The marimba can be heard throughout Central America, but it is the official national instrument of Guatemala. In the major cities marimbas can be extremely large, with four to nine musicians playing on just one of these oversized xylophones. In the country, hand crafted marimbas use different shaped gourds as their sounding boxes.
Marimba bands usually employ a drum kit percussionist as well as a bassist. Some bands have even taken to adding a saxophone, trumpet, or trombone for some added flavor. Marimba bands play in every corner of the country, so make sure you ask around to locate one in the town you’re visiting. Guatemalans will tell you the sound of the marimba causes a sense Read more
Explore Guatemala, extreme style. CA Tours, based out of Antigua, is a professional Motorcycle company that offers guided tours on dirt bikes through the Guatemalan interior. They feature a wide variety of tours; ones for intermediate bikers last just a few days, while more advanced riders can tackle the 8 day tours. For those with a limited amount of time and a specific agenda, custom tours can be designed.
The guys at CA Tours are a couple of English blokes who are genuinely interested in helping you have the best dirt bike excursion possible. They provide you with protective clothing, including a helmet, and bikes that are safe and of high quality. Off road and Read more
Looking for a variety of nightlife in Guatemala City? Check out Cuatro Grados Norte, located in Zona 4. This area basically serves as a hot place for the young and hip crowd to mingle with its open streets, outdoor seating, bars, restaurants and dance clubs. It is a pretty safe area which makes it ideal for wandering around in the late night hours and meeting lots of interesting people, tourists and locals alike.
Cuatro Grados Norte is growing in popularity as people look outside of the famous Zona 10, or Zona Viva for some variety in their nightlife. Anything goes, and the Gringo suggests that women dress a little sexy; no need to worry about Read more
Market Days in Guatemala are a large part of the livelihood in each village, so try to make your way to these locations on their Market Days. Not only will you have a better idea of who the Guatemalan people are, you will also have the opportunity to buy a number of gorgeous hand crafted items.
While being the largest and most famous market in Guatemala, Chichicastenango has its drawbacks. Since it receives more traffic than most markets, it is harder to barter prices, which is what market shopping is all about. Towns such as Antigua and Panajachel offer amazingly beautiful crafts, at the prices you are looking for. Always remember, you should be Read more
Traveling in Guatemala City and the country as a whole can be done in a number of ways. Often the best way to get around the city is by private taxi; they are safest and easiest. If you are heading out of town to another popular vacation destination you may choose to take a private shuttle. While those are all well and good, no trip to Guatemala is complete without experiencing the Chicken Bus!
These vibrantly decorated Bluebird school buses perfectly represent the Guatemalan way of things. Not only are they bright and colorful, they are work-horses who start their long treks on their own terms. (Translation: Schedules are hard to come by. Read more
If you are like the typical Gringo who goes to Guatemala for the first time, you are expecting hot, muggy days and sticky nights. A quick tip – look at www.weather.com before you leave. We are talking 4,000 foot elevations here. 70′s (f) is normal daily temperature with night requiring a light jacket and that is in August in the states.
To complete the cerebral understanding, ask a cab driver to take you to a unique attraction called Mapa en Relieve Guatemala. It is a topographical model of Guatemala and it will make your brain finally understand why the weather is so pleasant and cool most of the time.
It costs about $5 to get in (less Read more
As a frequent traveler with limited, but improving Spanish skills, I know how frustrating it is to get a “Gringo – Run Around”. Higher prices, the long way to town and just the inability to communicate effectively hinder the learning and exploring service. Just as I tout the amazing skills of Carlos in Panama, I am recommending MICHAEL ARTAVIA (cell 001-502-5915-0212 or office of Explore Centro America (001-502-2334-0006) to be your guide in Guatemala City and for tours. He was superb.
Michael learned his English – self taught- in the Westin Camino Real – and he is very effective. A young man with a wonderful wife and a baby on the way, he is well mannered, on-time and Read more
Located about 5 miles from the Guatemala City Airport, this impressive 4 star hotel is nothing short of impressive. First, there are many English/Spanish speakers working at all levels throughout the hotel and they all went out of the way to be immensely helpful though all facets of the trip. Second, the place is spotless and compares with any Ritz Carlton in the US without any problems. Great pool, spa and restaurtants (4 of them Italian, Continental, Austrian and American).
The hotel is located in Zona 10 – the entertainment district so you are walking distance to nearly 100 restaurants – everything from Fridays to top end steak houses and seafood places. Excellent values are to be Read more
If you are in Guatemala and can make it to Antigua (about an hour ride up some steep hills – should cost you no more than $50 for a private taxi from Guat City), make it a point to stop in and see the gringos (and blokes) working at Reillys. It’s an Irish pub located in Antigua and quite a local attraction. Not the biggest place, not the cleanest looking place but the drinks are great, the company is wonderful and you are instantly at peace once you walk in the doors.
We were fortunate enough to run into Aiden – an Irish fellow from Read more
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