Responsible travel in Guatemala starts with knowing what your visit costs and what it can give back. This guide covers what ethical travel actually looks like here: what’s happening on the volcanoes, how tourism is changing the Maya communities around Lake Atitlán, how to tell real ceremonies from commercial packages, where to stay and shop … Read more
Choosing where to stay at Lake Atitlán is not as simple as picking the hotel with the best views. The villages are different enough that the wrong base can mean spending your days on lanchas getting to where you actually want to be. This guide covers the best hotels in Lake Atitlán honestly: from the … Read more
Most 5-day Guatemala itineraries try to cover three destinations and end up doing none of them well. This one doesn’t. It focuses on two places: Lake Atitlán and Antigua Guatemala. Where to base yourself, how to move between them, what is worth your time, and what to skip. Written by a Guatemalan who has been … Read more
Every Guatemala itinerary article you click sends you down the same route. Antigua first, then the lake, then back to the airport. I’ve been watching travelers do this for years, and I’ve watched them pay for it in exhausted mid-trip transit days and hours lost to backtracking. I grew up here. I spent seventeen years … 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 10 days in Guatemala and not sure how to make every day count? … Read more
If you’re looking for one of the most unique experiences in Guatemala for nature and adventure lovers, rappelling in Guatemala at Finca El Barretal is it. This is the kind of exciting, once in a lifetime experience that makes travel unforgettable. El Barretal is a Guatemalan hidden gem. It is not touristy, and it is … Read more
Lake Atitlán is one of Guatemala’s most striking destinations, and understanding how Lake Atitlán boat services work is essential to experiencing it fully, especially when traveling between villages. While roads exist, boats are the most practical, scenic, and time-efficient way to move between villages. Getting from one village to another is part of the experience, … Read more
Disclosure: Our stay was hosted so I could share our honest experience of Great Wolf Lodge Naples with teens—all opinions are my own. When you think of Great Wolf Lodge, you probably picture families with little kids running from the water slides to the arcade. That’s what I imagined too. So when we planned a … Read more
Every July, the streets of Antigua come alive with music, flowers, fireworks, and faith during the Fiestas Patronales de Antigua Guatemala. If you happen to be in town around July 25th, you’re in for a special treat — this is one of the most heartfelt patron saint celebrations in Antigua Guatemala, honoring Santiago Apóstol, the … Read more
When I was planning a quick trip to West Palm Beach with my two teens, I wasn’t looking for a basic hotel room. We needed space, a kitchen to prep a few easy meals, and a place where we could actually relax—not just sleep. That’s what brought us to AKA West Palm, and honestly, it … Read more
