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Market Days in Guatemala

Published at June 20th, 2008 in Activities, Traditions and Destinations.No Comments

Market Day in Guatemala

The Guatemalan highlands are one of my favorite destinations, and the best time to visit any of the towns there is on the market day or local fiesta. Local fiestas though take place only once a year while you can find a market day every single day of the week through all the Guatemalan highlands.

Try to catch as many market days as you can, they draw people from the towns and villages of the area where they are held, being the main economic focus and social activity for them.

Following is a list of the different markets in the highlands taking place during the week:

Monday
La Antigua Guatemala, Chimaltenango, Santa Barbara, San Juan Atitán, Zunil.

Tuesday
Acatenango, Comalapa, Chajul, El Tejar, Olintepeque, Patzun, Salcaja, San Andres Semetabaj, San Antonio Ilotenango, San Lucas Tolimán, San Marcos, San Pedro Jocopilas, Totonicapán, Yepocapa.

Wednesday
Almolonga, Chimaltenango, Colotenango, Cotzal, Huehuetenango, Momostenango, Palestina de Los Altos, Patzicía, Sacapulas, San Sebastián.

Thursday
Aguacatan, La Antigua Guatemala, Chichicastenango, Chimaltenango, El Tejar, Jacaltenango, La Libertad, Nebaj, Panajachel, Patulul, Patzite, Patzún, Sacapulas, San Juan Atitan, San Luis Jilotepeque, San Mateo Ixtatán, San Miguel Ixtahuacan, San Pedro Necta, San Pedro Pinula, San Pedro Sacatepequez, San Rafael la Independencia, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz del Quiche, Soloma, Tajumulco, Tecpán, Totonicapán, Uspatán, Zacualpa.

Friday
Chajul, Chimaltenango, Jocotenango, San Francisco el Alto, San Andres Itzapa, San Lucas Tolimán, Santiago Atitlán, Sololá, Tacaná.

Saturday
La Antigua Guatemala, Almolonga, Colotenango, Cotzal, Ixchiguan, Malacatan, Nenton, Palestina de los Altos, Patzicía, Santa Clara la Laguna, Santa Cruz del Quiche, Sumpango, Todos Santos, Totonicapán, Yepocapa.

Sunday
Acatenango, Aguacatán, Cantel, Chichicastenango, Chimaltenango, Cuilco, Huehuetanango, Jacaltenango, Joyabaj, La Libertad, Malacatancito, Momostenango, Nebaj, Nahualá, Ostuncalco, Patzite, Nentón, Panajachel, Parramos, Patzun, Sacapulas, San Bartolo, San Carlos Sija, San Cristóbal Totonicapán, San Juan Comalapa, San Luis Jilotepeque, San Martín Jilotepeque, San Mateo Ixtahuacán, San Pedro Necta, San Pedro Sacatepequez, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz del Quiche, Santa Eulalia, Sibilia, Soloma, Sumpango, Tacana, Tecpán, Tejar, Tucuru, Uspatan, Yepocapa, Zacualpa.

Water Taxi from Belize to Guatemala

Published at June 19th, 2008 in Transportation and Water Taxis.No Comments

Water Taxi Rio Dulce

Probably one of the things we travelers hate the most, is to spend much more time in buses than we have to, and especially if it means to take the same route more than once.

A couple of weeks ago I joined a friend in a journey through Belize. We entered via the only border-crossing by road there is from Guatemala to the neighbour country, at Melchor de Mencos and Benque Viejo Del Carmen.

Considering Belize is much more expensive than other places in Central America, we planned a route that allowed us to see as much of the country as we could without spending too much time or money on our way back to Guatemala. We started in San Ignacio, then went up north to Belize City and Caye Caulker, from there going down south to Belmopán, Placencia and finally Punta Gorda, our last destination in this country.

There is water taxis in Punta Gorda running daily trips to Puerto Barrios in Guatemala, and going also to Lívingston on Tuesdays and Fridays for US$20. Once you’ve got your ticket, you can head to the customs office to get your stamp and pay the US$3.75 exit fee before the departure.

I found two companies providing this service in Punta Gorda and Puerto Barrios:

Requena’s Charter Services
#12 Front St.
Punta Gorda, Belize
Email: watertaxi@btl.net
Phone # (501) 722 2070

They leave daily from Punta Gorda to Puerto Barrios at 9:30am from the customs pier and return from Puerto Barrios, Guatemala at 2:00pm from the public pier. You can also find someone selling tickets at both customs before departure.

Transportes El Chato
1ra Avenida between 10 y 11 calle.
Puerto Barrios, Guatemala
Email: pichilingo2000@yahoo.com
Phone # (502) 7948-5525
Mobile # (502) 5412-4007 or (502) 4095-6663

They leave daily from Puerto Barrios to Punta Gorda at 10:00am from the Muelle Municipal and return from Punta Gorda, Belize at 2:00 pm from the customs pier. You can also find someone selling tickets at both customs before departure.

If you are arriving in Guatemala, the customs office is less than two blocks away from the Muelle Principal, just ask for “Migración” once you arrive. There is no need to pay for a taxi even though people will try to convince you otherwise.

If you are leaving Guatemala, you will have to pay a US$ 2.60 exit fee.

We decided to leave in the morning, so we traveled with Requena’s Charter Service who provided us with a great service. They were punctual, polite and helped us with every question we had.

Holy Week in Guatemala

Published at March 20th, 2008 in Attractions and Events.No Comments

It is one of the most important season and celebrations during the year. Easter is the commemoration of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection and there are solemn processions in the city and all Guatemalan territory, specially Antigua Guatemala. There are a lot of generations who keep doing this particular tradition, elaborating colored sawdust carpets on the streets, outside their houses, giving the processions reverence when they pass on them. The processions are floats carried by church members’ shoulders, joined with clouds of incense, and church musicians playing mournful dirges. Processions started from Monday to Sunday, all the week. We also wrote about this in Easter in Guatemala.

For a better idea of the traditions, check the following timelapse video of the procession of Jesús Nazareno del Calvario in Guatemala City:

Maya, Rise & Fall in National Geographic Magazine

Published at August 3rd, 2007 in News.One Comment

Maya, Rise & Fall in National Geographic Magazine This month’s cover of National Geographic features the article: Maya, How a Great Culture Rose and Fell.

Learn about this amazing culture and experience amazing photographs from several mayan sites in Mexico and Guatemala.

The cover includes a picture of Gran Jaguar by Simon Norfolk. The Pyramid is the jewel of Tikal in Peten and was enhanced with all kinds of lights during an evening to become the cover of August magazine.

The printed version of the Magazine includes a map of the Mayan world. In the online version you’ll find an interactive map and a quiz to test your Mayan knowledge.

Picture: Simon Norfolk, National Geographic.

Hostal San Martín

Published at July 23rd, 2007 in Hostels.7 Comments

Hostal San Martin When IRTRA decided to build the first hotel in the southern department of Retalhuleu it decided to get inspired by the Guatemalan Colonial architecture. Hostal San Martín resembles the Spanish government buildings of La Antigua Guatemala. It consists of four separated arcaded buildings with a spacious plaza between them and a fountain in the middle.

Hostal San Martín offers 192 double rooms, 96 of them equipped with air conditioning and 96 with a fan, all with private bathroom and hot water. The rooms in this hotel can accommodate 2 adults and 2 children of up to12 years old. Room rates for Hostal San Martín range from $43 to $69.

Casa de Don Ismael

Published at July 20th, 2007 in Hotels and Antigua.6 Comments

Casa de Don Ismael This nice little bed & breakfast inn, certified by the Green Deal program of the Guatemalan Tourism Institute, is a 7 room lodge conveniently located in La Antigua Guatemala, about three blocks away from the central plaza and really near from the bus station.

The rooms feature cable TV, fan and shared bathrooms with hot water. Purified water bottles and clean towels are delivered daily to each room. Laundry service and internet service is available for guests. A little courtyard and a rooftop terrace with a view to the volcanoes around Antigua offer a nice place to rest after a long walk in the city.

Room rates during the low season range from $16 - $19 and $22 - $28 during the high season , and includes complimentary breakfast.

Hotel Soleil Pacífico (Villas del Pacífico)

Published at July 19th, 2007 in Hotels and Activities.11 Comments

Hotel Villas del Pacífico Hotel Villas del Pacifico Resort & Conference Center is located on the Pacific Coast of Guatemala, a renowned destination for volcanic sand beaches and Marlin fishing. Palm trees and gardens of tropical vegetation surround the hotel complex, the restaurants and the pools. Villas del Pacifico is a good choice for families traveling to the nice weather of the Pacific shores of Guatemala.

The Resort features 62 standard rooms, 24 mini-suites, 14 suites, 11 four people bungalows and 11 six people bungalows, all decorated in an elegant tropical style. The amenities include double beds, cable TV, radio, telephone, wardrobe, closet, balcony, safe deposit box and private bathroom with hot water. The suites and the bungalows are equipped with a complete kitchen and living room.

Two large swimming pools with recreational activities, tennis courts, basketball and soccer fields, ping pong tables, a mini disco, an outdoor theater and six different musical shows compliment the recreational services of Villas del Pacifico. Other services available for guests include airport transportation, medical service, laundry service and babysitting service.

Villas del Pacífico is also a convention center, offering 5 different meeting rooms fully equipped to hold events of up to 400 persons. If you decide to visit Villas del Pacifico you can choose from three different paying options: American plan, European plan and the All inclusive plan, with rates starting at $120.

Hostal Santa Cruz

Published at July 18th, 2007 in Hostels.No Comments

Inspired by the Mediterranean culture and architecture, Hostal Santa Cruz is part of a series of 4 hotels in the IRTRA hotel complex. This beautiful hotel offers 151 rooms elegantly decorated in the Mediterranean style distributed in 10 buildings.

Each room in Hostal Santa Cruz is equipped with private bathroom with hot water, air conditioning and hair dryer. You can choose from several options to accommodate your group:

* 2 Double rooms are available exclusively for 2 adults ($67-$114)

* 93 Double rooms can accommodate 2 adults and 2 children of up to 12 years old ($67-$114)

* 26 Junior suites equipped with a king size bed and a sofa-bed for 2 adults and two children ($92-$160)

* 12 Junior suites equipped with 2 beds, sofa-bed and living-room for 2 adults and 3 children ($103-$177)

* 18 Junior suites of two bedrooms, living-room and sofa bed for 4 adults and 4 children ($155-$262)