Urban75 Home About Offline BrixtonBuzz Contact

Travel ideas Mexico/Guatemala/Belize this summer

P

planetgeli

There's no future in England's dreaming
trabuquera sparkybird chilango CyberRose littlebabyjesus

Thinking of heading off this summer, 4-6 weeks, school holidays. Two aging adults (I'm 54, gf a little older, but I'm the one with the aging body). Never been, but have traveled extensively RTW. Not total strangers to Spanish language. Interests range from local culture, historic civilizations, beach, rattling around on local buses to small towns. Really don't like cities but Mexico City sounds good?

Due to something called PVD (blocked arteries in legs) my days of scrambling up mountains are gone...but still like to kid myself I can see most things I like...just a lot slower these days.

Really interested in Mexico and Guatemala. Belize worth a quick look or is it the corrupt nasty hell hole etc that I associate with McAfee's old place of residence? Anywhere else? Like I say, most likely have mid to late July to end of August.

Or do I just play safe and go back to chill in Laos/Thailand for that time?

Any thoughts/help/ideas appreciated.
 
Don't know any of the turf in person I'm afraid but: Belize certainly sounds like it's best and easiest avoided. If it was me I'd be racing to see if I could get in on/or just explore any of the massive Mayan city sites in Guatemala that the boffins just 'rediscovered' (there was an urbz thread on it). But I don't know how accessible any of that stuff is so it might be easier to stick to known/ somewhat explored sites on Mexican Riviera Maya. Just stay well away from p!astic hellhole Cancun. It can be pretty hit or miss and it's pretty cartel heavy down there so do deep research & take recent advice on safety. Non commercial recommendation: if you want a halfway house between 100%independent roughing it, and prepackaged cliches, the Journey Latin America agency are pretty good even if you just pump them for suggestions. Come back and tell us about it!
 
It's years since I was there but I loved Oaxaca in Mexico and Quetzaltenango (Xelaju) in Guatemala. Not too much of a traveller destination, both feel like genuine living towns. Tikal is incredible but difficult to get to. Palenque is beautiful but avoid the mushrooms is my advice. Or maybe just don't make mushroom macaroni cheese when you're really hungry...
 
On the safety aspect, I have heard the drugs wars have got worse and so it's less safe from that perspective, I don't have any recent experience though or anything except what I've heard in the media.
 
A couple of years ago, I flew to Cancun and travelled down as far as Punta Gorda in southern Belize. Cancun has to be seen but just so that you now how awful it is. Don't waste more than half a day on it.

I stopped in Playa del Carmen, Lake Bacalar, Chetumal, then got the high speed boat to San Pedro in Belize, which is a nice stress free way to cross the border. Next Caye Caulker, then Placencia (MacaFee's abode), Dangriga and Punta Gorda. They only recently built a proper road to Punta Gorda, so it feels quite remote and jungly which is good.

I went straight through Belize City without stopping as this is supposed to be the scary bit. Otherwise it was fine.

I think you'd like it!

Voley is another Belize enthusiast I think.
 
Yes, love Belize. Spent a month or so on Caye Caulker ten years ago. Great place. I started off in Cancun (cheapest way to get to Mexico at the time was a charter flight there and don't bother with the return flight). Didn't like it one bit (Miami in Mexico, basically) but soon went to Tulum which was great (Mayan ruins, azure seas, amazing seafood) then on to Belize. I could have happily stayed on Caye Caulker forever but from what I've heard it's quite developed and consequently more expensive now. Still, I had four weeks in a hammock, stoned off my box , living off rum and lobster. I can recommend it. Saw manatees, spent a night on a proper deserted island, snorkelled with stingrays, got hammered at The Lazy Lizard. Ace.
Went to Guatemala after that, spent a night in the jungle at Tikal. Howler monkeys are the eeriest sounding thing on Earth. Then went to San Pedro La Laguna on Lake Atitlan and had I not got all the symptoms of appendicitis I might still be there now. Really loved Central America and would love to go back one day.
 
Belize City was okay, I thought, but I was watching some mental Ross Kemp programme about the world's deadliest gangs once and he was outside this bar that I've been in wearing a fucking flak jacket. :D
 
all of the above really - belize city isnt that bad but can be a bit off putting at night. Ambergris cay is very american and relatively developed, Ambergis less so and the likes of Tobacco are further down the scale again ( when i was there last anyway). If you fly to cancun ( yes i kniw but cheapest to get to ) get the fuck out asap and head down to some of the lesser resorts- its a solid days travel to belize c. via Chetumal and a change onto the batty bus line to BC. there are no real undiscovered places left on the south yucatan coast these days but plenty inland away from the chcchen itxa toursit draw. it used to be ditt cheap to fly to flores from Belize C.for tikal, but looks to have gone through the roof now. th mexican coaches are surprisingly good

Avoid Guatamala city like it is Grozny- its is proper dangerous- it properly spooked me & im usually pretty robust. there was a murder on the street behind the hotel one night- it may have changed recently , but outside GC was no problem>Antigua was a delight actually.

if you rent a car, then be wary of the myriad of scams at pemex stations on the main roads- i have avoided it but pretty much everyone else I met seesmt o have been done somwehere in the area. Cancun is obvs the worst.

It will be hurrican season kicking off at that time of year, so be prepared or that- i have been in 2 down there and they are not as good as they look on the telly and can fuck you ( and the people who live there) up for days.

if it goes well - and there is no reason that it shoildnt, then it will be fucking great
 
PS, outside GC, the only time i had problems was a pissed up geordie wanker squaddie on a weekens R&R on the caye who was a little punchy after a days drinking.
 
I'm no city fan either as a rule.

But Mexico City is one of the world's great cities for better and worse.

Oaxaca City and San Cristobal are (or were) a touch overrated and over visited but nice nonetheless.

Elsewhere I enjoyed Veracruz and Valladolid (Yucatan). There's some nice towns in the central silver mining belt too (Taxco, Guanajuato etc.).

I didn't like Monterrey or Guadalajara much. Further North things get iffy but interesting.

Smaller highlights for me include:

  • Swimming in cenotes in the Yucatan
  • Ruins at Coba, Palenque and Teotihuacan
  • Mountains (Iztaccihuatl, Nevado de Toluca, La Malinche)
  • The Cornish mining town of Mineral del Chico
  • The hot springs in the desert at Cuatrocienegas.
  • Various beaches (Isla Mujeres, Huatulco, Acapulco, Pie de la Cuesta)
  • Small towns in the middle of nowhere in Michoacan
  • Towns in the silver mining central belt (Taxco, Guanajuato etc.)
  • Noche de Muertos in Patzcuaro
  • Food everywhere

I don't know how safe any of this is anymore as a tourist.

I only spent a long weekend in Guatemala. Had a very interesting time in Guatemala City (though I really wouldn't recommend it!). I found Antigua and Lake Atitlan fairly dull tbh. But it was only a flying visit.
 
Last edited:
In Guatemala City I somehow found myself doing the homily*, in Welsh** at a Catholic Church made out of corrugated iron sheeting in one of the worst shanties on the edge of the city.

Yup.

*Well, part of it. Obviously the priest was there too.
**Which I then translated into English for my gf (now wife) to translate into Spanish for the congregation. I won't spoil the tantalising anecdote with details about what was said, or the hows and whys. Let's just say drink had been taken.
 
Hola planetgeli !
I'm writing this from Guanajuato, at the end of a 6 week stay in this amazing city. Totally safe.
This trip I have been to:
Tulum- beautiful beach but so full of the wrong sort of rich tourists (of which of course I am one, but not such a wrong 'un, I hope) that I wouldn't go back. Expensive too, on the beach.
Valladolid- unexpected overnight stay, cute town
Cuba- whole other story but easy peasy to get to from Cancun. Get your visa at the airport.
Mexico City- 4 th visit. Just go, it's bonkers in a good way. Stayed in Roma Norte, preferred it to La Condessa which is a bit like Chelsea.
Querétaro- cute for a few days
San Miguel de Allende- beautiful colonial city that is somewhat over run with gringos. I hav friends there. Great hit springs near by
Guanajuato- was only coming for a week! As soon as I arrived I feel in love with the city, so much energy (esp after SMA) but in a good way. Lots to do culturally too. I've been in Spanish school for 6 weeks. Have made friends here, so will return
Zihuatanejo- going on Monday for a few beach days before returning home.
Mexico does not disappoint. People are amazing, food great, everthing pretty cheap, travel is easy. I have never bothered to rent a car, the first or second class buses are cheap and chicken free as are taxis. Local buses and collectivos even cheaper. Landscape and culture incredible!
If I had to give you a list based on my travel to date it would be
Baja California (although I think there are more problems now than when I visited 3 years ago)
El chepe/Copper canyon (miles better than the grand canyon)
Guanajuato
Oaxaca - best food in all Mexico
CDMX
Puebla
San Cristobal incl Chamula
Campeche
Palenque

I could go on!
I've always come to Mexico with the plan of traveling south but it's never happened. And just booked my flights for 2019!!!!

There are so many scare stories about Mexico and while I'm sure some are valid, if you travel with care and avoid places in the very north and don't get involved with drugs, then you'll be fine. Mexican's are rightly proud of their country and want you to enjoy it.

Have a super trip!
PS I always travel between Jan and may so can't comment on the weather outside these times
 
Last edited:
From your list I've only been to Mexico but it was absolutely amazing! Definitely recommend

I went for 4 weeks last year this was my plan...
Puebla (pretty and great food)
Oaxaca (was there for day of the dead but it should be great regardless for the food)
Mexico City (was here for 5 days loads to do don't miss going here)
Merida (with Campeche in Yucatan great places to visit)
Valladolid/Chichen Itza (stayed in this town and managed to get first in the queue before the hoards arrived)
Tulum (we stayed in the cheapest beach hut we could find near the sea, still a lot more expensive than the town but that was full of rich kids pretending to be hippies)
San Cristobal (bit out of the way and maybe a bit overhyped to be honest)
Palenque (these were my favourite ruins)
Campeche (really loved this place, a bit quieter than Merida)
Also had one night in Cancun but that was just to take a flight home, probably wouldn't recommend staying there
 
OK, I'm off on Tuesday. 35 days, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala. I've travelled a bit before and have always written a travelblog (4 so far). This time is no different.

If anyone is interested in reading this one, it's here.

Same as it ever was - Totally Mexico!

My other blogs (S.America, SE Asia (twice), and Europe (east and west)) were on travelpod.com, which got taken over and dumped by tripadvisor. (I still have them, as they were saved to travelark.com.) I'm new to travellerspoint, so I hope it works well. It certainly has a nice layout/template. Unfortunately, in the unlikely event anyone here wants to follow my travels and writing, they only do notifications if you join travellerspoint. Which you can do in 20 seconds with a comment and an email address. Otherwise you'd just have to bookmark this link and check for updates, of which there will be many, hopefully every 1-2 days. There will also be pics for the hard of reading.

It's completely non-commercial. I write for fun.

Thanks.
 
Been enjoying the blog also planetgeli - been reading it on the beach, we're not quite as adventurous (understatement) as have only left the compound a cpl of times in our first week, we've basically been on the piss on Tequila, thankfully we do have 2+ weeks left so are heading to Merida tomorrow for a night and Campeche the day/night after.

Mexican people are incredible, my missus and I have made more friends with the staff at the hotel than we have other guests, I spent over an hour having a few shots of Tequila in the kitchens of 1 of the restaurants the other night :cool: I was wearing a Smokin Joe Frazier t-shirt and it stirred a conversation about boxing with the waiter who's son is a boxer, and as I love boxing I was able to comfortably talk about great Mexican boxers past and present so was invited into the back, I was fuckin sweatin my neck off sitting and sipping but it was great.
 
planetgeli loving the blog. We're going to Guatamala this year for the first time (not for lack of trying, just could never seen to leave Mexico!), So it's great to hear of your experiences.
Hope your long bus journey was ok.
Shame you won't make Oaxaca but Palenque you will love and do try to get to Chamula front San Cristobal. The church is a very special place even if you're not religious....
Sage travels!
 
planetgeli
Wow! You made it! Am having a little trip down memory lane now. Thank you!
Spooky though... I'm just flicking through my new lonely planet Guatemala and looking into homestay Spanish school....
Safe (or sage even) travels x
 
sparkybird said:
planetgeli
Wow! You made it! Am having a little trip down memory lane now. Thank you!
Spooky though... I'm just flicking through my new lonely planet Guatemala and looking into homestay Spanish school....
Safe (or sage even) travels x
Click to expand...

If you’re serious, I’d definitely check out San Pedro, Lake Atitlan for Spanish lessons. Apparently they do an intensive three hours a day one-to-one for however many weeks you want. And Lake Atitlan was by far the cheapest place we found to live day to day in Guatemala.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Zapp Brannigan
Air Travel to India
Replies
10
Views
256
Peter Norf
Peter Norf
Spymaster
Malta - Best travel write-up ever?
Replies
10
Views
256
Plumdaff
Plumdaff
N
Weird rubbish things you've encountered while travelling
Replies
6
Views
260
Dr. Furface
Dr. Furface
Numbers
Claiming on travel insurance if holiday cut short due to death.
Replies
4
Views
336
Rebelda
Rebelda
R
Last minute beach package ideas
Replies
23
Views
872
rutabowa
R
Back
Top Bottom