Guatemalan Travel

A November 2003 trip to Antigua by Depster

I spent a week in Guatemala and really fell in love with this country. It's a great spot to visit. It is cheaper than Belize and Costa Rica, but has a lot more flavor than Honduras. An excellent choice for a vacation.

  • 5 reviews
It's easy to think of the highlights because there weren't any lowlights. Tikal, Chichi, Lake Atitlan, climbing a volcano, Antigua were all amazing. Antigua makes a good base camp to do trips to other places on the side. There are a lot of travel agencies around that will arrange transportation to specific places (with or without a tour guide). If you are there for a short time, fly to Tikal. Spend at least two days in Tikal if at all possible. The one-day tours simply are not enough time to see everything there is to see. In all the guidebooks it says that Lake Atitlan is the most beautiful lake in the world. From where I've been, I would have to agree.

Quick Tips:

Spend two days in Tikal.

Guatemala is a very inexpensive country, so discount coupons don't really apply.

We were able to make all traveling plans (internal flight to Tikal and hotel stay, day trip to Chichi, day trip to Lake Atitlan, volcano hike) from Antigua at local travel agencies.

Best Way To Get Around:

Antigua is a walking town. We never a took a taxi anywhere. For longer trips, you can take a chicken bus or sign up at an agency for a ride in a passenger van. Chicken buses are dirt cheap and used by the locals, but the passenger vans are faster (and still not unreasonable).

Radisson Villa AntiguaBest of IgoUgo

Hotel | "Villa Antigua"

Best Things Nearby:
You can walk to the center block of Antigua in a few moments.

Best Things About the Resort:
It is located in beautiful Guatemala.

Resort Experience:
They have quality hotel rooms. There was a pool, but it wasn’t used by too many people while I was there because it was a bit too cool to swim and there are so many things to see - why would you be in the pool? In the room there was a fireplace. On most days they left a bottle of water (water is not drinkable there).

It is a very nice hotel. The staff was friendly and helped us change money and change our beds from one king-size one to two doubles. The best part about it is that it is in Antigua, which is a great place to start exploring Guatemala from. I wouldn't recommend the all-inclusive deal. There are so many great restaurants in Antigua and we spent so much of the day out of the hotel that it really isn't worth it.

  • Unit Type: Studio
  • Activities: Not Available
  • Amenities: Good
  • Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
  • Family Friendliness: Not Available
  • Service: Very Good
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Depster on January 31, 2005

Radisson Villa Antigua
9A Calle Poniente Antigua, Guatemala
(502) 331-7409

Volcan PacayaBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

We went with a tour and the path was very clear. I'm not sure that you can go without a tour, and I probably wouldn't suggest it because they drive you there, guide you up the mountain, and give you a ride back for very cheap ($5 to $10).

The hike is tough, although for part of the way they will offer you a donkey. Also, near the top they ask who wants to continue on, and some members of the group chose not to. Towards the top, your feet sink in volcanic ash, so it is difficult to step. Also, the air gets thin, making it difficult. It is well worth it when you get to the top. Getting to the crater is very cool and you feel a real sense of accomplishment.

  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Depster on January 31, 2005

Volcan Pacaya
Volcan Pacaya Antigua, Guatemala

Azotea Coffee MuseumBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "La Azotea Coffee Museum"

You can pick up a little van that will take you from the main square in Antigua to this plantation, or you can take a taxi. It is a nice place that teaches how coffee is made and describes the why Antiguan coffee is so good. They give you a little tour (available in several languages), and there are displays.

There is also a museum about Mayan music and culture. It was really interesting. I think that kids would get a kick out of it and you learn why coffee workers do not get paid a lot but coffee is still expensive (blame the middle man).

  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by Depster on January 31, 2005

Azotea Coffee Museum
Outside of Antigua Antigua, Guatemala

Tikal National ParkBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Tikal"

It is incredible. It is the closest thing to Indiana Jones that I've experienced (without the Lost Ark, people trying to kill you, etc.) The Mayan ruins are set in the jungle. There are two that you can climb to the top of and many pyramids and temples that you can walk around and in. The view of the jungle is amazing. The guide tells you that this is just a fraction of what is located here, but people are now focusing on some of the other thousands of archeological sites in Guatemala. The guide was very knowledgeable and spoke English well. There was only one other person in our group, so it was easy to ask questions and chat with the guide. There were other guides speaking other languages, so I think that, with a little research, you'd be able to find a guide who speaks your language.

We got a package deal (from a local travel agency) that included a transfer from Antigua to Guatemala City, a flight to Tikal, a transfer to our hotel, a morning tour of Tikal with tour guide, a free afternoon, a night at the Jungle Lodge, food, and passes to Tikal the next day. It was great. One day is not enough because you really only have about half a day in the ruins, which is not enough time to see everything. In the mornings it is pretty crowded with lots of tourists. In the afternoon everything quiets down a lot. You can spend quality time really exploring the things that you breezed by, and the guide gives you suggestions on where to head. It is very worth staying until dusk, when the animals go crazy, but bring a flashlight. It goes from dusk to pitch-dark very quickly. We wandered around in the dark for a while before someone with a flashlight came along, and we walked back to the lodge together. The howler monkeys are incredible, especially considering their size. We also spotted other monkeys and an animal whose tail sticks straight up into the air.

You can also take a bus here, which is much cheaper but very long. With our time constraints, flying was the way to go.

  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by Depster on January 31, 2005

Tikal National Park
Tikal National Park Tikal, Guatemala
+502 2367-2837

About the Writer

Depster
Depster
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

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