Pros and Cons of Visiting Guatemala

My daughter and I just returned from a trip to Guatemala. This was technically my 4th time visiting Guatemala, but it had been over 30 years since my last visit. Traveling in Guatemala is always an adventure! But, I don’t recommend it to everyone.

Pros of Visiting Guatemala

Scenery: Guatemala is a beautiful country! It has over 3 dozen volcanoes, Mayan pyramid ruins, beaches and colorful towns.

Unique Culture: Two dozen indigenous languages are still spoken in Guatemala and traditional clothing is still worn by many. Guatemala has the largest percentage of indigenous population in Central America. Yet, there is also a Spanish colonial influence.

Cost: Visiting Guatemala is cheaper than Costa Rica. Hotels, food, and transportation can be downright bargains. Hostels are plentiful!

Language Schools: Guatemala has many Spanish language schools for anyone looking to learn or brush up on their Spanish. That’s why I originally went to Guatemala in my 20s.

Cons of Visiting Guatemala

Water: Drinking tap water is unsafe. Avoid ice and fruits and vegetables rinsed with tap water. Also, some lakes are polluted with sewage. I swam in Lake Atitlan years ago with a group, and we all got sick the day after.

Roads/Transportation: While Guatemala isn’t a large country, it takes a long time to get from one town to the next. Roads are narrow and in bad shape, and traffic is crazy.

Safety: Guatemala doesn’t have the same safety standards as more developed countries. For example, the “public” taxi boats on Lake Atitlan are owned privately. Operators like to wait at the docks to load more passengers. Some of the boats we rode didn’t have enough life jackets for all passengers, and one boat didn’t have any life jackets at all! The lake is over 1100 feet deep in some areas. The last fatal boat accident was in 2018 (I Googled it while I was there), so I guess the system has worked these last few years. Some of the docks were super rickety as well.

A group of people is seated inside a boat, with life jackets stored above them. The boat is on a body of water, and some passengers are looking out at the scenery. The interior is crowded, and the passengers are wearing casual clothing, including hats and jackets. — Packed boat/not enough life jackets. I counted!

The Dogs: If you’re a dog lover, it’s hard to see the dogs in Guatemala (and other countries). There are a lot of strays. A LOT. We usually had a dog hide under our table at restaurants along Lake Atitlan. Some people are mean to the dogs. A group of stray dogs at night can be downright scary. I just hated to see the sad, hungry dogs going through the garbage for food.