Excited for 3 months in Guatemala

My boyfriend and I are travelling to Guatemala in Feb. for 3 months. We have minimal plans for what we will be doing but I wanted to get opinions on the little we do have planned.

We are arriving in Guatemala in the evening and want to get to a hotel as easily as possible. Can people recommend a hotel/bed n breakfast that will pick you up from the airport and then drop you off at the bus lines the next day? We want to book it in advance and don't mind paying a little more as we'll probably be tired and want a quiet room if possible.

We then plan on going to Xela and staying there for a month. The plan is to take day trips out of there and go on some hikes with Quetzaltrekkers. Maybe even volunteer a bit if they want us.

After a month or so travel to Flores and Tikal and head over to Belize for a few weeks. I haven't looked into Belize much yet so I don't know where to go but will research it. Am thinking about flying to Belize from Flores, does anyone know about how much that costs and if it is very pratical?

We then plan on travelling around Guatemala some more, check out more of the highlands and then to Antigua until we have to fly out of Guat City.

Is it easy to go to the area without much planning? Neither of us has been to CA, we've just travelled around Europe. I've researched safety issues and will be travelling with those in mind but am not too worried.

Any comments are much appreciated.

THe nice folks at "Hostal Hermano Pedro" (Google it) offer free airport pick-up, cheap prices, free breakfast, and nice rooms in a beautiful and secure private home with a rooftop terrace. I'm sure they can help you get to the bus station next morning or arrange for taxi, shuttle, or whatever you require.

OK. So here's a plug for Hotel Xamanek in the zona viva. Charming double room with private bath for $35 or $40 with breakfast and internet. (be sure to book ahead as they only have two such rooms.) It is a block and a half away from Casa Chapina restaurant, for really delicious real guatemalan dinner , where !00 quetzales is a splurge. The Galgos pullman bus to Xela is only a 25Q ride away but you might want to stay a day to walk around and visit a couple of very interesting museums like the Ixchel traditional clothing collection or the adjacent Popol Vuh museum.
To get to know Guatemala, a short stay in the capital brings a lot more than a long stay in beautiful restored Antigua.
From Xela, you can easily make your way through Huehuetenango and Sacapulas to Coban, Sayaxche and Flores to see Guatemala from the back roads.
It would be nothing then to bus down to Belize but I would rather head to Rio Dulce, Copan and the Honduras Bay Islands for some beach and dive time. Copan Honduras has several tourist shuttle vans per day to get you back direct to Antigua.
You needn't plan anything but do get a good guide book like the new LP and Moon. The only prebooking you need is in Antigua for Holy Week. But it may already be a bit late for that.
As for safety, Boston scares the hell out of me and I walk around many places in Guatemala without a care --I just keep my eyes open.
Three months in Guatemala is a dream.

Man, you lucky ducks! Since you'll likely want to spend some time around San Ignacio, Belize, you might as well travel there by land but flying back from BZE to GUA might make sense. Check out my photos and travelogues below if you're interested. Keep us posted!

With so much time, you can do and see so much in this wonderful country. I suggest flexibility regarding Xela. A month there could easily start to seem too long and Guatemala has so very many items of interest, so finding a place to stay where you only pay weekly at the beginning of the week might be best for you.

The Guate airport hotels, such as Hostal Hermano Pedro, are good for people who are arriving quite late in the evening and are planning to fly or bus onward early the next day. The only interesting thing they are near is the airport.

I have walked to the Museo Popul Vuh twice from Xamanek. The second time, I was with other people, so we took a cab back. Ask at the desk for directions.

Hopefulist is pretty much on the money about San Ignacio/Cayo.

Louisg, isn't the daily Galgos Pullman from Guate a thing of the past?

Mayaphile, check your wonderful new Lonely Planet. There are seven Galgos buses daily to Xela. You also have Alamo and Americas but I would not recommend these two. And there is a relative newcomer with newer buses: Good ole Linea Dorada. I've only heard good comments about their service on this route -- so far.

Sounds great! You'll be fine without doing much planning. Personally, I think a month in Xela would be great--many people come and stay much longer than they ever expected. There are SO many daytrips possible from there (sounds like you know that already). I stayed a month in Xela, though I was also doing language classes--which are very affordable, by the way, so if you wanted to take a week and just get brushed up on your Spanish, it would be really easy to arrange--now or once you're there. It's also an easy way to hook up with some accommodation while you figure out where you want to stay the rest of your time.

If you really want to go straight on to Xela the next day, I highly recommend Hotel Dos Lunas. They do a "Xela package" that includes airport pickup, room, drive to the bus station of your choice, bus ticket, and a bag of snacks for the ride--it doesn't amount to any more than all that would cost if you did it independently. The hotel is cute and clean and very quiet. People often point out that it's far away from everything, which is true, but if you're going on to Xela the next day it doesn't matter. The other airport hotels are about the same, from what I hear--Dos Lunas is just the one I've used.

Very happy with Linea Dorada bus service, by the way, except for loud movies, which many of the others have too.

remember the info in 'new' guidebooks is already a year or more out of date. I don't think there are 7 Galgos per day, prob three or four at most. I prefer Linea Dorada which don't stop at all.

Xela travel times

Well...Stingrayi is right. Galgos (502) 2220-0238 still operates, but the last time I called them, a few months ago, they had cut down on their schedule because of all the construction work on the road. Of course I would also prefer to ride Linea Dorada. Xela is a town that has always attracted people from the USA. In fact there is an excellent private school (Colegio La Patria) that was founded by presbiterian missionares back in 1907. Have a nice trip.

Excited for 3 months in Guatemala? Last time I was excited for 3 months, I was 30 years younger, and it wasn't in Guatemala.... Oh, well, I am envious of your opportunity and hope to take advantage of the advice you recieve. Have a great trip, but write back and tell us about it.