There are few places on earth that offer everything for everyone. Guatemala is one of them. Beaches, mountains, tropical forests, surf spots, nightlife, history, temples, ruins adventure sports. It has everything. It is not the only place in Central America to have all these but it is the place I first discovered years ago and tasted its many treasures. It has been a blast seeing it all again, especially through the eyes of a newcomer like Daniela. The colours are vibrant, the wildlife is amazing, and the people are extremely friendly. It is more welcoming than Mexico, the people smile more, the country entices you and draws you in.
This visit was short lived as we are on a mission to get further south to make our dreams reality. But we had the chance to revisit old haunts and explore beautiful towns like Antigua and Quetzeltenango. Both have their charms, but Antigua is our favourite for its architecture and cobbled streets oozing colonial charm and inviting you further in.
We felt pretty safe in Guatemala. It has its trouble spots, places you should be more vigilant, but generally it is a safe country to visit. Usual precautions apply.
The roads are terrible, awful actually! Topes or tumulus everywhere, unmarked and without warning, if you hit one at speed, which we did, severe damage can occur. But we avoided them mostly and took it slow. Potholes are seriously deep too. On our way up to Atitlan we hit quite a few cavernous monsters. Marissa has developed some extra squeaks and rattles, and RoKu is now losing her dress. She has been quite a saviour really. When her head taps on the windscreen it indicates that we are driving too aggressively. And her loss of dignity suggests we need to take it more gently. She’s like our topographic compass. We follow her lead.
Like Mexico, I would return to Guatemala again in a heartbeat. There is so much more here that we need to see and experience. And I would advise any wishing to visit Central America to definitely put this country on your list and stay at least a week to visit the many attractions it has. Semuc Champey, Tikal, and so many more. All such beautiful places to see and explore.
Farewell Guatemala, until we meet again.
