City: Guatemala
Top Things to do in Guatemala
Countries
Top 10 Budget-friendly Things to do in Guatemala, Guatemala
Coordinates: 15°30′N 90°15′W / 15.500°N 90.250°W / 15.500; -90.250
Restaurants in Guatemala
1. Semuc Champey
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,216 reviews
Reviewed By bucketlisttravellers - Sydney, Australia
Semuc Champey is absolutely stunning and well worth the trek to get there! The pools have a stunning greeny turquoise colour and are very clear. You can see fish clearly and they are the ones that harmlessly nibble away at your feet if you sit still enough. There are a large number of pools and it is worth popping into each as most people stay on the top ones. The lower pools even have natural rock waterslides too if you like a bit of adventure! We did a day tour from Lanquin and this tour also covered a candlelight adventure into nearby caves, a couple of hikes and also a few jumps and swing rope into the river. The pools are visited in the tour after lunch and the one hour round trip hike up to the lookout. There are a lot of steps for this hike and a moderate work out, I wouldn't recommend if you don't have good knees. It is a rough 45min trip to get there from Lanquin standing up in a ute, but this is all part of the adventure. We purchased through La Poza River Lodge for Q195, however we later realised that other hostels are cheaper for the same tour. You could also stay at a hostel near the pools as well, however these are typically not as rated in TA as highly as others in Lanquin.
2. Acatenango Volcano
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,168 reviews
Reviewed By yesenial557
Tropicana tour agency have one of the best view of the fuego volcano,I took an incredible couple package which I could enjoyed with my partner
3. Caoba Farms
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 303 reviews
All organic farm that also offers tours, volunteering, a farm-to-table restaurant, a store, Farmers Markets on Saturdays (live music, vendors, free activities..), Thursday- and Friday night activities and much more! Check out our homepage for more details and follow us on Facebook (caoba farms) and Instagram (caobafarms) to keep posted!
Reviewed By LeilaniRuth - Los Angeles, United States
After living in Antigua for over 3+ years, this is a staple for special occasions, when friends visit, or just needing some solo time. There's a bustling energy about the ground on Saturday's when Caoba throws their famous farmers market, although they're open Wednesday - Sunday and hosts various events throughout. Make sure to bring a camera and enjoy a walk around the property. From the beautifully presented snacks to the farm, it's a photographers dream full of color, life, and the beauty of nature all around. Your visit can be a short stop into the artisanal tienda, although you'd be selling yourself short. If you have time, settle into the restaurant for a full meal, straight from the farm, or just a liquado. There's plenty to do for the entire family if time allows - farm tour, workshops, mariposa garden, succulent plant garden, play area for the kids, live music, and much more. They conveniently offer shuttle service from Parque Central, but it's also a very enjoyable 15min walk from town. Uber is also available if a private ride is more your style.
4. Orquigonia
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 243 reviews
Reviewed By GabidelCid - Guatemala City, Guatemala
15 min drive from Coban downtown. We were greeted by a warm-friendly hostess whom shared highlights on the tour before jumping into it. We were provided with organic-mosquito repellent, te and magnifying glasses (for the miniature orquids). Eric, our guide is deeply knowledgable and all 500 species nurtured in the property. We took a 45-60 min hike through the whole place and still had time for some fun pics. You will still have time to do other activities during the day (we took this on our way back to Guatemala city). We totally recommend this all nature-peaceful walk.
5. Tikal
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,011 reviews
Reviewed By trvlwannab - Charlotte, United States
First, please allow me to promote Tikal Go, a tour company that provides standard and custom tours of Tikal. They did a great job for us & we highly recommend them. The ruins are among the best in the world. We’ve been to several of the more famous ones in Mexico, Peru, the UK, Italy, etc. If you appreciate historic archeological structures, find a way to go to Tikal….you won’t be disappointed. The sheer number of structures is amazing. They are in various stages of the way they were originally found to fully restored. I believe there are 6 major “pyramids”. We climbed to the top of 4 of them. In fact, you can explore inside & climb on almost all the structures. It is an awesome site from the top of the tallest pyramid, looking out over the top of the tree canopy to see the tops of 4 other pyramids peeking out from the canopy. Restrooms and small huts selling cold drinks are scattered through the expansive property. We especially enjoyed the opportunity to walk thru the mostly shady terrain as we explored. There is a main entrance building that has a restaurant, bathrooms & vendors. Other than that, there may be 1 or 2 more vendors as you start out on the path, but we appreciated not having a large number of vendors in the ruins area. We had brought umbrellas to protect us from the sun or potential rain, but never opened them. We did apply ample bug-spray and were never bothered. Near the end of our tour (not at the entrance/exit, but still in the jungle) we ate at a nice restaurant that was a much-needed break after our long walking tour. They had a nice lunch and refreshing cold water towels to put on the back of our necks. While it takes a little time to get to Tikal, it is worth the effort. I think they have a small local airport, but we drove in from the Belize/Guatemala border near San Ignacio. It is about 1 & ½ drive to the ruins. Since we were staying in Belize City the day before, we elected to spend the night in Isla de Flores. It is a wonderful little island, with many nice hotels and restaurants about an hour from Tikal.
6. The Plaza Central Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,952 reviews
This town square, with tree-lined streets and old colonial buildings, is a popular gathering place for locals and tourists.
Reviewed By Rolliecole - Austin, United States
The park itself (during Christmas season) was ablaze with Christmas lights at night and children playing, vendors selling, people strolling day and night. It is surrounded by some of the principal sights of the city, including the cathedral, several banks with guarded ATMs, and several highly-rated restaurants. We walked through it or by it every time we walked somewhere in the city, if only to see what was happening. Our favorite was a parade of dancing horses - the caballeros (and one lady) astride each horse would make them do a tap dance on the cobblestone streets to music blaring from a pickup ahead of each of two or three horses. The park is a reason to visit Antigua; if you go there, you would have to work hard to miss it.
7. Iglesia de La Merced
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,077 reviews
Destroyed twice by earthquakes, this 1548 church was rebuilt in the 1700s to withstand earthquakes and boasts a lovely yellow façade and a huge stone fountain, reputed to be the largest in Central America.
Reviewed By 796alvaror - San Salvador, El Salvador
La Merced is a colonial baroque style Catholic Church, well preserved, it keeps its greatness outside and inside. It’s a must visit place in Antigua. In addition to, its Square has delicious Guatemalan food and it’s a nice meeting place for locals and foreigners day and nighttime.
8. Volcan San Pedro
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 307 reviews
Reviewed By daidaniu - New York City, United States
Volcan San Pedro is a good, strenuous hike that is worth the effort. My review/expeirence is from during the pandemic and will likely not apply for later times and is designed for people who want to do the hike without a guide. I have been up to the top 3 times (and a couple of times to the lower miradors) during the months of February and March 2021. (DRY SEASON). The Different Thing about doing San Pedro during the pandemic is that it appears to be officially closed. There is no locked gate or anything, but the kiosks and ticketing to get onto the trailhead are without personnel. This means that I have never paid an entrance fee, which in normal times is Q100 for foreigners (about USD$15). There are also very few people on the trail. One time I went up and saw no one else at all in my entire 6 hour hike. (But other times I have seen guided and unguided groups.) I have had the top of the volcano to myself each time I have gone up - a very different experience from the crowded peak at Indian Nose across the lake. There seems to be a significant amount of misinformation going around about doing the San Pedro Hike: Misinformation (1): You must have a guide to go with you, or it is very difficult to do without a guide. This is false. Misinformation (2): You still have to pay the entrance fee, even though there is no one to take the payment. If there is a way to pay for the entrance during the pandemic, I have not figured out how to do so and no one has been able to direct me as to how one would even go about doing this. Misinformation (3): the trail is crawling with robbers. This appears to have been true around 2019 but no longer. Many locals have recommended I not do this hike without a guide for fear of robbers. But when I ask them if they know of any recent robberies, or know anyone who has been robbed, they are never specific, never like, "oh yeah there were some last year!" The "robbers" thing is also said about the trails between the villages on the other side of the lake (like between Tzununa and Santa Cruz) but foreigners walk those trails all the time (locals seem to always take the boats) so I generally believe the threat of robbery is somewhat real, but overblown. Proceed at your own risk. Groups are safer of course. Getting to Trail: The trailhead is easy to find and is about a 45 minute walk or 10 minute/Q20 tuk-tuk ride from the San Pedro Panajachel dock, up through town and onto the highway. The trailhead is by a building and in front of the building is a sign saying what your elevation is at the start of the trail (among other things and signs). On google maps type in "Volcan San Pedro Trailhead" and it will pop up. It is on the left side of the highway (when you are going up). On your way up you will pass two restaurant/mirador places maybe a half mile before you hit the trailhead building. Tuk Tuk drivers know where it is, you can just tell them "volcan san pedro". One of the things about going without a guide is that if you want to go early you will probably have to walk to the trailhead yourself without a tuk tuk, as they can be hard to find before about 7 am. Maybe you can arrange with one to pick you up earlier if you want. When I have hiked it myself starting at 5 or 6 am I just walk up to the trailhead. It's pretty steep, enjoy. Trail itself: The trail is well marked. The first hour or so of the trail goes through a bunch of coffee fields, and people work in these fields (they are not robbers). There are trails for the coffee people that are not the Volcan trail. Follow green arrows when available to stay on trail (these arrows will disappear when you're out of the coffee, it's fine you're still on the right trail). If you get to forks and you're not sure what to do, go UP, do the steeper path. In fact, most of the time if it's not super clear where to go it actually doesn't matter (some forks are just little shortcuts/corner cuts) but going UP will always get you to the right place. There is one fork in between the first and second miradors, marked with a sign, that points you to the "Virgen Guadalupe". This is only a 5 minute or so trail down to a statue of the Virgin Mary (and when i went, also a nice pile of garbage). There is no view. I think this is a waste of time, just keep going on the trail to the left up to the Volcan. There are four major Places on the trail, each that have man-made structures/benches, etc: (1) the 1st Mirador (nice view!), (2) the Second Mirador / Descansa / Swing ("Second Mirador") (Also Nice View!), (3) the Camp (no view!), and the Summit. The First Mirador and the Camp have primitive restroom facilities that I would not personally use (i just pee in the woods wherever). For reference, the Lake is at 1550 meters; the Trailhead is at 1800m; Mirador 1 is at about 2100m; Second Mirador is at 2300m; Camp is at 2867m; and the Summit is at 3020m. There are signs every 100m starting at 2000m, but they're not always easy to see and I have missed one or two of them every time I've been up. The whole trip for me, a 38 yr old man, alone, reasonably fit, takes me a little less than 6 hrs round trip from the trailhead (and a little more than 7 hours round trip from the Pana dock on foot). One of my trips was as follows (no tuk tuk, all on foot): 5:10 am - Leave Pana Dock 5:45 am - Arrive at Trailhead (rest, stretch) 5:50 am - Leave Trailhead 6:38 am - 1st Mirador (rest, pictures) 6:45 am - Leave 1st Mirador 6:49 am - Virgen Trail Fork 7:00 am - Second Mirador / Descansa (rest, snack, pictures) 7:05 am - Leave Second Mirador 7:35 am - Old Tree at 2600 mts 8:09 am - Camp 8:33 am - Summit (Pictures, Snack, rest) 8:55 am - Left Summit 11:50 am - Trailhead 12:30 pm - Pana Dock (included stop at restaurant/shop for water). The early part to the first mirador is the easiest and least steep. When there is no entrance fee, this is a worthy hike on its own, as the view is delightful and it's an easy hike. The portion between the Second Mirador and the Camp is the longest, hardest and steepest. Supplies: One liter of water is sufficient for me. Some people may want more. Bring food, maybe not a whole lunch but at least some granola bars. MOre than just a banana. If you do not snack you will likely get "conked out" coming back down. My third time up I went with a friend who didn't bring enough food and she conked out coming down around the First Mirador, and the nice 45 minute jaunt from First Mirador to the trailhead turned into an over 2 hour ordeal because she was so exhausted and tired. I find the top to be not too cold but it can be windy. Some people may want to bring a jacket. I do not personally bring a jacket. If you start after 7 am I would bring bug spray or pre-spray your clothes. If you get down before it gets hot in the afternoon you won't need it. The dust on the trail can be slippery, so good shoes are beneficial. I did it in reebok runners and walking shoes and was ok but it was definitely a bit slippery for me. Other Notes: There are ground dwelling birds that make movements/sounds in the bush that freaked me out the first time i went up, thinking it could be robbers. (it was not). Also acorn type things fall noisily. Going down and coming up take about the same amount of time. Don't fool yourself into thinking going down is easier. It's not. This is not like, the horriblest hike. There's no rock scrambling or anything like that. It's probably like a Bear Mountain hike (if you know Hudson Valley), plus 20% harder. But it's long. If you are not fit it will take you much longer than 6 hours so plan for that. The time I went with my conked-out friend it took us NINE HOURS just round trip from the trailhead (not pana dock). The earlier you get to the top the less likely you are to be whited out by clouds, as the wind tends to bring clouds into the lake area around noon but sometimes earlier. The summit is above the cloud line and if there are clouds you will see NOTHING. But if you get up there and it's cloudy, wait and the clouds may blow over in a half hour or so. But the best way to avoid cloud whiteout risk is to get up to the top before 10 or 10:30 am and check the weather report the day before. On one ascent i ran into a pair of nice police waiting at the Second Mirador. They were not letting people up past the Second Mirador but they wouldn't tell me why (robbers? Not sure). I was coming down so they didn't bother me, just asked me if there was anyone else at the top (nope!). But i was glad to have gotten past the Second Mirador by like 7 am so I wasn't stopped. I don't think the police get there super early.
9. Iglesia de San Francisco El Grande
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 531 reviews
One of many ruined churches in the city, this multi-domed church is often visited by pilgrims seeking answers to their prayers from Friar Hermano Pedro, the beatified 17th-century monk buried inside.
Reviewed By T9604IZmattp - San Diego, United States
Make sure you stop here to see the resting place of Hermano Pedro, Guatemala’s first Saint. He was considered the Mother Theresa of his time, and is venerated as such. The church was damaged and eventually destroyed in Guatemala’s famous historic earthquakes, and was rebuilt in the 1960’s. Fun Fact: Scenes from The New Adventures of Tarzan were filmed here when the church was still in ruins.
10. Santo Tomas Church
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 321 reviews
Mayans enter through the front door, but others are relegated to the side door of this unusual 1540 church which combines Catholic and Mayan spiritual practices.
Reviewed By BRodrig - Hillsboro, United States
We had an “authorized guide” (with a special guide vest) take us through both churches and the murals by the museum. It was totally worth the cost. She was very thorough and was able to answer all our questions. It makes more sense to go through the main church with someone explaining the Catholic and Mayan traditions held within and outside the church.
