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Have you ever ever thought-about visiting Guatemala? I spent a number of months touring on this underrated Central American nation, and these have been my favourite locations.
Though Guatemala has been rising in recognition as a vacationer vacation spot, it nonetheless doesn’t obtain as many guests as neighboring Mexico, which noticed over 18 million vacationers in 2022.
In the meantime, Guatemala peaked at 2.5 million guests in 2019.
One of the standard locations to go to in Guatemala is Antigua, the nation’s colourful colonial capital. Antigua is quaint, lovely, and surrounded by volcanoes, two of which (Pacaya and Acatenango) are standard for mountaineering.
However these are some extra off path locations in Guatemala that shouldn’t be missed:
1. Guatemala Metropolis
Many guests skip proper over Guatemala Metropolis and head straight from the airport to Antigua, about one hour away.
Though Guatemala’s capital metropolis will get a foul repute for being harmful, there are protected areas which might be value visiting. It’s gritty, vibrant, and concrete, and jogs my memory of Mexico Metropolis.
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2. Lake Atitlan
Lake Atitlan, positioned about two hours away from Antigua, is among the most magical locations in Guatemala.
It surprisingly jogged my memory of Lake Como in Italy, with its dramatic surroundings and clear blue water. The cities round Lake Atitlan every have their very own distinct character, and you will get round to all of them by way of lancha — small native boats that solely value a few {dollars} for a experience.
San Marcos is a hippie paradise, San Pedro is an reasonably priced haven for backpackers, Santiago is house to conventional Mayan tradition, and Panajachel is a bustling hub on the lake.
3. El Paredon
Guatemala will not be recognized for its seashores in the way in which that neighboring international locations are, however this nation has a number of nice seashores.
I visited El Paredon on the Pacific Coast, about two hours from Antigua. This sleepy fishing village has been reworked right into a laidback surf city in the previous few years.
Along with browsing, you’ll be able to go to a sea turtle hatchery or take a ship tour of the close by mangroves, which empty out into the ocean.
4. Semuc Champey
Though it’s not simple to achieve, Semuc Champey is among the most breathtaking locations in Guatemala.
Positioned about 9 hours away from Antigua down bumpy, winding roads, Semuc Champey is a pure formation deep within the jungle recognized for its pure tiered limestone swimming pools with clear turquoise water.
Swimming within the swimming pools and waterfalls, tubing on the river, and caving are simply a few of the adventurous actions that await you at Semuc Champey.
5. Xela
I spent two weeks in Quetzaltenango, higher referred to as Xela, and completely fell in love with this metropolis.
It’s Guatemala’s second-largest metropolis after Guatemala Metropolis, however it has a totally completely different vibe. It’s protected and exquisite, with distinctive structure and a local weather that continues to be cool and delicate year-round.
Xela is a superb place to take Spanish lessons for a particularly reasonably priced value. (So is Antigua, however since Xela is much less touristy, you’ll be able to observe extra!) There are additionally volcanoes and scorching springs close by.
6. Tikal
Tikal Nationwide Park is a must-visit vacation spot in Guatemala. Positioned within the jungles of the northern a part of the nation, Tikal is house to a few of the finest Mayan ruins on the planet.
This historical metropolis is a sight to behold, and I discovered it to be a lot much less crowded than related ruins in Mexico. That is partially on account of its dimension (Tikal is huge) and the truth that it doesn’t obtain practically as many guests.
In case you’re actually up for an journey, go to El Mirador. These distant Mayan ruins are solely accessible by way of a two-day hike or an costly non-public helicopter. (I didn’t make it to those ruins, however I’d love to return to Guatemala sooner or later to see them!)
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