I just booked a round trip vacation to Guatemala for $398. Yes, less than $400! I’m off on a jet plane with my two best friends in late May and I couldn’t be more excited! The best part is that my one friend (Nicole) is originally from Guatemala so we will be staying with her extended family during our trip! Today’s blog is going to tell you about the key places we have on our bucket list for our trip this summer! Being that this trip is still about two months 0ut it’ll be a rough outline of our proposed activities!
Week 1:
- Lake Atitlan- “The closest thing to Eden on Earth.” -Lonely Planet Guide
The unique thing about Lake Atitlan is that it is not a “tourist destination” like Cancun or Aruba. It has not been cleaned up or pasteurized for tourists. It is wholly real in its nature, body of water, and wildlife. The local Mayans have maintained their way of life, they farm, wear their colorful clothing representing their culture, and aren’t changed or motivated to act this way by the tourism influx. Probably the most genuine place you could ever travel in my opinion.
- Acatenango
One of Guatemala’s many active volcanos that draw tourists in each and every year. Acatenango is Guatemala’s 3rd highest volcano! Next door, Volcan de Fuego is the world’s most consistently erupting volcano, and with some luck, will provide a high altitude firework show for you to enjoy from the cozy campsites of many tourist hiking companies in which guides provide a campfire, hot drinks, and a tasty dinner. You can also be adventurous and enjoy an overnight hike that takes you up the summit the next morning for a breathtaking sunrise over Guatemala. From the crater, you will have a new vantage point of Volcan de Fuego, a view of the chain of giant volcanoes stretching from Mexico to El Salvador, the Pacific Coast, and the Antigua Valley.
- Antigua
Antigua is a small city surrounded by volcanoes in southern Guatemala. It’s known for its Spanish colonial buildings, many of them restored following a 1773 earthquake that ended Antigua’s 200-year reign as Guatemala’s colonial capital. Guatemala was the cultural, economic, religious, political and educational center for the entire region until the capital was moved.
- Guatemala City
Depending on who you talk to, Guatemala City (or Guate as it’s known) is either big, dirty, dangerous and utterly forgettable or big, dirty, dangerous and fascinating. Either way, there’s no doubt there’s an energy here unlike anywhere else in Guatemala. (Source) While many travelers skip out on this city altogether and dub Antigua as their destination, you may want to consider spending awhile in this vibrant city. It is the “HUB” of the country, with the best museums, galleries, and restaurants in the country.
- Quetzaltenango
- Quetzaltenango may well be the perfect Guatemalan town – not too big, not too small, enough foreigners to support a good range of hotels and restaurants, but not so many that it loses its national flavor. The Guatemalan ‘layering’ effect is at work in the city center – once the Spanish moved out, the Germans moved in and their architecture gives the zone a somber, even Gothic, feel. (Source)
With a whole country to explore we are sure to have our hands full for the entire two weeks! Maybe you’ll consider traveling here too! What are your summer plans? Going somewhere special? Doing anything extravagant? Leave a comment below!
This is awesome! What a deal you got there, I browse flights all over the world from time to time and South America for under 400 round trip is pretty good, also the fact that you have a place to stay is all the better. That first Lake looks absolutely incredible, almost like it isn’t even real. I feel like a country like Guatemala would be such an amazing place to see ancient sites in South America, and Quetzaltenango seems like a great spot.
I’m actually really jealous! An awesome looking vacation and you got a good deal!? I really want to travel with my best friend this summer and make some amazing memories but considering we dropped so much on the Bey and Jay tickets that may be a little hard for us (it’s worth it though). Guatemala looks really pretty though I kind of want to go now so guess I’ll be adding that to my list of places I want to see in my lifetime.
This seems so fun! I feel like when you see people posting pictures from their vacations, it is always touristy destinations from Europe, or Mexico, or the Bahamas, but Guatemala is definitely a unique destination. The pictures on your blog look gorgeous, so if that’s any indication of what you’ll be seeing on your trip then take me with you!