2 weeks in Guatemala in January? :)

Old Nov 1st, 2015, 09:17 PM
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2 weeks in Guatemala in January? :)

I have the travel bug again, and since I desperately need to get back up to speed on my Spanish skills, the boyfriend and I have decided to take a January trip to Guatemala. I spent 2 weeks in Costa Rica and a month in Uruguay, but this will be the first trip that I am planning instead of tagging along while my school takes care of everything, so I need a LOT of advice from all you wonderful travel experts!

We don't have tickets yet, but are planning on flying in to Guatemala city with a possible long layover in Mexico city around the 8-10th of January, and staying until the 24th-ish. I would love to stay longer but alas, work and school will only let us free for so long. I'm planning on purchasing trip insurance from USAA in case the boyfriend's leave request gets revoked or (knock on wood) we have any medical accidents/injuries during our adventures. I've never purchased trip insurance before- what should I look out for? Anything we should know about Mexico city if we end up with a 12-24 hour layover and want to explore?

Since the boyfriend doesn't speak any Spanish and my skills are getting rusty, we plan to spend the first week in La Antigua taking immersion classes and doing a homestay with the Maximo Nivel School. I've spoken with them; it seems to be a friendly and affordable option, and they'll even pick us up from the airport. Has anyone had experience with this school? We'd love to hear about it! http://www.maximonivel.com/destinations/guatemala/

After that, we have roughly a week to explore the rest of Guatemala. What are the MUST SEE places? We are dying to see Mayan ruins and we want to learn about the local biodiversity. I want to know all about the culture and get as much Spanish experience as possible, and the boyfriend is a museum and history buff. Tikal is on our radar, but I'm not sure what the best way to travel within country is. I've heard about flights, buses, and hiring drivers, but I don't know the pros/cons of each, cost estimates, or even where to find and book these transportation methods, so I would love your input!

My last big question is one that has come up a lot lately- safety. We both know all the safety basics, but not a lot about the specific situation in Guatemala. What areas should we avoid? How are tourists viewed in Guatemala? How can we better show respect to the culture and avoid trouble? The army boyfriend has already told me he would feel better carrying a gun while we travel- it seems like it's troublesome to get them in/out of the country, though. Does anyone know the rules for this, or whether he's allowed to buy one, carry, and leave it there? Or is this something we need to talk him out of because it's more likely to cause the trouble in the first place?

I'm sure your answers are going to spark many more questions, but I thank you in advance for helping us out and sharing your knowledge with those less experienced!
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Old Nov 2nd, 2015, 03:46 AM
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I'm a Spanish school addict so I think that's a great way to start your trip. I don't know that school - there's are dozens in Antigua. I attended the Academia Antigüeña and had a great experience, including with a really interactive homestay, apparently not as common in Antigua as other places. I usually make a quick stop in Antigua - it really is lovely - and choose to study on Lake Atitlán; I'm more of a small town person and I enjoy the area more for its natural beauty - volcanoes, hiking, kayaking. There are touristy places in each of the larger towns around the lake but they also have deeply traditional areas which I find fascinating and each village and town is really unique with it's own local attire and customs. I'm here in San Pedro La Laguna right now, enjoying the Día de los Muertos festivities.

The share shuttles are an easy, relatively inexpensive way to get around. We prefer to fly to Tikal but nice overnight buses are also an option. Sometimes we hire a private driver if the share shuttle schedules don't leave at a time that works for our schedule or for the Panajachel to Guatemala City route that is much quicker with a private driver than the share shuttles which always stop in Antigua. Honestly, if you can afford to hire a good private driver and fly round trip to Tikal, I'd do it.

Here are 2 transportation providers I’ve been pleased with in Guatemala for share shuttles, private transfers, and flight arrangements:
Adrenalina Tours: http://www.adrenalinatours.com
Rainbow Travel: http://www.rainbowtravelcenter.com

Our favorite private driver, Alfredo Garcia, is bilingual, personable, prompt, and safe, and has nice vehicles: [email protected]

I would plan to spend at least 3-4 nights on Lake Atitlán, visiting towns and villages, hiking, kayaking, etc., fly between GC and Flores (forTikal) and stay at least a night in the park; I HIGHLY recommend at least 1 tour with archaeologist/naturalist Roxy Ortiz - she's amazing, really great company. www.tikalroxy.blogspot.com Then I would spend your last night in Guatemala City; there are wonderful museums and a large historical center that might interest your boyfriend. There are dangerous areas in GC - the gang violence is why the crime rate seems so high - but they are not areas tourists would want to go anyway. The historical center and museum areas are fine, esp during the day which is when you would want to visit; I have a favorite hotel in a very safe, gated neighborhood 3 minutes from the airport but if you want more time there, a more central location might be better.

I think packing a weapon is a really terrible idea; others will have to chime in with the legality of it. Since safety questions come up a lot I'm reposting my response from a previous thread below. Obviously not everyone agrees with this list - some prefer cities and travel to party, for example - but it helps me feel safe when I travel and that's a good thing.
_________________________________

I travel in Central America every year. Sometimes I travel alone, sometimes with one or more of my kids and/or my husband, sometimes with a group in tow. I don't feel overly paranoid but have never had a problem and would like to keep it that way.

Here are my concessions to safety when I travel in Central America:
:: I avoid the big cities as much as possible
:: I don't "party"
:: Where recommended I take specific transportation (ex: Hedman Alas in Honduras, avoid chicken buses on the mountain runs in Guatemala, take taxis after dark)
:: I know where I am and where I'm headed and make major transitions with plenty of daylight left
:: I don't wear jewelry (not even my wedding band) and try not to flash camera equipment or money around
:: Some trips I carry a “throw down wallet” with an expired card or 2 and the day’s cash in it
:: I keep important documents and cash under my clothes (except what I need for shopping, buses, etc. for that time period) and keep close watch on my things, especially in crowded places and when I’m tired
:: I ask locals about safety in an area - evenings, hiking, etc.
:: I travel really light so I don't feel vulnerable getting my bag off and on buses, shuttles, etc.
:: I continue to build skills in Spanish

________________________________

My photos with blog, travelogue, and review links on the main page of each collection are below in case you're interested - all my recommendations are embedded there. I'd be happy to help with hotel ideas once you know your dates, budget, and general itinerary.
Happy trails!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/staceyholeman/collections
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Old Nov 2nd, 2015, 08:58 AM
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I've studied at several schools in Antigua and Maximo Nivel is one of the best. They are larger than most but still have that small school feel. Teaching staff i very well qualified and the entire place is run professionally. You could not make a better choice.
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Old Nov 2nd, 2015, 10:14 AM
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<The army boyfriend has already told me he would feel better carrying a gun while we travel- it seems like it's troublesome to get them in/out of the country, though.>

Wow, this sounds like a truly bad idea.
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Old Nov 2nd, 2015, 02:23 PM
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I am not versed as some posters and it has been several years since we traveled through Guatemala.

We were thinking about flying through Mexico City this year but it didn't work out. One poster on this site suggested that we visit the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. I think that would be a great idea. The Teotihuacan complex was another site we were going to go to while we had a few days in Mexico City.

The first thing is before you arrive in Guatemala City arrange a ride from the airport to your hotel. I would not get a cab at this airport unless you have set it up before hand. In my opinion Guatemala City is not a place to hang out in especially after dark.

During our visit we also made use of collectivo's, these vans run up and down most highways and pick up passengers for a fee. It was a great way to get around but I don't know what has happened in the 5 or 6 years since we did this. Another mode of transport is hitch hiking but unless at home you usually pay the person who picks you up the approx. cost of what the standard transportation cost would be.

Tikal is a great site and we could spend a week there. If you are only seeing one site in Guatemala that would give you a good insight. Yaxha is also a great site nearby.

As for guns bad bad idea. There is nothing in this world worth hurting someone or getting hurt over. I sometimes carry an extra wallet with some money in it and expired credit cards, old bank cards and id. Let them take that if you meet up with the wrong people. If they want more just let them have it. Do not travel at night, do not share your travel plans with any new friends. Fellow travelers can take advantage of you just as much as locals.

Hopefulist is a great resource and I have relied on their advice more than once. The area around Antigua is amazing and my wife and I talk about just going back and staying around Lake Atitlin for 2-3 weeks. The textiles in this area we found some of the best prices, however traveling with a backpack we could not take advantage of this however we did find the coffee was the best ever.
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Old Nov 2nd, 2015, 03:25 PM
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Thank you all for your responses!

Hopefulist, we may have already been spying on your past advice to other people. You seem to be considered the resident expert on Guatemala travel.

My boyfriend just let me know that he thinks his work will let him have an extra week, so our trip could be 3 weeks instead of 2- I AM PSYCHED!! I agree with you all that I think the weapon will be more trouble than anything, so I'm glad to have advice to back that up. He'll just have to live without it, though now he says he was just joking. We aren't dumb about safety, but the throwaway wallet is a good idea. I'm not sure that it works as well for someone like me who might be carrying a purse/daybag instead of a wallet in a pocket, though.

We DEFINITELY want to spend time in the Lake Atitlan area. I discovered yesterday that VRBO.com also has houses in other countries, so we found a lovely little apartment in Jaibalito to stay in for at LEAST a few days to explore the area. About how long would you take to see this area? What things to do are there?

We definitely want to see Tikal, but the plane tickets from guatemala city to flores were running about $250rt/each. Are bus tickets much cheaper? When do you know when to hire a private driver versus take a share shuttle, and about how much does your recommended driver charge? I've got a lot to learn it seems, and we're trying to do this on a college-student budget hahaha. Maybe someday we will have enough knowledge and experience to help others out as you guys are helping us. I sure hope so!

I've heard about Roxy's tours as well- she seems incredible! How do you schedule a tour with her- does she do set places and times or just accompany you where you want to go? About how much does it cost? I love that she ties in both the biological AND historical aspects of her tours, according to her website. I think we might be too tempted to just keep her! Haha.

So, now we're looking at:
Arrive in GUA, pickup by school. One week of spanish classes at Maximo Nivel, with homestay in Antigua. Then travel (shareshuttle/driver?) to Lake Atitlan, explore, and spend at least a few days at the little rental apartment. Where should we go from there? How do we fit Tikal in? Is there anywhere else we should check out, with an extra week of time?

I'm so excited!!! I'm expecting plane tickets to drop again tomorrow (they seem to trend down on Tuesdays) so I'll get them then, if I can be patient enough to wait that long.
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Old Nov 2nd, 2015, 04:27 PM
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You could consider spending part of that extra week studying Spanish on Lake Atitlán - that's what I'd do. San Pedro is a great base for hiking, kayaking and accesses other villages like San Juan, San Marcos, and Santiago. Here's a school I highly recommend in San Pedro:
http://cooperativeschoolsanpedro.edu.gt

Buses are much cheaper than flights to Flores and night buses save time and the cost of a hotel for that night. You could consider that 1 way and then splash out for a flight 1 way, maybe. I get my cheapest fares through Rainbow Travel, link above.

I esp don't like the share shuttles between Pana and GC because they take nearly twice as long as a private driver would. Also the time estimates are usually off - figure 5 hours for that trip, for example. They are much cheaper, though, and easy to use.

What's your departing airport? Maybe we can help.

You'll have to write to the providers for costs for tours and transport - Roxy's email address is on her website. Happy trails!
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Old Nov 2nd, 2015, 05:53 PM
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I was looking up bus schedules on the Adrelina website when I noticed they also run a shuttle to Belize. Is it crazy to fly in to Guatemala city, one work week in Antigua for the school, drive/shuttle to Lake Atitlan, spend about 5-6nights there, shuttle to Flores, 2-3 nights in Tikal, then shuttle from Flores to Belize city for a few nights and fly out from there? How difficult would it be to cross the borders and fly home from a different country?

I could keep adding things to this trip until I explode! But I want to make sure we are having time to savor it and get to know the local culture, etc.
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Old Nov 2nd, 2015, 06:46 PM
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Not crazy - we fly 'open jaw' itineraries into Guatemala and out of Honduras or Belize often, including this current trip. I'm spending 3 weeks on Lake Atitlán (my husband is joining me after 2 weeks), then we'll fly to Flores, spend 2 nights for Tikal and Yaxha, then head to Caye Caulker for the last bit before flying home.

Your itinerary sounds great but I wouldn't stay in Belize City. If you have just 3-4 nights, I'd head straight to Caye Caulker (others would choose Ambergris). If you have more than that, stop for a few nights in western Belize and do the ATM cave trip, then maybe make a stop at the Belize Zoo enroute to 1 of the cayes. Happy trails!
http://www.pacztours.net/actun-tunic...ve-belize.html
www.belizezoo.org
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Old Nov 4th, 2015, 09:23 AM
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I have nowhere near the experience of others, but here is my two cents.

I would fly to Guatemala City, take a shuttle to Antigua, stay there for very little time, go to this cooperative a school in San Pedro that hopeful list recommends, study there for a week, more if you can do it. Everybody that I met during my month there hated to leave the lake. Additionally the lake is a far superior learning environment then Antigua. And the lake is more fun, too.

After your time at the lake, it is very easy to get overnight buses to anywhere you want to go. Tikal, Semuc, Livingston, the shuttles are very easy to book on site. Leaving it open gives you flexibility in case you hear of a place you want to go to through other backpackers, or find some like-minded travelers to continue your voyage with
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Old Nov 4th, 2015, 02:55 PM
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We bought our tickets last night!

Arrive in Guatemala city Saturday night, stay for 19 days, then leave from Belize City on Thursday afternoon.
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Old Nov 5th, 2015, 03:24 AM
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Congrats!
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Old Nov 5th, 2015, 03:28 AM
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Oops - it posted before I'd finished and no edit feature.

If you arrive before I'd head straight to the lake and plan - as 'ginger' suggests, to study at the Cooperativa. Or spend your 1st night in Antigua and head up Sunday. After your Spanish study, spend a few nights (3 or 4?) in Antigua, then head to Tikal. After Tikal, head into Belize and split your time between western Belize (ATM cave), hit the zoo, and wind up on Caye Caulker (others would say Ambergris Caye).

If you want to minimize your time in Belize and add a Guatemala stop, you could head to Tikal through Rio Dulce/Livingston or Lanquín/Semuc Champey. Happy trails!
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Old Nov 5th, 2015, 03:29 AM
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Should be 'arrive before NOON...
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Old Nov 9th, 2015, 11:01 AM
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strongly recommend Elquetzalspanishschool.com in Quetzaltenango, (Xela). We did two weeks there with a homestay. Great experience. Really great school.
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Old Nov 9th, 2015, 11:28 AM
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Stacey, just wondering, why Caye Caulker than ambergris Caye?
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Old Nov 9th, 2015, 01:55 PM
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In general cheaper and way more laid back. Ambergris Caye is large enough you can stay out away from town but then you'd have a long walk or need to rent bikes or a golf cart to go back and forth. And when you go out to eat or to get a drink, you're in San Pedro which isn't my cup of tea. At all. Waaaay too many people, golf carts, tourists, just too much.

Caye Caulker has enough good restaurants to satisfy our cravings for great stew chicken, beans, rice, and seafood. We like to stay at a place with a kitchen so we ccan shop at the local produce stands and docks and prepare most of our own meals. Love the place we stay, love my dive shop, love the smallish, Caribbean feel. It suits us!
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Old Nov 9th, 2015, 01:58 PM
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A few links:
The place we stay: www.colindacabanas.com
Dive shop: www.belizedivingservices.com
Cool snorkel/sailing trip: http://raggamuffintours.com/hol-chan-snorkel/
Blog post from our last visit: http://hopefulistinlatinamerica.blog...e-caulker.html
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Old Nov 10th, 2015, 09:18 PM
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Hopefulist, you read my mind. I was just starting to stress about not knowing anything about Belize after adding it on a whim, when I came to your posts. Thank you!

I had been researching hostels and hotels in Ambergris- the hostels have awful reviews and the resort hotels look WAY too pricey. Your little cabanas look wonderful! Are we crazy to go for one without air conditioning, based on local weather?

What is the easiest way to get to Caye Caulker from Belize City? It appears that we could bike/walk around town once we got there, is that true? But I'm not sure whether it is more efficient to fly or take one of the water taxis to get to the island in the first place.

We aren't dive certified yet- that probably won't happen before this trip- but the snorkeling looks to die for. It's definitely on our list!
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Old Nov 11th, 2015, 07:01 PM
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I haven't visited Belize in January and I don't know your tolerance for heat; likely you'd be fine without ac but if it's esp hot when you visit you might miss it.

It's faster to fly but cheaper to take the water taxi - your call. Maybe do 1 over and the other back? Happy trails!
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