Guatemala
Top Tips
Spanish colonial history
Explore UNESCO-listed Antigua, the former capital, with a wealth of
colonial archictecture. Look out for Guatemala's unique squat,
Baroque-embellished churches.
Lakes and volcanoes
Lake Atitlán, framed by volcanoes and dubbed 'the most
beautiful lake in the world', is a must. Semuc Champey is a
spectacular staircase of turquoise pools suspended on a natural
limestone bridge in the Alta Verapaz. Pacaya is the most accessible
of 3 active volcanoes. You can bathe in hot springs in Río
Dulce, or take a boat down its gorge from Lake Izabel to to the
Caribbean coast.
Indigenous culture
Guatemala's indigenous culture is considered the strongest in
central America, especially in the central and western highlands.
The vibrant weekly markets are unmissable.
Archaeological treasures
Mostly found in Peten, the sheer quantity and scale of Mayan sites
is astonishing. Most famous is Tikal, where temples and pyramids
rise out of a 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.
Shopping
Buy a huge range of Mayan textiles, crafts, hammocks, clothes,
jewellery, home furnishings, ceramics and folk art in the
highlands, local handicrafts and carved woodwork in El Remate in
Peten, and antiques and art in Antigua. The best markets are in
Chichicastenango, Panajachel, Santiago, Antigua and Guatemala City.
Bargaining is part of the fun.
Wildlife
A tremendous array of animals and birds inhabit some of Central
America's best-preserved rainforests: jaguars, ocelots, tapirs,
spider and howler monkeys, toucans, hummingbirds, parakeets and
vultures, to name a few. Peten has the best of Guatemala's nature
reserves.
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,
and kayaking or altitude diving on Lake Atitlán. Take a
canopy tour outside Tikal, or bathe in hot springs in Río
Dulce.