I was really excited to visit Livingston. In fact, when we were planning our backpacking trip through Guatemala, I fully expected Livingston to be a major highlight. A sleepy fishing village on the shores of the Caribbean Sea, full of cool ocean breezes and a friendly Afro-Indigenous culture, what’s not to like? Unfortunately, as is […]
Tropical Rio Dulce is an underrated destination in Guatemala. The beautiful, lazy river rambles through sumptuous jungle hillsides crammed with tropical birds and insects. It’s also the gateway to Guatemala’s Caribbean coast. There are hidden jungle canyons, natural hot spring waterfalls and plenty of friendly locals. Rio Dulce is also the kind of place where
Rio Dulce: Relaxing and Exploring on Guatemala’s Sweet River Read Post »
Lanquín is a bit of an enigma. It’s the gateway to the hugely popular natural area of Semuc Champey, one of Guatemala’s top tourist attractions. At the same time, the sleepy, tropical town feels both isolated and remote. Unlike the rest of Guatemala’s major tourist hot spots, there are almost no souvenir shops and even
Lanquín, Guatemala: Exploring the Caves and Chocolate Beyond Semuc Champey Read Post »
There are few travel destinations more captivating than Guatemala’s Semuc Champey. White limestone cliffs rise up from the jungle-coated floor, disappearing into swirling whisps of misty clouds. Turquoise water cascades down a series of stepped pools, surrounded by thick green rainforest. Crowds of tourists swarm the whole area, blocking hiking trails as they take their
Is Semuc Champey Worth It? The Real Story Behind Guatemala’s Tourist Hot Spot Read Post »
Poets have written a million words inspired by the beauty of birds and flowers. There are few flowers more beautiful than orchids. And there are even fewer birds more impressive than the Resplendent Quetzal. If you want to see both orchids and quetzals, you have to travel to Cobán, located at the edge of the
Quetzals to Orchids: A Travel Guide to the Birds and Flowers of Cobán, Guatemala Read Post »
There’s a magical place nestled up in the Guatemalan highlands: an azure lake, surrounded by volcanoes and towering cliffs. In 1934, Aldous Huxley called it “too much of a good thing.” Today that beauty has attracted a marauding horde of tourists, ranging from drunken Israeli frat boys to German hippies who’ve swallowed one acid tab
Diving into Lago Atitlán: Travel to Guatemala’s Most Beautiful Lake Read Post »
There are plenty of interesting things to do in Quetzaltenango, also known as Xela, if you know where to look. Okay, you actually don’t have to look that hard. The city is manageably sized and a fascinating destination full of interesting places to visit. The colonial Spanish and gothic German buildings have a worn, tattered
Discover Xela: A Guide to the Best Things to See and Do in Quetzaltenango Read Post »
Is Guatemala City worth visiting? Even though I’ve been there, I’m still not sure I can answer that question. Guatemala City definitely has a bad reputation. The city conjures up images of ugly, sprawling slums, streets crammed with traffic and shirtless gangsters with gold teeth and face tattoos loitering on every corner. These are exaggerations,
Is Guatemala City Worth Visiting? Read Post »
Antigua is probably the number one travel destination in Guatemala. Every year, thousands, if not millions, of tourists flood the city’s elegant collection of cobblestone streets, restored Baroque Spanish colonial buildings, and ruined fragments of towering cathedrals. All of it ringed by a series of sometimes smoldering volcanoes. You’ve probably seen pictures of Antigua on
Wandering in Antigua: a Travel Guide to Guatemala’s Most Touristed City Read Post »
What do you want when you travel? Do you want highland treks along the slopes of smoldering volcanoes? Do you want to wander cobblestone streets, drinking coffee in front of grand colonial edifices? How about scaling ancient ruins to peer above humid jungle canopy? What about witnessing the modern traditions of the descendants of the
Go to Guatemala: A Travel Guide Without the Tourist Traps Read Post »
