Tourist Information for Guatemala
Guatemala is a land of colour and a blend of Spanish colonial heritage and ancient ruins of a vanished Mayan civilisation. A journey in Guatemala takes the traveller from the lush vegetation of the warm lowlands to the cooler pine forests of the highlands. The central area is a region of lakes and volcanoes for which Guatemala is known throughout the world.
Guatemala City is the starting point for exploration and is a vibrant cosmopolitan city - a blend of contemporary buildings and magnificent colonial architecture.
Tikal, located in the dense jungle of Peten, is the largest known Mayan site. It is a magnificent reminder of the great Mayan civilisation that flourished here over 2000 years ago.
Every Sunday and Thursday Chichicastenango is home to one of the most vibrant markets in Central America. Another major attraction in Chichicastenango is the 400 year old church of Santo Tomás.
AVERAGE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE (°C) - Based on Guatemala City
- JAN
- 23
- FEB
- 25
- MAR
- 27
- APR
- 28
- MAY
- 29
- JUN
- 27
- JUL
- 26
- AUG
- 26
- SEP
- 26
- OCT
- 24
- NOV
- 23
- DEC
- 22
- Country Dialling Code:
- + 502
- When to Go:
- Guatemala enjoys moderate climate throughout the year in most of its territory, with an average temperature of 20°C.
- Clothing:
- In summer, light cotton clothes and a sweater for the evening are sufficient. From November through January, when the weather becomes somewhat cooler, light woollen clothes are suggested.
- Food & Water:
- A variety of restaurants and cafes serve a wide selection of cooking styles including American, Argentinean, Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese, Mexican and Spanish. There are many fast-food chains and continental-style cafes. The visitor should note that food usually varies in price rather than quality and some of the cheap eateries are amongst the best.
- National specialities:
-
- Kac lc (soup made from turkey and seasoned with samat (a herb from Alta Verapaz).
- Guacamole.
- Flan de naranja (orange-flavoured flan).
- Currency:
- The national currency is the Quetzal (Q) named after the country’s national bird. US dollars are widely accepted usually at the bank exchange rate or even better. Even so, you’ll need quetzals because small operators may not want to take on dollars, which they must then take to the bank.
- Tipping:
- In hotels, restaurants, and bars etc, a 15% tip is customary wherever a service charge is not included in the bill.
- Language:
- Spanish is the official national language, but in practice, 23 languages are spoken in Guatemala including Spanish, Garifuna and 21 Maya languages.
- Email:
- Internet access is widely available in Guatemala - hotels tend to charge more than internet cafes.
Where sightseeing arrangements are booked through Adventure World, park fees and entrance fees are included in the tour cost.
- Electricity:
- Guatemala uses 110 volts, both in the capital and the provinces. A universal adaptor is recommended.
- Shopping Hints:
- Guatemalan handicrafts, especially the brilliantly colourful weavings and textiles, are world famous. Wall hangings, clothing, especially the beautiful embroidered huipiles (blouses) and the cortes (skirts), purses, belts, sashes, friendship bracelets and table cloths, bedspreads and many other woven items are almost irresistible. Other notable handicrafts include the blankets made in Momostenango, the wood carvings of El Remate and the ceramics of Antigua.
The largest handicraft markets are the Thursday and Sunday markets in Chichicastenango and the permanent market in Panajachel and are worth a trip. Many fine examples are also available in Antigua, but the prices are higher. Each village also has market days, which may or may not include handicrafts; often the village market for locals are full of more mundane items like vegetables and household goods, but sometimes you can find worthwhile things. Bargaining is accepted practice.