USA Today Logo New York Times Logo Outside Magazine Logo Conde Nast Traveler Logo National Geographic Traveler
Create your Trip Journal [click here]

Guatemala Trip Journal

By : Jennifer Barile
Trip Begins May 15, 2009
Trip Ends May 25, 2009

Joe and I took this Guatemala tour because it was a place neither of us had visited in Latin America. I got to use my Spanish skills, hike a volcano, see Mayan ruins, and swim in one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen!
See my photos : Our Guatemala Trip Photo Album!

Want to go? Guatemala Explorer, Guatemala Classico

I went to: Guatemala, Guatemala City, Antigua, Antigua, Santiago de Atitlan, Santiago de Atitlan, Flores, Tikal Ruins
[enlarge map]
[reduce map]
May 15, 2009
Top

We made it!

Antigua, Guatemala

On our way! Joe and I depart LAX for our overnight flight to Guatemala. Watched some movies, slept, and before we knew it, we were in Guatemala City! It was a bit odd to see the airport staff wearing their swine flu protective masks upon arrival, but we were just so happy to be done with all of our flights!

We were met at the Guatemala City airport and transferred to our Antigua hotel, Hotel Aurora. The whole transfer was about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Our driver brought some bottled water for us when he picked us up, which was a very nice touch! Our driver gave us our welcome packet, which included vouchers for all of our hotels and some useful information about the areas we were traveling to. They even were nice enough to give us some information on how to catch certain buses, as we were traveling a bit on our own without Adventure Life.

Hotel Aurora was great. The rooms were of an average size, but very beautiful. They have an amazing courtyard full of colorful flowers. Our window did face the street, but there was not too much street noise. (No need for earplugs!) They have a simple continental breakfast (toast, jam, fruit, juice or coffee) that was included in the reservation, and they also have 2 computers that you can use for email or what-have-you. Took a while to figure out how to type that “@” sign. I had to type Alt-6-4 (all at the same time). I’ve never seen that one before when traveling!

After a much-needed nap, Joe and I walked around and saw some of the sights in Antigua. It really is a beautiful city, and the volcanoes in the background make it a mystical place. We ate some yummy street food (grilled pork tortillas) with fresh avocado, and didn’t get sick! There was rain on and off, but it didn’t put a damper on the day.

We took an afternoon group tour to the Pacaya Volcano. It was amazing! It’s the only active volcano in Guatemala, and it’s quite a sight! The hike was a bit steep in parts, but there were horses following behind and you could ride one up the mountain if you felt like you weren’t going to make it! Seeing the lava flowing down the mountain was quite a site! Some people brought marshmallows with them and we all took turns roasting them over the hot lava! It was great! (And delicious!!) On the hike down, there were fireflies all around, and the skies cleared up so we could get a great view of Guatemala City.

A much-earned dinner awaited us in Antigua…. Joe had the Desayuno Chapin, or the Guatemalan breakfast – which we ended up having a few times on the trip: Eggs, refried black beans, cheese and plantains. DELICIOUS!

May 16, 2009
Top

Off to the Lake!

Santiago de Atitlan, Guatemala

Today we did some sightseeing in Antigua – Plaza Central, museums, and then caught our transfer to Lake Atitlan. We arrived at Panajachel, which is the main hub – Where you catch all the boats to the other towns around the lake. We took a lancha (small speedboat) to Santiago de Atitlan, where we were to stay for two nights. The lake is beautiful, ringed by volcanoes. Men are fishing in their wooden canoes using only fishing wire and a hook. Very peaceful.

We arrive at Santiago de Atitlan where we were met by tuk-tuks (the 3-wheeled small taxis) offering to give us a ride to the hotel. We decided to walk so we could see the town. On the walk we bought some grilled plantains on the street – One of my favorite things to eat!

Joe and I checked into our bungalow at the Posada de Santiago. It was great! We had a fireplace, and it the whole bungalow was made mostly of stone from the area. There was even a separate faucet in the bathroom that supplied purified water! (We never saw that anywhere else on our travels.) Since canoe rentals were included in our stay, Joe and I hurried to take one out of the lake – Even though it was raining!

Dinner at the Posada was excellent, and we ate there both nights! They have a lovely dining area, and had live music (Cuban music) on Saturday night. It was a great treat!

May 17, 2009
Top

Exploring Lake Atitlan

Santiago de Atitlan, Guatemala

This morning we explored the market here in Santiago de Atitlan and I ate the sweetest watermelon I’ve ever tasted! We visited some of the other towns around the lake (San Pedro and San Marcos), and took in a soccer game. After a busy day, we soaked in the hot tub at the Posada, ate a wonderful seafood dinner, and crashed out!

May 18, 2009
Top

Pizza and Textiles

Antigua, Guatemala

Today we went into Panajachel (Pana) and walked around town exploring the shops. There were a lot of vendors selling textiles and crafts, all beautifully handmade. Next, we took a shuttle (van) back to Antigua where we slept at Hotel Aurora again. We ate at a pizza restaurant called El Pescador, right near Plaza Central. Honestly, it was some of the best pizza I’ve ever had!

May 19, 2009
Top

Rio Dulce

Lago de Izabal, Guatemala

Long day today! We traveled from Antigua to Rio Dulce in a shuttle and then a first class bus. We watched movies (in Spanish/English) and napped along the way. When we arrived in Rio Dulce Town we were met by someone to take us to the Hacienda Tijax, our bungalow across the river. The Rio Dulce area is in eastern Guatemala, close to the Caribbean. The river runs out to the Caribbean Sea on one side, and feeds into Lake Izabal on the other. This is the largest lake in Guatemala. This area is hotter than the highlands, and you are really in the jungle here! There are mangroves, coconuts, turtles, birds, mosquitoes…Our bed had a mosquito net, so we didn’t have a problem with the mosquitoes in the room at all. When we went out though, I made sure I was covered in bug spray! Our bungalow was nice but very simple. The restaurant was good as well, and while you eat, you sit right over the river. If you’d like, you can take a canopy tour or take kayaks out on the river. There’s also a pool at the Hacienda, which is nice for cooling off after a hot day!

May 20, 2009
Top

A Little Bit of the Caribbean in Guatemala

Lago de Izabal, Guatemala

This morning we took a river tour up the Rio Dulce, which was beautiful! Along the way we stopped to bird-watch and look at the mangrove trees. We stopped at a little restaurant on the river that sold homemade bread and coconuts. The coconut milk was refreshing, and after I drank from it, I had one of the gentleman cut up the coconut for me to eat. There were some hot springs to soak in as well. On the ride up the river we saw many fisherman in dugout canoes, and people doing laundry in the river. It is so green and lush here, with limestone cliffs and jungle sounds.

At the end of the river is Livingston, a small town only reachable by boat that lies along the Caribbean Sea and the Rio Dulce. This was such an interesting part of Guatemala to visit, as many of the people who live there are Garifuna people, descendents of African and mestizo Guatemalans who speak Spanish, their own Garifuna language, and English. Here is where I had my most favorite meal of the trip: Tapado: A yummy seafood soup made from coconut milk, curry, seafood and plantains.

From Livingston you can take boats to some beautiful beaches, but we didn’t have the time. You can get to Belize from here too!

May 21, 2009
Top

Traveling to Flores / Santa Elena

Flores, Guatemala

In the morning we took a long, hot walk to the Castillo de San Felipe (castle), which sits along the Rio Dulce and Lago de Izabal. You can tour the castle for a small price, and it looks like one of the nicer places to swim. (We, or course, did not bring our swimsuits!) This is a really nice castle with beautiful grounds…A very tranquil escape from the noise of Rio Dulce town.

This afternoon, we were off to Flores and Santa Elena, our stop-off point on the way to the Mayan ruins of Tikal. After a 6-hour bus ride, we arrive at the bus stop in Santa Elena and took a taxi to our hotel, the Casona del Lago. This is a beautiful hotel, complete with a pool, hot tub, and a great restaurant! The hotel is in Santa Elena, but sits right on the lake looking out at the island of Flores. I have to say I was pretty excited about the air-conditioning! There was also a small computer station with Internet access.

May 22, 2009
Top

Tikal and the Howler Monkeys

Tikal Ruins, Guatemala

Up early and picked up at 7:30 AM at our hotel for out tour to Tikal. Our driver picked us up in a very nice shuttle van complete with air-conditioning. We went to the Flores airport to pick up two more people for the tour. We enjoyed a beautiful drive to Tikal. Our guide, Aguilino Martinez, was so informative! He was full of knowledge about the history and the ruins. Tikal was amazing! We saw howler monkeys, spider monkeys, and birds that build interesting pendulum-like nests. We also saw leaf-cutter ants, and a coatamundi – a raccoon-like animal. The howler monkeys put on quite the loud show for us!

We climbed to the top of some of the pyramids of Tikal – What an amazing view! Afterwards, we ate lunch in the park and returned to our hotel for a dip in the pool. We walked over the causeway that connects Santa Elena to Flores, where we had dinner overlooking the lake. We watched the sun set while downing some delicious daquiries and pina coladas.

May 23, 2009
Top

On the road to Coban

Coban, Guatemala

Had breakfast at our hotel, and were picked up at 9:00 AM for our shuttle to Coban. We picked up some other travelers along the way, and took a gorgeous 5-hour drive to Coban. We drove through lush mountains for about 2 hours until we reach the Rio de Pasion. Here, we board a ferry (while staying in our van) that takes us across the river, as there is no bridge. In about 5 hours total we reach Coban, a quaint city high in the mountains. There is not much to see in Coban itself, but the views around town are great. They grow cardamom and coffee here, so you can arrange a tour of the coffee plantations if you have time. (We didn’t.)

Our hotel, El Recreo, was great. Small rooms, but very clean and tidy. The staff were exceptional, and one of them even walked us to a specific location to make sure that we found it! There was construction going on right outside our window, so it was pretty noisy. I would bring earplugs for this place, just in case! Either way, I really enjoyed staying at this hotel, mostly due to the friendly and warm staff.

May 24, 2009
Top

Our Big Day of Adventure!

Lanquin, Guatemala

Early to rise this morning for our big Day of Adventure! We booked a tour to visit Semuc Champey, a national park about two hours away from Coban. Difficult to get to, but well worth it! We arrive at Semuc Champey and begin our hot, humid walk up to the lookout (El Mirador). Once there (and all nice and sweaty), the view was AMAZING! We looked down onto a series of tiered turquoise pools that form a natural limestone bridge over the Cahabon river. The river runs under the pools and comes out the other end. I haven’t seen anything quite like it before! During our hike we saw an owl, a poisonous snake, and many colorful butterflies.

After a quick lunch, we start our adventure! We swam in the clear, cool pools (with some small fish swimming around us). It was great to cool down after our long, humid hike. We moved from one pool to the other, and even got to repel down a small waterfall to get to the last pool. This part was really fun, but definitely a little dangerous. We repelled down a rope with knots tied into it – No helmet; No harness. But it was so much fun! And then we had to climb back up the rope!

After the pools, our guide, Rudy, took us to some caves nearby. We did not go to the famous Lanquin caves, but to Kanba Cave. It was great! We all donned our headlamps and received tapered candles to enter the cave. It was full of water! We walked and then swam in the cave, going up a couple of ladders and ropes along the way. The water was cool, but not too cold. The candles were a really nice touch, but I kept putting mine out in the water!

After caving, we picked up some inner tubes and finished our day with a lazy float down the river. This day was full of adrenaline, and one of my favorite days of the trip! Some say that Semuc Champey is the most beautiful place to visit in Guatemala, and I just might have to agree with that!

We arranged our tour with a company called Aventuras Turisticas, based out of the Hostal de Dona Victoria hotel in Coban. Our guide, Rudy, worked for a company called Maya’ch Expeditions, and he was fun and energetic!

May 25, 2009
Top

Guatemala City

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Our last day! Pretty tired from our big day yesterday, we boarded out last shuttle for Guatemala City this morning. About a four-hour drive, we arrive at the Biltmore Express Hotel in Zone 10 of the city. The hotel was very nice – more like a standard “American” hotel, with great water pressure and A/C! We relaxed and walked around the city a bit before getting some rest for the flight home tomorrow.

Guatemala was a very special place to visit. I got to use my Spanish skills, hike a volcano, see Mayan ruins, and swim in one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen!

1-5 of 140 imagesMy Travel Photo Album


Share