From colourful flashes within the canopies to melodic morning songs, birds will be a lasting memory of my time in Central America. As a child I sat silently in hides for what seemed like months with my dad, just to get a glimpse of relatively common migratory seabirds. As the years went on I carried…
I accidentally timed my arrival in Antigua with the blooming of the jacarandas in its main square. No accident though, was my plan to see its Semana Santa celebrations, the most elaborate in Latin America. The city’s holy week is particularly notable for its combination of two cultures: Roman Catholicism that was brought by the…
San Pedro La Laguna on the shores of Guatemala’s Lake Atitlan is home to a unique mixture of Spanish students and traditional Tz’utujil Maya, helping it to stand out on the backpacker trail. Why go? Most visitors spend a few weeks in this lakeside town to attend one of its many Spanish schools, however for me,…
The borders that encircle the countries we recognise today as Belize, Guatemala and Honduras mean little in the story of the Maya. Tikal: A centre for political and economical power Then: It’s thought that this site, originally named Yax Mutal, was one of the largest cities of the ancient Maya. Construction of Tikal’s temple complexes and…
Born in the town of Salama, southern Guatemala, Joel is now a local of Poptún. Against adversity, Joel has made a success of his local tuk-tuk business that ferries visitors around the locality. Originally one of twelve, six of Joel’s brothers and sisters passed away before adulthood – a striking example of his family’s access…
Livingston occupies a tiny slither of Caribbean coast in the south of Guatemala. It’s the only enclave of the Garifuna people in the country, as well as being the extremely picturesque end to a fantastic boat cruise from nearby Rio Dulce. Why Go? Aside from its colourful streets and varied birdlife, this town is the…
Caving in Guatemala is an unceremonious affair. You hike for a while, usually through jungle, and then simply slip in. It’s almost as if you have stumbled upon the ancient geological formation by accident. Ah, a massive cave system: what a surprise! Ixo Cave was no exception. Our walk started in the overgrown fields of…
