Central America

July 22, 2022

Traveling to Guatemala Mini Guide

Are you traveling to Guatemala or considering it? If not, you really should. This country sometimes gets passed up for bigger names in the Central American region, such as Costa Rica, but it really should be on your must see destination list.

There’s a mini debate of this beautiful Central America country’s name. Some say Guatemala derives from Quauhtemallan-land of trees. However others claim that it’s name comes from, Guhatezmalha-mountain of vomiting water.

I am going to go with Guhatezmalha, just because this country is surrounded by mountains vomiting water. And if you get the chance to come, I suggest taking a beautiful hike to witness one of these volcanoes up close.

Info	Guatemala
Capital	Guatemala City
Language	Spanish
Currency	Guatemalan Quetzal
Internet	hit or miss
Hello in Spanish	Hola
Thank you in Spanish	Gracias

Female friendly: Guatemala is a conservative country and the locals were very respectful. I wasn’t treated any differently from a male traveler. Solo traveling as a female was quite easy and the whole time I had no worry that a man was going to cat call. Actually when I was trying to get reiki done (read story below) the old Guatemalan man apologized that out of him and his female staff, he was the only one that knew how to do Reiki. However each experience is personal to the individual, so please take precaution and trust your inner instincts.

Fun Story: I had this hunch to head over to San Pedro on Lake Atitlan to get reiki done! I could have easily headed over to hippie San Marcos, but something told me to go to San Pedro instead. I went the complete opposite direction of the crowd and found myself inside a small little massage parlor, it was nothing special and I am quite sure the bathroom door was just curtain. By this time in my travels I’ve seen all types of bathrooms, nothing phases me anymore. Enough about bathrooms though, I had the strangest reiki experience. Heading out from the bathroom, the place is dark and the floor is lit with candles. I hop up onto the massage table, not knowing what to expect, and all of a sudden it’s like my body is floating (like from the movie The Craft) and I feel extra hands above me. Which made no sense because it’s just this one man in the room performing reiki. My mind was like okay this is witchy and spiritual , but hey I am in Guatemala and I am going to roll with it! By the time we were finished, paying and saying my thanks, I came out feeling a million times lighter. Blockages released and my soul just lifted. When I asked if I had a lot of energy, he gave me a look like girllll it was more than a lot and then mustered yeah through his smile.

Destinations I’ve been

Antigua: This city has a little something for everyone, and its usually the starting and ending place for many travelers. Before I go into “details”, I want you to notice something when you arrive here. Do you see many traffic lights, wires, neon signs?? No? Well that’s because there aren’t. This UNESCO world heritage city is like stepping back in time with its cobble stoned streets and beautiful colonial style houses. You are surrounded by Covent’s and the famous Santa Catalina Arch, that was once originally a passageway for nuns to go from the Covent to the school without heading onto the street.

Lake Aitlian: This lake or better yet a massive volcanic crater comprised by small Mayan villages all around is not to be missed on your adventures. Panajachel is the busiest town of all and an easy place to stay to navigate for your first time around. For more of a holistic feel head over to San Marcos where there’s a ton of yoga, reiki and crystals over here. A lot of backpackers on a budget head to San Pedro to get a good bang for the buck. If you are looking for something incredibly tiny and more relaxing then maybe head over to Santa Cruz, where there is one or two hostels right off the boat. There are plenty more villages, but surprise yourself a bit by taking a boat to any of these (2 dollars a ride, if that) and figure out which village fits your personality AND your wallet!

Izabal: If the heat wasn’t blazing in Antigua, it sure is in the Rio Dulce/Livingstone region. Here you will experience more of a Caribbean feel. You can honestly just laze out in the sun all day if that’s your thing. Go paddle boarding on the smooth waters of Rio Dulce (these waters are incredibly calm), and head over to the only ‘tropical style’ beach I came across in Guate-Playa Blanca. Or just skip around the town of Livingstone and have some Caribbean food.

Santa Catarina Barahona: This small village is located 30 minutes outside of Antigua, and is perfect for those travelers who don’t like the hustle and bustle. What was meant to be a 2 day trip here, turned into a week stay. I woke up to sunrises over the mountain, late night sauna experiences, took a weaving class, and just got to be surrounded by a beautiful village with its nature and charming people.

*I am a slow traveler, so I didn’t get to a lot of places, so even with nearly a month in Guate I took my time and didn’t rush from place to place. However there is no right way to travel and if you would like to see more. Check out the list below (contact me so I can add to it)

Destinations you should check out:

Mayan Ruins of Tikal: Ancient Mayan citadel, the largest and possibly the oldest of Mayan Cities.

Semuc Champey: limestone bridge, turquoise pools, caves, and waterfalls. For those who have been, they say it’s worth it.

Flores: I am quite sure this is where most people stay to head over the Mayan Ruins. So if you are looking to see some ruins, this is the place you want to grab a hostel at.

Xela (Quetzaltenango): You can do a homestay here (meals included) for 150 a week and learn Spanish. This city tends to grow on people.

Getting Around:

You have a few options here, and mainly all of them involve the bus.

From the Airport: Okay if you arrived into the La Aurora International airport, your best bet, or at least what I did was take a shared taxi with a few other travelers. I’ll be completely honest, as I was leaving the airport I saw shuttle services or something within that nature, and paid about 20 bucks and shared the car with 2 other solo female travelers. They drop you off at your location right in Antigua (assuming you are heading straight to Antigua, like most travelers do).

Around Guate: Now some people risk it all and take the Chicken Bus around Guatemala, however there have been stories of it not being the safest, but that’s on you to decide, use your wits.

I personally, and what many other travelers do, is head to the tour companies all around Antigua and book a ‘tourist’ bus. Cheap, sometimes comfy, and economical.

There was one time I did go from Guatemala City to Rio Dulce with the Litegua Bus Company and that was actually really nice! It was a comfy big bus with air condition and it stopped at this cool rest stop cafe that announces when your bus is about to leave over an intercom. Plus it had some of the best Chorizo of my life and I am thankful for that!

My budget and where I stayed:

The trip for nearly four weeks came to about 1300, way over my intended budget. *However If I am being honest those ATM fees and exchange rates on my bank card, added up to a lot. Any who the places I stayed and their nightly cost.

Accomodation	Where	Cost
Eve’s Place Airbnb	Santa Caterina Barahona	30 USD
Cacao Boutique Hotel	Antigua	72USD
El Hotelito Perdido	Rio Dulce	10 USD
DreamCatcher Eco Lodge	Rio Dulce	16 USD
MacaHostel & Microresort	Panajachel Lake Atitlan	60ish USD
La Iguana Perdida	Santa Cruz Lake Atitlan	10 USD
Maya Papaya	Antigua	15 USD

Accommodation Reviews:

Eve’s Place: Okay so this Airbnb came with its own private bathroom, plus an outdoor sauna. I woke up everyday to the sun rising over the mountains. I was surrounded by beautiful pups, a full kitchen to use, and a garden filled with herbs. I meant to stay here for two nights, but obviously like a normal person I extended my stay for a whole week. Easy to get to: the host has its own drivers to pick you up in Antigua (or airport) for a fair price, if you don’t want to take the bus.

Cacao Boutique Hotel: This was a little 15 minute walk from the center, but a nice downtime in Antigua to just relax in a hotel room for a couple days and recharge. Free breakfast and beautiful patio. Came here to soak in the hot bath.

El Hotelito Peridido: Down in Rio Dulce, you need to take a boat to get here. Upon arriving its filled with good vibes, down to earth friendly staff and owners. They have private rooms and hostel dorm style. Each night is family style night for food where everyone sits around the table and eat. You get a good price for the food and it’s huge. So if you are traveling with someone, I suggest just splitting if you order breakfast or lunch, because some of those dishes are bigger than American Texas portions. Apparently there is a guide dog who will somehow show you the way on the kayak to different spots along the river. That being said there are kayaks and paddle boards to rent as well.

Dreamcatcher Eco Lodge: I only stayed here a night, because I was running late. They picked me up from the bus stop at 11 pm and took me on the boat to their hostel. Beautiful princess like rooms with stunning food. I believe the owner is a chef. I didn’t stay here long enough to get a good feel, but this is a place I would stop by on boat just to grab some interesting infused food.

Macahostel and Microresort: Okay so when I came here it was in the testing phase. Apparently it’s going to be open for digital nomads who want to work during the day and have a festival at night. It does get sandy and the doors haven’t been thought all the way through, because there was no way to lock besides from the outside. Hopefully that has been fixed. Showers are steaming hot though and its next to the port, so you can easily hop over onto the lake.

La Iguana Perdida: Nestled in Santa Cruz, the moment you arrive by boat, there you are. They have fun nights like movies and costume parties. I watched Encanto here for the first time. Like El hotelito there is family style dinner, and its a great way to meet people. There’s also a diving school here.

Maya Papaya: Now this is a cool hostel to stay in Antigua, with free breakfast included and a full kitchen to use. The staff are friendly and the rooms incredibly clean! A few hang out rooms, great to relax and meet people. Many travelers stop through here.

Human Review:

I found Guatemalans to be incredibly kind and easy to speak too, even with my lack of Spanish. Apparently learning Spanish in Guatemala is learning textbook Spanish because it’s easy to understand and speak.

Safety wise Guatemala can get some iffy reviews, and each person will have their own experience. I, personally never had any problems safety wise. But, I know some people have gotten robbed and that can happen anywhere though.

Overall I found the locals incredibly friendly, accommodating, and just really beautiful. This is a country I will definitely would like to visit again!

Organizations to check out:

El Directorio Guatemala: This is the list of lists of verified organizations in Guatemala. It’s complete with events as well for networking, fund management, etc. Information can be found here: https://directorioguatemala.org/

Amor Animal: A low cost vet clinic in Santa Catarina Barahona catering to low income families and street dogs in the surrounding cities. The organization is Small Change 4 Big Change, it seems to have a few projects happening. https://bigchange.net/animal-well-being/

*When I was in Santa Catarina Barahona, I came across quite a few of the dogs that are apart of Amor Animal and was incredibly impressed.

Little Angels of Mary: Education and nutriton programs with indigenous famalies and children in Santa Apolonia, Chilmaltenango (Tecpan area): https://littleangelsofmary.org/site/ or https://www.facebook.com/LittleAngelsOfMary/

Los Beunos Vecinos: Sanitation and water organization. “The most fundamental element of economic development worldwide is access to WATER and SANITATION” : https://www.losbuenosvecinos.com/

Days for Girls: Health clinic for girls. They distribute fabric, reusable menstrual products, as well as provide education about the reproductive system: https://www.facebook.com/DaysforgirlsPoaquil

Suenos: nonprofit school working with indigenous children. They accept volunteers:https://www.facebook.com/suenosgt/ or https://www.suenosgt.org/

ManosdeMaya: Empowering indigenous women throughout Guate by teaching them how to sew and create one of a kind products using traditional Guatemalan textures: https://www.manosdemaya.com/

Education for Children’s Foundation: Offering students a well rounded program to develop skills through many different avenues. https://www.facebook.com/EFTCFoundation or https://www.eftc.org.uk/en/about-us

Start With a Smile Project-Proyecto Sonrisas:

Still adding to this list

**One of the pets from Amor Animal that was fostered and found a home**

Spanish Classes in Antigua:

During my time in Antigua, I took one on one Spanish classes in Antigua. Ingrid is friendly, personable, and works with your level of Spanish. I found my Spanish improving way more than in group classes I have taken in the past.

Ingrids Website

Wrapping it up:

Mayan Culture isn’t just something for the ancients, about 40 percent of Guatemala is made up of Mayans. Guatemala is the most indigenous country of Central America.

While roaming through Guatemala, take the time to slow down and practice being an ethical traveler. I mean you don’t have to take my advice, but ethical tourism makes the Earth a bit better of a place to be in. Ethical tourism improves greenery, local economy, and supports the people.