Belize City is the largest city in Belize. It is located on a small peninsula protruding into the Caribbean Sea. It was the capital city until flooding and other damage from a hurricane prompted the government to relocated toBelmopan, nearer the geographic center of the country.
Get inAirplane
The international airport (Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport[[1]]) for Belize is located in Belize City. Philip S. W. Goldson is about 30 minutes drive from Belize City's center. The best way to get to and from the city center is with a taxi. Although an airport bus service exists, it is very infrequent and unreliable. BZE (Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport) is served by most major US airlines (American, Delta, United, and US Air) as well as a couple regional carriers (Honduras, Maya, and Tropic).
Water Taxi
San Pedro Express and other water taxi companies have boats going out to Caye Caulker and San Pedro from the city often. Remember if you buy a round-trip ticket, you will have to use the same company going back as you took going there.
Bus
From Guatemala City (travel time: 8 to 10 hours), you have the following options to Belize: Altobuses del Norte (ADN) [2]. Linea Dorada [3], first class buses leaving Guatemala City at 9:00pm for US$30,"first class" buses at 10:00am and 12:00pm for US$22 and an economy bus leaving at 10:00pm for US$16. Fuente del Norte [4] has 15+ departures from Guatemala City per day. Most of these are local runs with second-class buses (older pullman coaches without air conditioning), but they also operate a few first-class express buses (with toilets and air conditioning) leaving from Guatemala City at 10:00am, 2:00pm, and 10:30pm, and a deluxe bus leaving from Guatemala City at 9:00pm.
Get around
Use a taxi. If you want to get out of Belize City, use the taxi, bus, or even the little airplanes which take you to other destinations in Belize for less than US$100.
Getting to and Around the Cayes Belize is undoubtedly the “it” place in travel and tourism in Central America and the Western Caribbean. Not only is the culture attractive for foreigners as an English speaking nation, navigating to and around the Cayes of Belize has become very easy. For those wanting a truly Belizean experience, take the water taxis from destination to destination. San Pedro Belize Express [5] departs from the Brown Sugar Terminal in Belize City with scheduled runs at 9:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, 3:00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. to San Pedro and Caye Caulker.
Departure to Caye Caulker and Belize City from San Pedro Town pier on Black Coral Street next to Wahoo's Bar and Grill and leaves at 7:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m.
There are boats departing from Caye Caulker to both Belize City and San Pedro Town and they leave from the pier in front of the Basket Ball Court. Caye Caulker to Belize City: 7:00 am, 12:00 pm, 3:00 pm, 5:00 pm and Caye Caulker to San Pedro: 7:00 am (Connection to Chetumal), 9:45 am, 12:45 am, 3:45 pm
Rates: Belize City to San Pedro, San Pedro to Belize City: $30 Belize or $15 US (one way), $55 Belize or $27.50 US (round trip) Caye Caulker to San Pedro, Belize City to Caye Caulker: $20 Belize or $10 US (one way), $35 Belize or $17.50 US(round trip)
See
Eco-museum Belize, located at 14.5 Mile, Western Highway, is a living museum of Belize tropical treasures. Here, they show you how Belizeans utilize and recycle natural resources in the construction and decoration of the museum. The Eco-museum is dedicated to show visitors the beauty of nature in harmony with the Belizean culture.
Do
There is not much to do around Belize City, and most use this as a transportation hub. With that said, there are a few museums around the downtown area and a zoo.
Buy
Most places accept US Dollars as the Belizean Dollar is pegged to the US dollar at 2BZD = 1 USD. If you are traveling to the cayes, stock up on your cash at the central bank, as the ATMs on the islands often run out of money on weekends.
If you want to shop there is tourism village in the Fort George area which has jewelry shops like Diamonds International and lots of gift shops. Fort George is located on a boardwalk.
There is a cruise terminal there that receives Carnival Cruise Line ships.
Eat
Drink
Sleep
Get out
The Western Highway leads to Belize West or the Northern Highway to Belize North.
Water taxis regularly run from the main terminal to Caye Caulker, a 25 minute trip, and Ambergris Caye, a 75 minute trip.
San Pedro Belize Express [9] departs from the Brown Sugar Terminal in Belize City with scheduled runs at 9:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, 3:00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker.
Rates: Belize City to San Pedro, San Pedro to Belize City: $30 Belize or $15 US (one way), $55 Belize or $27.50 US (round trip), Belize City to Caye Caulker: $20 Belize or $10 US (one way), $35 Belize or $17.50 US(round trip)
(Personally,) I would recommend a week-long trip to Green River in the south to experience the rain forest and a week-long trip to the coral reefs to experience the reefs.
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7/27/2012
Travel to Belize City.
Travel to La Antigua Guatemala.
La Antigua Guatemala was the colonial Spanish capital of Central America. It is a World Heritage site, and is perhaps the most popular tourist destination inGuatemala.
Understand
Now commonly referred to as just Antigua (or La Antigua), the city was one of the grand colonial capitals of the Spanish Empire in America from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Under the name Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala, it was the original "Guatemala City". A disastrous major earthquake in 1773 destroyed or damaged most of the city, and the Spanish Crown ordered the Capital moved to a new city, what became the modern Guatemala City. In 1776 this old city was ordered abandoned. Not everyone left, but from bustling capital it became a provincial town, filled with the ruins of former glory. It became known as "Antigua Guatemala", meaning "Old Guatemala".
In the 20th century there was increasing appreciation for the large amount of preserved colonial Spanish architecture here, development to host visitors, and the city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.
The city's streets are mostly laid out in a rectangular grid aligned with the compass, with theParque Central as an origin point. North-south roads are avenidas or avenues, numbered from 1st to 8th from east to west. The avenidas are further divided into sur (south) and norte (north). East-west roads are calles or streets, numbered from 1st to 9th from north to south. The calles are further divided into oriente (east) and poniente (west). The street intersection at the north-east corner of the Palace of the Captains-General, i.e. at the south-east corner of Parque Central, is the origin of this division. Avenidas are sur south of 5a Calle, and norte north of it. Calles areoriente east of 4a avenida, and poniente west of it.
Some roads have names that don't follow the avenida/calle numbering scheme, and some roads away from the center don't follow the grid. Most corners do not have signs showing the name of either the street you are on or the one you just came up to. All are cobblestoned and sidewalks are generally not very good.
Addresses are numbered sequentially outwards from the origin point. Even-numbered addresses are on one side of the street and odd numbers are on the other. Street addresses are written with the street or avenue number first, followed by the letter "a" (because 1a signifies "primera", 2a is short for "segunda", 3a for "tercera", etc); then "av." (for avenida) or "Cle" (for calle), then "ote" (oriente, east), "pte" (poniente, west), "sur" (south), or "nte" (norte, north); then the street address number. For instance:
It's helpful to memorise that the north and south sides of Parque Central are 4a and 5a calles, and the west and east sides are 5a and 4a avenidas respectively. Parque Central is the reference point for east, west, north and south in street addresses. "5a av. nte #5" is north of Parque Central. "5a ave. sur #5" is south of Parque Central. Essentially, if you understand which way is north of Parque Central, you can find anything in the city.
Inguat Tourist Office, 2a Calle Oriente #11 (between Avenidas 3a and 2a), ☎ 7832-3782 (info-antigua@inguat.gob.gt). M-F 8AM-5PM, Sa Su 9AM-5PM. edit
Get in
Located just 30 mi (45 km) west of Guatemala City, you can arrive in 45-60 min from La Aurora Airport.
You can catch a crowded chicken bus (reused U.S. school bus) from Guatemala City for Q8. More than 100 bus drivers have been murdered as a result of gang conflict. Drivers who refused to pay exorbitant protection fees were murdered. Despite the violence, many still consider the chicken buses and local city bus in Antigua safer than taking the taxis or Tuk-tuks (small three wheelers with cloth side doors). Tuk-tuks have been blamed for taking tourist to an obscure area for robbery - so knowing a local tuk tuk driver might be safer than procuring one on the street. When safety is of utmost concern, it is best to call a cab company or prearrange your rides through a shuttle company.
There are regular shuttle vans directly from the airport to Antigua costing around Q80 and leave regularly all day until 8PM. You don't need to prearrange, but demand can be high depending on the number of flights arriving at the same time, so pre-purchasing a ticket from a local travel agent is best. A taxi from the airport to Antigua is around Q350, and can be split among 2 or 3 riders to make it comparable with privately arranged shuttles. There are numerous travel agencies in the central park of Antigua to purchase rides back to the airport. The usual cost is from Q55-80. To take the chicken bus from the airport to antigua, one can walk to a bus stop just outside of the parking lot. However, it is unclear at times if buses are allowed that close. If the government prevent buses from stopping there, one need to be ready to walk about 1/4 mi to another bus stop just outside of the airport. However, a tourist pulling luggage might make easy target for a local robber. The second problem with taking buses is that they are often very filled, and it is your responsibility to secure and lift your luggage to the top of the bus (unless you can negotiate the bus attendant to help you). The cost to take the local bus to the chicken bus station is about Q1, then one has to procure a chicken bus (leaving at every 5 min or so) to Antigua. So the total cost of taking the bus is less than Q20, but you might be required to walk a short distance to the nearest corner outside of the airport proper.
There is a direct shuttle bus from Copán, Honduras, which departs twice a day at 5:30AM and midday.
A charter tourist van costs about Q250-350. The driver will meet you at the airport with your name on a sign. For first-time visitors, the convenience and security of arranging a van like this might be worth the cost.
Transportation by bus is cheap compared to taxis or shuttles, but would be less convenient and take a longer time. For Antigua, you would need to take a cab to the second class bus station that does this route and get on a chicken bus.
There is no commercial air or train service for this town.
Get around
Antigua is very compact and easy to walk around. Most tourist destinations are in an 8-by-8 block area less than 1 km across. You can walk across it in 15 min. Be careful: the sidewalks are narrow and not always in good repair, you may have to walk in the street with traffic whizzing by you, and at night it's worth being cautious and aware of your surroundings. The standard tourist map are linear in their drawings. They are accurate only near the town center, as their periphery are indistinct and inaccurate. Get a real map with accurate topography if you are seeking locations farther from the town center, as dead ends and curved streets are not portrayed accurately.
If you don't know the city streets too well, and it is past about 11 p.m., it is best to get a taxi back to your accommodations from Parque Central, especially if you're alone or going more than a few blocks away from the well-lighted Central Park area.
To reach Guatemala City, one simply ask for the main route of the chicken bus. They stop at every corner, honk the horn as early as 5:30AM, and yell out loud "GUATE, GUATE". It is common to see one bus every 4-5 min leaving from the same corner. Buses to St. Pedro, St. Juan and or St. Ana leaves every 10 to 20 minutes; These are best obtained at the Mercado or at St. Lucia church as they often do not follow the same set route through town.
Tuk-tuks and taxis can take you to destinations within the city center for Q10 or less--negotiate the fare with the driver in advance. Otherwise, they will routinely charge 50-100% more than they should. Tuk-tuks usually do not go to Guatemala City, so one will need a shuttle or taxi instead. Flag down a cruising tuk-tuk, or pick up a taxi from the queue at Parque Central; or along a main route to the city's periphery.
See
The whole city is full of historic buildings, monuments, fountains and ruins. This city was founded by the Spanish in the XVII Century, and it follows the traditional design of a Main Plaza surrounded by Government and Catholic Church buildings. It's worthwhile to visit La Catedral, el Palacio de los Gobernadores, Convento de Capuchinas, Convento de Santa Clara, el Arco de Santa Catarina, Iglesia La Merced and the Handcrafts Market.
Entrance fees for the Ruinas are steep, except for the Ruinas y Museo de San Francisco, which is a bargain at 5 Quetzals; the Ruinas de Santa Clara, Ruinas de San Jeronimo, Ruinas La Recollecion and the Museo Capuchino charge Q40 for foreigners (locals Q2). The Museo Hotel Casa Santo Domingo charges Q40, although here you may see just the ruins for free.
The Parque Central is a park in the center of town. The park is a city block in size, with concentric circular walkways threading among trees and a fountain in the center. The trees are decorated with lights, and there are plenty of benches for sitting and people-watching. The city hall and police office, the cathedral, and several banks and tourist businesses line the four sides of the park. Many Antiguans hang out in the park, and it has a pleasant, bustling, friendly feel during the day (at night, slightly less so... use your judgment).
A large cross is prominent on a hill to the north of the city (Cerro de la Cruz). It is a pleasant, moderately strenuous 30-min walk to the cross from the Parque Central. On a clear day there is a fine vista over most of Antigua and the Volcán de Agua rising high to the south. Note: there are persistent reports of robberies on this trail. The Tourist Police lead a free walk up to the park at 10AM and 3PM daily. Check-in with the Tourist Police office, on the north side of City Hall at the north east corner of Parque Central (Central Park).
The Experimental Station Valhalla is a nursery of macadamia trees with an interesting environmental and economic agenda. Valhalla has donated over 250,000 macadamia trees to indigenous communities in Guatemala. Macadamia nuts are a cash crop, with the potential to provide a better livelihood for Guatemalan peasants than does coffee. The farmer can use the trimmed branches of the trees for firewood. Additionally, macadamia trees take carbon dioxide out of the air and form it into wood, nuts and shells. The shells can be used for street paving. And Valhalla have found a way to provide the trees as genetically diverse complete plants, instead of as grafts. This allows natural selection to adapt the trees to changing environmental conditions. The station turns macadamia nuts into snacks, chocolates, a fine skin cream, a pure oil, and a flour that can be made into pancakes. Pancake breakfasts are served all day, every day until 3:30PM. The breakfast includes 3 pancakes made of macadamia flour, served with macadamia butter, homemade blueberry marmalade and a drink of your choice. No reservation required.
Experimental station Valhalla is a few kilometers out of Antigua in the direction of San Miguel Dueñas. Chicken busses run every 30 min on this route, and the fare is around Q3.50 one way. The station offers tours in Spanish, English, and sometimes other languages as well. At the end of a tour they offer samples of their various macadamia products. +502 7888-6308, fax +502 7831-5799, web [1], email [2]. M-Sa 8AM-4:30PM.
Do
Hill of the Cross (Cerro de la Cruz) is the hill is located on the north end of the city. You can walk to the base of the hill from anywhere in Antigua within 10 to 20 minutes. Regularly scheduled police escort to the top of the hill is done frequently. The schedule can be obtained from any tourist police found everywhere in the city and near the central park. They will tell you to walk to the police station in the south west end of town about 1 block north and one block west of St. Lucia catholic church. This simply will allow you to sign in the log book and hike an extra 20 minutes to the hill. If you prefer, wait at the bottom of the hill about 20 minutes after the scheduled tour, and you can tag along with the main police escorted tour, and saving yourself a 20 minute walk. Robberies have taken place on the walk up the hill. The walk last less than 10 minutes, but is tough if you are out of shape and can not keep up. Explain this to the police and tip him a little, and he will slow down for you. They too have a time constraints and want to let you have a full 20 minutes on top of the hill. Robberies have occurred on this hill without police escort, and resulted in the death of one tourist who refused to give up his valuable. Poor people live up on the hill side, and do not agree to let anyone take you up the steps, unless they are uniformed police.
Artisan Workshops Spend an afternoon with a local artistan specializing in Jade, metal works, or textiles. Enjoy a unique cultural experience and come home with a hand made gift! Check out As Green as It Gets for more information [3]
El Mercado or the Market is located about 3 blocks directly west of the northwest corner of the town center. Walking through it is a cultural experience. The market is opened every day including Sunday, but is largest on Saturday, Monday, and Thursday. It is big, like a maze, and you will likely lose your way. It is dark in the covered areas, and brighter on the outside sections. The cheapest food, commodities, fresh meat, and gifts are found here. There are so many sections to the market, that one need to spend nearly a full day to see it all. Toward the south, is a modern, clean and well stocked gift, art and local artisan shop arranged around a central fountain. To the west is the bus station, where you can take buses to all local towns, and guatemala. To the east is the boulevard where well stocked supermarkets and restaurants are located. To the north, there are open soccer fields and the used clothing second hand items are sold. In the center of the market are dark alleys going through meat markets, "mini" restaurant rows, flower shops, and numerous fruit stands. A large outside area by the bus stop is an open air fruit market - where beautiful papaya, large mangoes, ripe pineapples, and all sorts of exotic tropical fruits are sold. Of course, the usual banana, apples, grapes of outstanding freshness and qualities are also found. Occasionally, livestock such as chicken and small mammals are sold also. It is a gathering place for all Antiguans, and where most families buy their groceries. You are guaranteed to get lost each time you enter the main area of the market. Straight in and straight out is the preferred method of navigation unless you had a compass and a map. The market has grown tremendously to the dismay of the locals who talked of the clean and bright well organized and smaller more beautiful market they grew up with.
Coffee Farm Tour Learn how to pick, process and roast your own coffee! Spend a day with a coffee farmer, on the base of Vulcan Agua, and learn how a day in the life of a small independent coffee farmer looks like. Tour will take you up the volcano to pick coffee from their fields. They will then take you to their homes to demonstrate how to separate the coffee fruit by density, husk the fruit, ferment and wash the beans, dry, remove the inner hull, sort by size and grade, roast, and - of course - taste! $25 bucks is a pretty good deal for the day, and includes 1 pound of coffee as well as English translation and guide services). Check out this link for more details: [4]
Chocolate Making Class Learn how to make chocolate from the cocoa beans. A unique experience where you learn everything about the history of chocolate, the cacao plantations and the idustry of chocolate making. At the end of the class you will make your own chocolate bar at your taste and will be able to bring it back home with you. For more info visit ChocoMuseo's website
Learn
Spanish school Antigua is the most popular - though not the cheapest - place to learn Spanish in Guatemala. Prices and hours vary, and can change depending on the season. Also note that home-stay opportunities are available as a cheaper and more culturally enriching living situation than a hotel; the average home-stay with a Guatemalan family costs Q585 for 7 nights in your own room with shared bath and 2-3 meals per day (except Sunday). It is well worth it to pay a little extra for your own bathroom or shower, and search for a family who takes in only one or a few students (and local Guatemalan boarders) for more immersion of the local culture. Families often visit each other on Sundays, and not available to provide meals. If you are the only student in the home, you are often invited for family get togethers, and it is quite a cultural experience. Informal conversational class can be had with the many shoe shiners in the central park, if you chose not to have your shoe shined and pay them a few bucks instead. Their education and vocabulary can be very limited, as Spanish is often their second language, and Mayan is their first.
Cooking School
Learn About The People
Work
You can easily get a job as a waiter, waitress, bartender, or host in any of the many bars, restaurants and hotels in Antigua. Usually they pay from Q65-165 a day plus tips. It is important to speak Spanish in most of these places, but you can slide by without it in some touristy spots, where most of the customers are foreigners. Also you can join in and volunteer at local non-profits. There are many local projects in education, health, and development that accept short and long term volunteers. An example would be Common Hope, and other local churches and charities. These organizations should be contacted ahead of time for availabilities and credentialing of their volunteer, which is of utmost importance for the safety of their clients.
Buy
When you change money at the bank, you will need your passport. Banks are open 7 days a week, and open until 7PM-8PM. Most of the time, a passport is not needed for changing dollars into quetzales. However, you are likely required to have a passport if you want to redeem traveler's checks. ATMs are also available, but read the charges well before completing the transaction. The ATMs and banks near Parque Central offer the most reasonable exchange rates.
Eat
Antigua has cafes and restaurants for all tastes and budgets. The town is the most touristy place in Guatemala so you will find anything you are looking for including internationally-recognized fast food shops. Be careful with where you eat. Facilities lacking in bathroom or bathroom cleanliness suggest a higher probability of food poisoning. Avoid cold salad, fresh vegetables, and undercooked meat. Street ice cream carts are common through the city and popular with the locals, but of are unknown safety for sensitive stomachs.
Budget
Mid-range
The tourists that come by, stay for the warm atmosphere, write a postcard (available at place with an international postcard system) or make use of our WiFi network. The Luna is a real melting pot for everybody; the local youth of Antigua before going into the nightlife, the travelers passing by, along with the local Guatemalan families. Nowhere else you will find in Guatemala this atmosphere of French conviviality and ‘joie de vivre’.
When the evening comes, it is often with a Pastis (the typical alcoholic beverage of the south of France), or a good glass of wine that the expats, locals and tourists come together to relax, extend their trip, or simply recreate their world…... By RB
Splurge
Drink
A word must be made. Guatemala, like all Latin American countries, have chlorinated filtered water at the point of distribution. However, once it gets to the tap, it is no longer safe. Many businesses and home have plastic water tank on the roof top. Water is allowed to fill the tank during the low consumption period of the day, usually at night, and the tank maintain the pressure at the faucet during the day, when water pressure in the public supply is low or non-existent. This is the cause of water borne intestinal diseases like e-coli, salmonella, or cysticoccosis. As the water pressure in the potable water drop below surrounding pressure surrounding the pipe, ground water with raw sewage flow into cracks in the potable water system. It has been documented that up to 20% of travelers with chronic diarrhea or gastrointestinal issue carry intestinal parasites, even for years after returning. Over 80% of returning peace corp volunteers have intestinal parasites. Laboratories in the US and England often miss these very small parasites on one sample, and repeated sample must be submitted. Only fail proof way to avoid waterborne illness is to drink bottled or filtered water.
Sleep
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Home stays
Home stays with Antigua families can be arranged through language schools or directly with the family in question. As the families are prepaid, you can switch your school at any time and try a different school. Your shuttle from the airport is also prepaid if arranged through a school, so if your driver ask for Q40 or Q80 in tips, just smile, and give him Q10 or Q15 at most (a 20% tip), more if he your luggage was ligged up a steep hill and dozens of steps.
The homes are often on hill tops, so be prepared to encounter large black scorpions on the lit walls at night, when you are walking home late. They are harmless unless you disturb them, but you might consider wearing shoes if they are too abundant. Choose a home in the town to avoid climbing hills, and you will also get less mosquito problems. Currently, families charge about Q580 USD for 7 days of bed, shared toilet, and 2 meals. Expect to pay about Q80 or Q160 more if you want to add lunch (the main meal), or if you expect a private bathroom (well worth it if you don't want to share with up to a dozen other boarders).
An advantage of a home stay for the Spanish language student is a chance for language immersion, as well as the cultural experience. The fewer students the family board, the better your experience. Too many students prefer to speak in English to each other and destroy your "immersive" experience Ask first how many people are in the home, and how many boarders there are You might find out, up to 14 people might share only one sink and 2 toilets. Water pressure is low at night, and you might not get a warm shower if the flow is too low to activate the heated shower head.
Ask the house mom to explain how to get the switch to activate on the shower, or you might have to deal with a cold shower. Buy your own soap and shampoo, as the home might use the same soap for washing dishes and clothing as for bathing. The housing may be more basic than in a hotel: simple concrete block or adobe construction, shared bathroom, and small rooms. Ask if there is a secure lock for your room, as the home is often shared with local boarders, and you do not always want to lug your camera and laptop everywhere you go.
It is important to realize that mosquitoes are common, and the owners often leave your door open while cleaning. A compact mosquito net or tent is necessary if you do not enjoy having mosquito buzzing around your face at night. Some areas of Antigua are mosquito free, but in other areas, they are found in abundance. It is important to verify the number of students and guests in the house, as one can encounter situations where up to 14 people are sharing two toilets and one sink! If you value cleanliness and convenience, book a room with private toilet and sink.
You must provide your own hand towels and bathing towels. If you leave them in a common bathroom, don't be surprise if everyone will use them. Eating hours are often different, with dinner often served at 7:30 or 8PM, so you might want to procure your own meals if you intend to go to bed early. Remember that dinner is simple: a few pieces of cold bread and perhaps very light soup. For American-style dinners, go out and buy your own food at the restaurants. Fresh fruits and vegetables are not often served so eat plenty of beans or bring along your own source of fiber.
Stay safe
Due to the presence of the "Tourist Police" Antigua is much safer than any other city in Guatemala. However, the tourist police are present only within the city. During the daytime, your risk of getting robbed in Antigua is small, however, if you leave the tourist areas, carry valuables inconspicuously, or you walk the streets at night, there is a considerable risk. This is especially true during the time when the night and the morning shifts of the police change guard. It is probably best to leave your passport in your hotel safe or local home and to carry a passport ID instead If you are robbed, you will not need to go the consulate for paperwork. An ATM is available, so an ATM card should be carried instead for instant cash. NEVER resist an armed robbery anywhere in Guatemala, criminals will not hesitate to use their weapons on uncooperative victims.
Hiking the Volcan de Agua is highly discouraged. Numerous robberies and some kidnappings have occured there. Most reputable tour opeators do not offer this hike, as it is too dangerous. Some guides will take groups up, but it is not recommended unless they are armed and willing to give their life in your defense (such as a police escort).
If you have to travel much, a money belt can be strapped to your waist, and a simple wallet with few dollars can be handed to a robber if one is encountered. There are many places on your body and clothing to hide a few extra bucks or a credit card. Crime committed against women is often not publicized. While Guatemala might be a safe place for some, a woman might be safer riding on a crowded public bus than hailing a tuk-tuk or taxi from an unknown driver.
Almost all bars and restaurants will be happy to call you a taxi. Asking the bar staff to call the taxi for you, instead of looking for one yourself, can be a good idea since the staff tend to know the drivers they are calling. Ask them what the price should be beforehand, and also ask them to confirm the price with the taxi or tuk-tuk when they call you one. Within Antigua, many locals consider the buses safer than a tuk-tuk
Due to the crowd, it is unlikely that you will be robbed. However, tuk-tuks have been blamed on taking tourists to obscure area to rob them, perhaps due to their lower investment cost, they might attract less than desirable drivers. If your bar or house lord arranges your tuk-tuk, it likely will be safer.
During peak tourist times, like Semana Santa or any major festival in Antigua, pickpockets abound and it´s wise to keep a hand on your wallet. A money belt can be kept around your waist for important ID and passport. A few bucks in the wallet can be stolen or robbed without causing much headaches. Avoid carrying large quantities of money and flashing it around. Also, when walking through the crowded market, keep your bags in front of you, since there are certain thieves who use razors to cut the fabric without you feeling a thing, to gain access to the contents.
If you plan to visit sights like "La Cruz" outside town, make sure you go with an officer of the tourist police who accompany tourists there at least once a day. (See the See section).
The municipal water supply in Antigua is treated with chlorine. However, it is not completely safe. Still, drink agua del garrafon or agua embotellada(purified bottled water), and not agua del chorro (tap water). Some homes and restaurants have purified water in 5 gal bottles and serve it in glasses. Ask if the ice is made from purified water, but people will really never admit the truth about the source of water.
If you are lucky, you will not have any illnesses in Antigua. However, most long term visitors will encounter a case of food poisoning or bacterial or viral enteritis. The best way to treat without a physician's intervention is to buy packages (sobre) of re-hydration solution (solucion rehidracion oral). It is a simple mix of potassium, sodium and glucose. One mix a liter of water with the powder, and simply take multiple small sips through the day to consume 2L or more. This will rest your intestines, and prevent nausea. Start nibbling small pieces of bread the next day, before you challenge your system. Antibiotics will not help food poisoning, which toxins from bacterias are already form; so it is not the most appropriate treatment unless you are medically trained or advised before you take such products.
Most cases of food poisoning or intestinal infections can be blamed on street vendors with unrefrigerated sauces or paste; but home cooked meals can also be the blame due to lack of education and sanitation by some home families. Street vendor food is cheap, but you should avoid it unless you have been eating it daily. A virgin stomach often can not handle the common bacterial toxins found in unrefrigerated sauces, slaws, and cold marinades. Piping hot wrapped boiled food is likely safe, but might not be freed completely of all toxins. If you observed unsanitary practice by your home mom, you might consider just eating bread or cereal for breakfast, and pass on lunch and dinner. Bringing antibacterial hand whipes can help sanitize if there is no soap.
It is best to avoid ceviche due to potential risk of bacteria like cholera. Fresh salads should not be consumed for concern of contaminated irrigation water. Strawberries has been known to pass hepatitis A due to contaminated irrigation water. If you prepared your own salad or strawberries, soaking in bleach water or iodine is advised. All fruits should be washed or peeled before eating. Undercooked beef should be avoided due to risk encysted parasites, unless imported high grade beef is assured at a well known restaurant. Fresh cream is often served at the table, but unless you are sure it is pasteurized or precooked by the family, it is best to avoid putting it on your food. Going barefoot or with sandals is the norm, however hiking with them or going barefoot might lead to "cutanous larva migrans", where hookworms larvae penetrate and cause itchy red curves and lines a few days later. Penetrating "botfly" larvae with their wiggly head through a red swollen knot around the ankle is a rare souvenir gift that would entertain your family at home. So wear shoes and socks, if you desired to walk off of the pavement.
Contact
There are many internet cafes and long-distance phone shops in Antigua. Internet time costs from Q5-10 per hour. Internet shops often have video phones for Skype calls. Many phone shops uses voice over internet protocol, and not all area codes will work. The phone shop at the town center will not reach certain cell phones and certain newer area codes. But just around the northwest corner is another phone shop that reached most USA area codes. Just ask as they will reluctantly point you to their competitor. Cellphones from the US will work but will charge $2 a minute for use, for receiving voicemail or for reaching customer service. Some people ask their carrier to turn off the voice mail function to avoid charges for voice mail.
Cope
Get out
Antigua is a very good base for anyone who wants to explore Guatemala. The city is bustling with language students and you will have no problems finding a bus to anywhere in the country.
Almost all travel agencies in Antigua offer scheduled tourist shuttles to La Aurora airport in Guatemala City. Fares range from Q40-80. The earliest buses and shuttles depart at 4AM, in time to arrive at the airport by 5AM and catch a 7AM flight out. The lines at the airport is very long, so arrive at least 1 h or more before your flight.
Chicken bus drivers can not always be trusted to take you to outlying towns. Their goal is often to fill the bus, and not often for your best interest. It is best to talk to several bus drivers before you board. You can be left stranded waiting for a connecting bus that might not arrive until the following day or hours later. A direct bus is best, but might not be encountered frequently. Be prepared to ride small uncovered pickup trucks if you can not find a taxi to your final destination. Heavy rain can occur, and you can get soaked if the cover is ripped or not functioning.
Shuttle buses from Antigua to Copán leave at 4AM and 9AM and take about six hours and cost Q80-120.
If you are into motorbikes, CATours on 6a Calle Oriente #14 runs the Moto Cafe where you can rent off-road motorbikes or go on guided tours. Both day trips to local villages or Lake Atitlan and multicountry round trips are offered. www.catours.co.uk.
For those who like hiking, two trips near Antigua are highly recommended: Hiking up the active volcano Volcán Pacaya and/or the dormant Volcán Acatenango.
Pacific Ocean Fishing is the best in America for bill fish or sail fish. Records are made here frequently, and Guatamala frequently breaks catch per day and other records for bill fish. They accomplished this status through catch and release program, and mandatory use of circle hook that spares the fish from intestinal and gut damage after catching. The circle hook is required on all lures and baits, and does not catch as the fish swallow the bait. It only hooks on the way out of the animal, and only catch the lip. Legitimate fishing guides will not use other hooks regardless of species targeted to allow safe release of bill fish. Occasionally marlins are hooked also, and run in the hundreds of pounds. It is not infrequent for returning charters to hook and release 15 or more bill fish. You are not guaranteed to hook a bill fish on every trip, but the chance is greater than anywhere in the world. Day trip from Antigua can be arrange by contacting a long time American expatriate and ex-Peace Corp veteran Dennis, who has spent more than half of his life volunteering and working in Guatemala. Dennis can hook you up with one of his boat or one of the other charters. His small boats are well equipped for fishing the pacific, and can carry up to 4 people who share a combined cost of under $400 a day. He can arrange transportation from Antigua to Puerto Quetzal, where you can hook up with his or other charters. Look him up under [53], or google many other charter services in Guatemala. Tour operators are not too helpful at procuring fishing trip, as they are not rigged up to make comission. They will sell you a ticket to the port, and you will be stranded not knowing how to get on a boat. Boat are prepared for groups of 4 or more, as many are large and costly, and do not leave until they are paid for. Many leave early, and your chance of hooking up on the spot is low. Try to prearrange your trip weeks ahead of time, and know your fee before arrival. On last minute hookup, a local like Dennis can help you arrange a trip with the locals.
El Hato is a small village in the mountains 20 min and 6000 feet above Antigua where you can hike around through the forest and coffee plantations, and appreciate the view of the city. Chicken buses to El Hato (40 min, Q4) leave from Antigua market several times a day at irregular schedule.
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