Know Before You Go: Guatemala

~Currency~

-The currency is called the Guatemalan Quetzales or Quetzal for short

-1 USD=7.68GTQ

-Cash is King, always have cash with you as most places are cash only

-You can easily find ATMs within the country that take foreign cards so you can take cash out. I recommend having a debit card that does not charge international fees so taking money out does not cost extra.

~Visas~

-You do NOT need a visa if you are American. (Check your local immigration website for all other countries).

-Americans get a free 90 day visa upon arrival. Score.

~Transportation~

-Guatemala is very accessible to travel on public transport/shared shuttle vans. I mainly used shared shuttle vans to get to/from each town and it was always filled with other tourists and felt very safe.

-Most accomodations can book these vans for you as they include door to door pickup/drop-off.

-If coming from Guatemala City Airport, I highly recommend taking the shuttle and not the public bus. I heard one horror story from the Guatemala City bus and now I just think its worth the extra 10 dollars to be safe.

~Safety~

-Guatemala is a super safe country to travel!!! I think it's a perfect country to do solo and especially solo for women.

-With that said, Guatemala City is the only place I have ever heard that has a bad reputation for safety. There is some gang related violence in the city so I would just stray away. Not much to see in the capital anyways.

-Everywhere else I went I felt extremely safe. The locals were very helpful and kind, the streets were clean and quiet, and the transport was reliable.

~SIM Card~

-As always, I recommend getting a local SIM card. It's the best way to get reliable connectivity for the cheapest price. Tigo and Claro are the most used providers. Just pop into one of their many shops and bring your passport. The rest they will do for you.

-If you have a newer phone without a SIM tray, then try the app Airlo for data deals.

-Mostly everywhere has WiFi but I always think its best to have some data.

~Weather~

-Guatemala can be visited year round. But there is a general wet and dry season. If you want to hike its best to go in the dry season to ensure great views.

-The dry season is from November to April.

-The rainy season is from May to October .

-No matter which month you go, bring a jacket!! Even during days where it was 85 and sunny, the weather would drop drastically in the night and it would get very chilly. I ended up having to buy a jacket and jeans since I was not prepared.

Random Tips n Tricks:

-Guatemala uses the US outlet. So no need for a converter if you are American.

-Tap water is NOT safe to drink. Bottles only.

-Learn some Spanish!! A little goes a long way.

-Bring bug spray!!! El Paredon is deadly for them.