Guatemala – Three sights and one bus ride

It’s been a few years since I traveled through Central America, but I still often remember those incredible seven weeks. Completely haphazardly, we flew to Costa Rica with our backpacks and only knew that we would fly back from Mexico City seven weeks later. Maybe it was a blessing that we didn’t think too much about it in advance, otherwise we probably would have skipped some adventures. For example, we were in the most dangerous city in the world – San Pedro de Sula, always rode the chicken bus and crossed the borders on foot. During the whole seven weeks we never had any problems, nothing was stolen from us and all bus connections worked. So far so good.

I have the best memories of Guatemala. An incredibly diverse country where the Mayan culture is still deeply rooted and lived. But it’s also a country where bus travel can sometimes get dicey. The combination of breakneck roads and buses of poor quality is problematic. On the drive from Quetzaltenango to Antigua Guatemala, the driver had to stop and put on the wheels every half hour. Very reassuring.

Nevertheless (or perhaps because of this) I would like to introduce you to my three top sights in Guatemala:

Antigua Guatemala:

The small town has been a World Heritage Site since 1979, is located in the central highlands of Guatemala and was for a long time the capital of the Spanish colonies in Central America. This is still evident today in the beautiful houses that line the streets. Highlights are definitely the chaotic and colorful market and the beautiful cathedral. Compared to the rest of Guatemala, Antigua is quite touristy, as it is also a popular destination for learning Spanish.

Lake Atitlàn

The second largest lake in Guatemala is incredibly majestic. The lake is located in a volcanic crater and is surrounded by volcanoes. We took the ferry in Panajachel to San Pedro La Laguna, which is on the opposite side. There, as so often on this trip, we spent the night in a somewhat makeshift accommodation. I mean, why do you have to finish building a house when you can already rent out rooms? A unique experience here was the ascent to El Nariz del Indio (translated as the indionase). The hike started at four in the morning so that you could stand far above the Lago de Atitlàn at sunrise and enjoy the panorama. These are the moments when you are truly at a loss for words.

Tikal

The once mighty Mayan city is located in the middle of the rainforests of the Petén in northern Guatemala. Most tourists take a domestic flight to Tikal. We took the bus all the way and then traveled on to Belize (which is more or less around the corner). Tikal covers a total of 65 square kilometers. The stepped temples are spread over the entire area and some of them overlook the rainforest. Quite great facility that is definitely worth a visit.