A backpacking travel guide to Guatemala !

<body> <h1 align="center"> <font color="#000000"> A backpacking travel guide to Guatemala !</font></h1> <h2 align="center"><font color="#000000">Passplanet is a free practical travel guide that offers the latest backpacking information about Guatemala : budget accommodation, itineraries, visa, tips, surveys, photos,… 30 places covered !</font></h2> <p> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" height="152"> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center" height="25"><img border="0" src="images/web.gif" alt="Backpacking Guatemala" width="15" height="15"></td> <td height="26"> <p align="center"><font face="Arial" size="2"><b><i><span style="background-color: #FFFF66">Guatemala</span></i></b></font><font face="Arial" size="2"><b><span style="background-color: #FFFF66"><i>'S NEWS</i></span></b></font><b><i><font size="3" face="Arial"><br> The Natural Maya World</font></i></b> </td> <td width="34%" align="center" height="25"><img border="0" src="images/web.gif" alt="The backpacking travel guide to Guatemala" width="15" height="15"></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center" height="25"><b><font color="#0000FF" face="Arial" size="3">About Backpacking</font></b></td> <td height="150" align="center" rowspan="6"></td> <td width="34%" align="center" height="25"><font color="#FF0000" face="Arial" size="3"><b>About <i>Guatemala</i></b></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center" height="25"><b><font color="#0000FF" size="2" face="Arial">Asia Presentation</font></b></td> <td align="center"><font size="2" face="Arial"><b><a href="frame_why_go.htm" target="_top"><font color="#FF0000">Why go to Guatemala ?</font></a></b></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center" height="25"><b><font color="#0000FF">Backpacking Forum</font></b></td> <td align="center"><font size="2" face="Arial"><b><a href="frame_how_to_go.htm" target="_top"><font color="#FF0000">How to go to Guatemala ?</font></a></b></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center" height="25"><b><font color="#0000FF" size="2" face="Arial">Participate !</font></b></td> <td align="center"><b><a href="frame_where_go.htm" target="_top"><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#FF0000">Where to go in Guatemala ?</font></a></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" height="26"><b><font color="#0000FF" size="2" face="Arial">Buy Guidebook about Asia</font></b></td> <td align="center"><font size="2" face="Arial"><b><a href="frame_travel_tips.htm" target="_top"><font color="#FF0000">Travel Tips for Guatemala</font></a></b></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" height="26"><b><font color="#0000FF" size="2" face="Arial">Links to travel guide</font></b></td> <td align="center" height="26"><b><font color="#FF0000" size="2" face="Arial">Backpackers' Contributors</font></b></td> </tr> </table> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center"> </p> <table border="0" cellspacing="6" cellpadding="3" width="100%"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#008000" align="center"><b><a href="frame_the_south.htm" target="_top"><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#FFFFFF">The South</font></a></b></td> <td bgcolor="#00FF00" align="center"><font face="Arial" size="2"><b>Colonial town, refreshing lake, volcanoes to climb and large markets...</b></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#008000" align="center"><b><a href="frame_the_center.htm" target="_top"><font color="#FFFFFF" face="Arial" size="2">The Center</font></a></b></td> <td bgcolor="#00FF00" align="center"><font face="Arial" size="2"><b>The Maya Highlands with fresh air, wild scenery, traditions and adventures...</b></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#008000" align="center"><b><a href="frame_the_north.htm" target="_top"><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#FFFFFF">The North</font></a></b></td> <td bgcolor="#00FF00" align="center"><font face="Arial" size="2"><b>Tikal, the archaeological & jungle treasure and its wild or colorful surroundings... </b></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="#008000" align="center"><b><a href="frame_the_east.htm" target="_top"><font size="2" face="Arial" color="#FFFFFF">The East</font></a></b></td> <td bgcolor="#00FF00" align="center"><font face="Arial" size="2"><b>Natural wonders, relaxed Garifuna settlement and more delicate stones...</b></font></td> </tr> </table> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><b><i><font color="#FF0000" size="3">Free as a backpacker ! </font></i></b></p> <p align="left"><font face="Arial">You will find in this <b> free travel guide</b> lots of tips and <b> most of the budget info</b> you need to prepare your trip to Guatemala on a shoestring ("before"), live your backpacking adventure in the best conditions ("during") and share your experience with other backpackers ("after") plus a photos gallery, a backpacking forum, surveys on the localities in Guatemala (backpacker 's ratings), travelogues, an essay in French, <b> links to other travel guidebook</b> on Guatemala or related budget information etc. All in one convenient stop ! Go for it : <b> backpack Guatemala with pass planet !</b><br> <br> If you know what you are looking for in Guatemala, use the Search Form to find backpacking info. Otherwise, have a look at the backpacker's Index or <b> let Passplanet be your free guidebook to Guatemala</b><br> <br> <b>The original features of this free backpacking travel guide to Guatemala include :<br> </b><br> - Budget & practical travel information about chinese localities only.<br> - Ratings of the localities by the backpackers themselves : more than 40 localities precisely covered in Guatemala<br> - What to do there & what you may not like while you backpack Guatemala<br> - The cheapest budget accommodations (guesthouse or hostel on a shoestring ) for backpackers<br> - The various transportations' options for easy backpacking<br> - Travel information on how to save money<br> - Lots of backpacker's photos in special sections<br> - A guidebook with frequent updates<br> <br> But Passplanet will, hopefully, be more than a free backpacking travel guide to Guatemala & Asia. My ambition is to make it a place where backpackers can freely exchange the latest info from "on the road" of the asian countries and communicate with each others. In the world of backpacking, information indeed changes with the blowing of the winds. But while a guidebook is out of date by the time it reaches the shelves, a web site can be updated daily. <b> Pass planet will strive to keep the budget information about Guatemala warm !</b>  <br> <br> But to achieve the above, we need your help & support. Passplanet is not supposed to be a single backpacker's journey and travel guide. There are too many trips ahead. Guatemala, Asia and the world are too vast to be covered by one individual. Let's share ! <b> Everyone is welcome to join the backpacking adventure and submit travel information ! </b> Passplanet is looking for new backpackers, budget writers, partners and ideas on a shoestring. And Passplanet also counts on you for its promotion. If you find it useful, please give the direction to other backpackers. <b> The more traffic, the more updated info in the future to backpack Guatemala !</b> <br> <br> Passplanet is also a place of exchange related to Guatemala. Beside all the forms which allow you to share your budget info about asian countries, experiences about a place, Passplanet also hosts a forum and a links section to other travel guide. You are welcome to submit your own travel web site in the latter and benefit from Passplanet's growing popularity in the world of backpacking on a shoestring. </font> </p> <p align="left"><font face="Arial"> <br> <b>Together, let's keep Passplanet as free & independent as a backpacker</b> so more and more people can use this free travel guide to backpack Guatemala !<br> <br> I wish you a good backpacking experience, on the site and around Guatemala !<br> <br> <b>Ben.<br> </b>Founder. </font> </p> <p align="center"><b><font face="Arial" size="5">Guatemala</font></b> <p align="center"><b><i><font size="3" face="Arial">The Natural Maya World</font></i></b> <p align="center">  <p><b><font face="Arial" size="2" color="#008000">>> Description of Guatemala ?</font></b> <font size="2">With its colonial past, colorful markets, impressive ruins, noisy jungles, smoking volcanoes and more than half of its population from Maya's origin, Guatemala is the natural and cultural reference of the area as well as the backpacker's favorite.</font></p> <p><b><font face="Arial" size="2" color="#008000">>> Why go to Guatemala ?</font></b> <font face="Arial" size="2">Discover the Maya World : temples, villages, markets, costumes, music & traditions / Climb volcanoes / Relax by a lake / Walk the cobbled streets of a colonial town / Study Spanish / Listen to colorful birds or howler monkeys in Guatemala / Participate to a fiesta / Take it easy in a piece of the Caribbean / Bargain for souvenirs in Guatemala</font></p> <p><b><font face="Arial" size="2" color="#008000">>> Drawback of Guatemala ?</font></b> <font face="Arial" size="2"> The tourists & students crowd / The safety issues : Guatemala is the most dangerous country in the area, with a number of horrors stories (often heard but fortunately rarely experienced) / The usual poverty of the Indians / The need to bargain real hard for souvenirs / The 'extranjero' special prices and some cheating on travelers / The combination of dusty roads plus speedy vehicles in Guatemala</font></p> <p><b><font face="Arial" size="2" color="#008000">>> Cultural Highlights of Guatemala ?</font></b> <font face="Arial" size="2">The impressive Maya temples of Tikal, set in a luxurious jungle / The other sets of temples : Quirigua, Ceibal, etc. / The charming colonial city of Antigua / The other pieces of colonial architectures in Guatemala, usually around the towns' plaza / The facade of a painted church / Any good Spanish school / Any colorful market / Watching a religious procession or celebration, the best being during Santa Semana in Guatemala</font></p> <p><b><font face="Arial" size="2"><font color="#008000">>> Natural Highlights of </font> </font><font face="Arial" size="2" color="#008000">Guatemala </font><font face="Arial" size="2"><font color="#008000">?</font> </font></b><font face="Arial" size="2">Spotting birds flying over the canopy or a wild animal leaving a temple at Tikal / Boating or walking peaceful Lake Atitlan / Climbing any of the 33 volcanoes, although active Pacaya in Guatemala is a favorite /  Trekking any of the 44 legally protected areas (an additional 60 natural reserves are in consideration) / The mountainous scenery of the Central Highlands / Swimming in Semuc Champney, near Lanquin, a series of pools and waterfalls / Relaxing by the hot waterfall near El Estor / Visiting a coffee plantation in Guatemala</font></p> <p><b><font face="Arial" size="2" color="#008000">>> How long in Guatemala ?</font></b> <font face="Arial" size="2">There are a lot of things to see & experience so less than three weeks would be a pity. Five to seven weeks would be better to have a good tour and meet the people.</font></p> <p><b><font face="Arial" size="2" color="#008000">>> Budget for Guatemala ?</font></b> <font size="2">Guatemala is the cheapest country in the area. Around </font><font size="2" face="Arial">$8 per day if avoiding any luxury (incl. beer). </font></p> <p><font color="#008000"><b><font face="Arial" size="2">>> Visa for </font></b> </font> <b><font face="Arial" size="2" color="#008000">Guatemala </font></b><font color="#008000"><b><font face="Arial" size="2">?</font></b> </font> <font face="Arial" size="2"> Not necessary. 90 days on arrival for most westerners to Guatemala</font></p> <p><b><font face="Arial" size="2" color="#008000">>> When to go to Guatemala ? </font></b> <font face="Arial" size="2">The "land of eternal spring" can be visited year-round. Half a million tourists are showing up in Antigua for Santa Semana (Eastern) but prices in most places aren't affected by the high season in Guatemala</font></p> <p align="left"><font face="Arial"> <br> </font> </p> <p align="center"> <b><font color="#000000" face="Arial" size="1"><a href="../welc/index.htm" target="_top">HOME</a> - Central America - Guatemala - Honduras - Nicaragua - Costa Rica - Panama </font></b> <h2 align="center"><font face="Arial"><b><font color="#993300">Passplanet : a backpacking travel guide to Guatemala ! </font></b></font> </h2> </body>