Trip IdeasFodor's Guatemala, 1st Edition
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About This Book
Fodor’s. For Choice Travel Experiences.
Fodor’s helps you unleash the possibilities of travel by providing the insightful tools you need to experience the trips you want. While you’re at the helm, Fodor’s offers the assurance of our expertise, the guarantee of selectivity, and the choice details that truly define a destination. It’s like having a friend in Guatemala!
•Updated frequently, Fodor’s Guatemala provides the most accurate and up-to-date information available in a guide book.
•Fodor’s Guatemala features options for a variety of budgets, interests, and tastes, so you make the choices to plan your trip of a lifetime.
•If it’s not worth your time, it’s not in this book. Fodor’s discriminating ratings, including our top tier Fodor’s Choice designations, ensure that you’ll know about the most interesting and enjoyable places in Guatemala.
•Experience Guatemala like a local! Fodor’s Guatemala features information from local experts.
•Indispensable, customized trip planning tools include “Top Reasons to Go,” “Word of Mouth” advice from other travelers, and tips to help save money, bypass lines, and avoid common travel pitfalls.
Visit Fodors.com for more ideas and information, travel deals, vacation planning tips, reviews and to exchange travel advice with other travelers.
Fodor’s helps you unleash the possibilities of travel by providing the insightful tools you need to experience the trips you want. While you’re at the helm, Fodor’s offers the assurance of our expertise, the guarantee of selectivity, and the choice details that truly define a destination. It’s like having a friend in Guatemala!
•Updated frequently, Fodor’s Guatemala provides the most accurate and up-to-date information available in a guide book.
•Fodor’s Guatemala features options for a variety of budgets, interests, and tastes, so you make the choices to plan your trip of a lifetime.
•If it’s not worth your time, it’s not in this book. Fodor’s discriminating ratings, including our top tier Fodor’s Choice designations, ensure that you’ll know about the most interesting and enjoyable places in Guatemala.
•Experience Guatemala like a local! Fodor’s Guatemala features information from local experts.
•Indispensable, customized trip planning tools include “Top Reasons to Go,” “Word of Mouth” advice from other travelers, and tips to help save money, bypass lines, and avoid common travel pitfalls.
Visit Fodors.com for more ideas and information, travel deals, vacation planning tips, reviews and to exchange travel advice with other travelers.
Table of Contents
About This Book ............ 6
What’s Where ............ 7
When to Go ............ 9
Quintessential Guatemala ............ 10
If You Like ............ 12
Great Itineraries ............ 18
Chapter 1: Guatemala City ............ 21
Orientation & Planning ............ 22
Exploring ............ 25
Where to Eat ............ 30
Where to Stay ............ 35
Nightlife & the Arts ............ 40
Shopping ............ 42
Day Trip from Guatemala City ............ 44
Guatemala City Essentials ............ 45
Chapter 2: Antigua ............ 49
Orientation & Planning ............ 50
Exploring ............ 52
Where to Eat ............ 58
Where to Stay ............ 65
Nightlife & the Arts ............ 71
Outdoor Activities ............ 73
Shopping ............ 75
Side Trips ............ 77
Antigua Essentials ............ 77
Chapter 3: The Highlands ............ 83
Orientation & Planning ............ 84
Lago Atitlán ............ 88
Chichicastenango ............ 107
El Quiché ............ 114
Quetzaltenango (Xelajú) ............ 118
Around Quetzaltenango ............ 126
The Highlands Essentials ............ 132
Chapter 4: Las Verapaces ............ 137
Orientation & Planning ............ 138
Baja Verapaz ............ 141
Alta Verapaz ............ 143
Las Verapaces Essentials ............ 152
Chapter 5: The Atlantic Lowlands ............ 155
Orientation & Planning ............ 157
Lago Izabal ............ 158
Along the Atlantic Coast ............ 164
Copán (Honduras) ............ 171
The Atlantic Lowlands Essentials ............ 177
Chapter 6: The Pacific Lowlands ............ 179
Orientation & Planning ............ 180
Retalhuleu ............ 183
Takalik Abaj ............ 183
Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa ............ 184
Puerto San José ............ 186
Monterrico ............ 187
The Pacific Lowlands Essentials ............ 189
Chapter 7: El Petén ............ 193
Orientation & Planning ............ 194
El Petén Essentials ............ 216
Chapter 8: Mayan Sites ............ 219
A Mayan Primer ............ 220
Dos & Don’ts for Visiting Ruins ............ 225
Architecture ............ 225
Chapter 9: Adventure & Learning Vacations ............ 227
Planning Your Adventure ............ 228
Adventure & Learning Vacations ............ 231
Guatemala Essentials ............ 239
Getting Started ............ 240
Booking Your Trip ............ 244
Transportation ............ 251
On The Ground ............ 257
Menu Guide ............ 268
Vocabulary ............ 272
Index ............ 276
About Our Writer............ 284
Close Ups
Kaminaljuyú ............ 28
Mapa en Relieve ............ 31
A Bell-Ringing Saint ............ 57
Earthquake! ............ 59
Burning the Devil ............ 63
Something Old, Something New ............ 68
Antigua’s Volcanoes ............ 74
All That Glitters ............ 76
Coffee? Macadamia Nuts? ............ 79
Weaving Culture, Weaving History ............ 89
I, Rigoberta Menchú… Mostly ............ 94
The Heroes of Santiago Atitlán ............ 101
Drinking & Smoking with the Saints ............ 104
Market Days in the Highlands ............ 112
Dancing with the Dead ............ 117
The National Bird ............ 142
Let Sleeping Jaguars Lie ............ 145
The German Connection ............ 147
The Magic Bean ............ 149
Dance the Punta ............ 167
The Garífuna ............ 168
Copán History ............ 175
Tour Operators ............ 237
Maps
Guatemala ............ 14—15
Central America ............ 16—17
Guatemala City ............ 23
Where to Stay & Eat in the New City ............ 34
Where to Stay & Eat in the Old City ............ 38
Antigua ............ 53
Where to Eat in Antigua ............ 60
Where to Stay in Antigua ............ 64
The Highlands ............ 85
Lago Atitlán ............ 90
Panajachel ............ 93
Chichicastenango ............ 109
Quetzaltenango ............ 119
Huehuetenango ............ 131
Las Verapaces ............ 139
Cobán ............ 146
The Atlantic Lowlands ............ 156
Livingston ............ 166
Copán ............ 174
The Pacific Lowlands ............ 181
El Peten ............ 195
Flores & Santa Elena ............ 198
Tikal ............ 207
What’s Where ............ 7
When to Go ............ 9
Quintessential Guatemala ............ 10
If You Like ............ 12
Great Itineraries ............ 18
Chapter 1: Guatemala City ............ 21
Orientation & Planning ............ 22
Exploring ............ 25
Where to Eat ............ 30
Where to Stay ............ 35
Nightlife & the Arts ............ 40
Shopping ............ 42
Day Trip from Guatemala City ............ 44
Guatemala City Essentials ............ 45
Chapter 2: Antigua ............ 49
Orientation & Planning ............ 50
Exploring ............ 52
Where to Eat ............ 58
Where to Stay ............ 65
Nightlife & the Arts ............ 71
Outdoor Activities ............ 73
Shopping ............ 75
Side Trips ............ 77
Antigua Essentials ............ 77
Chapter 3: The Highlands ............ 83
Orientation & Planning ............ 84
Lago Atitlán ............ 88
Chichicastenango ............ 107
El Quiché ............ 114
Quetzaltenango (Xelajú) ............ 118
Around Quetzaltenango ............ 126
The Highlands Essentials ............ 132
Chapter 4: Las Verapaces ............ 137
Orientation & Planning ............ 138
Baja Verapaz ............ 141
Alta Verapaz ............ 143
Las Verapaces Essentials ............ 152
Chapter 5: The Atlantic Lowlands ............ 155
Orientation & Planning ............ 157
Lago Izabal ............ 158
Along the Atlantic Coast ............ 164
Copán (Honduras) ............ 171
The Atlantic Lowlands Essentials ............ 177
Chapter 6: The Pacific Lowlands ............ 179
Orientation & Planning ............ 180
Retalhuleu ............ 183
Takalik Abaj ............ 183
Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa ............ 184
Puerto San José ............ 186
Monterrico ............ 187
The Pacific Lowlands Essentials ............ 189
Chapter 7: El Petén ............ 193
Orientation & Planning ............ 194
El Petén Essentials ............ 216
Chapter 8: Mayan Sites ............ 219
A Mayan Primer ............ 220
Dos & Don’ts for Visiting Ruins ............ 225
Architecture ............ 225
Chapter 9: Adventure & Learning Vacations ............ 227
Planning Your Adventure ............ 228
Adventure & Learning Vacations ............ 231
Guatemala Essentials ............ 239
Getting Started ............ 240
Booking Your Trip ............ 244
Transportation ............ 251
On The Ground ............ 257
Menu Guide ............ 268
Vocabulary ............ 272
Index ............ 276
About Our Writer............ 284
Close Ups
Kaminaljuyú ............ 28
Mapa en Relieve ............ 31
A Bell-Ringing Saint ............ 57
Earthquake! ............ 59
Burning the Devil ............ 63
Something Old, Something New ............ 68
Antigua’s Volcanoes ............ 74
All That Glitters ............ 76
Coffee? Macadamia Nuts? ............ 79
Weaving Culture, Weaving History ............ 89
I, Rigoberta Menchú… Mostly ............ 94
The Heroes of Santiago Atitlán ............ 101
Drinking & Smoking with the Saints ............ 104
Market Days in the Highlands ............ 112
Dancing with the Dead ............ 117
The National Bird ............ 142
Let Sleeping Jaguars Lie ............ 145
The German Connection ............ 147
The Magic Bean ............ 149
Dance the Punta ............ 167
The Garífuna ............ 168
Copán History ............ 175
Tour Operators ............ 237
Maps
Guatemala ............ 14—15
Central America ............ 16—17
Guatemala City ............ 23
Where to Stay & Eat in the New City ............ 34
Where to Stay & Eat in the Old City ............ 38
Antigua ............ 53
Where to Eat in Antigua ............ 60
Where to Stay in Antigua ............ 64
The Highlands ............ 85
Lago Atitlán ............ 90
Panajachel ............ 93
Chichicastenango ............ 109
Quetzaltenango ............ 119
Huehuetenango ............ 131
Las Verapaces ............ 139
Cobán ............ 146
The Atlantic Lowlands ............ 156
Livingston ............ 166
Copán ............ 174
The Pacific Lowlands ............ 181
El Peten ............ 195
Flores & Santa Elena ............ 198
Tikal ............ 207
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