(Volcan Pacaya, an easy afternoon/evening trip from Antigua. Bring old shoes for sharp rocks (they do get a bit cut up if any part other than the sole catches the edge of the rocks) and a flashlight. Numerous tour companies in Antigua advertise this, so it's easy to find. Ask about the number of passengers on the bus or with the guide. Otherwise, you end up in a huge group that has to drive all around town to pick up people and leave an hour late. Then on the trail, you'll be stuck with a huge group.)
(Most buses/minivans leave Antigua around 3 or 4 pm, drive 30-45 mins to get here, and then it's a 1-2 hr hike up to the volcano, mostly through a bit of forest. Not the most strenuous hike in the world, but it's certainly not easy, and it's obviously mostly uphill to get to the volcano. There are numerous opportunities to hire a horse from a local kid, if you want. Also, you will have an armed guard with you on this trail. In the past, there have been a few bandits up there, but when I was there, I hadn't heard of it happening recently. Not to worry you, but just to let you know that it has happened at some point in the past. I went up two different nights and didn't feel unsafe at all.)
(You get incredibly close to the lava, and since it is flowing fairly slowly and smoothly, it's not THAT dangerous. As safe as you can feel when you're close enough to feel the heat from the lava emanating from the ground. If you happen to have them, pants and even gloves might be a good idea, as many of the other walkers slipped once or twice, which will draw a little bit of blood on these super sharp rocks.)
(Although it's easier to hike when you can see the rocks to step on, it's amazing once the sky gets dark, and you can see the lava glowing red. This volcano was definitely an incredible experience, and one of my favorite things while there in Guatemala.)
(The iconic view of Tikal, looking from the platform of one temple to the courtyard below. This place is amazing, and there are also coatis that hang out in the forest just behind this temple, and they've obviously been fed, so they're not afraid to come out and show themselves on the little jungle trails.)
(Another of the amazing temples. Flores is the closest real place to stay, other than a few isolated spots along the road from Flores to Tikal. In Flores, most travelers are there to see Tikal, so you won't have a problem finding a trip out to the ruins. Most trips leave about 3 or 4 am, so that you get into the park the second the gate opens, then you walk out to one of the temples, climb to the top and just listen to the monkeys and birds as you watch the sun come up. It's a beautiful spot, but it may or may not be as serene as it sounds, depending on the courtesy of the other groups that will be sitting there next to you all around. Still, definitely worth doing. I can't remember how much time we had there, but I feel like I was able to stay until 1 or 2 in the afternoon, which is nice once the big groups from the morning leave, but I don't know if I had to take my own bus or the shuttle was still waiting.)
(This is the view from atop one of the peripheral temples. It has a very steep wooden staircase up there, and a few people didn't want to climb it, but it's definitely worth it for the views of the lush rainforest and temples poking through. It seem like it was only 10 minutes or less to climb it, so do it if you have the chance.)
(Wake up early and watch the sunrise over Lake Atitlan. Not sure if you're going here, but I highly, highly recommend it. There are no real roads around the large lake, so you get around by taking the local boat taxis. As a foreigner, you WILL get overcharged, it's just a matter of by how much. Ask around with some locals and other travelers who have been hanging out there for a while. You'll arrive in Panajachel, which is ok, but I wouldn't recommend staying there. I stayed in San Marcos, which was really peaceful, quiet and beautiful (and where this dock is located). There's not a ton to do there - it's viewed as more of a hippie/yoga/new age retreat, so there are just a few restaurants and hotels, but it was perfect for me to just relax and take in the views and local culture. Getting off the boat, just head inland on the main dirt path, and you'll pass a few different guesthouses, so you can just inquire about prices and see the rooms there. There will probably also be a little kid or two trying to show you places to get a bit of commission for themselves.)
(View from the boat of Lake Atitlan, going from San Marcos to San Pedro. If you're looking for a little more action but better character than Panajachel, check out San Pedro. It has a bit of a reputation for drugs (just weed, I think), but it's popular with backpackers, and it will have a good amount of choices for hotels, restaurants, etc. Also, as you walk up the steep road from the dock to the main town, there are quite a few little old ladies there on the side of the road offering you licuados (fruit shakes/smoothies). These are amazing, and you just tell them the ingredients you want right there, they pop it in the blender, then you can sit down on the curb underneath their umbrella and enjoy it....and super cheap, too.)
(The old dock of San Marcos, viewed from the new one, just after sunrise. I really loved San Marcos and Lake Atitlan. In Jaibalito, there is an incredible place to stay called La Casa Del Mundo. They do not have much flat land on the water's level, but it's this amazing hotel perched up on a rocky cliff, with some rooms having beautiful views over the lake below. I didn't stay there, but I heard rave reviews from everyone that did. As it's not much of a village, you'd need to mostly rely on their restaurant I think, and you have to explicitly tell the taxi boat to stop there, otherwise it will just pass over it on its more common route. http://www.lacasadelmundo.com/web/v_1/index.htm )
(Waiting for the taxi boat/ferry at San Marcos. The lake is a beautiful color, surrounded by hillsides covered in corn and grasses, along with three massive volcanoes. To get to the lake/Panajachel, I believe I took a minibus from Antigua.)
(The infamous chicken buses of Central America. They take old US school buses that have usually been retired, and they paint them nicely, though the inside isn't always as good. This is the authentic way to go, but it will be very slow, crowded and hard to maneuver with your bags/backpacks. It's fun, but these don't have the greatest safety records, so I probably wouldn't recommend using them too much, especially if you have very limited time. There are also some higher end buses that run the main tourist routes, sort of like Greyhound style buses. I took an overnight bus from Flores down to Guatemala City, and then I transferred over to Antigua, which was probably only an hour or two from there but much, much better. Guate (Guatemala City) does not have much to see and didn't feel all that safe, so I'd avoid hanging out there with your timeframe. They say it's not the best idea to take overnight buses in Guatemala, but I feel like the more expensive ones are a little safer, and I didn't hear about any problems with it. I did hear of a few pickpockets in Antigua. It doesn't feel dangerous, but just be aware because they are around, given the potential with all the travelers there. Around Antigua, Atitlan and Guate, there are small tourist buses (the size of church buses) that seem to go every day for a few different companies, making safe, easy connections between these places for only $5-10. These are much easier to use than the slow, local buses, and they're quite easy to find in Antigua and Atitlan (Panajachel).
(Walking around downtown Antigua is beautiful with the colonial architecture and volcanoes surrounding the city. Most people, including myself, really like this place.)
(The beach at the end of Roatan, just before a storm came in. I didn't get a chance to go to Utila, and I mostly heard about it being a great place for diving, but I only made it to Roatan. I was in Honduras for a little while, and I took the ferry from La Ceiba. The water was a bit rough, but it wasn't terrible. I'm not sure about local transport on the islands, but there are a good number of expats around there, so you might try to find one on the ferry and ask them. I ended up hitchhiking with a girl I met on the boat, and this American doctor/her friend gave me a ride to the end of the island. I'm sure Dr. Adkins mentioned this, but these islands are notorious for malaria, so make sure you're using good bug spray and trying to cover up at dusk when they really come out. Being dry season (I think), it might not be too bad, but you never know. He recommended this 3M Ultrathon cream from REI for insect repellent, and I seem to think it works pretty well; I've used it for all of my trips.)
(Getting around Roatan to the other beaches is easier using boat taxis, as they're usually cheaper and faster than the locals trying to overcharge you for giving you a ride down the bumpy road.)
(A stela in Copan. This site isn't far from the Guatemalan border, though I did have to make a few bus connections to get there from El Salvador, not sure about getting there from Guatemala. It's another very good site, but if you have limited time, I definitely recommend Tikal over this one. The key attraction here are the stellae, pictured above. There are a lot of these totems around the site, along with a few other stairs and ruins, but I still prefer Tikal. Going to both would be great, if that's a possibility.)
(Another part of the backside of Copan. Again, these are amazing ruins, but my favorites were still Palenque in Mexico and Tikal.)
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