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Grutas de Lanquín
These caves are about 1km northwest of the town, and extend for several kilometers into the earth. There is now a ticket office here. The first cave has lights, but do take a powerful flashlight (torch) anyway. Youll also need shoes with good traction, as inside its slippery with m
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Biotopo del Quetzal
In the lush cloud forests south of Cobán is the Biotopo Mario Dary Rivera nature reserve, commonly called Biotopo del Quetzal.You need a fair bit of luck to see a quetzal, as theyre rare and shy, though you have the best chance of seeing them from March to June. Even so, its well w
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Yaxhá
High upon a hill, overlooking the twin lakes of Laguna Yaxhá and Laguna Sacnab, this late Classic Maya site is the third-largest in Guatemala. Yaxhá translates as ‘green water,’ likely in reference to its lakeside location. (By the way, don’t be tempted to swim in the lakes, as the
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Biotopo Monterrico
Sometimes called the Reserva Natural Monterrico, Biotopo Monterrico-Hawaii is administered by Cecon (Centro de Estudios Conservacionistas de la Universidad de San Carlos), and is Monterricos biggest attraction. This 20km-long nature reserve of coast and coastal mangrove swamps is b
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Laguna Petexbatún
Laguna Petexbatún is a 6km-long lake south of Sayaxché, approached by an hours lancha (small motorboat) ride up the Río Petexbatún, a tributary of the Río de la Pasión. The lake, river and surrounding forests harbor many birds, including kingfishers, egrets, vultures, eagles, cormo
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Palacio Nacional de la Cultura
On the north side of Parque Central is this imposing presidential palace, built between 1936 and 1943 during the dictatorial rule of General Jorge Ubico at enormous cost to the lives of the prisoners who were forced to labor here. Its the third palace to stand on the site. Despite
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Parque Arqueológico Kaminaljuyú
With remnants of one of the first important cities in the Maya region, this park is just west of 23a Av and is some 4km west of the city center. At its peak, from about 400 BC to AD 100, ancient Kaminaljuyú had thousands of inhabitants and scores of temples, and probably dominated
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Museo El Baúl
This museum, about 2.75km on foot or 5km by vehicle from the El Baúl hilltop site, comprises a very fine open-air assemblage of Pipil stone sculpture collected from around Finca El Baúls sugarcane fields. A large stone jaguar faces you at the entrance. Other figures include four hu
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Basílica de Esquipulas
A massive pile of stone that has resisted the power of earthquakes for almost 250 years, the basilica is approached through a pretty park and up a wide flight of steps. The impressive facade and towers are floodlit at night. Inside, the devout approach the surprisingly small El Cri
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San Miguel & Tayazal
Covering the western end of the San Miguel peninsula are the remains of Tayazal, among the last of the Maya capitals. The chiefly Classic-era mounds are overgrown by vegetation, and a few pockmarked stelae have been recovered. The real draw, though, is the chance to wander the fore
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Estación Biológica Las Guacamayas
A scientific research center within the Parque Nacional Laguna del Tigre, the Scarlet Macaw Biological Station offers wildlife watching/archaeology tours and the chance to tag along with researchers as they monitor macaws and butterflies. Overlooking the broad lazy river, its a spl
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Parque Centro América
Most of Xelas sights crowd in and around the broad central plaza, known as the Parque Centro América. The original version, designed by Italian architect Alberto Porta in the 1800s, comprised two separate parks; these were combined in a 1930s update into its current oblong shape. M
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Aguateca
The ruins of Aguateca stand on a hilltop at the far south end of Laguna Petexbatún. Defended by cliffs and split by a ravine, the city enjoyed military successes (including one over nearby Ceibal) up until about AD 735, according to data gleaned from carved stelae. The site is both
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Iglesia y Convento de Santo Domingo
Founded by Dominican friars in 1542, Santo Domingo became the biggest and richest monastery in Antigua. Following three 18th-century earthquakes, the buildings were pillaged for construction material. The site was acquired as a private residence in 1970 by an American archaeologist
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El Baúl Hilltop Site
With two great carved stones, this archaeological site has the additional fascination of being an active place of pagan worship for local people. Maya people visit regularly, especially on weekends, and make offerings, light fires and candles, and sacrifice chickens. They will not
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El Mirador
Buried within the furthest reaches of the Petén jungle, just 7km south of the Mexican border, the late-Preclassic metropolis at El Mirador contains the largest cluster of buildings of any single Maya site, among them the biggest pyramid ever built in the Maya world. Ongoing excavat
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Kumarkaj
The ruins of the ancient Kiche Maya capital of Kumarkaj remain a sacred site for the Maya, and contemporary rituals are customarily enacted there. Archaeologists have identified more than 80 large structures in 12 groups, but only limited restoration has been done. The ruins have a
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Ceibal
With its strategic position on the west bank of the Río de la Pasión, the independent kingdom of Ceibal amassed considerable power controlling commerce along this key stretch of the waterway. Though architecturally less amazing than some other sites, the river journey to Ceibal is
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Al Argueta on Guatemala
1. What do you consider the five best places to stay on a budget?
Guatemala City has a great new hostel, Xamanek Student Inn. Just outside Antigua, there’s Earthlodge with wonderful volcano views and dorm beds for $4. Several places serving as eco jungle camps are among my favorite budget sp
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Guatemala: A Central American Gem
A cobblestoned street in Antigua. Photo © Charles Taylor.
For all its beauty, you seldom hear much about Guatemala. Most U.S. travelers heading to Central America opt for the well-trodden path to Costa Rica, but as that country becomes more touristed many folks have begun seeking alternatives. I’l
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