Seven reasons you must visit Guatemala now from floating islands to volcanos
SPECTACULAR volcanos, breathtaking lakes and ancient jungle cities – explore this Central American gem before the crowds hit, says Picture Director Alan Gittos.
Here’s why it’s time to head to the central American country.
1 – Majestic Volcanos
As your flight descends into Guatemala City, you can’t miss the giant volcanoes that guard the highlands and stir the clouds.
Volcán de Fuego (Volcano of Fire) in the Sierra Madre mountains is one of the world’s most active stratovolcanoes.
And at hotel Villa Colonial, in former capital city Antigua, you can breakfast on the magnificent terrace with a great view of Fuego’s volcanic plumes. Stays cost from £77 per night (Villasdeguatemala.com).
To get even closer to playing a real game of The Floor Is Lava, take a trail ride up Volcán Pacaya, an hour’s drive from the city.
Let your horse carry you across dark ash soil to the base of the cone, then toast marshmallows on the geothermal vent – yes, really!
A six-hour horse-riding tour costs £67 per person (Pacayatours.com).
2 – Punchy Plates
Breakfast is a big deal here. Try the traditional feast of eggs, black beans and tortilla somewhere atmospheric, such as Raíces Restaurant on the edge of Lake Petén Itzá – it will only set you back £3 (@Raicesrestaurante).
For classic dishes in Antigua, head to charming La Fonda de la Calle Real and order the delicious Chiles Rellenos De Res – battered roasted peppers stuffed with beef mince, £9 (Lafondadelacallereal.com).
After modern fusion cooking? Dig into a trio of ceviche at Maxán, £14, followed by Buñuelos – moreish plantain fritters laced with cardamom, £3 (@Maxangt).
3 – Floating Flores
This small town on a tiny island in Petén was the last Mayan kingdom to resist. Set sail on Lake Petén Itzá to spot kingfishers, vultures and maybe even a crocodile or two.
Expect to pay around £37 for a boat ride from the shore. Once back on dry land, browse the brightly painted shops for textiles, ceramics and souvenirs, then sip a refreshing, bright-green limonada con chaya, made with lime juice and local chaya leaves, £3.40, at La Danta restaurant as the sun sets (Ladantarestaurante.com).
After dark, settle into a charming cabin at nearby Hotel Villa Maya and drift off to the sounds of the rainforest.
Rooms cost from £90 a night (Villasdeguatemala.com).
4 – Awe-inspiring Atitlán
Lake Atitlán was described as “the most beautiful lake on Earth” by German explorer Alexander von Humboldt, and at sunrise it is truly bewitching.
Stroll the water’s edge in Panajachel, then hop on a boat to the sleepy lakeside villages.
Stop off at San Juan La Laguna to meet women-run weaving cooperatives, watch natural-dye workshops and grab a large bag of fresh Arabica coffee, £8, from Café San Juan (Cafesanjuangt.com).
Day tours cost from £74 per person (Getyourguide.com). Finally, be sure to make the short, steep climb to Kaqasiiwaan Viewpoint for a stunning panorama – the £4 entry fee is well worth it.
At the top, sip cold Gallo beer crowned with spiced cucumber rings, £2, from the kiosk. Heaven!
5 – Cacao + Coffee
For thousands of years, maize and cacao have been Guatemala’s sacred crops.
In San Juan La Laguna, stop by Deleite Ancestral and learn to make traditional dishes, such as tz’utujil chicken stew with handmade tortillas – expect to get hands on! – then sample the mouth-watering results (@Deleiteancestral).
In Antigua, join a lively chocolate workshop at Ek Chuah to hear all about cacao’s history, while making sweet treats to take away.
An hour’s workshop costs £19 per person (Chocolateantigua.com). Coffee is the latest big Guatemalan obsession, and at 5,000ft above sea level, Antigua’s volcanic-soil plantations grow some of the world’s finest.
Take a tour of Finca Filadelfia to find out why shade-grown beans taste richer, why only women can plant the seedlings and why medium roast is the national sweet spot.
Finish with a tasting that’s both jittery and blissful. A 90-minute tour costs £19 per person (Facebook.com/fincafiladelfia).
6 – Gemstone shopping
Antigua is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its cobbled streets are filled with shops selling locally made ceramics, leather goods and exquisite jade jewellery. Discover why it’s the Mayans’ favourite gem with a free tour of Casa Del Jade’s museum (Casadeljade.com).
Later, check out the impressive 18th-century Convent of La Merced, with its giant fountain shaped like a water lily, and the Arch of Santa Catalina, £2 entry. But for the most dramatic view, head for Cerro de la Cruz (the hill of the cross) to snap vistas of the city beneath the incredible backdrop of Volcán Agua.
7 – Jungle adventures
Want to hear howler monkeys roar like dinosaurs and spy pyramids emerging from the jungle canopy?
Hit Tikal, a vast site built by the ancient Mayans using only stone-age tools, and climb Temple IV for one of the most extraordinary views in the Americas – it even featured in the first Star Wars film.
Entry costs £15 (Tikalnationalpark.org).
Tikal is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its biodiversity – back at ground level, coatimundis scramble across paths, spider monkeys hang from branches and leafcutter ants march across the jungle floor.
Or to channel your inner Indiana Jones, head for the Belize border and pay the £8 entry to explore Yaxhá, a site whose origins are even older than Tikal.
It only receives about 80 visitors a day, so you may feel like the first to discover its huge plazas and temples.
Look out for the famous ball court, where Ancient Mayans played pok ta pok – a game with high stakes, where losing teams faced being sacrificed!