Guatemala
Guatemala is the heart of the Maya world, with volcanoes, colonial towns and Indigenous markets. The easiest way to travel between tourist places is by tourist shuttle (shared minivans that pick you up at your hotel). Chicken buses (old US school buses) are very cheap but slow and not recommended with luggage. Uber works in Guatemala City and Antigua, and is the safest way to move around the capital.
Guatemala is the heart of the Maya world, with volcanoes, colonial towns and Indigenous markets. The easiest way to travel between tourist places is by tourist shuttle (shared minivans that pick you up at your hotel). Chicken buses (old US school buses) are very cheap but slow and not recommended with luggage. Uber works in Guatemala City and Antigua, and is the safest way to move around the capital.
- Currency
- Guatemalan quetzal (GTQ, Q). 1 USD ≈ 7.6 GTQ (October 2026). Cash for markets, shuttles and small towns
- Entry
- Most Western passports get 90 days visa-free. The 90 days are shared with Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua (CA-4 agreement)
- Shuttles
- Book through your hotel or agencies; Antigua to Lake Atitlán about 2.5 to 3 hours
- Rides
- Uber in Guatemala City and Antigua; elsewhere tuk-tuks and taxis (agree the price)
- Flights
- Guatemala City to Flores (Tikal) about 1 hour
- Plugs
- Type A / B, 120V
- Emergency
- 110 (police), 1500 (PROATUR tourist assistance)
Cities & regions
Guatemala City
The capital most travelers skip — and shouldn't.
Antigua Guatemala
Cobblestones, three volcanoes, and the country's most beautiful ruins.
Hobbitenango
A Hobbit-inspired eco-park above Antigua.
Lake Atitlán
A volcanic crater lake ringed by twelve Mayan villages.
Flores & Tikal
A tiny island town — and the lost Mayan jungle city next door.