Usually, it will take you about 30 mins from the gate to clear customs and collect your luggage. After collecting your luggage, you will fill out the immigration form and will go through another security point. *QR codes for immigration forms are posted throughout the exit, if you are unable to access them with your phones, keep walking and there will be computers and iPads available for you. Once you exit the airport, you will enter a pick-up area where you may be approached by many drivers offering their services. Please coordinate your transportation beforehand and know your exact destination. If you are going to Antigua: UBER: The price is about USD$35-40 to Antigua. The ride will take 45 mins-1 hour without traffic and up to 2 hours with traffic. PRIVATE DRIVER: You can coordinate airport pickup/drop off with a trusted local driver via our wedding planner, Darya. These trips can be arranged for those traveling solo and those in groups! You can input your details on this google form and your transportation will be coordinated for you: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RLhCNR_nL29Jf2EwMIMsgmMpHRKJRm_WxJnLc8H3uDU/edit?usp=sharing HOTEL TRANSPORTATION: Some hotels may offer pick up and drop off, please ask to see if they are able to coordinate transportation.
No, it is not safe to drink. We recommend for all our guests to drink purified water, either from closed bottles you can buy in any 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.
Staying connected to communicate with work, friends or family is important. Your current phone plan is most likely to have roaming options that can charge up to USD $20 a day that you can use. Some plans may have it included at no extra cost. Please make sure to check with your phone carrier before opting in for this option. If you are wanting a sim card, we recommend getting the SIM card from Claro or Tigo. Both are good and priced the same. With Claro you might have better options if you need to call internationally within the Americas. The price of the SIM is usually Q50 (USD$7) and you can add data for another USD$7-15, which should suffice for two to four weeks of traveling. For most Americans, this might be a better and cheaper option to stay connected than roaming. We do recommend finding a solution that fits your needs to always have data for any emergency, Ubers, bank or card needs. Make sure at least one person in your group that you are traveling with gets a SIM card. Remember Guatemala's country code is +(502) and you will be given a temporary number as well.
Yes! Antigua is very safe and tourist friendly! It's a quiet little town that has taken significant efforts to ensure the safety of its population and guests. If you are in the Guatemala City, it is highly recommended that you avoid visiting zone 10, 14, 13, 3, and15. 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). If you are getting back from a bar or party, you can take a tuktuk or call an Uber to your hotel.
We recommend exchanging USD cash at the local banks in Antigua. You will need a passport to make the exchange. Exchange is also available at the airport upon your arrival, but the exchange rates are extremely poor. Majority of restaurants and stores accept credit cards, but any purchase from the markets or souvenirs will most likely be in cash. QTZ stands for Quetzales, which is the name of the 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.
November is considered the beginning of Guatemala's dry season, meaning that there is a low chance of rain. It is normally hot and sunny during the day and can get a tad bit chilly at night. It's recommended to pack majority summer clothes, with at least one jacket that you can wear if it gets cold. Definitely consider bringing sun glasses, a hat, and/or sunscreen to wear during the day, as the sun can get very strong.
Antigua is a 9 by 9 grid made up of 9 streets (calles) and 9 avenues (avenidas). You can walk from the north end of town to the south end in roughly 15 minutes. If you are walking, make sure to wear comfortable shoes, as Antigua has cobblestone roads. The easiest way to get around this beautiful UNESCO town is by foot, but ubers and tuktuks are quick and reliable forms of transportation within Antigua and also its surrounding suburbs. A tuktuk is a 3 wheeled vehicle that many locals use as their primary source of transportation. A trip from one end of town to the other should cost you no more than Q25 per person.