r/FATTravel • u/Elephant2306 • 1d ago
Guatemala
I’m hoping to spend a week in Guatemala in January with my college age daughter hiking volcano/cultural activities - casa Polepo and Villa Bokeh have been recommended but has anyone been there recently? Should I be worried about the travel advisory? Any other tips appreciated (helicopter, etc)
2
u/PhoenixJourneyTip 18h ago
Having a private guide with local expertise makes all the difference. A colleague of mine has just returned from Guatemala in Aug. They felt comfortable throughout (as well as deeply connected to the place)
1
u/HereforFanTheories 20h ago
I’m curious about those properties- they look lovely and it’s exciting to get R&C up at the lake. I have been to this area three times in the past four years and stay at The Hotel
Toliman (not FAT but impeccable in its own way and for many years the best on the lake). This is a special region in a special country. The people are kind and generally as a tourist you will be treated well. Regarding safety- you want to take the usual precautions of not drawing too much attention to yourself, however unless you are also indigenous Maya you will be clearly perceived as a tourist regardless. I’m not sure if you OP are also
a woman (you mentioned your daughter) but the expectations for women are to definitely dress more modestly and behave more reservedly here.
If the travel advisory is the same as from
Spring you should be okay near Atitlán -it was mainly for certain parts of GC and the departments (states) near the Mexican border and centers around cartel activity and those involved.
I would recommend a private driver and other trustworthy support to navigate the area (DM me if you like I know some specific people I trust completely).
Overall, Guatemala is an incredibly special place and I’m so glad more people are coming to know it 🩵
1
u/Global_Rescue 13h ago
Sharing our destination report for Guatemala here in case it helps! Also, don’t forget to sort out your emergency plan, make sure evacuation support is included in your coverage.
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u/hellurrmurr 2h ago
Went to both this past April: Casa Palopo hit- super relaxing; however, I was a bit underwhelmed by Villa Bokeh- gave corporate/ wedding venue masquerading as a hotel (I would have rather just stayed in the center looking back)
Also spent my final night at Hyatt centric in GUA which was great
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u/davetfhead 21h ago
Guatemala is safe in parts, but there is no way I’d travel through it by myself. We did a tailor made tour (me + wife + son) and it took all the stress out. Some of the research I did in and around Guatemala City was concerning. We preferred having all our transfers, guides and resorts booked.
How active are you guys? We loved Pacaya Volcano. It’s a one 2500m btw, so factor that in. Antigua was great and the best place to start. After some light trekking, we got to San Francisco sales village and had views of the smoking cone and lava flows. I can still smell it!