Charlie’s favourite country so far is Guatemala. This unassuming and lesser known Central American country is home to stunning volcanoes and lakes as far as the eye can see. Converted USA school buses (‘chicken buses’) connect towns together, blasting Latino music. Expect colourful textiles in the markets and traditional clothing worn by locals.
Lake Atitlan with its lakeside villages and the colonial town of Antigua are the two main traveller and wow are they wonderful. Learn Spanish, hike to your heart’s content and stock up on freshly made tortillas in the markets.
Community-based tourism and sustainable travel are growing a lot in Guatemala.
When we docked in Panajachel, the main town in Lake Atitlan, early on a Saturday morning, our first impressions were that actually it wasn’t as crowded as we’d expected. We hadn’t planned on staying in the town but after a…