp (basically) in a 4x4 if you don't think you can do the full hike, fwiw. 

c) up to the top of the non-active volcano the next morning at sunrise

timestamped video from the second hike

before that, we are staying outside of flores and taking a tour of tikal.   it's about a 1 hour flight from the airport near antigua to flores.  (some of the other cool spots in guatemala didn't work for me on this trip, because i couldn't fit in a long drive, etc. something to keep in mind if you are short on time)

booked this tour based on reviews: https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g1820460-d19253022-Tikal_Full_Day_with_Dedicated_Exploration_of_the_Archaeological_Monuments-Santa_E.html

you can also do an early morning tour, which seems really cool.  you hike through the ruins in the dark and climb one of the temples to watch the sunrise and the surrounding forest come alive.

we're only gonna be in guatemala for a couple days.  other things i considered:

there's a large, older mayan site you can visit - they are still excavating it: https://www.elmiradorhelicoptertours.com/

and staying at atitlan.  problem with atitlan for me - when you start looking at the travel time, and the times the boats run, it really seemed like a 4+ day trip, at least with our flight times. 

 

 

[midtown 3,346]

The more I researched Guatemala the more I realize that a week is simply not going to cover it and that's not even including Tikal.  I wanted to make it down to the water as well so I guess Ill have to go back. 

I am not a big hiker and I am not a sleep in a tent person but those volcano hikes looks awesome.  I am a mtn biker so I did schedule this

 

Edited February 7 by midtown

[Js1 85,449]

I had such a shitty experience when I tried to go to Tikal (aka, they never showed up to pick me up at 5am), and with reservations for things in general, in 2019, that I need to go back and try again. 

But Atitlan and Antigua were the highlights for me since Tikal didn't happen

[midtown 3,346]

So my ex and baby mama just reminded me Monday the 19th is kids school holiday so I dont need to be back on the 18th and now I have an extra day if I chose to push.  Thinking about going to one of the towns on the far side and hiking Indian Nose.  Looks cool.  Anyone done that?

 

edit.  Looks like I can do this as a tour from Panajchel which would only require I push one hotel and a flight and add an extra night.  Its a 90 min bus ride through the countryside which might be quite a nice drive

Edited February 7 by midtown

[alphahydro 334]

prolly doesn't change your mind but for a couple extra bucks you can stay in a "cabin" rather than a tent (that's what we're doing). 

https://wichocharlies31.rezdy.com/581728/acatenango-private-cabin-all-included-2023-2024-price-for-2-hikers

(I wouldn't do the hike if it doesn't look appealing.)  mountain biking trip looks awesome.   have fun! 

[midtown 3,346]

6 minutes ago, alphahydro said:

prolly doesn't change your mind but for a couple extra bucks you can stay in a "cabin" rather than a tent (that's what we're doing). 

Yeah. I think I did see that.  Maybe another time.  Its more the knees and back that don't really enjoy hikes.  

[midtown 3,346]

Well I've been here almost two days and fuck this a beautiful place. I'll add more but this was today

[midtown 3,346]

Just got to Lake Atitlán

[midtown 3,346]

Current view from my hotel

[Lazarus Bocanegra 306]

if you make your way back through Antigua, eat at Tartine's 

[midtown 3,346]

I was in antigua for 3 nights and headed back for a night on Saturday
That restaurant was on my list

[midtown 3,346]

Last meal in. Antigua
Tartines

[midtown 3,346]

Last night went to Bistro Cinq

[midtown 3,346]

Overall an oustanding place to visit.  Definitely less commercial than CR but not too much.  I mean there is a Starbuck, McDonalds and Office Depot in Antigua.  It's definitely not as raw/gritty as Nicaragua for example.  Perefectly in the middle. I can definitely see going back at some point with some changes and also to get up to Tikal and down to El Paredon. 

The weather overall was perfect. I'm normally an AC or not go kind of person but not a single place I stayed had AC and I didnt miss it at all. 

Don't bother taking USD.  Not even the transport van from Antigua to Panajchel would take my $20.  Credit card acceptance was far far more than I been led to believe.

A few other things.  Immigration is easy but definitely realize that the big signs with the bar code pertain to you and you do have to fill out the form on your phone and show it. Coming out of GUA is typical central america airport insanity where every brother, sister, cousin, aunt and apparently ever neighbor comes to the airport with ballons etc to greet you.  Finding your shuttle isnt the easiest. On the way back home; security is pretty hectic but once you get through that; exit immigration was easy and fast.

Overall the country felt very safe to me.  I only got "scammed" once.  In San Pedro I gave the guy a 10 for a 5qz purchase and he just looked at me.  I said I gave you a 10 and he reached down to his till and brought out a 5qz. I just looked at him and lauged and said Ok sure I did.   Im not arguing over $0.60.  Other than that no issues what so ever

Edited February 20 by midtown

[kevwun 15,811]

What was the exchange rate?  When we were there it was 7:1 but that was before covid.

[midtown 3,346]

4 minutes ago, kevwun said:

What was the exchange rate?  When we were there it was 7:1 but that was before covid.

8:1

[justhookit 4,191]

3 minutes ago, midtown said:

8:1

So many people in CR now are bitching about how expensive CR has gotten. Those prices on that menu look pretty similar to what I am seeing here. Overall did you find it a lot cheaper than CR or pretty similar?

[midtown 3,346]

26 minutes ago, justhookit said:

Overall did you find it a lot cheaper than CR or pretty similar?

Certain higher end restaurants in Antigua that had a reputation like Tartines did feel kind of expensive relatively.  But out on the lake it was way cheaper.   Transport etc was average cost.  Lodging probably pretty similar as well. I don't really care about cost esp when I travel but Guatemala had shit tons of backpakers; probalby more than anywhere Ive been so I assume that are ways to go pretty cheap there.  That was a reoccuring theme from transport to hotels to food.  Seemed like every budget was available.

Edited February 20 by midtown

[alphahydro 334]

really enjoyed: 

Tikal tour with Gem Trips: https://www.gemtrips.com

Rosanta restaurant in Antigua

Gringo perdido Hotel in el remate https://www.hotelgringoperdido.com. (las lagunas is a nicer version of same experience, but was booked during my trip).

Acatenango/Fuego.  Wilcho & Charlies seemed to have a great location.  Bring something for altitude sickness though. 

 

 

[stc 1,462]

just got back from 2 nights in antigua and 5 nights on lake atitlan. it was interesting and i enjoyed it, but have no desire to go back. visited san juan, tzununa, san pedro, santiago, san marcos. they all have their unique charm but are essentially very similar. found the food as a whole to be very bland and unexciting. people were extremely friendly and the lake was absolutely beautiful. in antigua they have a jesus parade every sunday during lent that was pretty entertaining to watch. everything was extremely cheap. will upload some pics later...

[midtown 3,346]

21 hours ago, stc said:

it was interesting and i enjoyed it, but have no desire to go back

That seems fair.  I dont feel the need to return immediately but to me at this point being super close and having the outdoor activities I enjoy I can see a day where I just want to chill on lake atilan or wander around antigua for a few days or find a little place on the water

[stc 1,462]

San Marcos was full of dirty dready foreigner hippies. Like being on phish lot. Not surprisingly it was the dirtiest town we visited. Santiago and San Pedro were my favorites.

[midtown 3,346]

I didnt really love San Pedro.  Was fun for a day and I did enjoy the beers and burger at No Hay Deer. I heard San Juan is much more laid back and better for older travelers.  I had a pretty good meal up in the Bario area of San Pedro at Mikaso Hotel at the suggestion of the Hay Deer owner.  Santa Cruz was more my style.  Panajachel wasnt bad either. 

[stc 1,462]

San Juan seemed the most touristy of any of the towns around the lake. It was very heavy on shopping, which I wasn't really interested in. The Friday market in Santiago was nuts, so many vendors. Got a pretty sweet Mayan death mask made by an old Mayan man.