Traveling to Guatemala in November: are we going to get assaulted there?

My date and I are planning thinking about going to Guatemala for 10
days. Could anyone help us with some info:


* How safe is it? Do we have to be in the tourist areas to be safe, or
can we wonder around. Are there places to avoid? Is it high/low crime
area? Are going to get assaulted? Based on US advisory its a high crime
place but I'd like to hear from people who have just been there,
whether they felt safe or not...


* Should we take Travelers Checks or cache? Do our credit card work
there? Is credit theft a problem? How easy is it go get cache once in
the country?


* Any vaccines we need to take (have had Hep A, Typhoid vaccine before
going to China three years back).


* Is logging a problem, especially for two students traveling on
student budget?


* Speaking of which: we are traveling on student budget, probably
taking busses, eating cheap, etc. What kind of money should we allocate
per day for Guatemala?


Thanks!


Henry

Henry N wrote:
My date and I are planning thinking about going to Guatemala for 10
days. Could anyone help us with some info:

* How safe is it? Do we have to be in the tourist areas to be safe, or
can we wonder around. Are there places to avoid? Is it high/low crime
area? Are going to get assaulted? Based on US advisory its a high crime
place but I'd like to hear from people who have just been there,
whether they felt safe or not...

I've spent a fair bit of time in Guatemala City, with a handful of scattered
trips elsewhere. I would definitely not call Guatemala City safe-feeling
(many of the larger shops and restaurants in town have armed guards standing
outside bearing sawed-off shotguns), but on the other hand I am a fairly
obvious non-Guatemalan (taller and curlier-headed and blue-eyeder than
anyone else there) and yet was only bothered once in all my time the
someone threw a bottle at my head during a late-night walk, in what my hotel
staff told me they thought was a robbery attempt. Other than that, I didn't
have any problems despite continuing the late walks on a nightly basis, and
commuting daily on foot or public bus from zome 9 to zone 2 carrying a
laptop briefcase.

Outside of Guatemala City things are a lot better. However, many locals
recommend confining intercity travel to daylight hours to reduce the risk of
bandit attacks.

Despite all this, scary as it sounds, I don't think it's a reason not to go
- just a reason to exercise due care. The country has many beautiful things
to see, and you will never witness another traditional culture as intensely
colorful and authentic as you will in Guatemala.

* Should we take Travelers Checks or cache? Do our credit card work
there? Is credit theft a problem? How easy is it go get cache once in
the country?

In larger cities and tourist areas, there are plenty of ATMs. Pulling the
money straight from your checking account is the easiest and usually
cheapest way to acquire cash.

* Is logging a problem, especially for two students traveling on
student budget?

Just stand back when they yell "Timber!"

I assume you mean lodging. Again, in larger cities and touristy areas there
are many hotels at all budget ranges. Down to about US$20/night they're
clean, down to about US$40/night they're quite nice.

In smaller areas I'm not sure; I've only stayed in private homes in those
cases.

* Speaking of which: we are traveling on student budget, probably
taking busses, eating cheap, etc. What kind of money should we allocate
per day for Guatemala?

Like all of Central America, it's not exactly cheap, though cheaper than the
USA. Budget local food will run you US$3 or so per meal, but you will soon
become sick of having the steak and fries twice a day. Tacos on the street
can fill you up for US$2 or so (and some of them are very good).

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos from 38 countries on 5 continents: http://travel.u.nu
Latest photos: Burma; Hong Kong; Macau; Amsterdam; Grand Canyon; Amman
Airports of the world: http://airport.u.nu

On Wed, 9 Nov 2005 Henry N wrote:
My date and I are planning thinking about going to Guatemala for 10
days.

sounds like a pretty expensive 'date'
--

"I hear ma train a comin'
.... hear freedom comin"

I assume you mean lodging. Again, in larger cities and touristy areas there
are many hotels at all budget ranges. Down to about US$20/night they're
clean, down to about US$40/night they're quite nice.

You can get a basic but clean place for much cheaper than this (3-7 USD
per person).

Robert

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To: "Henry N"
Subject: Traveling to Guatemala in November: are we going to get
assaulted there?
Date: Thu, 08 Dec 2005 15:31:54 -0800

Henry: I have been travelling to Guatemala for many years and have
never had any problems. I have travelled to the usual "tourist
locations" and to many of the departments (States) to the north, west,
and east of Guatemala City. Many of the tour books tell you to fly to
Tikal--Flores/Santa Elena, Peten because the bus trip is too dangerous.
It is riduculous. You will miss some great parts of the country. The
Rio Dulce area and east to Livingston is way different than the Lake
Atilan area and Tikal. Baja Verapaz / Salama and north (passing the
Quetzal bird rainforest) through the beautiful town of TacTic onward to
Coban, Alta Verapaz is very nice too. Coban is the heart of the coffee
growing region. Granted they are not the usual "tourist fare", but
they let you see the "real" guatemala too. The area from Coban, Alta
Verapaz onto Sayaxche' following Route 5 is very hilly. At the river
Sayaxche you and your vehicle cross on a small ferry.
The road from Sayaxche to La Libertad on to Flores / Santa Elena is
all good. This area is part of the Peten, but not the usual
"tourist"area either. In this area it is a good idea to enjoy the
scenery and try not to ask how come there are so many large beautiful
ranches and homes next to small, impoverished villages. Just don't
talk about drugs, or smuggling or runway strips on the farms. JUST BE
A TOURIST!! Flores and Santa Elena are the hub of the Peten. All the
buses from Guatemala City and the Airport are located in Flores / Santa
Elena. If you fly or drive to Flores to see the pyrimads in Tikal, you
should consider staying on the Santa Elena side of the island. It is
MUCH--MUCH cheaper and the hotels can be just as nice. From the "main
bus depot"in Santa Elena, really a collection of business around the
bus drop-off area to the Flores island is about a 15 minute walk tops,
very safe, lots of people, one road, lots of Americans. You could
always catch a ride on the buses that shuttle back and forth across the
island's causeway. I recommend staying at the Hotel and Resturant Tikal
in Santa Elena. It is located near the airport in front of the
Central University of the Peten. ( 926-0174 or 926-1075) It doen't
look like much from the street, but it is very nice. They have a pool,
private rooms - 2 queen beds/room, air conditioning that works, private
toilet that works and showers with hot water. Cheap,
about15dollars/night. It is family owned, Dorita Samayoa is the owner.
They have people there who speak english, They can give you guided
tours to the Tikal and yaxha parks. Mini vans or small buses are
probably the most popular way for people to travel to the parks. I
think you will have to fear the monkeys trying to beg some food from
you more than from any robbers.

The whole idea when travelling to Guatemala is to act normal and just
"fit in". Don't be the big, fat, rich, american, shouting and
complaining that everything is "crap". You are visiting another
country. Just enjoy it for what it is. The place is beautiful. From
the pacific side to Atitlan and the "usual tourist spots" , antigua,
and Guatemala city, north to the Peten, the country is quite different
geographically, but the people are all nice. All the areas are nice.
You can travel on your own a lot cheaper than any tour package. If you
speak some spanish you have it made. However, many parts of the
highlands speak indians dialects, but spanish is usually no problem and
in most "tourist places" there are lots of people who speak english. I
love the country.

I recommend not to travel at night, stay where you are and ejoy the
good food and have a few drinks. The "chicken buses" are ok outside of
Guatemala City. Stay out of Zone 18 anytime of the day and zone 1 at
night. Zones 8,9,10 are all good day and night. The area around the US
embasy is safe too. I have always stopped travelling at the El
Salvador / Guatemala border. I have "concerns" about travelling into
El Salvador....

Your must see itinerary is Antigua, Lake Atilan, Chi-chi market days,
Flores / Tikal. As students, take the busess, express where possible.
Stay in regular Guatemalan hotels. They are not 5 star, but they are
safe and cheap. You might even be able to stay in a private home with
a family. I have done it many times and have had a great time.

I would change some money apon arrival at a bank or airport. Don't
freak out about the guards carrying machine guns. Most businesses have
armed guards at the doors. They are there to protect you, not harm
you. I would always have some cash on me - quetzales.
Credit cards are useless in some places, so always have some cash.
There ATM's around most tourist locations.

You need to take malaria pills starting a week before you go to
Guatemala if you plan to go into the Peten (Tikal) or the lower pacific
coast areas (Monterrico, Puerto San Jose). The swamps breed the
moquitos for transmitting malaria, even the locals get malaria once in
a while. If you are just staying around Guatemala City(why?) Antigua,
and the highlands (Chi-Chi and the Lake Atitlan area) then you don't
need to.

I get Hepatitis A and C vaccinations. I travel around to farms and
towns with no running water and some no electricity and lots of cows
and cow poop and horse poop. For sure you need to have a current
tetnus shot. Bring diarehha pills. I never needed them, but I always
bring them. Bring asprin or something for head aches. I have never
gotten sick on any of my trips.

Enjoy your trip. I hope you have at least 10 days or more. Three
weeks is just about right to really see everything - or a second trip.
Just fit in. Eat and travel like the locals. Don't be afraid to talk
with other tourists and the locals. It is half the fun of the trip.
Enjoy it!