Highlights of Guatemala and What I Would Do Differently

I have a huge list of places I want to visit- and I do mean a huge list.  But Guatemala was not on that list until I got back from Iceland and started looking into some cheaper and easier options for my next trip. From our previous travels to Central America, I already knew that money went a lot further there, there’s no time difference between here and there, and it’s quick and easy to get there. Images of the blue water at Caye Caulker, Belize started popping into my head, but once I started researching, I decided Guatemala was more what I was looking for- to experience culture completely different from my own, have my first experience with ancient ruins, and enjoy one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.

I researched a lot before this trip, so I felt prepared and less stressed than I would have otherwise, but for the most part, the best experiences in Guatemala are not things that come from a lot of planning.

The Highlights

The People– When we told family and friends we were going to Guatemala, their first response was almost always confusion and concern, because why in the world would we want to go somewhere so dangerous?! While I appreciate that they cared, it kind of unnerved me that they all thought we were putting ourselves in such great danger just by being tourists in Guatemala, as though everyone there would be out to murder or rob us.

I’m not naive; I know there are some high crime rates in parts of Guatemala and that the country has its share of bad guys due to the drug trade and gang violence. However, every single person we met or talked to in Guatemala was so warm and so helpful. They were generous with their smiles and laughter, and any time we had a question, they went out of their way to help us.  I am from midwestern USA which is known for its kindness, but in my opinion, the Guatemalans have us beat by a long shot.

Lake Atitlán– I feel like I should be more specific here since we stayed on the lake for 5 days, but there really wasn’t one particular village or place or activity at the lake that stood out above the others… The lake itself was absolutely magnificent. Our eyes just lit up when we first saw it. The villages were all unique, the weather ideal, and the people were the best in Guatemala. Aldous Huxley is oft quoted when discussing Lake Atitlán for his comparison of it to Lake Como in Italy, except better: “Lake Como, it seems to me, touches on the limit of permissibly picturesque, but Atitlán is Como with additional embellishments of several immense volcanoes. It really is too much of a good thing.” I agree, Mr. Huxley.

Tikal– I second-guessed our plans for Tikal all the way up until we were on our way. It was a huge added expense since we were flying there and back, and it was difficult to fit perfectly into our itinerary due to the flight times. I have never really been a history buff (though that has been changing slightly), and since I had never before seen ruins, I had no idea whether I would really enjoy it or not. I did. And I am so glad I didn’t talk myself out of going there. Reading about it or seeing pictures does not compare whatsoever to seeing it in person and really feeling the magnitude of it. The temples were hugely impressive, and just imagining when and how they were built had a much bigger effect on me than I would have thought. The fact that the whole city was in the midst of a lush rainforest just made it so much better. It’s a unique experience sitting at the top of the tallest pyramid, above the trees, listening to howler monkeys and birds wake up and trying to imagine the Mayans of a couple thousand years before getting up to start their work for the day.

Luxury on a Budget– Guatemala is incredibly cheap. So cheap that we had no qualms with eating out for nearly every meal, having a beer or two even when just wanting to use wifi at 10 in the morning, renting a house that was way bigger and fancier than we would ever in a million years need, and hiring a private driver for all transport instead of taking buses or shuttles. We were in Guatemala for about twice as long as we were in Iceland, and even with all those extra luxuries, we still spent hundreds of dollars less in Guatemala than we did in Iceland where we pinched pennies every day.

Antigua’s Central Square– I have never been a city girl, and I don’t really like to spend a bunch of time in the big cities when I travel either. I loved Antigua though. It’s a walkable city, and small enough that we could walk all the way across town in around 15-20 minutes. There were several options for restaurants, and the different cathedrals and ruins were beautiful to see.  Mostly, though, I loved sitting in the central park and people-watching. The park is beautiful, and there is just so much activity going on around it that is fun to see and be a part of. Between the live music, buskers, women selling shawls, dogs splashing in fountains, and little kids running around playing, it’s pretty easy to be entertained. Walking down the road to the arch offers even more people-watching and entertainment. It’s a pretty festive atmosphere in the afternoons and evenings, and time passes by just a little too quickly.

The Colors– Oh, colorful Guatemala. It’s pretty easy to be happy and lighthearted when you are surrounded by beautiful flowers, colorful textiles, bright paintings, pastel buildings, and an abundance of sunlight. Compared to the dull, grey winter I had escaped in Kansas, it was like rainbows everywhere. As I am writing this, I have a view of dead trees and a light dusting of snow over dead grass, and a strong urge to go back south right now.

What I Would Do Differently

There is very little the I would change about my trip to Guatemala.

I would probably fly TAG airlines to and from Flores instead of Avianca after our fiasco with them. From what I understand, TAG has smaller planes and is not at the international airport in Guatemala City, which is why we went with Avianca even though they were a bit more expensive. However, I have heard that TAG is more reliable about being on time. I have no idea whether that is true or not, but after the terrible communication and cancel/un-cancel/delay-5-hours/etc. we went through with Avianca, I would take my chances.

I would also stay closer to the center of town in Antigua. I liked the B&B we stayed at quite a bit, but since we spent most of our time walking around town and not in our room, it would have been nice if we would have had a shorter walk, or at least a more pleasant one- the side of town we were on had very few people walking into town while we were, but instead had chicken bus after chicken bus driving on by, belching black smoke in our faces.

Additionally, I wish I had been able to arrange our schedule so that our time in Antigua was not split up. While we had 3 nights in Antigua, we only had one full day there which made me feel like we had to rush around and see as much as possible. It gets dark pretty early (6 or 6:30pm), so there’s not much you can do in the evenings. Because of this, we also felt like we needed to rush through our time at the Chichi market so that we could get back to Antigua in time to enjoy it a little bit before it got dark our last night there. If we had had more daytime there, we would have liked to see some more of the ruins on the outskirts of town or hike up to Cerro de la Cruz to get a view of all of Antigua.

I would have loved to go paragliding over the lake as I had planned, but since wind is what got in the way of that, there’s nothing I could have done differently.

If I go back to Guatemala someday, I would skip Tikal since I have already seen it, and would go to Semuc Champey instead. I had wanted to go there this trip, but as it takes almost a full day to drive there and almost a full day to drive back to GC/Antigua, I couldn’t fit it in.  I spoke to several people, though, who said Semuc was the highlight of their trip to Guatemala. It is a natural limestone bridge with a series of beautiful turquoise pools stepped atop it.  I would do Antigua again for a couple days, preferably on a weekend when it’s at its liveliest, and then spend the rest of my time on the lake.