Tips for Visiting Guatemala?

Question

I am thinking of visiting Guatemala with my boyfriend and I don't know anything about it. My main concern is that I've heard it can be dangerous traveling on your own and I don't know whether I should rent a car and drive (is it safe and roads understandable?), take a fully guided tour for six days, or just do day tours. Which way is the best way to go? Any ideas or suggestions for places to visit? Thanks

Answer 1

I wouldn't drive yourself unless you know how to drive super insane and not get yourself killed at the same time! The bus drivers are more experienced.
I would only take the absolute necessities-pack light. Your clothes will probably get so dirty that you'll need to wash them anyways, so you might as well only have a very few.
You have lots of good advice from the others, but I will tell you from my personal experience, not as a tourist, or of living there, but as a visitor visiting family and friends.
There are many wonderful places to visit like Mayan ruins, and beautiful scenery, but don't forget about the small villages. They are full of interesting people, Mayan languages, and cultures. My husband is from Aguacatan, Huehuetenango and it is a nice place to see some real, old-fashioned, natural Mayan ways, yet some 'modern' ways mingled in. (If you're not going to be near there, of course go to another one. There are lots!) Go on a market day if possible.
Speaking Spanish can help you a lot, as someone mentioned before, but if you don't, you should probably go with a tour. Maybe see if there is one that will give you a day off to see some on your own. The locals are generally very nice and hospitable and would probably love to give you their own tour if they can understand you, and some of them could probably use the money more than some companies. There should be some kids that have learned English in school. Don't be afraid to ask around until someone understands you.
I agree that the city is not a safe place, and the driving isn't so safe, but farther out into smaller villages shouldn't be as bad. You can even hitch a ride in the back of someone's truck by waving them down. Slap the side of the truck when you want out. Pay them whatever they charge. It's usually pretty cheap.
Take some bottled water with you, and buy more when you arrive. DO NOT drink the water! (You are just gonna have to trust me on this one, okay? LOL!)
Oh yeah! Expect the busses to NOT stop for bathroom breaks (some do, some don't, and some only stop for a very few minutes ready-or-not and-who-cares-that-a-whole-bus-load need-to-use-the-one-bathroom-available*), and also sometimes they get stopped by the police or something to check for ID's and some states do not allow you to bring fruits into the next state. You do not want to go to jail there.
I've been told to keep 'rob money' handy and the rest secure in case you get held up (in the city), and I noticed that even in small towns I had to keep my hand over my pocket to keep other's hands out of it. They never tried to hurt me, they just wanted my money!
Remember to expect prices to be very different. For the most part things are cheaper, but the things that are generally cheaper in the U.S. are more expensive there. It doesn't always make sense, but it usually averages out.
Expect varied weather. Higher in the mountains it can be cold, and lower it can be hot. Middle is usually 'middle'! LOL!
If you will be staying long, you may want to bring some kind of food that you are used to. Even tho there is lots of good food there, sometimes you just crave something and may have a hard time finding it.
Always carry toilet paper and hand sanitizer with you. Soap if you wish, but not all banos have running water and many don't have toilet paper. There are some public restrooms that you pay to use and sometimes they give you a paper towel! (and that's not for drying your hands after washing! Lol!)
* To keep us from having 'bano' issues, we hydrated ourselves really well in the weeks before we left, and the day of the trip did not drink much. When we arrived, we rehydrated. That worked much better for us than our first trip back... Trust me. Some may tell you that's not an issue and that if you get a good bus line it won't happen, but there can always be a problem like an accident (and that happened to us) or a rock fall in the road (and that happened to us, too!) or a break-down (and that is very common).
Make sure before you go that you research the latest news for earthquake, mudslide, or hurricane problems. You wouldn't want to be in a disaster area on your trip. And try to schedule out of rainy season so the clouds don't block the view everywhere!
You may want to ride in the center of the vehicle you choose if you don't want to feel like you're falling off of the side of the mountain or hitting the large rock wall on the other side!
I'd HIGHLY suggest praying before you go for your safety, but then ya gotta trust God and enjoy the trip!
Now, having said all that, Guatemala is gorgeous and most of the people are absolutely wonderful! There is lots to do! Have fun! If I can be of farther help, please add a comment, and I'll keep checking until you close your question out.

Answer 2

You will LOVE Guatemala!!! Yes, it can be dangerous, but so can New York or New Orleans..... or "Mayberry" for that matter if you don't use common sense.

If it were me, I wouldn't bother with renting a car. Taxi's and buses are EVERYWHERE in the towns. And they are CHEAP! Walking is also an easy way to go in the daytime since there are so many shops and markets to go into that you don't want to miss.

Be sure you go to Antigua. It's unbelievably gorgeous and they have really great romantic restaurants. It's like stepping back in time there!

Go on as many tours as you can fit in. But take you time and let the culture take you back into the real Guatemala. The people there are very friendly for the most part. I'm sure there are some that like to spoil it. But every country has idiots. Most Guatemalans are very sincere and honest and lovely to talk to.

My one piece of advice about safety is do not go out ALONE at night in Guatemala city. Now if you are from a big city and are used to how things are, then you should be alright. But if you are from a smaller area, then you might be better off hanging out with a group or staying in once it gets late. But that goes mostly just for Guatemala City. I'm not sure about the rest of the towns.

Have a great time and bring a light jacket or sweater for the evenings. Believe it or not, it gets chilly once the sun goes down. : )

Answer 3

Just use normal travel precautions and you should be fine. Leave the expensive/flashy jewelry/watches, etc at home. You don't want to wear those things, especially in Guatemala City.

There isn't much to see in the City, so I would skip it, except for the airport of course. I would make my base in Antigua, its central and there are lots of tour operators there. A good shuttle company is STA (Servicios Touristicos Atitlan) Agencia, which is on the corner of 6a Avenida and 1ra Calle Poniente.
6 days is not long enough, so I hope you have some more time. If you do only have 6 days, then two nights in Antigua, one night in Panajachel (Lake Atitlan) or better yet, in one of the smaller towns around the lake. The Iguana Perdida is a great hotel in Santa Cruz la Laguna, and across the way is Santiago Atitlan, which is a glimpse into the modern Maya world.

Semuc Champey is place with amazing natural pools, so beautiful. Its near the city of Coban, which is in Alta Verapaz department.

Antigua is not the second largest city in Guatemala, Quetzaltenango, also known as Xela'ju is much bigger, and its a neat place to stay for a couple nights.

Tikal is amazing, I recommend flying there as it is a 10 hour trip from Guatemala City by bus.

I would do my own trip as opposed to a tour, I hate people telling me its time to go if I want to stay somewhere longer, and I hate waiting for people to go if I want to leave somewhere. There are so many shuttle operators you can get just about anywhere on your own, for much cheaper than a tour.

Send a message if you have specific questions on where to stay/eat/etc...

Answer 4

Tips for visiting Guatemala? Start by studying spanish for at least a week so that you know at least a little bit about what is going on around you. The big bonus is that you will also get to know how marvelous the people of Guatemala are if you can communicate with them. I recommend the Don Pedro de Alvarado Spanish School in Antigua for classes. They have experienced and sympathetic teachers, a great environment in which to study, and fun social stuff to do like a fiesta every week. Their prices are lower than alot of the other schools in Antigua as well. Their website is www.donpedrospanishschool.com

Answer 5

Do you speak spanish? Not a lot of english spoken in Guate. and not speaking spanish will mark you for thieves as you stand out more. In that case, a group might be better. (I hate groups though, it's too structured. It's vacation! I'm not looking at the clock!)

In the Capital, I've heard Central Market has become unsafe. The National Palace and parks around that area are safe.
To visit, lake Panahachel is so cool! Ringed with volcanoes, nice beaches, and tourist friendly.
Tikal for Mayan ruins. No lake or beach, so it will get hot in the jungle. But it's really cool if you're into hiking through the jungle and climbing around on ruins that were built before Euros came to the Western Hemi.
Second biggest city is Antigua, and it has a lot of old, cobblestone streets with houses right off street. Several old churches, and if you're there during any Catholic holiday, there's something going on in Antigua. There is also a large jade trade in Antigua.

Answer 6

I'd say when you arrive at GUA airport, look for shuttles directly to Antigua, (35 minutes) which is very nice, mellow, colonial, historical, and safe. I had a perfect room with private bath for $12 (Just went around the market in the center and checked hotels recommended in Lonely Planet Guide.) when my friend came we had a big room on 3rd floor with a view of the volcano for about $30.
Then we took a shuttle (just look for the little travel/tour agencies in Antigua) to Panajachel, a boat to San Pedro, then back to Panajachel, spending the night in both places in $7. rooms.
I did spend one night in the old part of Guatemala City. It was lively and very smoky. My eyes teared and burned all night from the black smoke from trucks, buses, and old cars. If they could just solve that one problem the city would be quite a lot nicer.
Those tour agencies also have trips to Copan, some Mayan ruins in Honduras, but not so far from Antigua and Guate. city.

Answer 7

I spent last Dec and January in Guatemala very cool country. I didn't take tours but travelled (alone) and went where ever my interests took me. I wrote a blog about it at yahoo 360 (Linda Drought) I rode chicken buses frequently without a bit of problem, though shuttles were cleaner, roomier and only slightly (by North American standards) more costly. the hostel system was wonderful. I would not under any circumstances drive there. What we know of as "rules of the road" don't count for squat. Favourite sites Tikal (Los Amigos hostel in Flores) San Pedro la Laguna and San Marcos on Lake Attilan are must sees...and Antigua was wonderful. Happy trails..and just follow the basics for foreign travel...stay reasonably sober, no late night lone wanders, listen to your intuitions.

Answer 8

I travel to Guatemala every few months....not much to bother with in Guatemala City and crime there is a major problem specialy in zona1...Antigua is a great place to homebase and day trip from...Lake Atitlan is another...your better off not renting a car but maybe hiring a local to act as a guide and to assist in shopping...riding a chicken bus is a must...by and large they are safe and very interesting...if you do go to Atitlan I suggest visiting some of the small villages that ring it...taking a boat ride to get to them...one small thing plan for boat ride very early in the day as the later in the day you go the rougher the water and the more sore your butt will be at end of ride...Tikal is nice trip but very touristy...there is another place across the border with ruins and I cant think of the name right now...interesting bus ride great ruins less tourists....am Sure I will remember it as soon as I send this as well as think of more to say....Have fun and enjoy your trip.

Answer 9

You can rent a car, but it will be more of a hassle then it is worth. Stay in Antigua, where you will find tons of english speakers, and book trips to Tikal, Panajachel, Chicicastenengo, Pacaya volcano, and Rio Dulce from there.

The city has a few museums worth seeing and the Palace, Cathederal, and Market are all very nice and fairly safe. Just keep you valuables hidden and be aware of your surroundings. Most of the crime in the city that tourist run into is purse snatching.

If you do get a car, be careful of people blocking the road or people asking for help. This is a ploy often used to get you to stop so they can rob you.

Answer 10

Guatemala is great. Don't spend any time in Guatemala City. That is dangerous. Forget the car. Thats like watching Guatemala on television. There are numerous private shuttles to get you around the country. I'd stay around Lake Atitlan. It is centrally located, and much of Guatemala is a day trip away, by boat on Lake Atitlan, or by shuttle. You are goiong to have a blast!