Guatemala

From Imakoopedia

Guatemala is a country in the Central America region of North America. It has borders to Mexico in the north/north-west, to Belize in the north-east, to Honduras in the south-east, to El Salvador in the south. It also has a Pacific coastline to the south-west, and a tiny piece of Caribbean coastline to the east.

Table of contents

1 Regions 2 Cities 3 Other destinations 3.1 Maya ruins 3.2 Volcanoes 4 Understand 5 When to go 6 Get in 6.1 By plane 6.2 By car 6.3 By bus 6.4 By boat 7 Get around 8 Talk 9 Buy 9.1 Things to buy in Guatemala 10 Eat 11 Drink 12 Sleep 13 Learn 14 Work 15 Stay safe 16 Stay healthy 17 Respect 18 Contact 19 External links

Regions

• Central Highlands: Around Guatemala City
• Western Highlands: Many modern Maya towns
• Caribbean Coast: Hot and steamy
• Petén: Hot jungle in the north, with most impressive ancient Maya ruins
• Pacific Highlands: Hot, going down to the Pacific beaches

Cities

• Antigua Guatemala: Colonial Spanish capital of Central America, a World Heritage site, and the most popular amongst tourists
• Coban: In Alta Verapaz
• Escuintla
• Flores: Island city capital of Peten
• Guatemala City: Capital and largest city with many amenities
• Huehuetenango
• Puerto Barrios: Caribbean seaport
• Quetzaltenango: Second largest city, in the western highlands

Other destinations

• Chichicastenango: Highland Maya town famous for its traditional market
• Lake Atitlan: Beautiful lake in the mountains surrounded by picturesque but more an more touristic villages and volcanos
• Lake Izabal
• Livingston: Caribbean coast town with Garifuna culture
• Monterrico: The beach closest to Guatemala City and Antigua
• Panajachel
• Rio Dulce

Maya ruins

• Aguateca
• Ceibal
• Dos Pilas
• El Mirador
• El Peru
• El Zotz
• Gumarcaj: Also known as Utatlán, near Santa Cruz del Quiche
• Iximche
• Mixco Viejo
• Naranjo
• Piedras Negras
• Quiriguá: Impressive Classic Maya sculptures
• Tikal: The Largest of Maya ruins, this ancient Maya site is probably worth the trip to Guatemala by itself.
• Uaxactun
• Yaxhá
• Zaculeu: Near Huehuetenango

Volcanoes

• Volcán Tacaná (4093m)
• Volcán Tajumulco (4220m)
• Volcán Santa María (3772m)
• Volcán Atitlán (3537m)
• Volcán Acatenango (3976m)
• Volcán de Ipala (1650m)

Understand

Guatemala has a rich and distinctive culture from the long mix of elements from Spain and the native Maya people.

When to go

It is difficult to travel in the more remote areas during the rainy season between mid-May to mid-October and into mid-November in the north.

The elaborate ceremonies in Antigua the week leading up to Easter are a highlight.

Get in

By plane

Guatamala's main airport, La Aurora International Airport, is near Guatemala City. International flights arrive mostly from other Central American countries and North America.
Guatemala's second airport is situated in Flores, Petén. This small airport receives flights from a small number of close destinations including Belize, Mexico City and Guatemala City.

By car

From Mexico, or Honduras, El Salvador, via Pan-American Highway, also possible with more difficulty from Belize.

By bus

From Belize City to Flores (5 hours) and Guatemala City (14 hours).
El Salvador: San Salvador, Santa Ana
Honduras: Copan, San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba, Tegucigalpa
Nicaragua: Managua
Costa Rica: San José
Panama: Panama City
Mexico: Tapachula, Palenque, Chetumal, Tulum, Cancun, Mexico City

By boat

Puerto Barrios, from Punta Gorda, Belize

Get around

By car or bus, airplane to the Peten.

Many regular intercity buses.

Talk

Spanish. Maya languages are still spoken, especially in towns in the western highlands, but most of the Maya people have least a working knowledge of basic Spanish as well. By the Garifuna people in Livingston, Garifuna and English are the main languages (but Spanish is spoken as well).

Buy

The national currency is Quetzal(es). The rate of change is approximately 8 Quetzales for 1 US Dollar (November 2004). It is not common to use dollars in everyday life. You will most likely have difficulties in changing other currencies than US Dollars.

It is common to bargain for the typical tourist purchases. If a store has fixed prices for these type of products, you will see a sign saying so (precios fijos).

Things to buy in Guatemala

• Ron Zacapa Centenario, Guatemalas prize-winning rum
• Fabrics and Traditional textiles

Eat

Typical food: Kaq Ik, Pepián, tortillas, frijoles (beans),

Drink

Guatemalans usually dress down when they go out.

Sleep

Learn

Guatemala is a great place to learn Spanish. The prices are low, and the Guatemalan Spanish is considered nice. Antigua has the highest number of Spanish schools and is also the most popular place for tourists. But if studying Spanish is your main concern, you might be better of elsewhere, because you can actually go around in Antigua for a whole day without hearing anything but English. And the quality of the teachers and the schools might not be up to the standard you would want and expect. Because of this, many languagestudents head towards St.Pedro seated by the Lake Atitlan where a wide range of languageschools offer you courses (some quite inexpensive). But as in Antigua the quality of the lessons might not be up to what expect, so aks around.

Work

Stay safe

Dangerous traffic.
High crime rate (in Guatemala City).
Human rights conditions are bad, but this is mostly of concern for locals.

Stay healthy

Be aware of potentially Malaria and Dengue fever in the tropical lowland.
Be careful with the hygiene.
Only drink purified water (agua pura).

Respect

Address people you don't know in a formal manner (Señor, Señora, Usted).

Contact

Guatemalas international calling code is 502.
The post system is traditionally not reliable, but your post cards usually get through. A stamp for Europe is Q5

External links