Travel From Mexico to Guatemala

A Safe and Worthwhile Journey

Article and Photos by Molly McHugh

Kayaks on Late Atitlan, Guatemala

If I said you could take a first-class, double-decker, new Mercedes-Benz bus from the Mexican border at Tapachula to Guatemala City, would you believe me? I would not have, but I have seen it first hand. This is just one of many surprises awaiting the first time traveler when venturing south of Mexico into Guatemala.

One pre-conceived notion I harbored prior to our travels was that it is extremely dangerous to visit Guatemala. For the average traveler, visiting areas of the country frequented by tourists and taking basic safety precautions, this is simply not true. Traveling in Guatemala, in my opinion, is not any more dangerous than traveling in many areas of Mexico or in other destinations in the developing world outside of the U.S. or Canada.

Guatemala is not a great choice for relocation—certainly not as good as many areas of Mexico—but for a journey to see sights such as Antigua, Lake Atitlan, Tikal, Semuc Champey, and others, it should not be omitted from anyone´s list purely on account of safety concerns. Stay on the beaten path, be careful of your belongings and surroundings, and you will most likely experience few difficulties.

Travel recommendations for Guatemala posted on the U.S. Department of State website are outlined at the end of this article.

Airfare to Guatemala

Getting to the Mexican-Guatemala border is not difficult, though it can be time-consuming. The simplest option, of course, is to fly directly into Guatemala City. From Tijuana to Guatemala City, one-way, on Mexicana Airline costs approximately US$240 (taxes included). I found a US$225 fare (one-way, taxes included) with Alaska Airlines from Los Angeles to Guatemala City. From Mexico City to Guatemala City I found non-stop, one-way fares of US$115 (taxes included) through Taca International Airlines and Mexicana.

Transportation and Safety Tips

Arriving by bus, your first stop will be Guatemala City, where you can then transfer to other destinations.

I would certinaly not recommend crossing into Guatemala by foot and then taking local “chicken-style” transport. The savings are minimal and the dangers of theft considerable. We took a chicken bus from Guatemala City to Lake Atitlan and arrived safely, but would never travel that way again. At one point, various chicken bus drivers decided to play “chicken” when traveling down a mountain road crossing, taking dangerous curves at adrenalin-producing speeds. Our only option was to hang on and hope for the best—at which point I happened to see the bullet-ridden panel above the window, which was not too comforting. One fellow traveler recounted an experience on a chicken bus to Volcano Pacaya outside of Antigua. The bus driver brandished a gun at one point and started shooting at another driver. They had stopped by the side of the road with an alleged engine problem. Police car after police car came by and yet no one seeming to be able to fix it.

Taking the many shuttles available is more expensive—but only marginally so—with a huge savings in peace of mind. They are comfortable, safe, and insured. Travel companies abound everywhere, with shuttles available for trips to all destinations throughout the country. The shuttles will take you to directly your destination, drop you off at your hotel, and some will even provide personalized service for a small fee. For example, we had a shuttle service in Antigua wait outside the post office in Guatemala City while we picked up a package from customs and then had them drive us to our hotel.

I made one major mistake–twice–arriving at a destination at night. Guatemala is very different from Mexico in that most people do not walk around at night unless they are going directly to a disco or to a restaurant. A sign on the door of our hostal in the city of Queztletenango (Xela) read: "For your security Casa Argentina recommends that you do not walk in the streets of Xela after 10:30-11:00 p.m.". Crimes against tourists are not common, but still it is not safe to be walking around at night. Another time, when arriving after dark, a cab driver had to drive around the block while we knocked on a hospedaje (local hotel) door at 11 p.m. The driver gave me a stern lecture when we returned. He told me that many cab drivers in Guatemala would have simply left with our luggage. Considering the fact that our new laptop was in the trunk, I was very grateful for the kind admonishment and had no problem paying the outrageously overpriced cab fare he requested. Antigua, on the other hand, has an active night scene with many people out and about, and is generally considered safe.

Volunteer Opportunities

Xela is the second largest city in Guatemala, and attracts hordes of college students as well as older independent travelers from around the world to its numerous language immersion schools. It offers a youthful atmosphere, with signs around town advertising a variety of opportunities to volunteer with street kids and at urban schools. Many twenty-somethings lead treks and tours, or teach English, with all proceeds benefiting various worthy programs—such as schools for at-risk and street children. Quetzaltrekkers is one such popular volunteer organization.

Entremundos connects volunteers with projects and publishes a newspaper—articles are also online on their website—with coverage of local and humanitarian issues such as the murder of a union organizer for banana workers. Guatemala was the first country outside of the U.S. to have a Habitat for Humanity chapter.

Popular Sites to See

One place to begin is the largest ancient ruins of Maya civilization—Tikal. Located in the El Peten region in northern Guatemala, you can also see a gigantic ceiba (Ceiba pentandra)—the sacred tree of the Maya—as well as green parrots, toucans, harpy eagles, spider and howler monkeys, and possibly a cougar or gray fox. Tikal is now a part of Tikal National Park and has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. You can take a virtual tour of the ruins online at: Journey through Tikal.

Many consider the tropical forest, waterfalls, and natural splendor of Semuc Champey to be the most beautiful area in Guatemala. Semuc Champey is located in the municipality of Alta Verapaz near the town of Lanquin in the north-central part of Guatemala.

Hiking and trekking opportunities abound throughout the country. But a trip to Volcano Pacaya near Antigua is not to be missed. An active volcano with a major eruption occurring in 1965—followed by continuous small eruptions—Volcano Pacaya is the most frequently climbed in Guatemala. Tour buses will drive you to the base of the volcano where you can either walk the steep trail to the crater or ride a docile horse for a small fee. At its peak you can sit and enjoy the magnificent view. You may decide to trek through the crater and get close enough to the flowing lava to roast a hotdog—which many come prepared to do. Stay too long and too close to an active vent and the bottom of your shoes may melt!

Finally, one destination worthy of mention is Lake Atitlan. The word atitlan is a Mayan word meaning “the place where the rainbow gets its colors.”

Panajachel and San Pedro la Laguna are two major towns on the lake also home to expats. Panajachel is a large hub with many expats coexisting with the large community of locals. San Pedro is a smaller town with a large hippy population and is a popular low-cost destination to study Spanish.

The town of San Marcos is a high-end, very small, and eclectic New Age community popular for its meditation centers and retreats. The largest town is Santiago Atitlan with a population of indigenous Mayans. You can view a video of a walking tour through the town on the Web. There are many other towns to visit as well—with many different Mayan cultures present and various languages spoken.

If you visit the town of San Pedro la Laguna on Lake Atitlan, don´t miss the Italian bakery with an upstairs restaurant in the center of town. On the third level is an Internet café with the fastest connections in town, Skype (for international phone calls), and a movie-viewing room. Ingredients used in their baguettes, focaccia, pizzas, and pastas are imported from Italy. The town offers a smorgasbord of ethnic delights including Thai, Greek, and Israeli food.

Places to Stay

Hotels are less expensive in Guatemala than in Mexico with the one exception being Antigua. The best of the low-end budget accommodations (US$14 per night) in Antigua is Hotel Posada Burkhard. The rooms are clean, quaint, and offer cable TV in all rooms. Reserve in advance, and request an upstairs room—they all open to the rooftop patio.

Xela has many options, the best value being Casa Doña Mercedes (approximately US$15 per night, private bath optional). Bright and cheery, one block off of the main square, cable TV, a lounge, and a clean, fully-equipped kitchen for guest use.

Apartments in Xela can be hard to find. Casa Argentina is a low-end backpackers hostal that has houses with rooms for rent in various locations throughout the city (US$110 per month per person). Visit the hostal at Diagonal 12 8-37 in Zona 1 and ask to see what is available.

San Pedro de Laguna is one of the least expensive places we visited. Hotel rooms start at US$3 to US$5 per night, with a private bath and a hot shower. A luxurious option is the Mikaso Hotel. Their website features an online slide show of the hotel and of its location on the shores of Lake Atitlan. You will be catered to and pampered for US$35-$45 per night.

Guatemala City has numerous hotels at all price ranges. Search online for hotels in your price range.

In our four months traveling and living in Guatemala, we had an affordable, eye-opening, and pleasant experience. We found the Maya to be a kind and lovely people. Guatemala was more expensive than I had expected, however, with meals in restaurants priced similar to those in Mexico. The exchange rate is approximately 8q (quetzals) to the dollar—while in Mexico the peso to dollar ratio is closer to 11-1—which means that restaurants are slightly more expensive in Guatemala.

Street markets are everywhere, and items bought at grocery stores are relatively inexpensive. When we settled in Xela for a few months and were able to cook instead of eating out, I spent about half of what we spend when living in Mexico's Baja California Peninsula.

U.S. Department of State Safety Considerations for Guatemala

The U.S. Department of State lists the following five travel safety tips for foreigners visiting Guatemala:

Avoid gatherings of agitated people. Mob lynchings have occurred in rural areas in Guatemala. It is strongly advised to not intervene in any uprisings.
Avoid close contact with children, especially in rural areas which are off-the-beaten-track.
Avoid areas where demonstrations are occurring or expected to occur.
Beware of strong currents, riptides, and undertow along Guatemala´s Pacific Coast beaches.
If climbing Volcano Pacaya (outside of Antigua) during the rainy season (May through October), climb in the morning when thunderstorms are less likely.

For more information visit their website at travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1129.html.

Visa and Passport Requirements

There are no visa requirements for citizens from the U.S., Canada, EU Countries, and others, See Visa Requirements for Guatemala. All persons traveling to Guatemala must have a valid passport. You will receive a stamp in your passport at the time of entry (tourist visa), and you can stay for up to 90 days in the country.

After a sixteen month overland bus journey from Mexico to Argentina Molly McHugh is currently living and traveling in South America, working on a new venture - South America Living. Online soon at www.southamericaliving.com.