Antigua Guatemala Travel Forum

would love suggestions regarding a must for antigua...nightlife...resturants...meeting fellow travelers...best hotel deals...anything would be great!!

What is the best coffee plant to visit/tour near to Antigua, GUA. Just curious. As other days, planning on going to Monterrico and the Lake. Thx.

Pardon my ignorance if this sounds stupid. I am registered to attend a Spanish school( in Antigua) later in the month and was hoping to hike up one of the mountains. Any suggestions will be most appreciated...

Thanks!

I am looking for opinions on the best locally owned charming hotel options in Antigua (looking to avoid those 5 star resorts owned by foreigners). I will be there in May to find good options so that the clients I send there will be keeping their tourism dollars in the country..

I was in Antigua last fall and bought a set of glasses, a vase and a pitcher for my Mom for Christmas. Unfortunately, the pitcher broke on the way home. Would anyone from Canada or the US going to Antigua in the next few months be willing to pick me up a new one and bring it back? I have a picture of it, it should be easy to find (you can find similar ones in the outdoor market or in one of the local crafts stores). I will of course pay for it and can even add more for the trouble. My home is in Maine (Blue Hill), I visit Virginia (Leesburg/Reston/DC area) often, and I currently live in Vancouver, so I can pick it up in any of those places or will pay for shipping. Please contact me if you're willing to help out and we'll discuss the details. Thanks so much!!!
Anne

Hi,

I want to head up Volcan Pacaya, but I stupidly forgot to bring boots with me on my trip. Will any of the shoestores around here have boots in size 15? The cheaper the better, as long as their decent enough to make it up the mountain -- sounds like sneakers aren't too good for the trek.

Thanks...

Hi,
Looking for any thoughts or reccomendations on bars, cafes or resturants that have a nice Guatemalan atmosphere and have local or traditional music in Antigua. I'm not looking for a modern rock or pop sound, but more of a traditional evening of food, drink and music.

I plan to take photos, and some video of area. Interested in local art work, and possibly pictures of the 'carpets' if they are set up on the streets before the parades of holy week. Any thoughts?

I plan to take photos, and some video of area. Interested in local art work, and possibly pictures of the 'carpets' if they are set up on the streets before the parades of holy week. Any thoughts?

We are trying to find contact information for this hotel, or any other suggestions for hotel. Most are booked. Looking for dates of March 27- 30. Saw review for this hotel, but cannot find phone #
thanks so much

I know Tikal has the best ruins around, but I don't think we are going to be able to fit that into are trip to Antiqua area in mid march, so I'm wondering where the best closest ruins are from the Guatemala city or Antiqua area.
Thanks!

Excited to get there in mid March.

I have some questions.
1. What is the best/cheapest method to get from Guatemala City Airport to Monterrico on the Pacific coast early in the morning? We land around 5am I think.
2. Any hotel reccomendations or warnings for Monterrico? We'll be ther just 1 night. We'll have a 4 month old baby with us. looking for a laid back, relaxing environment.
3. After Monterrico we are heading to Anitgua as home base for the rest of our wk long trip. Any must see's or must do's while based there?
4. How far are some Maya ruins from Anitgua?
5. Any food reccomendations while in Antigua?
6. I'm assuming once we get to Antigua, we can then plan the remainder of our week in terms any tours or day trips we wish to do. I also assume finding info on these touristy activities will be easy to find and not booked up ahead of time. Am I right?
7. Any recomendations in Antigua on great places to see some live local music in the evenings to relax and have a drink?

I'm having trouble finding complete and detailed info for some travel planing
Thanks!
-dan

Less than a week and I'm off to Guatemala (starting to get really excited)

Not sure if I read it hear but some poeple had problems using mastercard in Guatemala but no problem with visa. My atm/debit card is mastercard and with Citibank. Can anyone comment?

Also - I saw it mentioned on a web site about a $30 departure tax to leave the country. Is this true? I've not seen it mentioned anywhere in Rough Guide or Footprint.

Both Footprint and Rough Guide recommend taking the typhoid medication. I'll be visiting Antigua and Lake Atitlan. I mistakenly thought I was suppose to take the medication while there, not two weeks before hand. I leave in about a week. Wondering if anyone else took the typhoid pills - or not. I'm not a germ freak and I'm pretty good at determining if a place is good/safe to eat. I've eaten at lots of mexican markets and lived. Any advice would be appreciated.

My husband and I are adopting a little girl from Guatemala. When we travel there to meet her for the first time, we wanted to re-new our wedding vows. Does anyone have any suggestions on where we can do this? It would just be he and I so we don't need anything fancy. Just something simple and beautiful.

I am interested for a telephone number of a place name El Belencito or Barrio el Belencito located next to a restaurant & vivero La Escalona on Calle Sucia.

We will be travelling by day to Pana from the airport outside of Guatamala City . Can anyone recommend a mininbus service that is safe? I saw this warning online " Make sure the van goes to Panajachel via Solola (the longer and highly traveled route) rather than through Patzun. The route through Patzun is quicker and more beautiful, but on an isolated road where robbers have occasionally stopped vans, so its best to avoid the route." So now I want to ensure we go through Solola! Appreciate your comments.

We will be arriving for the day by cruiseship at Puerto Quetzal and are considering private transportation into Antigua, arranged by Elizabeth Bell. Once in Antigua, Elizabeth arranged for us to hook up with a private guide to see the city.

The ship arranges police escort with machine guns, for their tour buses. Makes me wonder if our group of 6 will be safe taking a private van into Antigua. We don't like taking ship tours but we do like being safe.

Are the roads between Puerto Quetzal and Antigua as dangerous as we've heard? Any input would be greatly appreciated... Sandy

planning to visit antigua next april. any recomendations for a good place to start with in the city? looking for a double room (not dorms) that is not too expensive.
thanx,
Asaf

Hi we are travelling to Guatamala in January for a week . Just wondering if we will need malaria meds. I'm tired of going to the travel clinic and pay their fees...just thought I'd ask here.
Thanks

My boyfriend and I will be traveling in Guat./Hond. for 3 weeks. I know some basic spanish phrases and he knows even little. Is taking a spanish language course in Antigua for 1 day only beneficial or our we wasting our time?

Hi returning to guat after many years with our adopted guatemalan daughter, looking for safe reasonably priced family accomodation for upto a week in antigua, also any info on transfers from guat city would be great, hope someone can help as it is fairly difficult to get accurate info here in Australia.

i have heard mixed reviews about family stays.I would like to improve my spanish by tryng to find a reccomended family who is not only intersted in making money,but will make me feel welcome and ineract with me regurarly.


thankyou,

mookie

After a mission trip, we would like to stay in Antigua a couple of extra days. Do they have shuttles from Antigua to Guatemala City Airport?

I will arrive at Puerto Quetzal (on the coast south of Antigua) Feb 22 for one day. I would like to rent a car and/or driver to go sight-seeing. Is it unreasonable to drive to Antigua and Lake Amatitlan and Chichicastenango in a day? Any ideas for locating a guide for private tour (4 travelers)? We don't want to sit on the beach. What should we not miss? Thanks

Hi-my daughter and I are moving to Antigua for a few months - and I would like to put her into an elementary school or local international school while we are there. Any suggestions on how to find a school and do this?

thanks much

Elisabeth

Hi,
I am planning 12-14 days in the area and would really like a recommendation as to how to spend them. Also, if there are any "don't do's" whether for safety or other reasons.
Thanks

Ike

We're thinking of having our wedding in Antigua. Does anyone have good advice. We would ideally like to have the wedding at the "Yellow" church on the Northeast side of town. We would also like a beautiful, but low-key reception area for about 80 people maximum.

Any suggestions?

Hi all,
I'm thinking of going to central america next summer hopefully 3 weeks in guatemala then doing a medical placement in belize. have previously travelled asia and india but this time will be on my own... as a young single female do you think i will be walking around feeling afraid the whole time or is the safety issue over exaggerated?
also... are there many budget flights available between different central american countries?

big thanks!

Me and a friend is planning to stay in Antigua for a couple of months this fall. Does anyone have eny idea on how to find an apartment and how much it would cost? 1-2 bedroom apartment, decent standard, etc.