Things you should know before traveling to Guatemala

Guatemala is a country in the Central America region of North America. It has borders to Mexico in the north/northwest, to Belize in the northeast, to Honduras in the southeast, to El Salvador in the south. It also has a Pacific coastline to the southwest, and a tiny piece of Caribbean coastline to the east.
La Antigua Guatemala: Colonial Spanish capital of Central America, a World Heritage site, and the most popular among tourists.

Guatemala has a rich and distinctive culture from the long mix of elements from Spain and the native Maya people. This diverse history and the natural beauty of the land has created a destination rich in interesting and scenic sites.

It is difficult to travel in the more remote areas during the rainy season between mid-May to mid-October and into mid-November in the north.

The elaborate ceremonies in Antigua the week leading up to Easter are a highlight.

The months of March and April are very hot especially in the low lying areas such as the pacific coastal plain.

Popular destinations:

Chichicastenango: Highland Maya town famous for its traditional market
Flores: Island city capital of Petén, good starting point to access Mayan ruins of Tikal.
Lake Atitlán: Beautiful lake in the mountains surrounded by picturesque villages and volcanos, which is becoming more and more touristic
Panajachel, small tourist-oriented town that is good starting point for Lake Atitlán
Santiago Atitlán, small town on south side of Lake Atitlán, famous for a shrine to Maximón
San Pedro la Laguna (also known as San Pedro de Laguna), small town on southwest side of Lake Atitlán, offering low-cost living, great views, and a modest Spanish-language training industry
Lake Izabal, in the department of Izabal
Livingston: Caribbean coast town with Garifuna culture
Monterrico: The beach closest to Guatemala City and Antigua, volcanic sand.
Rio Dulce
Lanquin: Small town located near the Grutas de Lanquin (caves) and Semuc Champey (limestone pools)
Todos Santos (Guatemala): Small village in the mountains near the Mexican border. Offers good trekking, and the local people still speak the native languages, use the traditional calender, and native dress (men and women).
Guatemala is a great place to learn Spanish. The prices are low, and Guatemalan Spanish is considered pleasing. Antigua has the highest number of Spanish schools and is also the most popular place for tourists. But if studying Spanish is your main concern, you might be better off elsewhere, because you can actually go around in Antigua for a whole day without hearing anything but English.

Because of this, many language students head towards San Pedro la Laguna, seated by Lake Atitlan, where a wide range of language schools also offer Spanish language courses (some quite inexpensive). But as in Antigua the quality of the lessons might not be up to what expect, so ask around.

Instead Try Quetzaltenango which is considered now (2005) as the educative tourist destination of Guatemala. Another option is to look among other less touristed cities and villages for other quality schools.
One of the best things about Guatemala is the abundance of natural beauty and numerous treks. Some of these are notorious for robberies (ex. Volcan de Agua, trails around Lago de Atitlan, Volcan de Pacaya). Always ask around about the situation before embarking blindly. Inguat, locals, and fellow travellers are safe bets for information. Travelling in groups during daylight sometimes decreases the risk, but not always.

Traffic can be dangerous. You will encounter many 1 lane roads (1 lane each way) and drivers are apt to swerve back and forth, avoiding potholes and bumps along the way. There are also various multiple lane highways. Traffic in Guatemala City and surrounding metropolitan areas during rush hour is very slow, but general driving everywhere is usually very fast (average speeds of up to 60 mph in some city roads).

Guatemala has one of the highest rates of violent crime in the world. Most tourists travel to Guatemala without any serious problems. Nonetheless, travelers should take some extra precautions when in Guatemala. If mugged, carjacked, or approached by armed inviduals, cooperate. Do not make any sudden movements, and give them whatever belongings or money they are demanding. Tourists have been shot and killed for resisting muggers. Do not go to areas known to be hotbeds of narcotrafficking activity (ie: some parts of the Peten), and do not go to the most dangerous neighborhoods in Guatemala City (ie: zones 3, 6, 18, and 21). Be careful in Zone 1 in Guatemala City, especially after dark, and do not stay in hostels there. Using the slightly more expensive hostels in Zone 10 or Zone 13 (near the airport) is a much better idea. Do not use buses in Guatemala City, as they are frequently robbed by gangs. Instead, radio-dispatched taxis (ie: Taxi Amarillo) are a safer way to get around the city.

Although some say that travellers should always carry a bit of extra cash and be prepared to bribe a few police officers, most tourists will have no reason to give bribes to anyone. The most likely situations in which you might have to bribe police would be if you’re driving a car or riding a motorcycle and are stopped for fictitious violations of traffic rules. Most European/North Americans find it immoral but its much easier to spend 50 Quetzales and avoid the headaches than to be harassed by the police. Phrases such as “I’m sorry officer. Is there any way we can resolve this right now?” work well. Do not offer bribes directly to an officer because it is illegal and you could actually end up in more trouble.

Keep any important documents or items (passports, wallets, etc.) in your front pocket or close to your person.