Guatemala

How to Guatemala

I thought that I should write this blog for people like me who spend hours doing research so when I roll into a place I know exactly where I am going and how I am getting there to avoid looking like a tourist. Well I have a backpack on and blonde hair but you know what I mean. Please note all money is in local currency. 

Boarder crossing from Belize

The bus you take in Belize brings you to a town called Banque where you can take a $5 taxi or walk the easy 2km to the boarder. Note if you are originating in San Ignacio and are not travelling solo you can take a taxi for $5 each from there, however it is only $2 to take the bus and walk. It seems silly but $3 adds up fast, whenever possible I walk.

Once you get to the boarder you have to pay a $40 exit fee (they will also accept American Dollars here but no other currency) Once you get your exit stamp ignore all the people offering you taxis. Walk past the weird tunnel thing and to you left is where you collect your entrance stamp to Guatemala. 

Now if you're like me and know the best exchange rate comes from ATMs there is one located over the bridge and up the road to the right. About a 5 minute walk it is located inside a Pharmacy and charges a 31.20Q fee. Which is steep so I took out 1,500Q  which it let me even though the highest option onscreen was 1,000Q. I have now found out that the maximum amount you can withdraw at one time is 2000Q.

Now you need to get where you're going, I was headed to Flores and there are collectivos on the first road to the left after the bridge, if you went to the bank this road would be on your right and the last one before the bridge to the boarder. For 30Q (yep less than the bank fee) they will take you to Flores. This "station" is located down the street on the right. You can't miss it and there will probably be some children there to help you along.

Now this bus (large van) picks up all sorts of people along way so I recommend sitting in the back corner so you don't have to get in and out constantly as people are getting on and off. 

Leaving Flores I did not bother shopping around because the first place I stopped at told me they would pick me up from my hostel and take me to Lanquin for 90Q. Turns out this was a better deal than everyone else got who had shopped around. Lucky me.  This bus departs at 08:00 and shows up to get you where ever you are in the que. We arrived in Lanquin around 16:00 and not to worry they stop 3 times along the way, once for gas (10 minute break) once just at a store (15 minute break) and once for lunch in Coban and McDonalds (30 minute break)

Once we were in Lanquin there was a truck that took us all to our respective hostels free of charge, be prepared for a rough ride! 

There isn't a whole lot in the shops in town so if you have a restricted diet or you're on a budget I highly recommend doing your shopping at the supermarket in the mall that the stop in Coban.

Also a good thing to note is the trucks shouldn't cost you more than 15Q to get around, some of them will even take ten make sure you clarify this before getting on the truck. Also the tourist shop in town has the best prices for booking a shuttle on to the next destination, and the guy that runs it speaks excellent English.