Guatemala Tourist Traps

Boats in Panajachel

by gdilieto

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Boats in Panajachel
by gdilieto
Tourist Traps
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The docks of Lago de Atitlan
by DrugstoreCowgirl
The docks of Atitlan
by DrugstoreCowgirl
el remate
by gerardust

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3 Reviews They would give you the better price if you are interested in. However, the price is much higher than everywhere. Give them 55% discount of the price. Tell them that you've bought a lot of similar...

See All 17 Tourist Traps in Antigua Guatemala

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

AVOID THE AGENCY UNIVERSAL & PLUS +

by rvivac

I strongly recommend to avoid the travel agency UNIVERSAL & PLUS +Why? Why they are cheap but not a deal. If you think your time has more value than USD 12,00... And if you discover other better agencies, they do not refund!I took a shuttle van (like a little chicken bus, `cause it was full like a chicken bus) from Panajachel to Coban. Not at all. A shuttle from Panajachel to Guate City, connecting in Antigua. They are always late. In Panajachel and in Antigua. I lost the bus (Pullman) in Guate City and had to sleep in Cobán. It depends on the value of your time Other agencies charge from 32 to 50 US dollares

chetumal to flores

by gerardust

when taking first class transport from chetumal to tikal, be sure to get off at Ixlu. If you don;'t they will drive you another 30 km to Flores. Ixlu is halfway between Flores and Tikal. When in Ixlu, you can either continue on to Tikal (just hitch a ride, there is plenty of transport) or stay at El Remate, which is a very pleasant town at a lake. No need to stay in dusty Flores. Flores is the tourist trap: hotels, souvenirs and restaurants, you will not find local life here! Its all touristy. El Remate!

Chichicastenango

by spalatino

Supposed to be the gratest Mayan Markt, and it is...full of beautiful hand made artifacts...but youcan buy them everywhere in Gutemala, and Chichi is full of beggars and with the highest concentration of poverty I ever saw in my life...Guatemala is great country, but Ididn't liked Chichi...better go immidiately to Atitaln

Local roadside car guards

by vtnyc

Okay, this issue isn't unique to just tourists. My friend who lives in Antigua has this happen to him all the time as well. This is what happened. I rented a scooter/moped to get around town during my stay in Antigua. Well, one day when I parked my scooter near Antigua's arch around 6 p.m., there was a group of three locals sitting at the curb. They asked me for money. My thoughts to myself, "they haven't even earned the money yet, When I come back and they have done something to earn it, I will give them money."Yeah, right....I get back about 2 hours later and another group of 2 guys is sitting at the curb. They too ask me for money and I say no.Then I ride off on my trusty scooter. Or so I think.About 2 blocks later, I realize that the back tire on my scooter was flat. The first group of 3 guys was angry with me for not giving them money right away, so they slashed not the outside...

Lago Atitlan is a trap worth visiting

by atufft

After adventure in the Mayan highlands of Uspatan and Coban, Lago Atitlan will provide comfortable hotels, especially at Panajachel. The selection of clothing and other Mayan handicrafts is good, it not at bargain prices. Take the ferry across to San Pedro where the bargaining is more relaxed. Lago Atitlan is worth a couple of days before moving on, but some expates choose to live here because of the year around pleasant climate.

Tikal-move through the entrance fast

by kmbruening

The crafts sold at the entrance to the "on foot" portion of the park are so unbelievably overpriced you'll faint when you find the same thing for less (before haggling) in other places. However, the Tikal guide books sold on the way into the park area (while driving through the gate) are great souvenirs and guides. Get a tour book if you like and cruise through the mercado as you enter the forest.

Obviously they want your money....

by La_Canchita

after having travelled for hours from Costa Rica to Guatemala, only to jump on a bus about 20 minutes later and head to Tikal from guate, I guess that we were tired and not really thinking straight. I know all the tricks that are pulled on tourists, but I guess that sometimes you get to a point that you forget or just dont care.Make sure you dont do that!! We were hussled of the bus from Guate and crammed into a small van. Having been told that nearly all the hotels were full because of the carnival, we simply agreed to stay where they dropped us off. It was obvious that the van driver (associated with the tourist agency next door) was working with the hotel. So, we payed for the room because, of course there were not other rooms in the entire city of Santa Elena.....ya right. After tyring to relax in our room, only about 4 meters from the blarring speakers from the carnival (which was...

I would have to say that,...

by guell

I would have to say that, unless you are interested in staying at one of those big Hilton-type hotels, and/or have to conduct some kind of business, stay away from the capitol. Visit if you wish, but do not devote more that two days and one night there. Make Antigua your home base. It is located less than an hour from the airport and is loaded with charm.

If you are rusty on Spanish,...

by reyese

If you are rusty on Spanish, take some time to brush up. When doing business with open currency (cash) numbers will be spoken to you very fast and you better be able to do the math pretty quickly to make sure you aren't getting taken for a ride.

Be very careful when...

by Annabella

Be very careful when purchasing textile goods. You can very easily get ripped off and you should familiarize yourself with prices before getting anything. Always offer 1/2 or less than their original asking price.

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Questions and Answers

Q: My husband and I want to go to Guatemala for 5 weeks starting the last week of March 2012. We had planned to travel all over and...

A: I have two good friends that travel to Guatemala frequently. One supports an orphanage, the other does general social work with kids in the area. Both find the...

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