{"id":32243,"date":"2019-01-21T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2019-01-20T21:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures?p=32243&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=32243"},"modified":"2024-09-18T16:45:56","modified_gmt":"2024-09-18T06:45:56","slug":"guatemala-favourite-country-central-america","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Guatemala is my favourite Central American country"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Alright, I\u2019ll be honest. I haven\u2019t been to <i>every <\/i><a href=\"\/central-america\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Central American country<\/a>. And while I\u2019m certainly open to being proven wrong (preferably through much more travel in this incredible region), I\u2019m going out on a limb here to explain exactly why <a data-wpil=\"url\" href=\"\/guatemala\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Guatemala<\/a> has stolen my heart.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From the people and their kind nature, to the vast diversity in experiences and burgeoning colour palette that decorates their cities, I was enamoured from the moment our tour bus rolled across the border. If Guatemala is on your \u2018must-see\u2019 list, here are a few things you\u2019ll undoubtedly fall in love with too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a data-wpil=\"url\" href=\"\/guatemala\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>DELVE INTO GUATEMALA ON OUR 9-DAY GUATEMALA EXPERIENCE SMALL GROUP ADVENTURE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><b>1. The culture<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-32247\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-guatemala_antigua_local-street-seller.jpg\" alt=\"An older woman sitting against a green wall\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-guatemala_antigua_local-street-seller.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-guatemala_antigua_local-street-seller-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-guatemala_antigua_local-street-seller-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-guatemala_antigua_local-street-seller-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>While I\u2019m a long way from fully understanding the complex culture of the Guatemalan people, the pockets of personality I saw on my journey through there are embedded in my memory in the best kind of way. The Maya culture is prominent and perpetual &#8211; not just in the rural highlands &#8211; representing a civilisation that spans centuries. But there\u2019s no denying the colonial characteristics left behind by the Spanish, from the architecture, churches and language, which competes with the 20+ traditional Mayan dialects still in existence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"\/trips\/QBYA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>SPEND 16 DAYS EXPLORING ON OUR 18 TO 35s REAL CENTRAL AMERICA TOUR\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-32250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-guatemala_antigua_street-arch-landscape.jpg\" alt=\"An archway over a cobbled street\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-guatemala_antigua_street-arch-landscape.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-guatemala_antigua_street-arch-landscape-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-guatemala_antigua_street-arch-landscape-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-guatemala_antigua_street-arch-landscape-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>One of the most beautiful culminations of these two cultural influences can be found in the old capital, Antigua. A city of cobblestone, crumbling buildings, expansive plazas and kaleidoscopic buildings, it\u2019s up there with some of the most picturesque places I\u2019ve been to. And I haven\u2019t even gushed about the local market offerings, or the bizarre sight of brightly coloured buses stuffed with people, possessions, and chickens at the bus station <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">next<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to the markets.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"\/adventures\/what-to-do-in-antigua-guatemala\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>RELATED:\u00a05 REASONS WHY ANTIGUA IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF ANY TRIP TO GUATEMALA<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-32252\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-guatemala_antigua_street-nun-crossing.jpg\" alt=\"A nun walking along a cobbled street in Antigua\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-guatemala_antigua_street-nun-crossing.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-guatemala_antigua_street-nun-crossing-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-guatemala_antigua_street-nun-crossing-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-guatemala_antigua_street-nun-crossing-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>Alongside the old-worldly vibe of Antigua, there\u2019s plenty of modern influences that make it such a unique destination. When I was visiting, I learnt to salsa dance, before being taken to a local bar with my instructor and given the chance to show off my new moves; I sampled delightful treats at the ChocoMuseo near the central park, enjoyed rich Guatemalan coffee on a tour of a coffee plantation, and dined at my tour guide\u2019s family restaurant, a hole-in-the-wall place with a single table to share traditional food, like <em>pepian<\/em> and <em>tamales<\/em>. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>2. The tradition<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-32249\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-guatemala_antigua_market-food-locals.jpg\" alt=\"A woman selling vegetables at the market\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-guatemala_antigua_market-food-locals.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-guatemala_antigua_market-food-locals-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-guatemala_antigua_market-food-locals-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-guatemala_antigua_market-food-locals-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>Guatemala has no shortage of traditions woven into daily life, and while you\u2019ll find it all over the country, one of the best places I came across it was in the highlands in the southwestern region; I\u2019m talking Lake Atitlan, San Jorge La Laguna, and the Chichicastenango markets. On my tour through Central America, the highlight of Guatemala was easily the few days we spent visiting lesser-known Maya villages peppered around the edge of Lake Atitlan, getting lost in one of the most colourful and energetic markets I\u2019ve ever visited, and spending the night conversing with hand signals and making tortillas with a humbling Maya family in San Jorge. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lake Atitlan is, in its own right, an absolute knockout of a natural wonder (but more on that later) and has cultivated its own unique lifestyle steeped in Maya tradition. The local women of the lakeside villages still kneel in the cobblestone streets, weaving elaborate garments on back-strap looms, while farmers turn up their tiny farms on the mountain\u2019s slope, and fisherman navigate the lake in their simple fishing boats.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-title single-post-title\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"\/adventures\/travel-guide-lake-atitlan-guatemala\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>RELATED: YOUR GO-TO GUIDE TO GUATEMALA\u2019S LAKE ATITLAN<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-32248\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Antigua_Market.jpg\" alt=\"Colourful fruits and vegetables at a market\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Antigua_Market.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Antigua_Market-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Antigua_Market-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Antigua_Market-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>Meanwhile, higher up the hills of northwest Guatemala, about 1.5 hours from Lake Atitlan\u2019s Panajachel, the indigenous Maya people come together to create a labyrinth of market stalls at Chichi, bursting with vibrant colours, handcrafted ceramics and woodwork, fresh fruit and vegetables, and delicate artworks. There\u2019s an otherworldly charm to the open-air markets, with its paved paths, red-tiled roofs, and ancient churches for the locals to honour their pre-Christian beliefs, such as the church of Santo Tom\u00e1s and Calvary Church. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The homestay incorporated on most tours through Guatemala gave me a true insight into the humble lives of these indigenous Maya people. For me, kicking a soccer ball around a town square with the locals, pressing and cooking tortillas (the old-fashioned way) and admiring their carefully embroidered clothing they showed us after dinner, was something I\u2019ll remember forever.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-title single-post-title\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"\/adventures\/guatemala-homestay\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>RELATED: TO STAY AT HOME? OR TO HOMESTAY IN GUATEMALA?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><b>3. The natural wonders<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-32254\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Tikal-5.jpg\" alt=\"A girl looks at a monument in Tikal, Guatemala\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Tikal-5.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Tikal-5-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Tikal-5-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Tikal-5-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>Guatemala\u2019s abundance of natural beauty can sometimes be shrouded by all the other stunning spots in Central America, but for a little country, it packs a punch. About 2.5 hours from the border with Belize lies the incredible Tikal National Park, housing five towering granite temples, and plenty of smaller ones, enveloped by a thick jungle. Dating back to the first century AD, this iconic Maya city spans almost 600 square kilometres, with the tallest structure standing at 70 metres. Climb one of these giants all the way to the top (sweating a-plenty, if you\u2019re anything like me) and you\u2019ll be able to see the tallest of these structures peeking out above the canopies, while other areas in the citadel have been cleared to showcase the myriad of detail in every stone, step and carving.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a data-wpil=\"url\" href=\"\/guatemala\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>EXPLORE OUR FULL RANGE OF ADVENTURES IN GUATEMALA HERE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-32259\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Lake-Atitlan-3-1.jpg\" alt=\"Volcano and lake in Guatemala\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Lake-Atitlan-3-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Lake-Atitlan-3-1-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Lake-Atitlan-3-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Lake-Atitlan-3-1-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>If that\u2019s not enough outdoor adventure, Guatemala\u2019s Lake Atitlan is another must-see if you want to coast along a shimmering lake residing in a volcano crater, with views of said volcano towering above. The 130-square kilometre lake in the highlands of the Sierra Madre mountain range is circled by steep hills, and a hike in any direction will bring you through farmlands of beans, squash, and corn, expansive canopies of forests, and &#8211; if you\u2019re in the lakeside village of San Pedro &#8211; to the top of the volcano itself.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a data-wpil=\"url\" href=\"\/subscribe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>SUBSCRIBE TO INTREPID\u2019S NEWSLETTER FOR TRAVEL TIPS, COMPETITIONS, GIVEAWAYS &amp; MORE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If relaxing in nature is more your style, Rio Dulce and the lush river flowing from Lake Izabal is the place to be. When I was travelling through here, the hotel I stayed in &#8211; Tortugal River Lodge &#8211; was right on the river. I\u2019m not kidding; it was built <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">over<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the river, and we had to get a boat to reception. We had fly screens in place of some of the walls, with the sound of the river and buzzing of wildlife the only things I could hear. Just a short boat ride down the river, you\u2019ll find the chilled out town of Livingston on the Caribbean coast, with options to go boating on the lake, tour the protected homes of manatees, or check out Rio Dulce\u2019s nearby natural hot springs &#8211; another adventure I\u2019d highly recommend to any nature lovers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a data-wpil=\"url\" href=\"\/guatemala\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Guatemala\u2019s top spot<\/a> in my <a href=\"\/central-america\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Central American experience<\/a> might be controversial to some travellers, but in my case, it\u2019s an easy decision. The quaint country is brimming with unbelievable views, iconic treasures and welcoming communities, and while it was a short and sweet visit, I\u2019m still itching to get back and dive even deeper.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ready to dive into Guatemala? Check out our<a data-wpil=\"url\" href=\"\/guatemala\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> range of small group adventures in Guatemala<\/a> now.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If Guatemala is on your \u2018must-see\u2019 list, here are a few things you\u2019ll undoubtedly fall in love with.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16045,"featured_media":32246,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[455],"tags":[2181,716,275,68,2228],"class_list":["post-32243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature","tag-18-to-29s","tag-antigua","tag-central-america","tag-guatemala","tag-lake-atitlan","ipf_theme-18-to-29s","ipf_region-guatemala"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.3.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Guatemala Travel: The Star of Central America | Intrepid Travel Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you have Guatemala travel planned, here are a few things you\u2019ll undoubtedly fall in love with, from hiking volcanos to cycling around Lake Atitlan.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why Guatemala is my favourite Central American country\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Alright, I\u2019ll be honest. I haven\u2019t been to every Central American country. And while I\u2019m certainly open to being proven wrong (preferably through much more travel in this incredible region), I\u2019m going out on a limb here to explain exactly why Guatemala has stolen my heart.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Good Times by Intrepid\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/intrepidtravel\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-01-20T21:30:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-09-18T06:45:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Antigua-23.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"450\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Hannah Edensor\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Intrepid_Travel\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Intrepid_Travel\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Hannah Edensor\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/\",\"name\":\"Guatemala Travel: The Star of Central America | Intrepid Travel Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Antigua-23.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-01-20T21:30:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-09-18T06:45:56+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/#\/schema\/person\/a6c2df7cecb4d133ae3b4809bc674e55\"},\"description\":\"If you have Guatemala travel planned, here are a few things you\u2019ll undoubtedly fall in love with, from hiking volcanos to cycling around Lake Atitlan.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Antigua-23.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Antigua-23.jpg\",\"width\":800,\"height\":450,\"caption\":\"A woman selling flowers in Antigua\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Why Guatemala is my favourite Central American country\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/\",\"name\":\"The Good Times by Intrepid\",\"description\":\"adventure news\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/#\/schema\/person\/a6c2df7cecb4d133ae3b4809bc674e55\",\"name\":\"Hannah Edensor\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8f219fa4f937c9723673668f4242e5480f983f8446b81c9bb237d21329aedd1f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8f219fa4f937c9723673668f4242e5480f983f8446b81c9bb237d21329aedd1f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Hannah Edensor\"},\"description\":\"My mum inspired a fervent love of travel in me, practically putting the backpack on my shoulders and booting me onto the plane. Now I work as a freelance writer, travelling when I can, planning when I can\u2019t, and enjoying life in Aussie wine country in between.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/author\/hannah-edensor\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Guatemala Travel: The Star of Central America | Intrepid Travel Blog","description":"If you have Guatemala travel planned, here are a few things you\u2019ll undoubtedly fall in love with, from hiking volcanos to cycling around Lake Atitlan.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Why Guatemala is my favourite Central American country","og_description":"Alright, I\u2019ll be honest. I haven\u2019t been to every Central American country. And while I\u2019m certainly open to being proven wrong (preferably through much more travel in this incredible region), I\u2019m going out on a limb here to explain exactly why Guatemala has stolen my heart.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/","og_site_name":"The Good Times by Intrepid","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/intrepidtravel\/","article_published_time":"2019-01-20T21:30:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-09-18T06:45:56+00:00","og_image":[{"width":800,"height":450,"url":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Antigua-23.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Hannah Edensor","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@Intrepid_Travel","twitter_site":"@Intrepid_Travel","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Hannah Edensor","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/","url":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/","name":"Guatemala Travel: The Star of Central America | Intrepid Travel Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Antigua-23.jpg","datePublished":"2019-01-20T21:30:00+00:00","dateModified":"2024-09-18T06:45:56+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/#\/schema\/person\/a6c2df7cecb4d133ae3b4809bc674e55"},"description":"If you have Guatemala travel planned, here are a few things you\u2019ll undoubtedly fall in love with, from hiking volcanos to cycling around Lake Atitlan.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Antigua-23.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Antigua-23.jpg","width":800,"height":450,"caption":"A woman selling flowers in Antigua"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/guatemala-favourite-country-central-america\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Why Guatemala is my favourite Central American country"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/","name":"The Good Times by Intrepid","description":"adventure news","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/#\/schema\/person\/a6c2df7cecb4d133ae3b4809bc674e55","name":"Hannah Edensor","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8f219fa4f937c9723673668f4242e5480f983f8446b81c9bb237d21329aedd1f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8f219fa4f937c9723673668f4242e5480f983f8446b81c9bb237d21329aedd1f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Hannah Edensor"},"description":"My mum inspired a fervent love of travel in me, practically putting the backpack on my shoulders and booting me onto the plane. Now I work as a freelance writer, travelling when I can, planning when I can\u2019t, and enjoying life in Aussie wine country in between.","url":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/author\/hannah-edensor\/"}]}},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Intrepid-Travel-Guatemala_Antigua-23.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4OQMK-8o3","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32243","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16045"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32243"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32243\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":76939,"href":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32243\/revisions\/76939"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32246"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32243"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32243"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32243"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}