Traveling in Guatemala requires little detailed planning. Bus transport around the country is plentiful if rarely comfortable. For many trips all you need to do is show up at the bus station and hop on the next bus. Accommodations are equally easy to find: unless you have your heart and mind set on one chosen hotel, booking ahead isn't usually necessary. The major exception to all this is Semana Santa (Easter week), when the whole country takes a holiday and you need to book rooms, and often transport, in advance.
Guatemala is a country for any budget. It's popular with backpackers because you can survive on just a few dollars a day, but it also has many appealing mid-range lodgings and restaurants offering comfort and quality at good prices.
When to go
There is really no bad time for visiting Guatemala, though the rainy season - called invierno (winter) - makes access off paved roads more difficult from mid-May to mid-October, and on into November and even December in the north and east of the country. In the lowland jungles of the Peten, the mud at this time will be a bummer, guaranteed. Humidity - never low on the coasts or in the Peten - increases during the rainy season, too. In the highlands things can get very cold and damp during the rainy season, especially at night. It doesn't rain all day every day during the rainy season, but you can expect daily showers (downpours in the north) at the very least. The dry season - verano (summer) - is from about November to April, and this means sweltering heat in the Peten and along the coasts and comfortably warm days in the highlands. In the eastern parts of the country, rain is actually possible at any time.
The height of the foreign tourist season is from Christmas to Easter. Things become acute around Christmas, New Year's and Easter, when Guatemalans too take holidays and in many places you need to book ahead for rooms or transportation. A secondary high season lasts from June to August when throngs of North Americans and Europeans descend on Guatemala to study Spanish and travel about.
What to take
- Warm clothes for chilly highland nights - at least a sweater or light jacket and a pair of fairly warm pants (eg denim).
- A flashlight (torch) for exploring caves, ruins, and your room when the electricity fails (as it often does).
- A mosquito net, if you're planning an extended jungle adventure or will be sleeping in cheap rooms without screens.
- Insect repellent containing DEET, for wet-season travels. You may want to take medication against malaria, too.
- A small towel, for rooms without one.
Right there. When you're in need.
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