Guatemala

Quick Facts

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Capital

Guatemala City

Population

13,300,000

Government

Constitutional Democratic Republic

Languages

Spanish, Amerindian languages

Religions

Christianity (Catholic, Protestant), indigenous Mayan beliefs

Currency

Quetzal (GTQ)

Calling Code

+502

Nationality

Guatemalan

Local name

Guatemala

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Introduction

Across the lake

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Brief History

People and Culture

The indigenous culture in Guatemala is considered the strongest in Central America, particularly in the central and western highlands of Guatemala.

Geography

Regions

• Central Highlands - Guatemala City
• Western Highlands
• Caribbean Coast
• Petén - Ancient Mayan ruins in a hut jungle setting in the country's north.
• Pacific Highlands

Guatamala consists of 22 administrative "departments" (departamentos); Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten, Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan,

Cities

Guatemala City

In Guatemala City, be sure to check out the central market, the plaza, the cathedral, the palace...they are all in the same block pretty much. At the central market make sure you catch a glimpse of "Frog Man." A Guatemalan beat box legend. Makes for great entertainment!

Flores

Flores is a small island town (colonial of course). Plan to spend a few days here if you can. It is breathtaking and has some cool bars. It is also the jumping point to Tikal.

Antigua

Antigua is a small UNESCO-listed colonial town just outside Guatemala city, which was once the Guatemalan capital. Right up your alley if you like your alleys to be lined with colonial architecture. Look out for Guatemala's unique squat, Baroque-embellished churches.

Other Cities

• Puerto Barrios
• Cobán
• Livingston
• Chichicastenango
• Zacapa

Sights and Activities

Tikal

Tikal is a provincial park that boasts the presence of Mayan temples, jaguars, monkeys and all sorts of small interesting creatures.

Lakes and volcanoes

Volcan Pacaya - 11

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You can bathe in hot springs in Rio Dulce, or take a boat down its gorge from Lago de Izabel to the Caribbean coast.

Archaeological treasures

These are mostly found in Petén, but their sheer quantity and scale is astonishing. The most famous is Tikal, where temples and pyramids rise out of tropical forest alive with birds and monkeys. Other sites include Yaxha, Ceibal, Uaxactan, Aguateca, Copan and remote El Mirador and Nakbe, accessible only by mule or helicopter.

Wildlife

Guatemala boasts a tremendous array of animals and birds in some of Central America's best preserved rain forests: jaguar, ocelot, tapir, spider and howler monkeys, toucans, hummingbirds, parakeets and vultures, to name a few. Peten has the best of Guatemala's nature reserves.

Shopping

The vibrant weekly markets are unmissable. Buy a huge range of Mayan textiles, crafts, hammocks, clothes, jewelry, home furnishings, ceramics and folk art in the highlands, local handicrafts and carved woodwork in El Remate in Peten, antiques and art in Antigua. The best markets are in Chichicastenango, Panajachel, Santiago, Antigua, Guatemala City. Bargaining is part of the fun.

Adventure Activities

Go hiking, mountain biking or horse riding in the western highlands, best with a guide. Try deep sea fishing off the Pacific coast, kayaking or altitude diving in Lago de Atitlan. Take a canopy tour outside Tikal.

Events and Festivals

Weather

From November to April Guatemala has the dry season, which is a good time to enjoy Central America. That said, rivers, waterfalls and nature in general is much more beautiful during rainy season from May to October.

Getting there

Plane

La Aurora International Airport (GUA) near Guatemala City is where most international flights depart and arrive. GrupoTACA has flighst to Cancún Chicago, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, New York, San José in Costa Rica San Pedro Sula in Honduras San Salvador, Tegucigalpa and Washington. Several other destinations are mostly within Central America or the United States, but Iberia has direct flights to and from Madrid.

By Train

There is no scheduled passenger train to and from Guatemala although there is a line to Mexico and one to El Salvador used by freight trains and chartered for tours as well.

By Car

The Pan-American Highway runs through Guatemala from Mexico in the north and El Salvador in the south and even access from Belize via Flores is possible.

By Bus

Tica Bus is a major operator in Central America, with connections to and from Guatemala from all neighbouring countries, including direct services from El Salvador. There are also buses to and from Mexico and Honduras, less so from Belize.

By Boat

There are ferries between Livingston and Puerto Barrios in Guatemala to several places in southern Belize, like Punta Gorda. There's also a boat from Lívingston to Omoa in Honduras.

Getting around

By Plane

Transportes Aereos Guatemaltecos has several domestic flights, from Guatemala City to Flores and charters to a few other destinations, like Zacapa and Puerto Barios.

By Car

Both international and local agencies have cars for rent in Guatemala City, but it is not really recommended. Roads are not always in a good conditions and two thirds of the roads are not passable after very heavy rains. To add, there is possible danger of car jackings or robbery along roads, especially at night.

By Bus

The bus companies which use tourist bus line called pullman buses are the most comfortable means of transportation. For a cheap, daring, adventurous trip take the chicken buses or polleros. These are the refurbished old school buses brought down from the United States. They get packed to the brim with passengers and the rides can be bumpy. But they are the only access to some places that have curvy two-lane mountainous roads. There are smaller buses or vans that are more comfortable but also work as local buses and have many stops before your final destination. Most are safe, cheap and honest and the Guatemalans help travellers get to their next spots safely.
Litegua has connections between Guatemala City, Rio Dulce, Morales, Puerto Barrios and many other towns and cities.

In the Guatemala city there are Yellow taxis with meters, and there are other taxis without meters. Be sure to ask the driver before getting in what the price will be, if you don't agree then you can bargain down or refuse the ride if you think it is a bad price.

By Boat

Lívingston and some national aprks are only accessible by boat and river trips, such as the Río Dulce, can be great experiences, especially if you combine tours and public transport.
It's also possible to hop on regular passenger services on jungle rivers in the north and on Lake Atitlán.

Red Tape

Money

Work

Study

• Overview of language schools in Guatemala

Language

Related article: Spanish: Grammar, pronunciation and useful phrases

Spanish is the official language of Guatemala, although it is not used everywhere among the country's indigenous population, even as a second language. All up, Guatemala has 23 languages deemed national languages.

Eat

Sleep

Drink

Health

Safety

Despite its great attraction, Guatemalan tourism has been adversely affected by frequent violent attacks on travellers to its country. It is therefore recommended that visitors limit their sightseeing to the major destinations and travel with a reputable tour group.

In Guatemala City, there tend to be a lot of pickpockets, so make sure you aren't packing any documents and other important stuff while you're sightseeing.

Keep connected

Internet

Phone

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