For the last several years, one of the very best Black Friday deals has been when Saks Fifth Avenue allows you to receive a $75 bonus promotional gift card with a $150 order when you buy eligible items and use a code. This year's code is HELLOBFSF.
06.11.2023 - 12:13 / lonelyplanet.com
With its pyramids, ruins, jungles, volcanoes and thriving Mayan culture, Guatemala is where the story of Central America comes vividly to life.
Exploring this fascinating corner of the Americas is easy, but getting from A to B may take longer than you think.
With an average income of less than US$400 a month, owning a car is out of reach for most Guatemalans, so the vast majority of locals rely on public transport to get around. Because of this, buses are almost always busy, but it also means there's almost always a bus going where you want to go.
Travelers will be pleased to hear that Guatemala’s public transport system is extensive and inexpensive, but it isn't always particularly efficient. It will get you to your destination, but be prepared for long travel days, bumpy roads and some discomfort.
Your map may show a short distance, but with poorly maintained, winding roads, slow-moving traffic and frequent road closures, it almost always takes longer to get there than you think. Still, there are options for explorers of all budgets, and in such a colorful country, the journey is all part of the experience.
Here are our tips for getting around in Guatemala.
Currently, there are no passenger services on Guatemala's limited rail network, so the main form of mass transportation is the humble bus. Buses in Guatemala come in two classes: comfortable first-class Pullman buses and second-class “chicken buses” – revamped US school buses that go almost everywhere.
First-class buses – also known as "express buses" – operate on busy routes between major destinations, with regular services from Guatemala City to Quetzaltenango, Huehuetenango, Flores (for Tikal) and Panajachel (for Lago de Atitlán). Buses also connect major cities to some beach destinations and international border crossings to Honduras, Mexico, El Salvador and Belize.
Not all bus lines are created equal, however. Some buses have toilets, but others don’t. Some have a TV screen up front playing music videos or action movies dubbed into Spanish, while others will let you enjoy the scenery or have a snooze in peace and quiet. First-class buses are about double the price of second-class buses, but they’re also much faster, safer and more comfortable.
Known locally as camionetas, chicken buses are more frequent than Pullman buses, and they cover pretty much every city, town and village in Guatemala. These retired US school buses have been given a new life and a bold new look, with bright primary colors and a riot of chrome trimmings. You won’t see many chickens on the buses these days, but they transport just about anything else.
Buses stop frequently to pick up and drop off passengers, and shopkeepers in smaller towns often use chicken buses to transport
For the last several years, one of the very best Black Friday deals has been when Saks Fifth Avenue allows you to receive a $75 bonus promotional gift card with a $150 order when you buy eligible items and use a code. This year's code is HELLOBFSF.
Like millions of other Americans, I grew up watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV at home in Montana.
For the last several years, one of the very best Black Friday deals has been when Saks Fifth Avenue allows you to receive a $75 bonus promotional gift card with a $150 order when you buy eligible items and use a code. This year's code is HELLOBFSF.
The ancient Maya thrived for some 3,000 years and created a monumental legacy that still inspires pop culture, from animated series to video games. Their stepped stone pyramids and glyph carved temple walls can be found in Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico, home to the well known sites of Tulum, Chichén Itzá, and the Uxmal pyramids.
With the budgets of Americans being pinched from nearly every direction these days, there’s good news in at least one category of spending: Travel.
For over a decade now, American Express has held a "Small Business Saturday" event on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, spotlighting small businesses throughout the U.S. during the busy holiday shopping period.
Notorious for its chaotic traffic, Lima is a sprawling metropolitan city that can be intimidating for newcomers to navigate.
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) is scrapping its controversial plan to reduce flight capacity in an effort to curb traffic and pollution, after facing intense pressure from the U.S.
Squashed between the Pacific Coast and Amazon Rainforest, with the Andes Mountains running down its spine, Peru is a patchwork of contrasting regions, each with its own unique landscapes and ecosystems.
You’ve hit the ground in Bangkok and are ready for that next step. Now how do you get around?
Redeeming points for free hotel stays is a great way to save money on your travels. But what's even better is maximizing your redemptions so that you get an award night for no points at all.
Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett, CD, MP, has set a new target to welcome 250,000 visitors out of the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland by 2025. This follows on the heels of Jamaica being the number one Caribbean destination among British travellers last year.