Guatemala
Why Guatemala?
Similar reasons to why I chose Mexico during the pandemic given its proximity to the US. If you have not read that post, please check it out to understand my reasoning. Two additional bits that worked in Guatemala’s favor: 1) One of my sister’s long-time friends has ties to Guatemala. 2) There is a Guatemalan-owned bakery near my home and I have found people of Guatemala I have met to be friendly and hardworking.
Where did I stay?
Again, I chose to stay in hostels. I visited three different parts of Guatemala on this trip. I started in Guatemala City, which is the capital of Guatemala. Following that, I made my way to Antigua, the colonial city. I spent only 1 night in Guatemala City. Majority of my time was spent in Antigua and Panajachel – one of the surrounding touristic villages (or pueblos) by Lake Atitlán. This trip was also my introduction to the Selina co-working/co-living chain of hostels.
Impressions of the various locations I visited?
Guatemala City – The city is split into zones with some zones such as Zone 16 being safer than others for tourists. Research the zones as things may have changed since 2021. I saw civilians carrying around handguns in plain sight like it was no big deal. My recommendation would be to spend very little time in Guatemala City and make your way to one of the other tourist-friendly parts of Guatemala. I know if you are flying in, you will have to pass through GC but my recommendation is to move on unless you want to see the raw side of Guatemala.
Antigua – I took an Uber to get from GC to Antigua the following day. This is a well preserved colonial city with a lot to do for tourists. I stayed at Maya Papaya, which is one of the best hostels I have stayed at during my travels. One could easily spend a week or two in Antigua. Tip: Visit the ice cream shop that sells beer flavored ice cream in Antigua. There were also hikes to nearby volcanoes here. The popular ones are Pacaya and Acatenango. The former can be done as a day-trip but the latter is generally done as an overnight stay with proper hiking gear and tour guides.
Lake Atitlán/Panajachel – This is one of the most beautiful lakes I have seen in Central America. When visiting from Antigua (approximately 3 hour shuttle ride from Antigua – many tour companies offer this trip daily from Antigua), you have the option of several pueblos (little villages) to choose lodging. I stayed in a pueblo called Panajachel at the Selina co-living hostel chain. There were plenty of food options in Pana but nothing to rave about. To visit the other pueblos, I took the public boat in the mornings. These were very scenic rides on the water and should not be missed if you end up in Lake Atitlán. The boats have specific hours and do not run at night.
Is it safe?
It felt more raw compared to Mexico. I did not feel very safe in Guatemala City when I visited. Other areas were safer with Antigua being the safest, relatively speaking. The international airport in Guatemala City also failed to impress and reminded me of a post-apocalyptic movie.
Tips for other solo travelers?
Skip Guatemala City. Rest of the tips are similar to the ones shared in other posts.
Would I go back to Guatemala?
I already did 🙂 One visit is never enough to fully experience the different facets of a country. I visited the ruins in Tikal on my second visit to Guatemala in March 2023.
See you in the next post. Thank you for reading if you made it to the end!