Guatemala City's International Airport is called La Aurora. Usually it will take you about 30 mins from the gate to clear customs and collect your luggage. You can get a sim card before heading below into customs or connect to the airport wifi. After collecting your luggage, you will go through a security point where they verify that you aren't bringing items into Guatemala that aren't allowed (cheese, fruits, raw or aged meat, guns, etc). Once you exit the airport you will enter the chaotic pick-up area where you may be approached by many drivers offering their services. The best is to have a game plan already set: know the means of transportation you're taking and your exact destination. If you are going to Antigua: (we recommend to go directly here after landing) 1. UBER: The price is about USD$35-40 to Antigua. With traffic, this ride can be between 1.5 to 2.5 hours, and without traffic it will take about an hour. 2. SHARED SHUTTLE: usually they wait for 15-30min to collect a few more passengers. They cost around USD$20 per pax. 3. LOCAL DRIVER: There is a local who you can hire to pick you up from and drop you off at the airport.) Please see the Transportation & Hotel tab for more details. 4. HOTEL TRANSPORTATION: ask your hotel to see if they have a shuttle to and from the Airport.
No it is not!! Please don't risk it. We recommend for all our guests to drink purified water, either from closed bottles you can buy in any tienda (street shop) or grocery store, or from an ECOfiltro. The ECOFiltro is a natural way of filtering the water from the tap through a clay basin. After a few minutes, the water is ready to drink. These are commonly found in Airbnb's, hotels, and restaurants.
The best way to experience Guatemala is through its cuisine, and what better way to do so than through the locals. Around the main towns, you will have local vendors selling a variety of food: - Cut fruit with lime and Tajin - Shucos (Guatemalan hot dogs) - Tacos and quesadillas - Tostadas (fried tortilla with avocado and toppings) - Elote Loco (boiled corn with cheese and sauces) - Tamales and Chuchitos (corn flour boiled in banana leaves with chicken or pork inside) - Churros Everything cooked is fine to eat, but we do not recommend eating raw fruits and vegetables without the skin from the street vendors. Anything that still has the skin on it is safe.
Make sure to book your flights to land in and depart from La Aurora International Airport (GUA) in Guatemala City. This is the one and only international airport in Guatemala, so please ensure you double check your flight info so that it corresponds to the airport code GUA.
To text and communicate in Antigua, please contact your cell service provider before you leave, and ask them the steps you need to take before traveling outside of the country to use your phone- typically it’s between $10-15 per day. Communication with your hotel staff or local businesses will all be through WhatsApp.
We recommend exchanging USD cash or Euro at the local banks in Antigua. You will need a passport to make the exchange, but it's fairly straightforward. You can exchange up to $500 USD per person. The exchange booths at the airport are usually the ones with the worst rates. QTZ stands for Quetzales, which is the name of Guatemala’s national bird, El Quetzal. This bird has been admired for its beauty since ancient Mayan times, and only the high priest and the royal family were allowed to wear its feathers. There are also ATMs all over Guatemala that you can withdraw money from. There may be a $5 USD fee.
Guatemala is, in fact, safe. It is like any other country that is visited by tourists, but what makes it so unique is its culture, interactions with friendly locals, and landscapes. If you are in Guatemala City, it is highly recommended that you avoid visiting zone 10, 14, 13, 3, and 15. Should you choose to explore the country's capital, there are many tours you can find online that can show you the city centre in an organized and safe way. Antigua's city center is very safe and like any other tourist town, we don't recommend walking alone late night (10pm onwards) on the streets. If you are getting back from a bar or party, you can take a tuktuk or call an Uber if your hotel is far away. The same applies to all other parts of Guatemala that you may visit: Lago Atitlan, El Paredon, Lanquín, and Flores.
Antigua is a 9 by 9 grid that takes maximum 15 minutes to walk from one end to the other. The roads are made with cobblestone and the sidewalks are narrow. Please make sure to bring comfortable shoes to walk around town. If your legs can't take anymore, you can order an uber or wave down a tuk-tuk (local taxi) to take you to your destination.