Travel Adventures: Guatemala, 2nd Edition (Hunter Travel Guides)

512 Pages·2008·27.11 MB·English

by  Shelagh McNally

H U N T E R H U N T E R
TRAVEL GUIDES TRAVEL GUIDES
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ravel Adventures
ravel Adventures
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2nd Edition Shelagh McNally 2nd Edition Shelagh McNally
Guatemala
2nd Edition
Shelagh McNally
HUNTER
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ThisandotherHuntertravelguidesarealsoavailableas
e-booksthroughAmazon.com,NetLibrary.comandother
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[email protected].
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the written permission of the publisher.
Thisguidefocusesonrecreationalactivities.Asallsuchactivitiescon-
tain elements of risk, the publisher, author, affiliated individuals and
companies disclaim responsibility for any injury, harm, or illness that
may occur to anyone through, or by use of, the information in this
book. Every effort was made to insure the accuracy of information in
this book, but the publisher and author do not assume, and hereby
disclaim, liability for any loss or damage caused by errors, omissions,
misleading information or potential travel problems caused by this
guide,evenifsucherrorsoromissionsresultfromnegligence,accident
or any other cause.
THANKS
It’salwaysanadventurevisitingGuatemalaandtherewerequiteafew
peoplewhohelpedmealongtheway.Ican’tnameyouall,butthereare
few that cannot be missed.
Elizabeth Maher and Tom Dunn kept my home fires burning while I
went off exploring. My daughter, Shannon Tosic-McNally, provided
someimportanttranslatingwhilemymother,LynneColvey(anintrepid
traveler even in her 70s) reminded me to keep my sense of humor and
relax. Thanks to all of you for helping me keep it together.
I’m grateful to the wonderful people of Guatemala for their continued
kindness and generosity in sharing their country. They inspire me.
This book wouldn’t have been as well put together without the tireless
patience and dedication of my editor Kim André. Always a pleasure
working with you, Kim.
DEDICATION
To Guadalupe. Where would I be without your advice?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shelagh McNally is a Canadian writer who has been visiting Latin
America since the mid 1970s. She lived in Mexico from 1997-2002,
where she began exploring Guatemala while working as a writer for
MundoMayamagazineandothertravelpublications.She’svisitedover
35 Maya ruins and still misses the view from atop the pyramids. Her
primaryresidencethesedaysisMontreal,Canada,wheresheworksas
anenvironmentaljournalistandtravelwriter.HerSpanishisstillterri-
ble.

Contents
INTRODUCTION
History ...............................................1
MundoMaya ........................................2
ColonialTimes.......................................4
Independence .......................................5
LayingtheFoundationforWar ...........................7
TheScorchedEarth...................................7
HopeforPeace.......................................8
Geography&Land ......................................9
Borders ...........................................10
Regions ...........................................10
Flora&Fauna.........................................15
Government&Economy.................................21
ThePeople ...........................................23
CulturalGroups&Religion ............................23
Language..........................................26
Food .............................................26
Drinks............................................27
TRAVELINFORMATION
WhenToGo ..........................................29
Climate ...........................................29
SeasonalConcerns ..................................29
Holidays&Festivals..................................30
Measurements ........................................36
MoneyMatters ........................................37
Customs&Immigration .................................38
GettingHere..........................................39
Overland ..........................................39
ByAir ............................................41
GettingAround........................................42
ByAir ............................................42
ByBus............................................44
Hitchhiking ........................................48
ByCar............................................48
ByTaxi ...........................................50
StayinginTouch.......................................51
Telephones ........................................51
E-Mail ............................................52
SnailMail .........................................52
Accommodations ......................................52
Considerations......................................52
TipsforBudgetTravelers..............................53
HotelRates ........................................53
PersonalSafety........................................54
StayingHealthy .......................................56
HospitalsinGuatemalaCity ...........................57
SeriousAilments ....................................58
vi (cid:2) Contents
TOP20ATTRACTIONS .................................................... 63
GUATEMALACITY
History ..............................................66
GettingHere&GettingAround............................69
AdventuresonFoot/Sightseeing ...........................72
WalkingTour.......................................74
WheretoStay.........................................84
WheretoEat..........................................91
Nightlife .............................................94
Day-trips ............................................95
Shopping ............................................96
CENTRALHIGHLANDS
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LaAntigua ...........................................97
History............................................98
GettingHere&GettingAround ........................100
SpanishLanguageEducation..........................104
Sightseeing .......................................105
AdventuresonFoot .................................108
HistoricBuildings ................................108
Churches&Convents .............................113
AdventuresonHorseback ...........................119
AdventuresonWheels ...............................119
Day&OvernightTrips...............................120
AguaVolcano....................................120
PacayaVolcano ..................................121
AcatenangoVolcano...............................122
FuegoVolcano...................................123
CopánRuins,Honduras ...........................124
PlantationTours .................................125
WheretoStay .....................................126
WheretoEat ......................................132
Nightlife..........................................135
(cid:2)
History .............................................137
SanAndrésItzápa.....................................138
SanJuanComalapa ...................................139
Tecpan .............................................139
MayaRuins..........................................140
Iximché Ruins .....................................140
MixcoViejoRuins ..................................142
(cid:2)
GettingHere&GettingAround...........................145
Sololá ..............................................145
History...........................................145
GettingHere ......................................146
Attractions........................................146
WheretoStay&Eat.................................147
Panajachel ..........................................147
GettingHere ......................................148
Contents (cid:2) vii
GettingAround ....................................149
SpanishLanguageEducation..........................149
AdventuresonFoot .................................151
AdventuresonWheels ...............................152
AdventuresonWater ................................153
VolcanoAdventures.................................154
SanPedroVolcano................................154
Shopping.........................................155
WheretoStay .....................................157
WheretoEat ......................................160
VillagesofLakeAtitlán .................................163
SantaCatarinaPalopó...............................163
WheretoStay ...................................163
SanAntonioPalopó .................................164
WheretoStay ...................................165
SanLucasTolimán .................................165
WheretoStay ...................................165
SantaCruzLaLaguna...............................166
WheretoStay ...................................166
Jabalito..........................................167
WheretoStay ...................................167
SanMarcosLaLaguna...............................168
WheretoStay ...................................168
SanJuanLaLaguna ................................169
WheretoStay ...................................169
SanPedroLaLaguna................................170
GettingAround ..................................170
SpanishLanguageEducation........................170
WalkingTours...................................171
WheretoStay ...................................172
WheretoEat ....................................173
SantiagoAtitlán....................................173
History ........................................175
Sightseeing .....................................175
WheretoStay&Eat ..............................176
LOSALTOS
History .............................................179
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Quetzaltenango/Xela ..................................180
History...........................................181
GettingHere&GettingAround.........................183
Schools ..........................................185
Sightseeing .......................................189
AdventuresonFoot .................................194
HighlandTrek ...................................194
VolcanoAdventures.................................194
ChicabelLake&Volcano...........................194
SantaMaríaVolcano&Santiaguito...................195
viii (cid:2) Contents
CerroQuemado/LosVahos .........................196
TajumulcoVolcano ...............................197
Day-Trips.........................................197
ThermalBathsofAlmolonga ........................197
GlassFactoryatCantel ............................198
Zunil..........................................199
FuentesGeorginasHotSprings ......................200
Salcaja ........................................201
WheretoStayinXela................................202
WheretoEatinXela ................................203
(cid:2)
GettingHere&GettingAround...........................207
VillagesofTotonicapán.................................207
SanAndrésXecul ..................................207
SanCristóbal......................................208
SanFranciscoElAlto................................208
WheretoStay&Eat ..............................209
Momostenango ....................................209
WheretoStay&Eat ..............................210
SanMiguelTotonicapán..............................211
WheretoStay&Eat ..............................211
(cid:2)
History .............................................212
GettingHere&GettingAround...........................213
Huehuetenango ......................................214
SpanishEducation..................................215
Sightseeing .......................................215
Chiantla .......................................215
AdventuresonHorseback ............................216
AdventuresonFoot .................................216
MountainHiketoLakeMagdalena....................216
MayaRuins.......................................217
ZaculeuRuins...................................217
WheretoStay .....................................219
WheretoEat ......................................220
VillagesofHuehuetenango ..............................221
TodosSantosCuchumatán ...........................221
LanguageCourses................................223
TujXiolec/LaTorreMountainTrek ...................224
WheretoStay ...................................224
WheretoEat ....................................225
SanPedroSoloma ..................................225
Sightseeing .....................................226
WheretoStay&Eat ..............................227
SanMateodeIxatan ................................227
Sightseeing .....................................228
WheretoStay&Eat ..............................228
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TecúnUmán.........................................228
Contents (cid:2) ix
NORTHERNHIGHLANDS
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History .............................................231
Chichicastenango .....................................232
History...........................................233
Sightseeing .......................................233
WheretoStay .....................................237
WheretoEat ......................................239
SantaCruzdelQuiché .................................240
UtatlánRuins .....................................240
WheretoStay .....................................241
WheretoEat ......................................241
TheIxilTriangle ......................................241
History...........................................242
Nebaj............................................242
WheretoStay ...................................244
WheretoEat ....................................245
SanJuanCotzal ...................................245
WheretoStay&Eat ..............................246
Chajul...........................................246
WheretoStay&Eat ..............................246
AdventuresonFoot .................................247
TrekkingIxil ....................................247
Ixcán ..............................................252
History...........................................252
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History .............................................253
GettingHere&GettingAround...........................254
Salamá.............................................255
TraditionalVillages .................................256
Rabinal ........................................256
SanJerónimo ...................................257
Purulha/CloudForestTreks ..........................258
MarioDaryRiveraBiotópodelQuetzal .................258
SierradeLasMinasBiosphereReserve.................259
CuevaChicoy....................................259
WheretoStay .....................................260
WheretoEat ......................................262
Cobán..............................................263
History...........................................263
GettingHere&GettingAround ........................264
StudySpanish,Q’ekchí ..............................264
Sightseeing .......................................265
AdventuresonFoot .................................268
LanquínNationalPark/Grottoes .....................268
CaquipecCloudForestTrek.........................271
HiketoSachichajWaterfall .........................272
AdventuresonWater ................................272
WhitewaterRaftingonRíoCahabon...................272
CulturalAdventures–TraditionalMayaVillages ............273
SanJuanChamelco...............................273