Xocomil Water Park
Xocomil Water Park Looking for the best spot to get wet in Guatemala? Check out Xocomil Water Park, located in the Retalhuleu Department of the country. Together with nearby Xetulul Theme Park, both parks welcome over one million visitors each year. Xocomil is the largest and most visited water pa
Xetulul Theme Park
Xetulul Theme Park Located in the Retalhuleu Department of Guatemala, Xetulul Theme Park is one of the largest amusement parks in Latin America. Together with the nearby Xocomil Waterpark, it is estimated that both parks welcome over one million visitors each year. Xetulul is capable of handling u
Volcan San Pedro
Volcan San Pedro Looming above the shores of Lake Atitlan and the village of San Pedro La Laguna, Volcan San Pedro is one of the region’s most accessible for volcano trekking. The views from the top make it well worth the effort of getting there. Two routes lead to the volcano’s summit 9,908
Sayaxché
Sayaxché Sayaxché is a small frontier town southwest of Flores on the Río de la Pasión that acts as a central hub for the many Mayan ruins of the area—the most notable of which are Ceibal and Aguateca. Though for most a visit to this river town is a means of getting to the archeological sites, Say
Santa Catalina Arch
Santa Catalina Arch The Santa Catalina Arch is one of the most iconic structures in Antigua. Arco de Santa Catalina in Spanish, the notable arch is located on Fifth Avenue North and was built in the 17th century to connect the Santa Catalina convent to a school. This allowed the cloistered nuns to
Petén Forest
Petén Forest This northeast region of Guatemala contains about 30% of the country’s land but only 3% of its population. The area was mostly isolated until the 1960s but has always been the home of dozens of Mayan archaeological sites, as well as tropical swamps, jungles, and rain forests teeming w
Passion River (Rio La Pasión)
Passion River (Rio La Pasión) The Rio La Pasión and its tributaries cover nearly 2,000 square miles in Guatemala, forming a diverse ecological zone and a main transportation source. Many visitors to Guatemala use the river to access the many Mayan archeological sites alongside it.Arising in the Si
Palacio de las Capitanes Generales
Palacio de las Capitanes Generales The Palacio de los Capitanes Generales used to be home to the Spanish viceroy and the power of the entire Central American region for more than 200 years. It housed everything from the court to post office, treasury, royal office and even horse stables.Today, the
National Palace
National Palace This stoic structure in the heart of Guatemala’s capital city was built in 1939 entirely by local hands and using only local materials. As a result, the National Palace offers up an homage to Guatemalan heritage and is ranks tops among the buildings prized by locals. Its green-ting
Museum of Colonial Art (Museo de Arte Colonial)
Museum of Colonial Art (Museo de Arte Colonial) Located across the street from Parque Central, the Museum of Colonial Art is known for its architectural exhibits which date back to the 16th and 17th centuries. Established as a museum by the Guatemala government in 1936, today the museum is f
Maya Biosphere Reserve
Maya Biosphere Reserve The vast tropical basin that covers Petén, the northern third of Guatemala, remains largely wild, its jungle-carpeted Mayan cities and traditional indigenous villages left largely unmolested within the protected 2.1 million-hectare (almost 8000 square-mile) Maya Biosphere Re
Las Guacamayas Biological Station
Las Guacamayas Biological Station This research and conservation center seeks to preserve the natural and cultural heritage of Laguna del Tigre National Park in the Maya Biosphere Reserve of Petén. It is named for the scarlet macaw parrot, which is endemic to Guatemala.Visitors can experience the
Lanquin Caves
Lanquin Caves The Grutas de Lanquin, or Lanquin Caves, are limestone caves near the city of Cobán that were once considered sacred to the Mayan people, believed to be the heart of heaven. The Mayans believed the secret of the ages was hidden deep inside the caves. Today, they are a popular tourist
Jade Museum (Museo del Jade)
Jade Museum (Museo del Jade) Jade is a rare and precious stone dating back to the pre-Columbian era in Mesoamerica. Some of the world’s best jade was found in Guatemala. Historically, it was used in culturally significant ways, including in hieroglyph inscriptions and carvings of symbolic figures.
Iglesia Santo Domingo
Iglesia Santo Domingo A beautiful neoclassical church, Santo Domingo rose to fame because the Virgen del Rosario was dedicated here and crowned as the queen of Guatemala in 1933.The church took nearly two decades to construct, finishing in 1808. However, a little more than a century later, the bui
Fuentes Georginas
Fuentes Georginas Travelers looking for a relaxing, natural escape will find all they desire in the hidden trails, hot springs and stunning landscapes of Funestes Georginas. Located just outside Xela, this popular destination has been attracting travelers for decades. Although a major hurricane da
Convento de Las Capuchinas
Convento de Las Capuchinas This Guatemalan convent has a past unlike other convents - women were not required a dowry to join. The building, featuring the work of architect Diego de Porres, was finished in 1736, was the last convent founded in Santiago and abandoned less than half a century later
Constitution Plaza
Constitution Plaza Located in the Centro Historico (Zona 1) district of Guatemala City, the Plaza de la Constitución, or Constitution Plaza, is considered the best place to kick off a tour of Guatemala City.A number of important sites are located around and the Parque Central, as locals refer to i
ChocoMuseo Antigua
ChocoMuseo Antigua Ancient Mayans were the first to begin using cocoa beans in culinary preparations, and today, Guatemala is one of the countries most associated with chocolate production. At the chocolate museum in Antigua, visitors learn about the history of chocolate and the chocolate producti
Cathedral de Santiago
Cathedral de Santiago The stark and silent beauty of the ruins of Catedral de Santiago offers visitors one of only a few quiet and contemplative escapes in the 500-year-old city of Antigua. Once a towering homage to religion and faith, this European-inspired white stone wonder was devastated durin
