Guatemala

If there’s anything better than trekking through the jungle and discovering ancient ruins, it’d be backing it up with a swim in a natural pool. Semuc Champey is just that: this natural wonder is a natural limestone formation that looks like a series of rice paddies in the middle of the Guatemalan jungle. Seemingly emerging from the middle of nowhere, an underground river is responsible for this amazing landscape. Accessible from the tiny nearby town of Lanquín, make the most of a trip to Semuc Champey by walking along its many with hiking trails and guided tours up to lookout points. If you want to do even deeper, head to the nearby Kan’Ba Caves, where walking through a dark labyrinth will lead you to the underground river. Trust us, it’s definitely worth it.

You probably already know how much Guatemalans love cocoa, but this festival celebrates another of the country’s favourite beans: coffee. Guatemala is a leading exporter of high-quality coffee, and every February the town of Frajianes celebrates the arrival of the harvest. Join in the local celebration with parades, food and dancing.

The arrival of the Spanish brought Catholicism to Guatemala, and the country is still very devoted to this day. Semana Santa, or Holy Week, is a week-long celebration leading up to Easter Sunday. This week is celebrated with different church services, processions and street fairs. Semana Santa takes place in March or April every year.

Known locally as Rabin Ajau, this annual festival takes place every year in late July or early August in the town of Coban. Located in the highlands and surrounded by forests and coffee plantations, this festival showcases the indigenous traditions through music and dance, culminating with the selection of the Mayan beauty queen.

The Mayan Calendar consisted of 360 days, so Mayans New Year is about celebrating a full rotation of the cycle of life. Celebrated at scared Mayan sites around Guatemala, several rituals and ceremonies are performed on Mayan New Year to honour that cycle and bless the new one.

Literally translating to “Day of the Dead,” this popular Latin America festival combines Catholic and indigenous beliefs. Celebrated all over Guatemala on November 2 – the Catholic All Souls’ Day – this festival pays homage to dead ancestors. Special celebrations include the flying of kites in Santiago Sacatepéquez and wild horse racing in Todos Santos Cuchumatán.

Guatemala City's most notable landmark, Palacio Nacional is the former presidential palace built in the 1940s by dictator Jose Ubico. Designed using a mix of Spanish Renaissance and Neoclassical architectural styles, this stunning building is now open to the public. Learn about the modern history of Guatemala as you walk through this ornately-decorated building.

Get up-close-and-personal with indigenous Guatemalan clothing and textiles at the Ixchel Museum of Indigenous Textiles and Clothing in Guatemala City. The museum features a huge collection of hand-woven fabrics dating back to the 19th century, which come from 120 different highland villages. The museum’s collection also has a significant holding of Guatemalan folk art.

With one of the world's biggest collections of Mayan art, the Museo Popol Vuh in Guatemala City is not to be missed. The museum’s extensive collection of Mayan art and artefacts dates back to the Paleoindian era of 9,000 BC, which helps piece together the fascinating history of Guatemala.

As the birthplace of chocolate, you’ll definitely want to check out Guatemala’s Choco Museum. Discover the history behind the Mayan love of chocolate, which they considered the food of the gods, as well as participating in chocolate-making workshops, where you’ll learn how to turn cacao bean into chocolate bar.

A local favourite, chiles rellenos are Guatemalan stuffed peppers. Guaque chilli, capsicums and jalapeños are hollowed-out to be stuffed with a mixture of minced meat, carrots, green beans and other spices. Once stuffed, the peppers are covered in batter and deep-fried. They are often served in bread as a sandwich.

_{Best eaten at
FRIDAS, 5a Avenida Norte, Arco de Santa Catalina, Antigua}

A fusion of Spanish and Mayan cultures, chicken pepian is one of the oldest dishes in Guatemala. This delicious chicken stew is thickened with both fruit and vegetables – usually pear, squash, carrot, potato and corn – as well as a rich mix of spices, before being served on a bed of rice and tortillas.

_{Best eaten at
Senor Pepian, Oriente 4, 3 Av. North, Antigua}

Another traditional Mayan soup, kak’ik is a soup made using turkey that is flavoured with a variety of spices, including coriander, achiote and chillies. This dish goes back to the Q’eqchi’ ethnic group, who still prepare the dish in the same way as they did hundreds of years ago. Pick up a bowl of kak’ik at Panela in Antigua.

_{Best eaten at
Panela, Avenida Norte 12 A La Antigua Guatemala 6ta, Antigua}

The pastel tres leches translates to ‘three milk cake’ in English. This delicious sweet sponge gets its name from its main ingredients; three different types of milk. This butter cake is soaked in evaporated milk, condensed milk, and either whole milk or cream.

_{Best eaten at
Cafe Condesa, 5a Avenida Norte 4, Antigua}

If you’re after a sweet snack, you’ll be reaching for second helpings of rellenitos. These Guatemalan donuts are made using cooked plantains that are mashed and stuffed with refried bean paste, cinnamon and sugar. Shaped into little dumplings and deep-fried, try some rellenitos at Dona Maria Gordillo sweet shop in Antigua.

_{Best eaten at
Dona Maria Gordillo, 4ta. Calle Poniente, Antigua}