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dventure Guide to Guatemala Shelagh McNally HUNTER HUNTER PUBLISHING, INC, 130 Campus Drive, Edison, NJ 08818 % 732-225-1900; 800-255-0343; Fax 732-417-1744 www.hunterpublishing.com Ulysses Travel Publications 4176 Saint-Denis, Montréal, Québec Canada H2W 2M5 % 514-843-9882, ext. 2232; fax 514-843-9448 Windsor Books The Boundary, Wheatley Road, Garsington Oxford, OX44 9EJ England % 01865-361122; Fax 01865-361133 ISBN 1-58843-347-1 © 2003 Hunter Publishing, Inc. This and other Hunter travel guides are also available as e-books through our online partners, including netlibrary.com, Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. 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, elec- tronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher. This guide focuses on recreational activities. As all such activities con- 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, liabil- ity for any loss or damage caused by errors, omissions, misleading infor- mation or potential travel problems caused by this guide, even if such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause. Cover photo: A Tzutujil Maya woman in Lago Atitlán, San Pedro Volcano in background (Robert Leon, www.robertleon.com). Other photos by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Maps by Kim MacKinnon & Kim André, © 2003 Hunter Publishing, Inc. 1234 Thanks This book would not have been possible without the help of many friends and colleagues. I can’t name you all but here are few that can’t be missed: Thanks to my beautiful daughter Shannon for the translating and navi- gating. To my friends Lucille van Klaradyn and Jody Hamilton in Puerto Morelos, Jocelyn Laurence in Toronto and Mary Lewis in New York thanks for all your support, encouragement and advice. Thanks to Eugenio Gobbato in Río Dulce for the wonderful bed, pulling me out of the ditch in paradise and pointing me in the right direction, es- pecially with our photo. Thanks to Santiago Billy for his photographs. Kim – thanks for your patience and the wonderful editing. Special thanks to the people of Guatemala for their continued kindness and generosity in sharing their country. Dedication To Shannon and JJ. My best companions on this journey. About the Author Shelagh McNally is a Canadian writer who went to Mexico for a few months to escape the winter and ended up staying. She has been based in Mexico since 1997 and has been exploring Guatemala with her daughter since 1998. She has written for a number of publications and travel websites in Canada, England, United States and Mexico. She speaks bad Spanish but has learned how to drive in mud and sand. www.hunterpublishing.com Hunter’s full range of guides to all corners of the globe is featured on our exciting website. You’ll find guidebooks to suit every type of traveler, no matter what their budget, lifestyle, or idea of fun. Adventure Guides – There are now over 40 titles in this series, covering destinations from Costa Rica and the Yucatán to Tampa Bay & Florida’s West Coast, New Hampshire and the Alaska Highway. Complete with information on what to do, as well as where to stay and eat, Adventure Guides are tailor-made for the active traveler, with details on hiking, biking, canoeing, horse- back riding, skiing, watersports, and all other kinds of fun. 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Contents INTRODUCTION History .................................................1 Geography & Land .......................................7 Flora & Fauna ..........................................12 Plants ..............................................12 Forests .............................................13 Crops...............................................14 Wildlife .............................................14 Insects..............................................16 Birds ...............................................16 Government & Economy ..................................17 Money.................................................18 The People .............................................19 Cultural Groups & Religion ............................19 Language ...........................................21 Food ...............................................21 Drinks ..............................................22 TRAVEL INFORMATION When To Go ............................................25 Climate .............................................25 Seasonal Concerns ....................................25 Holidays & Festivals ..................................26 Measurements ..........................................31 Customs & Immigration ..................................31 Getting Here ...........................................31 Overland ............................................31 ByAir..............................................36 Getting Around .........................................37 Staying in Touch ........................................44 Accommodations ........................................46 Personal Safety .........................................47 Staying Healthy.........................................49 Private Hospitals in Guatemala City .....................50 Public Hospitals ......................................50 Serious Ailments .....................................51 Top 20 Attractions.......................................56 GUATEMALA CITY History ................................................59 Getting Here & Getting Around ............................61 Adventures on Foot ......................................63 Walking Tour ........................................65 Where to Stay ..........................................72 Where to Eat ...........................................77 vi n Contents Nightlife ...............................................80 Daytrips from the City ...................................80 Shopping ..............................................81 CENTRAL HIGHLANDS Department of Sacatepéquez La Antigua .............................................83 History .............................................84 Getting Here & Getting Around .........................86 Spanish Language Education ...........................89 Sightseeing ..........................................90 Adventures on Foot ...................................93 Historic Buildings..................................93 Churches & Convents...............................95 Adventures on Horseback .............................99 Adventures on Wheels ................................100 Day & Overnight Trips ...............................100 Agua Volcano ....................................100 Pacaya Volcano...................................101 Acatenango Volcano ...............................102 Fuego Volcano....................................102 Copán Ruins, Honduras............................103 Plantation Tours..................................105 Where to Stay.......................................107 Where to Eat .......................................111 Nightlife ...........................................114 Department of Chimaltenango History ...............................................115 San Andrés Itzápa......................................116 San Juan Comalapa ....................................117 Tecpan ...............................................117 Maya Ruins ...........................................118 Iximché Ruins ......................................118 Mixco Viejo Ruins ...................................120 Department of Sololá Getting Here & Getting Around ...........................122 Sololá ................................................123 History ............................................123 Getting Here........................................123 Attractions .........................................123 Where to Stay & Eat .................................124 Panajachel ............................................125 Getting Here........................................127 Getting Around .....................................127