GUATEMALA
Oh sweet, sweet Guatemala. Or if you spend any real time here you will quickly come to refer to it as simply 'Guate'. Now Guate is such a special country. It's unique, it's rural at times, it has serious, serious culture and authenticity, some of the most stunning natural wonders I have ever had the good fortune to witness, lakes, volcanoes, magic, parties, good food. It really has everything that you want from a country to visit. When friends of mine ask me what they should do with a 2-week vacation or a backpacking trip that they want to take, I almost always recommend Guatemala. It has everything you could want. An established backpacking scene and travel economy, interesting and exotic cultural aspects, natural wonders that will blow you away, some of the best ruins in the world, a good and international food scene in places, and a large selection of places to go with a very diverse set of geographical attributes. In short Guate is just amazing. It's the best place in Central America to go and spend a few weeks — especially if you aren't here just chasing surf. Some of the countries down here I would personally choose to spend more time in just because of the variety of wave and beach options. But if you are in it for more than just waves, then Guate is really the cream of the crop in Central America for diverse options for exciting travel opportunities. A little thing that people should know about Guatemala is that it is Central America's largest country by population, by a large amount. With 18 million people, it dwarfs the next largest — Honduras, with 10 million. But what's most interesting about that population is that Guatemala also has the largest percentage of Indigenous people out of any other country in Central America. Over 40% of the population of Guatemala is Indigenous. Indigenous groups in Guatemala can be distinguished by language, with around 24 Indigenous languages still spoken today, and that 40% of the country's first language being Indigenous. It's a striking number for a country in Latin America. This simple fact is what should make you the most excited about this country. To be able to visit and learn about these cultures that are so importantly a part of the culture of modern day Guatemala. The Indigenous peoples of Guatemala are kind, welcoming, prevalent, and such a privilege to be able to interact with and witness. When you are here in Guatemala, I highly recommend learning a little bit about them or at least buying something handmade from a market. There's a number of cultural and social centers in Guatemala. Those being specifically Lake Atitlan, and Antigua. — Especially from an attractiveness for tourism perspective. If you are visiting the country, there's no doubt in my mind you will end up at both of these places. But outside of these most popular to visit places the country has a lot more to offer. If you have a lot of time in the country, there's so much to see. Volcanoes, lakes, sprawling black sand beaches, mangrove forests, parties, cultural towns, markets, etc. Guate is amazing, and should be traveled. It's safe, the people are lovely and welcoming, and the culture authentic and real. It's in my opinion the cultural standout in Central America. Just such a gem.
