Guatemala

Spanish is the official language, but it is a second language for many Guatemalans. Over 20 Maya languages are spoken across the country, including K'iche', Kaqchikel, Mam, and Q'eqchi'. In some highland communities, people are more comfortable in their Maya language than in Spanish.

English is spoken at hotels, tour agencies, and restaurants in Antigua Guatemala, around Lake Atitlán, and in Flores. It drops off quickly outside tourist areas.

Prepaid SIM cards from Claro and Tigo are cheap and sold at the airport and in shops in any town. Bring your passport to register the SIM. Coverage is solid in cities and along the main tourist routes.

Signal drops out on volcano trails, boat crossings on Lake Atitlán, and remote roads in the Petén jungle. Download offline maps before heading into those areas.

Tap water is not safe to drink in most of Guatemala. Stick to bottled or purified water, including for brushing teeth in smaller towns. Pharmacies (farmacias) are common in cities and larger towns, and some city-center locations stay open late or 24 hours.

Mosquito-borne illnesses, including dengue, are a risk in lowland and jungle areas such as Petén and the Pacific coast. Use repellent and cover up in the evenings. Altitude can affect visitors in the highlands: both Lake Atitlán and Quetzaltenango sit high enough to cause mild symptoms in some travelers. Check with a travel clinic about hepatitis A, typhoid, and rabies vaccinations before the trip.

Most visitors can enter Guatemala without a visa for tourism. This includes passport holders from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the EU, and most of Latin America.

Guatemala shares a joint tourist zone (the CA-4 agreement) with El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The combined stay across all four countries is capped at 90 days. Crossing between them does not reset the clock or require a new entry stamp.

Travelers who do need a visa can usually apply at a Guatemalan consulate before the trip.

Visa and entry requirements change frequently. Verify current requirements with the official immigration authority or your country's embassy before travel.

Ask before photographing people, especially in Maya markets and villages. Some Indigenous communities strongly dislike being treated as a photo subject. At religious sites and during processions, dress modestly and stay out of the way of ceremonies in progress.

Bargaining is normal and expected in craft markets like Chichicastenango, but not in shops with marked prices or in restaurants. A friendly greeting first is valued everywhere, from market stalls to offices.

Public holidays and Catholic festivals can close shops, banks, and government offices for the day, and intercity buses fill up fast around them.

Semana Santa (Holy Week) is the biggest event of the year in Antigua Guatemala, with elaborate processions over carpets of dyed sawdust and flowers. Hotels there are fully booked months ahead. Outside the capital and tourist towns, many shops close on Sundays, and lunch breaks can run long in smaller towns.

• By air: Domestic flights connect Guatemala City to Flores, the gateway to Tikal National Park — worth booking to skip the 8–10 hour drive.
• By shuttle van: Tourist shuttles are the practical way to move between Antigua Guatemala, Panajachel on Lake Atitlán, Chichicastenango, and Quetzaltenango. Book a day ahead through any travel agency or hostel.
• By local bus: Guatemala's "chicken buses" (repurposed U.S. school buses) reach almost everywhere and cost very little, but are crowded, slow, and awkward with luggage.
• By boat: Lanchas cross Lake Atitlán between Panajachel and the lake's other villages — the main way to get around once there.

There is no functioning national passenger rail network.

Breakfast is often eggs with black beans, fried plantain, and tortillas. Lunch is the main meal of the day, and dinner tends to be lighter. Corn and beans appear in most meals, alongside dishes with Maya origins.

Pepián, a thick stew of meat and vegetables in a toasted-seed-and-chile sauce, is considered close to a national dish. Kak'ik, a spiced turkey soup from Alta Verapaz, and tamales wrapped in banana or maxán leaves are both worth seeking out. Street stalls sell elotes locos (dressed corn on the cob) and grilled meat skewers. Rellenitos — fried mashed plantain filled with sweetened black beans — are a common dessert.

Guatemala is a major coffee producer, and the regions around Antigua Guatemala and Cobán are known for it. Atol, a hot corn-based drink, and Gallo beer are both everyday staples.

Colonial highlands: Antigua Guatemala, the former colonial capital, is Guatemala's most visited town. It is ringed by three volcanoes, including the frequently active Fuego Volcano, and centered on the yellow arch of Arco de Santa Catalina. Panajachel is the main gateway to Lake Atitlán, surrounded by volcanoes and Maya villages reachable by lancha. Chichicastenango draws crowds for the Thursday and Sunday market at Mercado de Chichicastenango, one of the largest Indigenous markets in Central America. Nearby, the Postclassic ruins of Iximche are a quieter alternative for travelers with no time for Petén. Quetzaltenango is Guatemala's second city. Locals call it Xela. It's a base for volcano hikes and Spanish-language schools, with far fewer tourists than Antigua.

The Petén jungle: Flores, a small island town on Lake Petén Itzá, is the base for visiting Tikal National Park, home to Temple I and dozens of other Maya temples rising above the jungle canopy.

Alta Verapaz: Cobán is the access point for the turquoise limestone pools of Semuc Champey.

Izabal and the coast: The Río Dulce river connects Lake Izabal to the Caribbean. It passes Castle of San Felipe de Lara, a 17th-century fort built to fend off pirates, before reaching Livingston, a Garífuna town reachable only by boat. Inland, the carved stelae of Quiriguá are an easy stop between Guatemala City and the coast.

The capital, Guatemala City, is most travelers' arrival point by air. National Palace of Culture and the city's museums are worth a stop before heading to the highlands.