Life has become so busy and complex that everyone is striving for leisure time. There are plenty of tourist spots in the world that you can try but Guatemala beaches are of a completely different level. In this article, we are going to mention all the essential things that a tourist needs to know about Guatemala.
In this section of the article, we will talk about Guatemala in brief. Talking of the geographical location, this country is situated in the south of Mexico in central America. It has been one of the most popular tourist spots in the entire world. Such popularity of this country is credited to the amazing rainforests, volcanic sites, and other natural landscapes. Several parts of this country are also full of ancient Mayan sites. People from around the world love this kind of country which is so diverse.
This article is all about helping the tourists in enhancing their experience in Guatemala. Each section of this article from now on will talk about something special about this amazing country.
Famous people from Guatemala
At first, we decided to talk about it because of some reason. As you know we are living in the age of social media. In such a time, there are a lot of people who are busy on the social media platforms where they see and follow many famous people from around the world. Knowing about the famous people in Guatemala will give you some idea about this country. In this section of the article, we are going to talk about some people in that category.
Ricardo Arjona
Right now, Arjona is very popular as a singer and songwriter. But in earlier times, he was also a basketball player (a less-known fact about this singer). If you love listening to Latin American Songs, you should know about this man. He is called one of the most successful singers of this category. Having already sold about 40 million albums worldwide, his specialty includes Latin Pop, Rock, Cappella performances, ballads, etc.
Rigoberta Menchu
She is one of the most popular political activists. She became a wold-known figure after winning the Nobel Peace prize. She gained this fame because of the efforts that she put into feminist rights during the Civil War of Guatemala. Even after the war has ended, her efforts have not diminished.
Luis von Ahn
Luis von Ahn is a personality who is trying hard to establish Guatemala among the other advanced nations in the world. He is among the prominent entrepreneurs of this country and also a consulting professor at Carnegie Mellon University.
He has achieved this recognition after selling his company reCAPTCHA to google in 2009. You must be familiar with Duolingo (one of the major language-learning platforms of this era). Luis von Ahn is one of the co-founders of this company. The unique way of his teaching has got him several awards at the university.
Now, you must have got some idea about the country that we are talking about. It is time to talk about the popular places in this country that attract a large number of tourists from all around the world.
Landmarks in Guatemala
As a tourist, people want to spend more time at the landmarks and Guatemala is full of such spots. The list of such spots in Guatemala is almost unending but we will list some of the best ones.
Mayan Ruins in Tikal
This site is often referred one of the best Guatemala landmarks in the entire country. It is situated in the northern part of Guatemala just near the border of Belize. These ruins of Mayan culture are one of the greatest treasures when it comes to the archaeological sites in Central America. This place is like a heaven to those who are eager to know more about the Mayan culture.
It is not only the ruins of the city that make it a wonderful site but there are several other interesting things as well. The place is so much filled with nature that you will be overwhelmed by its beauty. The beautiful green forest is populated by a variety of wild animals.
When you are there, you can also visit the Tikal National Park which is one of the most popular biosphere reserves in that area.
Lake Atitlan
It is also called Lago de Atitlan in the local language. The majority of people who visit Guatemala come to this place. This lake is popularly acclaimed as the most beautiful lake in the world. When you visit there, you will realize that there is much more than just a lake. The small towns and villages that are adjacent to this lake are worth exploring. It is a place where you will like to spend an entire week as it can’t be explored in a day or so. Most of the villages of this area can be accessed only by boats which makes this place even more beautiful.
If you are in Antigua, you can reach here in about an hour. And for those who want to visit the lake from Guatemala City, it would take not more than 2 hours.
The lake is surrounded by several volcanoes and hills that make it even more beautiful.
Antigua
If you have a bit long vacation, you will need a place where you can settle for a while. And Antigua is the best place for such tourists. This place is full of good-quality hotels and that too at reasonable prices. The city is also very rich when it comes to trendy restaurants where you can get all the modern world foods.
The full name of this place is Antigua Guatemala but is referred to as Antigua by a large number of people. The beauty of this city is so stunning that many people call it the most beautiful city in central America. Antigua is a type of city where you can find the perfect mixture of ancient and well as modern architecture. In such a time, it is quite typical to find a city like that as most of the cities are losing their natural taste due to modernization.
The streets are made of cobblestones that add another level to the beauty of this city. When you walk on those streets, you will see buildings with ancient taste on both sides. That is a very pleasant feeling.
Quetzaltenango
If you don’t know, Quetzaltenango is the second-largest city in Guatemala. It is commonly called Xela. There are several reasons to visit this city. It is about 2333 meters above sea level. And that means the days are pleasantly warm here and the nights are cold (a perfect situation to live in). Xela is particularly famous among those who want to study Spanish.
If you are a person who likes to spend some time in nature, this may be the best place for you to visit. The nearby mountains of this city are so good for hiking. There are several hiking options available that you can choose based on the level of thrill you want.
Best beaches in Guatemala
When you are visiting a country like Guatemala, there is no way you return without seeing one of the beaches. Beaches are the most astonishing things that are available in Guatemala. In this section of the article, we are going to talk about the wonderful Guatemala beaches that you can visit. Take a look at this list and see which one suits you the best.
Playa Monterrico
When it comes to one of the most popular beaches in Guatemala, Playa Montericco comes first. Such popularity of this beach is due to the accessibility of this beach from both Antigua and Guatemala City. It is one of the most developed beaches in the country. It is situated on the Pacific Coast which means the beach is filled with black sand.
If you are a guy who likes to swim, it may get quite tough. As this beach is not the one where you swim easily. The waves a higher than most of the beaches in the world. And those who want to spend some more time on this beach can stay in the hotels available in the city. The city is full of nice hotels at reasonable prices.
Champerico
This is also a black sand beach but it is large as compared to other beaches of the country. For those who are staying in the city of Quetzaltenango, Champerico is the best option. As it would take no more than 2 hours to reach here.
All those people who want to spend some peaceful time in nature will find this beach to be the best. It is not much crowded unlike the other beaches in the world. But at the same time, you have to keep in mind that the accommodations near this beach are also not abundant. Such a vital piece of information is really necessary for those who are new to this place.
Punta De Manabique
The world is full of beaches but when you start finding a beach that you can call a natural beach, you will not find a clue. And this is why we are talking about this beach here. The Punta De Manabique is termed as one of the rarest ones in central America. This beach is situated on the Caribbean Coast. When you are at this beach, there is also a reef that you can explore. But this suggestion is mainly for those who are familiar with diving.
Unlike the other places that we have talked about, this spot is quite difficult to reach. At first, you need to go to Puerto Barrio, and then you will get a boat that would lead you to Punta De Manabique. All those people who like to see the beauty of a beach in its purest form should go to this beach for sure.
Playa El Paredon
This is quite an unpopular place when it comes to choosing the best beach in Guatemala. El Paredon is a very popular spot for surfers but it is not so popular as a beach. And this is the point where most people miss out. The biggest advantage of this beach is its accessibility. If you are living in Guatemala City, you can get here only in 3 hours but for those who are living in Antigua, this place takes about 2 hours.
The town itself is not so crowded that makes it one of the best places if you want to spend some time in a very peaceful manner. The availability of hotels is not so abundant here if you want to stay here.
Iztapa
This name is among the top ones when it comes to the best black sand beached in Guatemala. The connection of this place from the sea is very old as it was a port town in earlier days. You can spend really pleasant time here but there are several other activities to do as well. This place is also a bit scarce in terms of hotels so you have to plan your journey accordingly. Though there are some vacation homes where you can make yourself comfortable. Those living in Guatemala City can visit can reach here in about 1.5 hours.
Apart from spending the whole day sitting on the beach (which is amazing by the way), you can go deep-sea fishing here. If you love surfing, this is a great spot for you. And the whale can be seen here very often.
When should you visit this amazing country?
Now that you have known so many things about Guatemala, you are at the point of knowing the best time to visit Guatemala. The geographic conditions of this country are such that there are only two seasons here i.e. dry season and rainy season. Though you are free to visit there anytime throughout the year, there are some specific times to make your journey memorable. If you love to visit this place for spending more time outdoors, you should go there in the dry season. This season starts in November and lasts until the beginning of the month of May. After that, the rainy season starts and it lasts till November.
Now you are free to plan your trip based on this piece of information.
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