alone – very few people see the giant stone Mayan temples of formerly lost cities poking out of the jungle without being awestruck. The mistake is to think Mayan
culture is just a museum piece. Head to the highland villages, and the hugely colourful traditional clothing is still commonplace. Meanwhile, since the government offered protection to the Mayan way of life a few years ago, ceremonies that would once be held in secret now take place outside ancient ruins. This mixes in with Spanish colonial architecture; handsomely weathered old churches and pastel-coloured houses on cobbled streets give way to conquistador- evoking courtyards, often full of students taking Spanish lessons. But the landscape has equal appeal – the sweltering, jungle- covered north gives way to languid waterways in the east and the mountainous west. More than a few of those mountains are rather feisty – huffing and puffing up the side of a live volcano is an archetypal Guatemalan experience. The main entrance point is somewhat unloved Guatemala City – with flights usually going via the US or Spain. But Guatemala is often tagged into larger Central American itineraries. Visitors often come in by road via Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula or Belize, or from the south after tackling Nicaragua and the Copán ruins in Honduras. Picking the right time to go is a balancing act – December to March is the busiest season, with lowest rainfall and most manageable humidity – but it can get a little nippy in the highlands. September and October are when you’re most likely to get a drenching.
The ruins of Tikal
If the rain is falling, it’s no
great hardship to head inside a bar. Arguably the greatest rum in the world – Zacapa Centenario – is Guatemalan, and it’s much cheaper at source than in duty free.
l SEE: PAST AND PRESENT Antigua: Just an hour away from the airport, the king of Central America’s colonial towns is often both first stop and longer-term base. Take in the view of the surrounding volcanoes from the rooftop of La Merced, the city’s beautiful old church, but mostly prepare for blissful ambling around. The country’s best restaurants are found here, and many stay for a few weeks learning Spanish. Volcano climbing day tours are popular from Antigua – Volcan de Agua is closest, but Pacaya’s the one where you’ll walk next to flowing lava.
Lake Atitlán: Ringed by mountains, Atitlán provokes a gasp at first sight. The differing characters of the towns around the lake add to the appeal. Panajachel is the relaxed, ex-pat filled, formerly hippyish hub that is happy with its place on the Gringo trail. San Juan La Laguna is great for community tourism – all galleries and artists workshops. San Pedro La Laguna is a backpacker hub and trekking base, while larger Santiago has the gorgeous churches and bizarre shrines to vice-loving, cigar-smoking local ‘saint’, Maximón. Western Highlands: Elsewhere in the mountains, the markets in
Chichicastenango on Thursdays and Sundays are the most easily accessible for a dose of modern Mayan culture. Mayan rituals often take place around Volcan Chicabal’s crater lake – the hike there is one of the best in the country – and there are plenty of opportunities for homestays in local villages.
The East: Lago de Izabal has a few resorts around it, and a rather delightful hot
spring waterfall on the northern
shore. But once to the east of it, the roads stop. This gives way to Caribbean Guatemala, where the mood changes completely. The canyon-skimming boat trip to the rowdy, beach bar party town of Livingston is the gateway to the African-meets-Caribbean culture of the Garifuna people. The scramble up the Sietes Altares waterfall is worth the detour too. Petén: Most people are in the
Chichicastenango
56 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 4 December 2014
FAST FACT British visitor numbers to
Guatemala rose 15.3% year on year for the first six months of 2014
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