Nestled in between Belize, Southern Mexico, El Salvador and Honduras, Guatemala is an upcoming tourist destination priding itself on pristine jungles, two coasts, an incredible fresh-water lake, active ancient volcanoes, and beautiful rolling countryside filled with great oral and cultural history. The capital of the ancient Mayan world, Guatemala keeps Mayan culture alive and well. Think about going soon -- the dry season, ending in late May, is the best time to travel to the Mayan wonderland
For travel on package tours that visit a large portion of Guatemalan sites, Gate 1 Travel (tel. 800/682-3333; www.gate1travel.com) has a six-day/five-night air-land inclusive trip starting from $799 out of New York that covers a wide part of the Guatemalan experience. Accommodations are at first class boutique hotels with few rooms and excellent service. Your trip starts in Guatemala City before heading out to the city of Chichicastenango (Chichi for short) in the mountains for a visit to one of Guatemala's largest open-air Mayan flea markets. Then the trip takes you to Lake Atitlan and Antigua, both geological and historical sites filled of plants and animals set amidst hovering active volcanoes worshipped by natives and studied by international scientists. All entry fees per site are covered, as are hotel taxes and gratuities. Travel through the Guatemalan countryside inside a deluxe motor coach. With Gate 1, if you pay for your trip in cash or book early, you usually receive around 5% off of the regular tour price. Of course, English-speaking local guides will lead the tours.
Another four-night/five-day package offered by Gate 1 to Guatemala is on special right now out of Miami from $589. This trip bases itself out of Guatemala City and takes day-trips all over the countryside. For both trips, airport departure fees and security taxes are not included in the price of the package tour. This trip departs at least once a month through October 2005.
For you lovers of non-package travel, Guatemala hotel development has seen the construction of some five-star boutique hotels owned and operated by American hotel companies with an eye toward comfort, service and local custom. The Casa Encantada (tel. 866/837-8900; www.casaencantada-antigua.com) in Antigua is set high in a mountain valley adjacent to an incredible volcano. Owned and operated by the Lancaster Group out of Houston, TX, Casa Encantada has nine rooms and a large rooftop suite. Hotel staff speaks fluent Spanish, English and French. The hotel, located in colonial Antigua -- a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site -- is less than an hour drive to Guatemala City and an hour to Guatemala's Pacific Coast. In addition to the volcanoes and mountains, coffee plantations and fields of flowers surround the hotel, making some of the most beautiful in Latin America. The hotel can arrange any day-trips to surrounding sites as well as all dinner reservations in the town of Antigua where cuisine ranges from Central American fare to Moroccan. Mid-week rates start around $90 per night for a double and $55 for a small single room, making the Casa Encantada one of the best all-around lodging deals for first-class service and luxury not only in Guatemala, but all of Central America. Antigua is a great base to hike Volcano Pacaya, one of the four still active volcanoes in the country.
To get to Guatemala, fly into Guatemala City or Flores. If you act fast and travel before March 31, 2005 booking on Intratours (tel. 800/334-8069; www.intratours.com), round-trip flight to Guatemala City will run you $277 out of Boston, $268 from Miami and $323 from New York. Rates go up slightly for spring travel from April 1 to June 17, 2005. If you're country hopping in Central America, you can reach Guatemala on the many boats tarrying locals from town to town up the Caribbean coast along the Gulf of Honduras between Belize and Honduras.
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