The temazcal has been part of life in Guatemala for as long as anyone in my family can remember. Not as a wellness amenity. Not as a spiritual tourism offering. As something you went to when your body needed to be cleaned out, when a woman was recovering from childbirth, when someone came back from … Read more
Mayan ceremonies in Guatemala are not a travel trend. They are the living spiritual heartbeat of my country; traditions that have survived colonial suppression, forced conversion, and five centuries of outside pressure, and are still practiced today by communities across the highlands, the lake shores, the cloud forests, and the jungles of Petén. I am … Read more
This article contains affiliate links. If you book or buy something through one of my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products, places, and services I have personally used or vetted. Planning a Spain and Portugal road trip itinerary and tired of finding the same … Read more
Game day food has three jobs: easy to eat with one hand, holds up at room temperature, feeds a crowd. Latin food was built for all three. This roundup of 18 easy Latin football appetizers brings together tostadas, chuchitos, layered dips, ceviche, and Mexican-inspired bites for the Big Game, regular season Sundays, and any time you have people coming over to watch sports.
Planning 10 days in Guatemala and not sure how to make every day count? This is the 10 day Guatemala itinerary built for the traveler who wants more than the standard loop — more time at the lake, more depth in Antigua, and three days to go somewhere almost nobody else puts in their itinerary. … Read more
If you are looking for the best family hotel near Tikal Guatemala that gives you a real jungle experience, incredible wildlife on the property, 15 kilometers of trails you can walk or bike, a beautiful pool, and comfortable spacious rooms, all within 45 minutes of Tikal National Park, Hotel Villa Maya is the answer. I have … Read more
If you are looking for an affordable boutique hotel in Antigua Guatemala that is genuinely beautiful, has free parking, and does not feel like every other hotel in the city, Villa Colonial is the one I would tell you to book. I am Guatemalan, I grew up visiting Antigua, and I have stayed at a lot of hotels here … Read more
Guatemalan drinks are some of the most diverse, deeply rooted, and least-known traditional beverages in all of Latin America — from fermented frescos served at Semana Santa processions to thick, spiced atoles ladled out before sunrise at highland markets. Some of them go back to the Maya. Some arrived with the Spanish. Most of them … Read more
This fresco de tiste recipe is one of the oldest traditional Guatemalan drinks you can make at home — a cold, dark, slightly thick cacao drink made from toasted cacao seeds and toasted corn, ground together with cinnamon and cloves and stirred into cold water. It’s been around since the Mayan people were drinking it … Read more
This fresco de pepita recipe is one of those traditional Guatemalan drinks that most people outside the country have never heard of, even though it’s been a staple in Zacapa and Chiquimula forever. It’s made from toasted squash seeds — pepita de ayote — blended with water and sweetened to taste, served cold over ice. … Read more
