Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the gateway for adventures into untamed Punta de Manabique, the seaside Garífuna town
of Lívingston, the Belize cayes and tranquil Río Dulce.
Las Verapaces
Las Verapaces are Guatemala's green heartland. Here you'll find the country's best-pre-
served cloud forests in the Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve, the Cloudforest Bi-
ological Corridor, which includes the Biotopo Mario Dary Rivera, and the pleasant town
of Cobán. Nearby attractions include the spectacular limestone pools of Semuc Champey,
white-water rafting on the Río Cahabón, the phenomenal Candelaria Caves, and splendid
Laguna Lachuá.
Petén
PeténistoGuatemalawhattheAmazonrainforestistoBrazil.Inthislowlandjunglefronti-
eraretheremainsofseveralMayancities.Thebest-knownMayansiteisTikal,amust-see.
In addition to the impressive temple pyramids, Tikal and the neighboring Maya Biosphere
ReserveharborMayanruinsandvariedwildlife.Flores,occupyinganislandonLakePetén
Itzá, is a transportation and services hub rivaled by El Remate, along the road to Tikal.
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WHEN TO GO
Guatemala has two seasons—rainy and dry. The rainy season usually begins at the end of
May; the summer months mark the early part of the rainy season, characterized by short
afternoon or early evening showers that clear up by nighttime. By September or October,
however, the weather is often socked in for days with rain and clouds. Foreign visitors
are noticeably fewer during these two months and many hotels offer discounts in hopes of
filling their rooms. Some parts of the country, most prominently the Caribbean coast, are
rainy throughout most of the year.
The dry season runs from November to early May. December through February are
the coldest months, with cold fronts from the north often bringing temperatures into
the mid-60s for daytime highs in mountain areas such as Antigua, Quetzaltenango, and
Guatemala City. Temps warm up dramatically in March and April before the arrival of the
first rains in mid-May. During this time, thick haze from heat, dust, and agricultural burn-
ing clouds the views of Guatemala's stunning mountain scenery, easily viewable during
other months of the year.
The high tourist season runs from December to Holy Week (usually in April) with a
second high season between mid-June and early September. Language schools in Quetzal-
tenango and Antigua are usually full with college students during the summer and rates go
up accordingly. School lets out during the middle of October, with the local equivalent of
