GUATEMALA
The land of Guatemala always reminds of the appealing Maya Culture that is still found here though the civilization is lost. Guatemala is a one country that catches hold of the tourist attention because of its tropical jungle were the lost cities of Maya were buried. Not only the indigenous culture but Guatemala is also gifted by nature’s bounty the Caribbean Sea, Jungles, Caves, Volcanoes and extensive wildlife, it’s a land of study and research for many. Advantageous for the tourists as all this comes as package in one go and at very affordable prices. Unaffected by the colonizers the land is full of revelatory experiences. A perfect place for researchers and also its geography sets perfect land for hiking, biking, diving, riding, and kayaking. So all adventure lovers can save bugs in this land that is tag marked as affordable. Apart from sites located in jungle revealing the Mayan architecture the country’s people are of prime attraction. Get the glimpse of culture that is displayed colorfully in their markets, dress sense, jewelry and the houses. The indigenous people here are just unique with the combination of incredible adventures. Tourist just requires planning adequately before leaving, though accommodation is plentiful and transportation is not of a problem. Keep yourself attentive to the lava stories, lost civilization, and the history of Mayan ruins found in the heart of Guatemala Jungles.
CULTURE AND GEOGRAPHY
The land of Guatemala is thousands of years old that witnessed many battles to restore its indigenous culture and tradition. Though the urban parts of the city lead a western lifestyle the rural parts prefer to stick to their traditional Mayan lifestyle. Their culture is enormous treasure of artistic talent seen in the art, dance, music, dress, literature and religious belief. Guatemala has no official religion though sixty percent of the population are Roman Catholics, others being Protestants and Evangelists, most of them converted from the Maya. Being the third largest Central American majority of Central American republics are among the population in Guatemala that is bordered by Mexico, Belize, El Salvador, and Honduras. The land is divided into three regions –the highlands, low lands and a coastal plain. Known for serious earthquakes and volcanoes both disasters add significant data to the world’s history. Overall the land is beautifully dotted with Mayan towns that still are an enigma of their culture.
WHEN TO GO
Due the diverse landscapes and different altitudes the climate here varies greatly with warmer days and colder nights. The winter lasts from April to November and summer from November through April. A month of June through September is the time of rainy season. Ironically most of people prefer to travel at the time of rainy season that marks sunny mornings with rainy afternoons, the only hassle is you need to get up early and start for the sightseeing. But particularly some areas like El Petén and Los Altos are not accessible in rainy months. Summer is the most accessible and loved season here, the days are sunny and August is the month of full boom with tourists all over the country, particularly from Italy Germany and France. Also the holy week marks a good number of tourists that is called Semana Santa occurring in March or April; Mexicans, Central Americans, and South Americans visit Guatemala at this time to be part of the festival and celebrate Easter. Because of the demand the accommodation prices at this time are more but booking in advance can save some bucks. Travelling in the winter time can also be considered when the crowd is less and the prices of hotels also drop.
TOP ATTRACTIONS
The landscapes of Guatemala have over 30 Volcanoes with spectacular rivers, lakes and waterfalls. These all are treasures of immense and unique wildlife. The Archeological treasures are the main attractions that present a wide array of magnificent palaces, temples and sculptures from lost Mayan Civilization. These Archeological ruins are there from as old as AD 250 and AD 900. One such ancient site within the jungle setting is Tikal Maya ruins displaying great temples in its canopy. Chichicastenango market a popular market joint, a chance to see volcano, and many more are Guatemala’s itineraries. There are several tours that tourists can opt for and as an advantage you can’t miss any important sites. This country also has much in store for your children with several options like ecological parks, water parks, theme parks and other adventure water sports.
Guatemala City
The largest city of Guatemala the attractions of interest range from Mayan ruins to fuming volcanoes. Popularly people speak of it as an ugly and dirty city but its attractions and the main center of transportation to any Guatemalan towns makes it a busy tourist center. Occupied by countries best museums and some historical sites that are categorized by Zonas are the major sights and Zona 1, 10 and 13 are most visited. Zona 1 attractions include Catedral Metropolitana, Mercado Central, Postal Palace, Palace of National Police, tower of battery, Museo de Historia, Cerro del Carmen (Carmen Hill) and other churches. The museum of history is there from 1974 displaying furniture and documents of the early 18th century. The collection is changed according to seasons and people who like to know more about the culture can refer to the historical library where the admission is free. The Carmen Hill also attracts lot of tourists and local crowd because of the silver embossed image of the Virgen del Carmen dating back to 16th century. Zona 10 has vibrant nightlife and one of the safest zone in Guatemala city. Then there’s the Ixchel Museum of Mayan Costumes Description that has a vast collection of costumes from different communities of 120 Guatemalan communities. It also includes a display of paintings about the costumes. Zona 13 is the modern zone and also has some good museums and parks. This zone is also popular because of its international airport. Most of the city can be covered on foot that saves a lot on your pocket.
Antigua
This is one of the oldest cities of Guatemala and also considered as the most beautiful cities in America. Most of the tourists prefer heading straight away Antigua from the airport to save their valuable time and make the most of attractions. Also tourists plan to come here on the Semana Santa the busiest month of tourism ever. The most visited sights are Volcan Fuego the active volcano, colonial monasteries, mansions, churches, museums and the colorful streets of Antigua. The Palacio de los Capitanes Generales is the public building reconstructed several times because of the damaged caused by earthquake, but its standing there from 15th century serving as the seat of Spanish Colonial Government and the residence of Captain General. The Casa K’ojom museum showcases cultural artifacts like musical instruments, handicrafts and crafts used in ceremonies. The opportunity to see 17th century colonial house is gifted by Casa Popenoe, the residence of Spanish Colonial elite once. Refurbished in the 19th century the house has a colonial bath, antiques, and kitchen and laundry areas. Don’t go the exterior of the building which is not impressive but the interiors are beautiful covered with flowered patios and arched passageways. Antigua is also famous for learning Spanish that makes a big business here, so if you are for week here then you can enroll to week’s class as many tourists do.
El Petén
This city is often referred to as the last wilderness frontier in its lushly green forests. The lost Maya cities are subject of study here within the confines of rainforests, wetlands and savannas. These archeological ruins are now under continuous threat because of rapid deforestation by growing multinationals for rich natural resources but eco-tourism is making an effort to save this significant sight. Visit the Naranjo that is an important Classic-era civic and ceremonial site that showcases 38 stelae in over 50 plazas. The magnificent hieroglyphic staircase, plaza, acropolis and ball court are worth exploring. The Topoxte is also a post classic ruin located on the Yaxha Lagoon. Not discovered until 18th century and still there are no clues of its history. Tourists can make use of the tours conducted by the eco tourism department that offers the best including the Yaxha-Nakun-El Naranjo Triangle.
The Tikal National Park
It’s not just a national park but holds a famous ruin in its heart, Tikal. It’s an important and the largest Maya city. Largest because it has over 3000 structures in sis square mile radius that inclusive of palaces, ball courts, streets, plazas, temples, baths, open terraces and also great pyramids that are believed to earthquake proof. These structures are witnesses of at least 14 different rulers of that time. All this are amidst the zapote, ceiba, and mahogany and over vivid species of wildlife. The great plaza is a part of the Tikal that is surrounded by ceremonial buildings, carved altars, stelae, twin pyramids called temples I and II and ball courts. These are all illustrations of Late Classical architecture. The Mundo Perdido is the lost world complex that has 38 structures positioned according to Maya pattern indicating an astronomy complex. The great pyramid here is 100 ft in height and dates back to AD 250, also below there are four other pyramids dating back to 600 BC.
GETTING THERE AND ACCOMMODATION
Most tourists prefer air travel and the destination city for that is the Capital Guatemala City, though most select Flores that also has an international airport. Getting down at Flores can take you directly to the archeological ruins of Tikal. Though there’s one limitation with Flores airport, that there are very few international flights providing service here. From the airports you can get a taxi, rented car, or bus to get into the city. All types of accommodation are available in the city, the hotels range from four stars to hostel accommodations that most of the backpackers prefer. Because the international airports are located in Guatemala City and the Flores, many tourists choose to stay here which makes travelling to the sights easy.
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