Friday, August 26, 2022
This morning I’m heading to Antigua. I ate the hostel breakfast and then took the boat to Panajachel to catch my shuttle. I booked the shuttle the day before with Xocomils Tours through the hostel. The office is right near the dock which is super convenient.
When I got to town they dropped us in the center, so I had to walk a few blocks to Maya Papaya (which is a challenge on the streets here). Immediately, this hostel is super lovely. It’s not a party hostel but it feels social enough. There’s a bar and the dorm is nice and sunny. There’s common spaces inside and out that are all super cute.
I head to Luna del Miel for lunch which is a crepe restaurant. These crepes are a bit tortilla-like and they kind of over do it on the sauces, but it’s still pretty good. It’s a big restaurant and you can sit on the roof in the shade.
For dinner I went to Mi Vietnamese Kitchen for pho. It was pretty good and I sat on the rooftop at night which was really nice. The streets feel safe here at night.
Saturday, August 27, 2022
I met up with a guide in the town center for a walking tour, which was pretty good. We saw the arch, the central park, and the Cathedral of Santiago. The guide was really nice and offered to help me practice Spanish, which I was too shy to take him up on. At the end of the tour we got a tour of the Jade Museum which I actually really enjoyed. I learned some cool facts about the Mayans.
Afterwards, I of course went to Luna de Miel for lunch. Then I stopped at the markets which have some really nice artwork. I wish I had space for it, but instead I had to be happy with a bracelet with a fake jade.
For dinner I went to Cadejo Antigua Pub Bar with some people from the hostel and got cochinita tacos.
Sunday, August 28, 2022
Today I’m hiking Acatenango volcano. I got breakfast at Fernando’s Kaffee so I would have energy for the hike. The place is nice but the portion was a bit small. Then I headed to Tropicana for the hike.
There’s lots of companies to go with for the hike, some better than others. I’d say Tropicana is probably above average, and the great thing is you’ll probably be with mostly young people from the hostel, since Tropicana is a party hostel.
I arrived and discovered they were going to feed us breakfast so I had a second breakfast. Then they gave us food to carry for lunch, which was actually a delicious burrito. We took the bus together to the trailhead. We were able to rent hiking gear like boots, pants, jackets, hats, gloves, and hiking poles ahead of time for a small fee.
The tour group is pretty big so you can find your place in the pack. The hike is not technical (except avoiding the barbed wire at some points), but it is very steep and the altitude gets pretty high. Depending on how fit you are the hike could be moderate to very difficult. I know the first time I hiked to a high altitude I really struggled, but this time I was in the front of the group the whole time. Make sure to get hiking poles no matter what because the way back will be straight down and it’s tough on the knees.
The front of the group hiked just fast enough that it was challenging but not too challenging. We also took plenty of breaks. There’s places to use the bathroom at the rest stops, but they aren’t pretty.
At the top we got amazing views of the volcano which is not guaranteed. There’s an amazing hike you can take to get closer to the explosions, but I chose not to do it because the shoes I borrowed were not comfortable. It turned out to be the right decision because it started raining and the few people who did it came back exhausted.
For dinner we stood around the fire (it’s pretty cold at the top) and ate some noodles prepared by the guides. They also gave us hot chocolate and wine. Then we went to bed, which was pretty cold for me. The sleeping bags were not high quality and they were not built for tall people. Some people told me they were overheating during the night because they put all of their layers on, so I guess this will just depend on whether you naturally tend to get cold or not.
Monday, August 29, 2022
In the morning I got up for the sunrise hike, which turned out to be extremely cold and the clouds completely covered the volcano. There was frost forming on our hair and hats. This part of the hike is a bit more technical and you need a good headlamp for it. I think mine shut down because it was too cold. I thought the battery ran out, but now that I’m back at sea level it seems to be totally fine.
When we got back from the hike we ate porridge for breakfast and then started our descent. The descent is really fast and you’ll be back at the bus in no time.
All in all I would say this is absolutely the best hike I’ve ever done. The views are easily the best I’ve ever experienced, and the hike was just challenging enough to make me feel accomplished at the top. The only downside is the toilets and it being cold at night. With proper gear the latter can be solved, but I find that your first night camping is always tough, so I say suffering a little is alright because you’ll be back home the next day anyway.
When I got home I went to Cactus Tacos which had pretty decent tacos. Then I got ice cream at Helado Amoretto as a post hike treat.
For dinner I went to the little park behind the arch where they have a market with food. I got a sandwich and lemonade which were overpriced for how simple they were, but they tasted pretty good so I didn’t mind.
Tuesday, August 30, 2022
I could stay in Antigua for a long time because there’s just so much to do. I can’t though, so maybe I’ll be back one day for Spanish class or just to work.
This morning I’m taking it easy to recover from the hike. I stop in at Fernando’s Kaffee and get breakfast while working a bit. Then I go shopping in all the little boutiques. The clothes are new but they’re from brands like Zara. I got a cute romper to replace my favorite dress that I bought in Austria and spilt tea all over. This one is actually nicer.
For lunch I went to Rincon Tipico which was recommended by my tour guide for traditional food. You can get a really cheap lunch and eat with locals. I got the vegetarian option (which they always have) and it was really good.
I’m taking a long night bus tonight to Flores so I had to find a place for an early dinner. I ended up at El Viejo Cafe after walking around for a bit. The vibes are really good and the sandwich I got was tasty. I also got some baked goods for the bus which were pretty good.
I got picked up by my shuttle to Guatemala City at the hostel. It’s pretty expensive at 450 Quetzals. You can get a ride for just 400 Quetzals if you sacrifice a reclining seat, but having done it I’m so glad I didn’t. You might also be able to make it cheaper by finding alternate transport to the Guatemala City bus station, but I wasn’t taking any chances because the city is known for being very violent.
I had to wait at the bus stop for 2 hours alone which was not my favorite thing to do, but at least I didn’t have to worry about being late. Then I boarded my bus, which was a confusing process that no one helped me with.
Someone stole my window seat so I had to sit in the aisle with nothing to rest my head on. This made the night pretty rough and eventually I moved to an empty row so I could have a window seat. People kept getting on the bus so I was worried I stole someone’s seat, but no one approached me. The police also stopped us at least three times and people had to get off the bus each time to have their identification checked.
Check Out My Guide to Antigua ⧉
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