1 - GUATEMALA and other Caribbean and Central America Things to Do Tips

The first country I visited during my trip through Central America, was Guatemala. I landed in Guatemala City, and after one night there I spent a couple of days in Antigua from where I went for a daytrip to the Pacaya Volcano, very close to the city. After that I come back to Guatemala City and from there I moved on to country number two: El Salvador.

The most striking thing about Guatemala, to my opinion are its people. More then anywhere else in the region, you'll see lots of the original inhabitants here: the Maya-indians. Even if you are in the modern centre of Guatemala City, you'll still see them walking around doing their own traditional things, wearing their own traditional clothes. Even though the power is mainly in hands of the "immigrants" in the country, these Maya's still have a strong influence on the country.

Some quick fact/opinions:
- 12.700.000 inhabitants
- 108.889 km2
- Independent since 15 september 1840
- Language: Spanish

- In Guatemala they pay with Quetzales (1 dollar = 8 quetzales)
- Guatemala is more expensive then its southern neighbours Honduras and El Salvador, but still very cheap to Western standards
- Public transportation in Guatemala is perfect: busses go all day long and to anywhere

- Best drink? Gallo beer!
- Best bite? The mango I had at the border with El Salvador: covered with salt and lemon juice: mmm!!!
- Must-see? The hot lava of the Pacaya Volcano.

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Address: Guatemala
Directions: Guatemala is surrounded by Mexico and Belize in the north and Honduras and El Salvador in the south.

Guatemala City was the start of my trip through Central America. It is one of the biggest cities in Central America and it doesn't have a good name in the area. "Guate" is told to be a dangerous, criminal city that you'd better skip when you want to visit the area.

At night I made a short citytour through the old centre. Here you do see some of the remote area's of the city and it is wise to make a tour like this by car and not on foot. If you do all that, Guatemala City can actually be a nice short stop on a tour through the area.

I did the same, and I only stayed in the city for two nights and a couple of hours by daylight. The rest of the time I spent in Antigua. The moment I did spent in the capital however, were not negative at all. In the modern city centre you don't see anything of the poverty and the criminality that the city is famous for, at least by daylight.

Check out more about the city on my "Guate"-page.

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Address: Guatemala City, Guatemala

One of the biggest cities in Guatemala, and definitely one of the most gorgeous ones, is Antigua. It is situated at about an hour drive northwest of Guatemala City and it is very easy to reach by public transportation. The city is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Antigua was founded in 1543 by the Spanish conquistadores. The city originally was called Santiago de los Caballeros. It rapidly became an important city and later it became the capital of the Spanish empire in Central America. After a heavy earthquake in 1773, the city was destroyed and the Spanish founded a new capital: “Guatemala-city”. Antigua stayed an important city, but never got close to the new capital again. The city’s name was changed into La Antigua Guatemala: “the old Guatemala” or the short version: Antigua.

Today the city is popular with tourists and it is famous for its many language schools. The city centre is a gorgeous area with a cosy central park, some nice old churches and some ruins of what used to be churches, and many more great building. Walking around through the city makes you think you are in a theme park because everything fits perfectly in the image of the city.

According to me a full day to see the city is enough, but when you want to visit the many other interesting sights around Antigua you can even spend a week there without feeling bored!

Do you want more info about Antigua? Check out my Antigua-page

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Address: Antigua, Guatemala
Directions: One hour by bus northeast of Guatemala City.

Like all countries in Central America, Guatemala also has a lot of volcanic activity. In the country you can find abour 33 volcanoes, of which three directly surround the city of Antigua: volcanoes Agua, Fuego and Acatenango.

A little bit further away from the city you can find the Volcano Pacaya: one of three volcanoes that are still active in Guatemala and one of the most visited ones. Every day, several times a day you can take an excursion to the crater of this volcano.

What makes Pacaya so special? First of all its activity: very often te volcano shows red-hot lava and explosions and small eruptions occur a lot.

Second: the volcano is quite easily accessible. It only takes a short hike uphill to get to the action. The rest can easily be done by bus.

And also very important: even the way up the mountain is fantastic! The view you get while climbing up to the crater are very spectacular, but of course only when the sky is clear.

Want more info about Pacaya? Check out my Pacaya-page!

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Address: Volcán Pacaya, Guatemala
Directions: About an hour by (tourist)bus from Antigua.

The second country on my trip trough the region was El Salvador. I entered the country from Guatemala and I only stayed one night here, in the second city of the country, Santa Ana. After a nice visit to the city I left the country again the next day, after a great ride through the west of the country. Through a great landscape, Honduras was my next stop.

The biggest difference I noticed between Guatemala and El Salvador was the way the people acted and looked. In Guatemala the people are quite shy and even the salesmen are not load at all. And in Guatemala the people look decent, but not typically "hip". In El Salvador, the upper button of the blouses of the men suddenly is opened, the belly button of the women is suddenly visible, the people have gel in their hair and the people are loud! Everywhere you hear music, preaching and shouting.

Some quick fact/opinions:
- 7.000.000 inhabitants
- 21.041 km2
- Independent since 15 september 1840
- Language: Spanish

- In El Salvador they pay with American Dollars, no local currency is used.
- El Salvador is very cheap. Transportation and food is very cheap, but hotels are relatively expensive because there are hardly any tourists.
- Public transportation in El Salvador is perfect: (mini)busses go all day long and to anywhere

- Best drink? A hot coffee in the morning!
- Best bite? A typical breakfast with black beans, cream, scrambled eggs and some pieces of bread.
- Must-see? The beautiful Catedral de Santa Ana.

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Address: El Salvador
Directions: El Salvador is bordered by Guatemala in the northwest and Honduras in the north. In the southeast, at the other side of the "Golfo de Fonseca" you're close to Nicaragua.

During my short stay in El Salvador, I only stayed in the second city of the country: Santa Ana. This city is situated in the west of the country at only 60 kilometres of the border with Guatemala. Santa Ana would be a good base to explore the west of the country: the Volcanoes of Cerro Verde, the ruins of Tazumal or the Lago d Güija.

But, for me it was only a short stop on my trip further north towards Honduras, but in the short time I've been here I had a really good time and I got a really positive view on the city.

Santa Ana is city with two different faces. In the dark it is strongly advised not to go out of the streets. Even when the dusk falls in you can already feel the atmosphere on the streets getting more tense. The streets get empty and (like it is said) dangerous and you are better off locked up in your hotelroom.

But: at daytime Santa Ana is a very vivid. The city centre is beautiful with several nice, old buildings. The parks are colourful and the people you see everywhere are even more colourful. Santa Ana really is a place where you can experience the spirit of the Salvadorians.

For more info about Santa Ana, check out my Santa Ana-page

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Address: Santa Ana, El Salvador

The third country on my tour through Central America was Honduras. After my visit to El Salvador, I entered the country in the very northwestern point, and went straight to the famous Copán Ruinas. From here I went to the Caribbean coast at Tela, and after a few great days of nature, culture and beach, I took the bus in San Pedro Sula to leave country in the direction of Nicaragua.

Honduras has, in my opinion, everything to become a popular tourist destination. At this moment you still don't see many tourists in the country, but the impressive ruins of Copán, the nature all around the country and the Caribbean Sea in the east make it to a very complete country. And the helpfullness and the spontaniousness of the great inhabitants, including the interesting Garifuna's at the coastline, make your stay to a pleasant one.

Some quick fact/opinions:
- 7.500.000 inhabitants
- 112.088 km2
- Independent since 15 september 1840
- Language: Spanish (and English and Garifuna)

- In Honduras they pay with Lempira's: 18 Lempira's to 1 dollar in 2007.
- Honduras is very cheap: even in touristy area's like Tela and Copán you will never pay anything close to western prices for a place to stay or a meal.
- Public transportation in Honduras is perfect: (mini)busses go all day long and to anywhere.

- Best drink? The freshly made fruitjuice I had in San Pedro Sula.
- Best bite? The fantastic "Ceviche de Camarones" I had on the beach of Tela was a great combination between fresh lemon and tasty seafood.
- Must-see? Of course: the ruins of Copán.

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Address: Honduras
Directions: Honduras is surrounded by Guatemala in the north, El Salvador in the west and Nicaragua in the south. And of course there is the Caribbean Sea in the east.

My first destination in Honduras, was the small village of Copán Ruinas, in the southwest corner of the country. The surroundings here are fantastic: green hills everywhere with only every now and then a small white village hidden in between them. All the time you have the feeling you are driving though one big painting.

But of course Copán is not famous for its landscape, but for the Maya ruins that are hidden in the jungle just outside the village. Most of the ruins you find here are over 1000 years old and are only recently fully released from the jungle that took back its land throughout the centuries.

The ruins in Copán are very impressive and are great for a daytrip, but it is also nice to stay in the village itself for a day. Different from what I expected, it is not completely spoiled by tourism and the atmosphere in the village is very relaxed.

In the village you see nothing but cobblestoned streets and colourful houses, and in the jungle around the town you have a good chance of spotting an even more colourful ara.

For more information about Copán, check out my Copán-ruinas page.

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Address: Copán Ruinas, Honduras

After Copán Ruinas, my trip through Central America brought me to the Caribbean Coast of Honduras, to the town of Tela, at about 80 kilometres north from San Pedro Sula, one of the most important cities of the country. Tela turned out to be a very relaxed place to spend a few days.

Tela is one of the villages in this part of Central America where the Garifuna-people live: descendents of the former slaves on the Caribbean islands. These people have a strong influence on the area and give it all a very relaxed, almost African caracter.

In and around Tela there are several interesting things to see and do. Most of all, the village is popular by tourists for its long beaches, complete with palmtrees and blue Caribbean Sea. Several beach resorts offer great clean beaches and all the facilities you need for a great relaxed day of suntanning.

And when you're tired of all the suntanning, you can go for a boattrip towards the natureparks Punta Sal and Punto Izopo, or you can visit one of the few small Garifuna-villages around Tela, where you can clearly feel the "African Vibe" that still lives on here.

Check out my Tela-page for much more info.

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Address: Tela, Honduras

Whenever you are travelling through Honduras, you cannot do it without visiting San Pedro Sula for at least once. The city in the northeast of the country is the biggest after the capital Tegucigalpa, and it the most important transportation-hub in the region.

Besides the busstations, San Pedro Sula doesn't have many interesting things to offer, and it is advised not to wander around the city after dark because it is said to be quite dangerous. That is why I didn't see anything else then the busses and the filthy hotel I stayed in.

From "SPS" I took busses to almost all directions: I arrived from Copán in the west, went to Tela in the east. And after coming back from Tela, I took the long-distance bus via Tegucigalpa to Managua in Nicaragua.

For more tips about "SPS", have a look at my San Pedro Sula-page.

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Address: San Pedro Sula, Honduras