the best of guatemala - john wiley &...
TRANSCRIPT
The Best of Guatemala
Guatemala’s charms are as varied as the riotous colors woven into its famed fabrics.From the Maya ruins of Tikal and the colonial splendor of Antigua—both exquisitelypreserved through the centuries—to the breathtaking natural beauty of Lake Atitlánand Semuc Champey, there are a range of destinations and attractions here to pleasejust about any type of traveler. I’ve been visiting Guatemala for more than 20 years,and I continue to discover new places and have new experiences that add to my ownpersonal “best of” list. On my most recent trip, I visited the Kan’ Ba cave, one of thenewest attractions in Guatemala. I had to wade in the river to get to the cave, andwhen the water got too deep, I put my candle (my only source of light) in my mouthand swam. Not every “best of” place or experience on this list is quite as adventurous,but if you’re looking for the best hotels or restaurants to suit a certain style, taste, orbudget, or trying to figure out the “must-see” destinations for your trip, the lists belowshould help you narrow down your choices and fine-tune your itinerary.
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1 The Best Purely Guatemalan Experiences• Enjoying the Holy Week Festivities
in Antigua: Semana Santa, or HolyWeek, is celebrated with both fervorand style in Antigua. In fact, theHoly Week celebrations are arguablythe most beautiful and elaborate inall of the Americas, and rival even themost famous ones in Europe. Massiveprocessions weave slowly through thecobblestone streets over painstakinglygorgeous alfombras, or carpets, madeof fine colored sawdust and flowerpetals. The air is thick with incensesmoke, and the small city is a specta-cle for a solid week. See chapter 5.
• Touring the Towns & Villagesaround Lake Atitlán: While LakeAtitlán is exceedingly beautiful in andof itself, the true charm of the lake isits ability to let you visit a half-dozenor more lakeshore towns via localwater-taxi services. The water taxisrun regular routes throughout the
day, stopping at the villages of Santi-ago de Atitlán, San Pedro de laLaguna, San Marco, San AntonioPalopó, and more. You can hop onand off the taxis at your whim, andstay as long as you like before headingon to the next place or back home toyour hotel. See chapter 6.
• Paying Your Respects to Maximón:A syncretic saint worshiped byGuatemala’s Maya and Catholic alike,Maximón is the bad boy of the reli-gious pantheon. Maximón apparentlyresponds well to gifts, and has very spe-cific tastes, so be sure to bring somerum or a cigar as an offering. Manytowns across Guatemala have a carvedidol of Maximón, or San Simon,although only a few really keep thepractice of his daily worship alive. Thetowns with the most elaborate Max-imón rituals and traditions include
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C H A P T E R 1 . T H E B E S T O F G U AT E M A L A2
The Best of Guatemala
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THE BEST PURELY GUATEMALANEXPERIENCESEnjoying the Holy Week Festivities in Antigua 19Touring the Towns and Villages Around Lake Atitlán 18Paying Your Respects to Maximón 18Shopping at the Chichicastenango Market 13Studying Spanish and Staying With a Local Family 15, 18, 19Watching the Sunrise From the Top of a Pyramid in Tikal 2Cheering On Riders in the “Drunken Horse Race” 12
THE BEST OF NATURAL GUATEMALALake Atitlán 18Semuc Champey 9Parque Nacional Laguna de Lachuá 10Volcán Santa María 16Nebaj & the Ixil Triangle 11El Petén 1Río Dulce 5Los Siete Altares 4Tortuguerio Monterrico 21
THE BEST MAYA ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITESTikal 2Yaxhá 3Copán 7Quiriguá 6Takalik Abaj 17
THE BEST CHURCHES, CONVENTS& MONASTERIESCatedral Metropolitana 20Iglesia San Francisco 20Convento de las Capuchinas 19Iglesia La Merced 19Iglesia de Santo Tomás 13Iglesia de San Andés Xecul 14La Basilica 8
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Santiago de Atitlán and Zunil. Seechapters 6 and 7, respectively.
• Shopping at the ChichicastenangoMarket: Guatemala’s Maya peopleare world-famous for their incrediblearts and crafts, which they sell pre-dominantly at local and regionalopen-air markets. These markets areheld in the central plazas of the coun-try’s towns and cities. The twice-weekly market in Chichicastenango isthe largest and most famous of theseopen-air markets, with hundreds ofstands selling everything from handi-crafts and flowers to household goodsand furniture. See p. 173.
• Studying Spanish & Staying with aLocal Family: Studying Spanish in aforeign country is all the rage, andGuatemala is the perfect place to doit. In addition to the wonderful sur-roundings and bargain prices, theGuatemalan accent is one of thecleanest and easiest to master. All ofGuatemala’s major tourist destina-tions have Spanish schools, each ofwhich offers the option of living witha local family while you study. See the
various destination chapters, as wellas chapter 2, for more information.
• Watching the Sunrise from the Topof a Pyramid in Tikal: A visit toTikal is a remarkable experience onits own, but my favorite way to starta visit here is by catching the sunrisefrom the top of one of the pyramids.In addition to the ruins and sunrise,the surrounding jungle comes to lifewith the cries of howler monkeys andthe frenzied activity and calls ofawakening birds. See chapter 8.
• Cheering On Riders in the “DrunkenHorse Race”: The tiny highlandMaya town of Todos Santos Chuchu-matán holds one of the equestrianworld’s oddest races every November1. The town’s “Drunken Horse Race”is a daylong event that involves equalparts drinking and racing. The lastrider (who’s highly intoxicated) lefton his horse is declared the winner.Riders fall, and numerous riders andspectators end up lying in an uncon-scious stupor along the streets andwalkways of the small town. It’s hilar-ious, nerve-racking, and sad all at thesame time. See chapter 7.
C H A P T E R 1 . T H E B E S T O F G U AT E M A L A4
2 The Best of Natural Guatemala• Lake Atitlán (Western Highlands):
Whether or not you agree withAldous Huxley that Atitlán is the“most beautiful lake in the world,”you would be hard pressed to not beat least slightly impressed. Formedthousands of years ago in the crater ofa massive volcano and surroundedtoday by several other towering volca-noes, Lake Atitlán is stunning. Theroad that circumnavigates much ofthe lake actually follows the rim ofthe extinct crater, and the views onhigh end, and those from thelakeshore and the many boats plyingits waters, are fabulous. See chapter 6.
• Semuc Champey (Alta Verapaz):Semuc Champey is a series of steppedwaterfalls and pools that actually siton top of a raging underground riverin a narrow forested canyon. It’s oftendescribed as the most beautiful spot inall of Guatemala, and in addition toswimming in the pools, there’s greathiking here. The spots where theCahabón River enters and then exitsits underground tunnel are jaw-drop-ping in their power and fury. The sur-rounding area is also full of caves thatare worth exploring. See p. 228.
• Parque Nacional Laguna de Lachuá(Alta Verapaz): The deep turquoise
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of Lake Lachuá may have you won-dering if you’re staring at theCaribbean Sea. All around the lake,lush rainforests are home to an amaz-ing array of tropical flora and fauna.See p. 228.
• Volcán Santa María (outside Quet-zaltenango): Not only is VolcánSanta María an imposing sight andexhilarating climb, the view from thesummit peers down into the crater ofits very active sister volcano, Santia-guito. It’s about a 3- to 4-hour hike tothe summit. Camping is allowed, andmany enjoy spending the night uphere, although it can get cold andwindy. See chapter 7.
• Nebaj & the Ixil Triangle (North-ern Quiché Province): This remotearea was once ground zero in the gov-ernment’s oppressive civil war cam-paign against indigenous populationssuspected of supporting leftist rebels.Today, it’s the best place to go deepinto the Guatemalan highlands for aglimpse into the country’s timelessrural life and landscape. Numeroustowns can be visited by hiking cen-turies-old dirt paths and trails. Seechapter 7.
• El Petén (Northeastern Guatemala):The Petén province is a massiveregion comprised primarily of virgintropical rainforest, and is home tomany of the country’s major archaeo-logical sites and Maya ruins. Thebird-watching is top-notch, and youcan see a host of other species of trop-ical flora and fauna on a guided hike
through one of the natural parks ornature reserves. See chapter 8.
• Río Dulce (Lago Izabal Region):The Río Dulce, or Sweet River, runsfrom a narrow opening at one end ofLago Izabal all the way down to theCaribbean Sea. Along the way itpasses through lush tropical lowlandrainforest, as well as one gorgeousnarrow canyon. In addition, hotsprings bubble from underground,creating hot pools where you can stopand soak. Boat trips between the vil-lages of Fronteras and Livingston arepopular. See chapter 10.
• Los Siete Altares (Livingston): Thename of this place translates as “TheSeven Altars.” Each of these altars is,in fact, a beautiful jungle waterfall.The falls are set in a steady progres-sion in a narrow forest canyon andfed by a gentle river. The final water-fall is the largest, with a deep pool forswimming. This spot was chosen as alocation for the filming of an early“Tarzan” movie. See p. 249.
• Tortuguerio Monterrico (Monter-rico): This turtle protection project isa great place to learn about the lifecycle of giant sea turtles. If you’relucky enough to be here when theturtle eggs are hatching, you can takepart in their weekly raffle, whereinparticipants are assigned a hatchling,and the quickest hatchling to the seawins its sponsor a prize. If the turtlehatchlings aren’t in season, you canstill see iguanas and caimans and hikethe nature trail. See p. 267.
T H E B E S T M AYA A R C H A E O L O G I C A L S I T E S 5
3 The Best Maya Archaeological Sites• Tikal (El Petén): In my opinion,
Tikal is the most impressive of all theancient Maya ceremonial cities. Notonly is the site massive and meticu-lously excavated and restored, it’s set inthe midst of a lush and lively tropicaljungle. The peaks of several temples
poke through the dense rainforestcanopy, toucans and parrots fly about,and the loudest noise you’ll hear is theguttural call of howler monkeys. In itsheyday, the city probably covered asmany as 65 sq. km (25 sq. miles) and
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supported a population of more than100,000. See “Tikal” in chapter 8.
• Yaxhá (El Petén): This Classic-period Maya city was recently put onthe map when CBS chose it as a sitefor its reality show Survivor. Whilelittle has been excavated, this remainsthe third-largest Maya ceremonialcity in Guatemala, behind Tikal andEl Mirador. See chapter 8.
• Copán (Honduras): It’s not techni-cally in Guatemala, but Copán is justa few quick miles over the Honduranborder. A big and beautifully restoredMaya city, Copán is renowned for itsimpressive quantity and variety ofstone carvings, which can be seen onstelae, individual sculptures, architec-tural adornments, and one massivestairway of a major pyramid. The newMuseum of Maya Sculpture containsprobably the best collection of originalMaya ceremonial stone art in all ofMesoamerica. Back at the archaeo-logical site, you can walk through some
newly dug tunnels that reveal the Mayatechnique of building new templesover existing ones. See chapter 9.
• Quiriguá (En Route to Puerto Bar-rios): While overall this archaeologi-cal site is pretty small, it’s home to animpressive collection of large, carvedstelae and stones. The tallest stela hereis 10m (35 ft.) tall and weighs morethan 65 tons. It’s the tallest Maya stelayet discovered. Almost as interestingare the massive stones with complexhieroglyphic carvings. See p. 261.
• Takalik Abaj (Northwest of Retal-huleu): This little-known ruin is ahidden gem. Dating from the pre-Classic period, it’s one of the oldestceremonial and trade cities to beexcavated in Guatemala. Perhaps itsgreatest claim to fame, however, is thefact that there’s a lovely lodge locatedon the grounds of the archaeologicalsite, combining ecotourism andarchaeological preservation in aninteresting symbiosis. See p. 274.
C H A P T E R 1 . T H E B E S T O F G U AT E M A L A6
4 The Best Churches, Convents & Monasteries• Catedral Metropolitana (Guate-
mala City): It took a long time tobuild this church, some 86 years, butthe elegant main cathedral of Guate-mala City has stood the test of timeand weathered the effects of somemajor earthquakes. Today, the mostimpressive aspect of this church is itsfacade, which is both big and bold.However, the interior holds a treas-ure-trove of religious art and icons.Fronting the Plaza Mayor, this is agreat place to start any tour of down-town Guatemala City. See p. 108.
• Iglesia San Francisco (GuatemalaCity): This church isn’t quite as old asother more famous Catholic churchesin the country, but it has arguably themost impressive main altar—a mas-sive work of carved wood that’salmost 92m (300 ft.) tall. See p. 108.
• Convento de las Capuchinas (Anti-gua): Life was pretty difficult andaustere for the nuns at this Capuchinconvent, but today the grounds andbuildings are some of the most pas-toral and picturesque in all of Anti-gua. The large and sprawling complexwas abandoned in the wake of the1776 earthquake, but the damagewas relatively minor. The view fromthe rooftop is not to be missed. See p. 128.
• Iglesia La Merced (Antigua): In acity awash in Catholic churches, con-vents, and monasteries, Iglesia LaMerced reigns supreme. It’s no smallcoincidence—nor small honor—thatthe principal procession of the HolyWeek celebrations leaves from thischurch. The ornate baroque facade ispainted bright yellow and white, and
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the interior is full of art and sculp-tures. The ruins of the attached con-vent are also worth a visit. See p. 129.
• Iglesia de Santo Tomás (Chichicas-tenango): Dating back to 1540, thismodest church serves simultaneouslyas a place for Catholic worship andancient Maya rituals. The exteriorsteps, which possess a privileged perchover the town of Chichicastenango,are believed to represent the 18months of the Maya calendar. Today,these steps are constantly in use as analtar for Maya prayer and offerings. Itwas in the attached convent that theoldest known version of the PopolVuh was discovered. See p. 174.
• Iglesia de San Andrés Xecul (outsideof Quetzaltenango): The brilliantly
painted ornate facade of this church,located in a small town in the West-ern Highlands, is easily the most psy-chedelic in the entire country. Thefacade features the prominent figuresof jaguars mixed with religiousiconography. Be sure to come in theafternoon, when the sun directly hitsthe church’s front. See p. 185.
• La Basílica (Esquipulas): This is themost famous religious site inGuatemala, and the only church inthe country to earn the honor ofbeing named a Basilica. More thanone million pilgrims from around theworld come to the 1758 church topay their respects to the famous statueof the “Black Christ.” See p. 235.
T H E B E S T O U T D O O R A D V E N T U R E S 7
5 The Best Outdoor Adventures• Mountain Biking the Rural Back
Roads: The back roads and dirt pathsof rural Guatemala are perfect for fattire explorations. Whether you chooseto take a ridge ride between small vil-lages or a more technically challeng-ing ascent or descent of a volcano,there is something for all ability lev-els. Old Town Outfitters (& 502/5399-0440; www.bikeguatemala.com)is my favorite operator, and has excel-lent guides and equipment, and awide range of tours and trips. Seechapter 5.
• Climbing an Active Volcano: Guate-mala’s mountainous terrain is pre-dominantly volcanic, and many ofthese volcanoes are still active. There’snothing as primal as climbing theflanks of an active volcano or peeringdown into an erupting crater. Both ofthese experiences are possible on aclimb to the summit of Pacaya vol-cano. Many tours take you closeenough to actually feel the heat offresh lava. Once Pacaya’s whettedyour appetite, there are numerous
other volcanoes here to scale, includ-ing Santa María, Tajumulco, Agua,and Acatenango. See chapters 5 and7, respectively.
• Swinging through the Treetops on aCanopy Tour: Zip-trekking is becom-ing all the rage, and offers a differentway to experience the rich wonders ofthe tropical rainforest. If you visitTikal, don’t miss the opportunity totake a trip with the Canopy TourTikal (& 502/7926-4270; www.canopytikal.com). See chapter 8.
• Exploring the Underworld: Manyof Guatemala’s volcanic mountainsare riddled with caves. The ancientMaya considered caves holy sites thatserved as passageways to the nextworld. The caves of Lanquin andCandelaria are popular tourist desti-nations, but my favorite cave adven-ture is a tour into the depths of Kan’Ba. This cave has a small river run-ning through it, and the spelunkinghere is a mix of hiking, wading, andswimming. The entrance to the caveis a large opening where the river exits
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and forms a gentle jungle waterfall.See chapter 9.
• Rafting on the Cahabón River: TheAlta Verapaz region is rapidly becom-ing the center of Guatemala’s growingadventure tourism industry, and theraging rapids of the Cahabón River arepart of the reason. After it exits the nat-ural marvel of Semuc Champey, theCahabón has both class III and class IVsections that are perfect for white-water rafting. Single-day adventuresand multiday tours are available. Con-tact Aventuras Turísticas (& 502/7951-4213; www.aventurasturisticas.com), or see chapter 9 for more details.
• Landing a Marlin or Sailfish:Although a relative newcomer to theworld of international offshore game-fishing, Guatemala is fast creatingquite a buzz. The waters off Guate-mala’s Pacific coast are excellent forsportfishing year-round, and biggame fish are being hauled in at arecord pace. If you want to reel ’emin, contact The Great SailfishingCompany (& 877/763-0851 in theU.S. and Canada, or 502/7832-1991; www.greatsailfishing.com), orParlama Sport Fishing (& 502/5704-4254 or 502/7832-2578; www.parlama.com). See chapter 11.
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6 The Best Shopping & Markets• Ron Zacapa Centenario: While I
spend a lot of time waxing poeticover the beauty and quality ofGuatemala’s arts and crafts, it’s worthemphasizing how special this 23-year-old dark rum is. Whether youthink you like rum or not, any afi-cionado of fine spirits should pick upa bottle of this amazingly smoothbrew. See p. 116.
• In Nola (Guatemala City; & 502/2367-2424): This is the place inGuatemala City for textiles and justabout any other arts-and-crafts item.The large store is beautifully laid out,service is excellent, and the prices arefair. You won’t find the bargains youmight be able to negotiate at the infor-mal markets, but you won’t be takento the cleaners either. See p. 115.
• Carlos Woods Arte Antiguo y Con-temporáneo (Guatemala City; & 502/2366-6883): This is the finest artgallery in Guatemala City, with anexcellent variety of modern and his-torical works. The rooms here arewell-lit and beautifully designed,making a visit a pure pleasure whetheror not you’re looking to buy. See p. 114.
• Nim Po’t (Antigua; & 502/7832-2681; www.nimpot.com): A massiveindoor space with a soaring ceilinghouses this local craft and textilecooperative warehouse. Textiles, wood-carvings, and ceramic wares fromacross the country are available here.The quality varies greatly, but if youknow what to look for, you can findsome fine works without having toventure into the farther reaches ofrural Guatemala. See p. 141.
• Joyería del Angel (Antigua; & 502/7832-3189): Antigua has a glut ofhigh-end jewelry stores selling locallyproduced wares. However, this shophas the most interesting and uniquepieces that you’ll ever see in one placein this town. It’s worth checking theirclearance rack, as they periodically tryto update their stock. See p. 140.
• Wer (Antigua; & 502/7832-7161):Give yourself some time to wanderthrough the many rooms of art in thiscontemporary gallery, set up in therambling space of a converted colo-nial-era home. More than 100 Guate-malan artists are represented here. Seep. 139.
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• Chichicastenango’s Market (Chi-chicastenango; no phone): There’s areason this twice-weekly open-airmarket is so famous. The abundanceand variety of wares for sale and thesomewhat controlled frenzy of theentire operation are not to be missed.You may find better bargains andproducts around the country, butyou’ll never see so much in one placeat one time. See p. 173.
• San Francisco El Alto Market (SanFrancisco El Alto; no phone): Localcognoscenti swear that the Fridaymarket in San Francisco El Alto is
even better than the one in Chichi. It’scertainly a great market, and if youknow what you’re looking for, andhow to bargain, you might even dobetter here than in Chichi. See p. 186.
• Q’eqchi’ Women’s Craft Coopera-tive (on the Río Dulce; no phone):The Caribbean lowlands are a partic-ularly barren zone for die-hard shop-pers. This small shop is the exceptionto the rule. You can only get to thishumble cooperative by boat, but allof the tour operations in Livingstonand Río Dulce stop here. See p. 252.
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7 The Best High-End Hotels• Real InterContinental (Zona 10,
Guatemala City; & 502/2379-4446;www.interconti.com): There’s a hostof high-end business class hotels inGuatemala City, but this one topsthem all in terms of rooms, ameni-ties, facilities, location, and service.The InterContinental sits on a verybusy corner of the Zona Viva, withshops, restaurants, bars, and morejust steps away in every direction. Seep. 95.
• Casa Santo Domingo (Antigua; & 502/7820-1220; www.casasantodomingo.com.gt): You can some-times get lost on the extensivegrounds of this fabulous hotel. Inaddition to the fine rooms, excellentservice, and colonial-era ambience,this place features museum-qualitycollections of art and artifacts, as wellas a large amphitheater. The wholecomplex sits on, and is integratedinto, the ruins of an old convent. Seep. 131.
• Posada del Angel (Antigua; & 502/7832-5303; www.posadadelangel.com): With just five beautifulrooms, this place gives you intimacywith your luxury, and is consistently
considered one of the top hotels inthe entire country. I like the second-floor suite, with its own privaterooftop terrace. See p. 133.
• Mesón Panza Verde (Antigua; & 502/7832-1745; www.panzaverde.com):This elegant and artistic Antiguahotel is actually listed in the “moder-ate” price category in this book,thanks to the inclusion of severalexcellent midrange rooms. However,the large suites and superb serviceeasily make this one of Guatemala’stop luxury options. The old buildingis loaded with artwork and interest-ing architectural details, and there’s awonderful, mazelike rooftop terracewith panoramic views. The restaurant(below) is one of the best in the coun-try. See p. 132.
• Hotel Atitlán (Finca San Buenaven-tura, Panajachel; & 502/7762-1441;www.hotelatitlán.com): This fabu-lous hotel is set on the shores of LakeAtitlán, with a stunning view of thelake and its surrounding volcanoes.Beautiful rooms, lush gardens, ampleamenities, impeccable service, and agreat restaurant make this a completepackage. See p. 153.
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• Casa Palopó (Carretera a San Anto-nio Palopó, Lake Atitlán; & 502/7762-2270; www.casapalopo.com):Artwork and interesting designtouches abound in this boutiquehotel, which is perched high on a hill-side overlooking Lake Atitlán. Thevibe here is hip, intimate, refined,and romantic, and the place is perfectfor couples. (Honeymooners shouldseriously consider it.) The restaurantis excellent. See p. 167.
• La Lancha Resort (Lago Petén Itzá,Petén; & 800/746-3743 in the U.S.,or &/fax 502/7928-8331 in Gua-temala; www.lalanchavillage.com):Set on a steep hillside overlooking thelake, this is the plushest hotel nearTikal. The rooms at this Francis FordCoppola regional resort (he has two
others in Belize) are decorated withstyle, featuring furniture and artworkfrom around the world. The food isalso excellent, taking local cuisine asits inspiration and adding creativetouches and refined twists. See p. 220.
• Hotel Villa Caribe (Livingston; & 502/2334-1818 or 502/7947-0072;www.villasdeguatemala.com): Myfavorite rooms here are the individualbungalows, which are what earns thishotel a spot in this exclusive group.These rooms have air-conditioning,cable television, and minibars, whichthe other rooms lack. However, everyroom here has a private balcony witha commanding view of the Río Dulceriver mouth and the Caribbean Sea.See p. 252.
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8 The Best Midrange Hotels• Otelito Casa Santa Clara (Zona 10,
Guatemala City; &/fax 502/2339-1811; www.otelito.com): With only12 rooms, this exceedingly hip hotelstands out from all the large, high-rise,business-class monsters that dominatethis downtown neighborhood. Eachroom is slightly different, but a senseof refined, minimalist design is felt inthe decor throughout. In addition tothe intimate setting and trendy vibe,they also have an excellent in-housefusion restaurant. See p. 98.
• Casa Azul (Antigua; & 502/7832-0961; www.casazul.guate.com): Whilemost of the boutique hotels inAntigua seek to mimic the city’s colo-nial splendor in their design anddecor, Casa Azul has gone for a moremodern and eclectic style. The hotelis just a half-block from the PlazaMayor, making it one of the bestlocated hotels in the city. See p. 134.
• Hotel Dos Mundos (Panajachel; & 502/7762-2078; www.hoteldosmundos.com): The spacious roomshere are one of my top choices inPanajachel. Although the hotel islocated right in the center of CalleSantander, the rooms are set backfrom the street in a quiet garden area,giving you easy access to all the actionand peace and quiet at the same time.See p. 154.
• Bambú Hotel & Restaurant (Santi-ago de Atitlán; & 502/7721-7332;www.ecobambu.com): The two pri-vate lakefront bungalows are the bestrooms in the house, and probably thebest rooms in all of Santiago de Ati-tlán, so be sure to try and book one ofthese. Better still is that they’re thesame price as those in the largerbuilding, which are set back from thewater’s edge. Even if you don’t get oneof the private bungalows, you’ll be
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plenty happy at this excellent hotel.See p. 165.
• Villa Sumaya (San Marcos La Laguna,Lake Atitlán; & 502/5617-1209;www.villasumaya.com): This lake-front boutique hotel is also a yogaand meditation retreat center. Theindividual cabins are wonderful, andthe grounds and gardens are beauti-ful. If you want an isolated getawayon Lake Atitlán, whether to seek spir-itual or physical enlightenment, thisis a great choice. See p. 169.
• Casa Mañen (Quetzaltenango; & 502/7765-0786; www.comeseeit.com):This is my favorite hotel in Quetzalte-nango. The rooms are all decoratedwith a range of local arts and craftworks, the service is excellent, and theowners are very knowledgeable aboutthe various local tour options. Thelarge rooftop terrace offers wonderfulpanoramic views of the city. See p. 187.
• Las Cumbres (Zunil; & 502/5399-0029): This hotel is built on top ofsteam vents fed by underground sul-fur hot springs, and some of therooms come with their own privatenatural steam bath. All of the roomshave a natural hot-spring-fed Jacuzzi,and there are common steam bathsand saunas for all to enjoy. Otheramenities include a squash court andsmall gym. See p. 188.
• Portal de la Fe (Esquipulas; & 502/7943-4124; www.portaldelafehotel.com): This should be the top choicefor anyone coming to Esquipulas topay their respects to the “BlackChrist.” This new hotel offers free Wi-Fi throughout, and is a definite step upfrom the other options around town inthe same price range. See p. 236.
• Hacienda San Lucas (south ofCopán Ruinas, Honduras; &/fax 504/
651-4495; www.haciendasanlucas.com): This converted farm and ranchoffers a sense of refinement and creativeflare you won’t find anywhere else inthe Copán area. The hotel is set on ahillside across from and overlookingthe Copán archaeological site. Inaddition, there’s a secondary Mayasite, Los Sapos, right on the grounds,as well as excellent hiking and horse-back-riding trails. As if all this weren’tenough, the restaurant is one of thebest in Copán. See p. 244.
• Catamaran Island Hotel (Fronteras,Río Dulce; & 502/5902-0831; www.catamaranisland.com): Whenever Icome to the Río Dulce area, I bookone of this hotel’s private bungalowsbuilt out over the water. I love sittingon my private balcony with a book,listening to the river lap against thesupport posts below me. At night,you’ll usually be mingling with hotelguests and some itinerant cruisingsailors who tie up at the hotel’s dockor anchor just offshore. See p. 257.
• Amatique Bay Resort and Marina(4km/21⁄2 miles east of Puerto Barrios,on the Bahia de Amatique; & 502/7948-1800; www.amatiquebay.net):This gets my vote as the best beachresort in the country. The rooms arelarge, and the grounds and facilitiestrump any other beach hotel inGuatemala. See p. 260.
• Hotel Utz Tzaba (west of Monterrico,on the road to Itzapa; & 502/5318-9452; www.utz-tzaba.com): There aretons of good hotels set right on thebeach along Guatemala’s Pacific coast,and this is one of the few worth seek-ing out. The rooms are relatively sim-ple, but they’re modern and clean, andthe beach is just steps away. See p. 268.
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C H A P T E R 1 . T H E B E S T O F G U AT E M A L A12
9 The Best Budget Hotels• Posada Belén (Zona 1, Guatemala
City; & 866/864-8283 in the U.S.and Canada, or 502/2253-4530 inGuatemala; www.posadabelen.com):You’ll feel at home in this long-stand-ing family-run hotel. The rooms arecharming and beautifully done, andthe converted home is filled with awealth of art and Maya artifacts.Although it’s near the heart of thecity’s colonial center, it’s on a quietstreet, away from the hustle and bus-tle. These folks have an excellent in-house tour operation. See p. 102.
• Posada Asejemenou (Antigua; & 502/7820-2670; [email protected]): The entrance to thispretty budget hotel is practicallyunderneath the iconic Santa Catalinaarch in Antigua. Rooms are keptimmaculately clean, and there’s aconvivial hostel-like vibe to the wholeoperation. The antique tile floors andworn wood furniture remind youthat you really are in the colonialheart of town. The attached restau-rant specializes in thin-crust pizzasand other Italian fare. See p. 135.
• Hotel Posada La Merced (Antigua;& 502/7832-3197 or 502/7832-3301; www.merced-landivar.com):As the name implies, this popularhotel is just around the corner frombeautiful La Merced church. Thefriendly and welcoming staff is a realplus. Those looking for longer stayscan book the fully equipped apart-ments. Interior courtyard areas andcommunal kitchen lend themselvesto a friendly vibe. See p. 135.
• Hotel Primavera (Panajachel; & 502/7762-2052; www.primaveratitlan.com): I enjoy the neatly varnishedwood and slightly European feel tothis place. Some of the rooms featurelarge, bay windows overlooking Calle
Santander. If you land room no. 9,you’re in for a real budget treat, as itcomes with its own private stairway,entrance, and balcony. See p. 155.
• Hotelito El Amanacer Sak’cari (SanPedro La Laguna; & 502/7721-8096;www.hotelsakcari.com): The roomshere lack something in the way of styleand personality, but for less thanQ150 ($20/£11) for a double, you canenjoy the sunrise from a hammockstretched out on the veranda of one ofthe second-floor units. See p. 161.
• La Casa del Mundo (Jaibalito, LakeAtitlán; & 502/5218-5332; www.lacasadelmundo.com): Set atop an iso-lated rocky outcropping jutting intoLake Atitlán, this hotel offers a fewrooms with shared bathrooms thatare a real steal (even the private bath-rooms are a bargain), with stupen-dous views of the lake. A lakesidefire-heated Jacuzzi and several open-air terraces make this place really spe-cial. See p. 168.
• Casa Doña Mercedes (Quetzalte-nango; & 502/5569-1630; www.geocities.com/guest_house_mercedes):In a town with a glut of budget lodg-ings, this one stands out for its friendlyservice, immaculate rooms, and cen-tral location. See p. 187.
• Hotel Santana (Flores, Petén; &/fax 502/7926-0262 or 502/7926-0491; www.santanapeten.com): Thislakefront hotel is the best budgetchoice on the island of Flores. In fact,it might just be the best hotel on theisland itself, regardless of price. All ofthe rooms come with private balconieswith wonderful views. See p. 216.
• Casa Alcazar Victoria (Cobán; & 502/7952-1388; http://hoteles.aventurasturisticas.com): I love the rustic yetrefined feel of the rooms in this beau-tiful colonial home. All of the rooms
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are different. Those on the secondfloor are my favorite, with high ceil-ings featuring exposed wood beams.Throughout the hotel there are eye-catching artistic touches. The ownershave a couple other hotels in town, aswell as the best adventure tour opera-tion in the region. See p. 231.
• La Casa de Café (Copán Ruinas,Honduras; & 504/651-4620; www.casadecafecopan.com): Although afew blocks outside of the “downtown”area, this is my favorite budget optionin Copán Ruinas. The personablehosts make you feel right at home.Each day starts off with a delicious
breakfast and coffee in the lush gar-den. See p. 245.
• La Casa Rosada (Livingston; & 502/7947-0303; www.hotelcasarosada.com): Set on the waterfront in Liv-ingston, the individual bungalowsfeature cheerful design touches, withbrightly painted furniture, architec-tural accents, and sea shell decora-tions. You’ll have to use one of severalcommunal bathrooms and showers,but these are just steps away and keptspotless. Moreover, the restaurant andin-house tour operation are great. Seep. 253.
T H E B E S T R E S TA U R A N T S 13
10 The Best Restaurants• Tamarindos (Zona 10, Guatemala
City; & 502/2360-2815): The chefat this trendy Zona Viva restaurant iswowing Guatemala City with hereclectic fusion cooking. It’s easy tooverdo or miscalculate when combin-ing ingredients and techniques fromvarious world cuisines, but Tamar-indos hits all the right notes. Themenu is very long, and touches manybases, with culinary influences fromAsia, Italy, and many places inbetween. Be sure to ask about dailyspecials, as this is where the chefreally shines. See p. 104.
• Kacao (Zona 10, Guatemala City; & 502/2237-4188 or 502/2377-4189): This popular restaurant takesGuatemalan cuisine and polishes itup a bit. The cooking is fairly tradi-tional, with signature dishes fromaround the country, but the service,ambience, and presentation are farmore refined than you’ll find at almostany other place specializing in Chapincuisine. Although they do a brisklunch business, I prefer to come fordinner, when the thatch roof is illumi-nated by candles and other strategi-cally placed lighting. See p. 104.
• Ambia (Zona 14, Guatemala City;& 502/2322-3232): It’s worth theeffort to find this slightly out-of-the-way restaurant. The fusion cuisine isheavily influenced by a range of Asianstyles, but you can also get heartysteaks and some delicious lamb. Seep. 107.
• Mesón Panza Verde (Antigua; & 502/7832-1745; www.panzaverde.com):Don’t come to Antigua without hav-ing a meal at Mesón Panza Verde. TheSwiss chef ventures somewhat fromhis Continental roots, incorporatinglocal ingredients into many of hisdishes. The results are always superb.Tables are spread around variousrooms, hallways, and open-air spacesin this elegant boutique hotel, andseveral nights a week there’s live jazzto accompany your meal. See p. 136.
• Welten (Antigua; & 502/7832-0630 or 502/7832-6967; www.weltenrestaurant.com): I like to grab a pool-side table in the back courtyard ofthis long-standing Antiguan restau-rant. The Continental cuisine isn’t ascreative or adventurous as many ofthe restaurants listed in this section,but it is consistently well-prepared.
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The service is top-notch and theambience delightful. See p. 136.
• Hotel Atitlán (Panajachel; & 502/7762-1441): With a burning fire-place, wood furniture, and ornatetable settings and decor, this is easilythe most elegant and refined restau-rant in or around Panajachel. Whenthe weather is nice, you can grab oneof the outdoor tables, which have agood view of the lake and volcanoes.Luckily, the cuisine and service herelive up to the ambience and sur-roundings. The Sunday brunch isquite renowned. See p. 156.
• Royal Paris (Quetzaltenango; & 502/7761-1942): While this is certainlythe best restaurant in Quetzalte-nango, the name is slightly mislead-ing. Sure there are some Frenchdishes on the menu, but there are alsocurries, vegetarian options, and sim-ple sandwiches on home-bakedwhole wheat bread. There are alsoregular movie nights during theweek, and live music most weekends.See p. 189.
• La Luna (Flores; & 502/7926-3346):If you find yourself in Flores, be sureto find your way to this restaurant.The eclectic decor varies from roomto room, but like the food, it’s consis-tently creative and tasteful. See p. 217.
• Casa D’Acuña (Cobán; & 502/7951-0482): The beautiful garden
courtyard setting is enough to earn ita place on this list, but the excellentchefs do their part as well. The longmenu includes pizzas, pastas, andtypical Mexican cuisine. Your best betis to get a nice steak or fresh grilledfish. See p. 232.
• Hacienda San Lucas (south of CopánRuinas on the road to Los Saposruins; &/fax 504/651-4495): Thehouse specialty is a fire-roasted chickensmothered in a spicy adobo sauce,which the owners claim is based onancient Maya recipes. I can’t imaginethe Maya ate this well, but you cer-tainly should. The open-air setting bylamplight is very romantic. See p. 245.
• La Casa Rosada (Livingston; & 502/7947-0303): On any given night, theregularly changing menu at this cozyrestaurant might feature a Thai-influ-enced stir-fry or shrimp gumbo.However, I often end up ordering thelocal tapado, a seafood stew cooked incoconut milk, which is as good as anyin the area. See p. 254.
• Taberna El Pelícano (Monterrico; & 502/5584-2400): The freshgrilled fish is always dependable atthis beach restaurant, but they alsohave a large menu with some unex-pected twists, including excellent pas-tas thanks to their Italian chef, and arich goulash thanks to the Europeanowner. See p. 269.
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11 The Best of Guatemalan Nightlife• La Bodeguita del Centro (Guate-
mala City; & 502/2221-4904): Thisbohemian downtown bar has almostnightly programming that includespoetry readings, improvised theaterpieces, and concerts of folk, jazz, andeven hard-core punk. See p. 117.
• Trovajazz (Guatemala City; & 502/2334-1241): The compact pedestrianmall area of Cuatro Grados Norte is
chock-full of clubs, bars, and discos,and this is consistently my favorite.There’s live music most nights, andthe ambience is relaxed and convivial.See p. 118.
• Tequila Bar (Antigua; & 502/5501-2680): You’d better like tequila andmescal if you stop in here, and if youdo, you’re in luck. Little more than ahole in the wall, this place stocks little
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else than a wide range of high-endand hard-to-find tequilas and mescals.You even have to do a quick shot ofhouse tequila just to get in the door.See p. 143.
• Circus Bar (Panajachel; & 502/7762-2056): This place is an institution inPanajachel, and for good reason. A“circus” theme dominates the decor,live music takes the stage mostnights, and a friendly mix of locals,expatriates, and tourists populate thebar. See p. 157.
• Salón Tecún (Quetzaltenango; & 502/7761-2832): While there are alwaysplenty of people in the crowded inte-rior of this popular Xela bar, the mosthappening scene is usually at thelarge picnic-style tables out front. In auniversity and language school townwith lots of clubs and bars, this isconsistently the place to see and beseen. See p. 189.
• Moonlight at Tikal (Tikal; no phone):Standing atop of Temple IV underthe full moon with nothing but thesound of crickets and howler mon-keys remains one of my favorite after-dark memories of Guatemala. Whilethis isn’t officially open to the public,if you’re staying at one of the hotelsright outside the archaeological site atTikal, you can sometimes receive per-mission to visit the site after dark. Besure to ask your hotel if this is possi-ble, and check on the current securitysituation. See p. 207.
• Ubafu (Livingston; no phone): TheGarífuna people of Livingston aredirect descendants of escaped Africanslaves, and this local bar swingsnightly to the beat of ancientrhythms mixed with the modernforms of punta rock and reggae. Localbands beat out the rhythms on hand-made drums and hollowed-out turtleshells. See p. 255.
T H E B E S T O F G U AT E M A L A O N L I N E 15
12 The Best of Guatemala Online• http://lanic.utexas.edu/la/ca/guatemala:
Hosted by the University of Texas LatinAmerican Studies Department, thissite houses a vast collection of infor-mation about Guatemala.
• www.visitguatemala.com: This isthe official site of the GuatemalaTourism Commission (INGUAT).
• www.revuemag.com: This is anexcellent English-language monthlymagazine geared toward tourists and
expatriates. The entire magazine, aswell as past issues, is available online.
• www.xelawho.com: A slightly irrev-erent English-language magazineproduced in Quetzaltenango anddirected at the town’s large popula-tion of foreign-language students,this site has honest reviews and awealth of useful information.
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