Travel Information From Antigua and Barbuda to Guatemala

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Routine Vaccines

Make sure you are up-to-date on all routine vaccines before every trip. Some of these vaccines include

• Chickenpox (Varicella)
• Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis
• Flu (Influenza)
• Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)
• Polio
• Shingles

COVID-19

All eligible travelers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines.

Hepatitis A

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers one year old or older going to Guatemala.
Infants 6 to 11 months old should also be vaccinated against Hepatitis A. The dose does not count toward the routine 2-dose series.
Travelers allergic to a vaccine component or who are younger than 6 months should receive a single dose of immune globulin, which provides effective protection for up to 2 months depending on dosage given.
Unvaccinated travelers who are over 40 years old, immunocompromised, or have chronic medical conditions planning to depart to a risk area in less than 2 weeks should get the initial dose of vaccine and at the same appointment receive immune globulin.

Hepatitis B

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers of all ages to Guatemala.

Malaria

CDC recommends that travelers going to certain areas of Guatemala take prescription medicine to prevent malaria. Depending on the medicine you take, you will need to start taking this medicine multiple days before your trip, as well as during and after your trip. Talk to your doctor about which malaria medication you should take.

Measles

Infants 6 to 11 months old traveling internationally should get 1 dose of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine before travel. This dose does not count as part of the routine childhood vaccination series.

Rabid dogs are commonly found in Guatemala. If you are bitten or scratched by a dog or other mammal while in Guatemala, there may be limited or no rabies treatment available.
Consider rabies vaccination before your trip if your activities mean you will be around dogs or wildlife.
Travelers more likely to encounter rabid animals include
• Campers, adventure travelers, or cave explorers (spelunkers)
• Veterinarians, animal handlers, field biologists, or laboratory workers handling animal specimens
• Visitors to rural areas
Since children are more likely to be bitten or scratched by a dog or other animals, consider rabies vaccination for children traveling to Guatemala.

Typhoid

Recommended for most travelers, especially those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas.

Yellow Fever

Required if traveling from a country with risk of YF virus transmission and ≥1 year of age, including transit >12 hours in an airport located in a country with risk of YF virus transmission.

You will need 6 months validity remaining on your passport from the date of entry.

Local Phrases Language : Spanish and English

Local Phrases :

Greetings

Hello = Hola
Good morning = Buenos dias
Good afternoon = Buenas tardes
Goodbye = Adiós
Nice to meet you = Encantada de conocerte(feminine)
Encantado de conocerte(masculine)

Conversational

How are you? =Cómo estás
I am good thank you = estoy bien gracias
What’s your name? = Cuál es tu nombre?
My name is … = Me llamo …
Do you speak English? = Habla usted Inglés?
I don’t speak … = no hablo...
How do you say… in … = Cómo se dice... en...
I don’t understand = no entiendo

Basics

Yes = Sí
No = No
Please = Por favor
Thank you = Gracias
You’re welcome = De nada
Excuse me (as a question) =
Excuse me (as sorry) =
Wait = Esperar
Hurry up = Apresúrate
Go away = Vete
Let’s go to = Vamos a
I want to go to … = Quiero ir a …
A little bit = Un poco
A lot = Mucho

Shopping & Eating Out

Restaurant = Restaurante
Do you have? … = Tienes? …
Not too spicy = no demasiado picante
It was delicious = Estaba delicioso
The bill, please = La cuenta, por favor
How much? = Cuanta(feminine)
Cuanto(masculine)
Very expensive = Muy cara(feminine)
Muy caro(masculine)

Transportation & Directions

Taxi = Taxi
Car = Coche
Bus = Autobús
Right = Derecha(feminine)
Derecho(masculine)

Left = Izquierda(feminine)
Izquierdo(masculine)

Straight = Derecha(feminine)
Derecho(masculine)

Stop here = Deténgase aquí

Places

Downtown = Centro
Street = Calle
Hotel = Hotel
Museum = Museo
Mall = Centro comercial
Market = Mercado
Hospital = Hospital
Doctor = Médica(feminine)
Médico(masculine)

Time & Dates

What time is it? = Qué hora es?
Today = Este Dia
Tomorrow = Mañana
The day after tomorrow = Pasado mañana
Yesterday = El dia de ayer
When? = Cuándo?

Emergencies

Where is the toilet? = Donde esta el inodoro?
Help me, please = Ayudame por favor
Call an ambulance = Llama una ambulancia
I don’t feel good = no me siento bien

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There are severe penalties for drug trafficking and drug use. Guatemalan prisons are overcrowded, violent and unclean. Don't take photographs without permission, especially of children. This is particularly important in more remote areas such as Quiché, Petén, San Marcos and Chiquimula provinces. There have been attacks related to accusations and fears of child kidnapping for adoption or theft of vital organs. Foreigners have been caught up in the violence. You may be asked to pay a small amount of money to take photographs of both children and adults. Homosexuality is not illegal, although there are currently no provisions in Guatemalan legislation guaranteeing freedom from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. There is no recognition of same-sex marriages in Guatemala. In Guatemala City, local people are largely tolerant of different lifestyles and small displays of affection between same-sex couples are accepted. Outside Guatemala City attitudes are more conservative and same-sex couples should avoid public displays of affection. In most parts of the country you can carry a photocopy of your passport for identification purposes. In San Pedro La Laguna, Sololá, local authorities may not accept a copy of your passport as identification, and may fine or detain you if you can't produce your original passport or a certified copy when asked. You should ensure that your passport has sufficient validity and a plentiful supply of unused pages before you travel.

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Guatemala City

Guatemala City is the capital of Guatemala, in Central America. It’s known for its Mayan history, high-altitude location and nearby volcanoes. On central Plaza Mayor, also known as Parque Central, the Metropolitan Cathedral is full of colonial paintings and religious carvings. The National Palace of Culture has a balcony overlooking the square. South of the city, trails lead up to the active Pacaya Volcano.

Customs Allowances : Click Here

pickpocketing

Markets, public transport, and public processions all bring crowds, and with crowds come easy targets for skilled pickpockets in the area. One, in particular, is Holy Week in Antigua, when pickpocketing is rife.

The famous markets of Chichicastenango are also notorious for theft, with travelers reporting having several pockets razored discreetly until the wallet pocket was discovered. Another traveler recalled how he was pickpocketed at the Solola markets, even with his pockets buttoned shut.

Thieves will take advantage of any time your attention is diverted so they can strike. The US Embassy in Guatemala reports US tourists have been pickpocketed exiting the Aurora International Airport, while riding on buses from Guatemala City to Antigua, and while out shopping and sightseeing.

Robbery

Cars may seem like a secure place to store your valuables, but Guatemala has its fair share of car break-ins. A traveler reported having their car broken into while parked at the gas station. Inside was her computer, wallet and credit cards.

Incidents like these are especially popular in Guatemala City, but caution should be taken whenever important items are left unattended in a vehicle. Always keep valuables out of sight or better still take them with you.

Many travelers will visit Guatemala without any trouble involving theft and robbery, but it's wise to note where armed robbery sometimes does occur. This could involve the threat of weapons, such as guns, knives and even grenades. Avoid the known crime hotspots in Guatemala City: Zones 1, 3, 6, 18 and 21.

Several tourists have reported being robbed at gunpoint while climbing the volcano at Volcan de Agua and also on walking tracks throughout the country.

Tourist buses and shuttle buses are occasionally robbed at gunpoint. These incidents would most likely occur the vehicle was in the wrong place at the wrong time or that the thieves and driver were colluding. Typically, such an incident involves the driver of a private shuttle going off-track or traveling in a remote location, where several masked men rob travelers of their belongings. An incident just like this occurred in 2017, where a shuttle bus traveling from Antigua, Guatemala to Leon, Nicaragua was hijacked by a group of armed thieves, and several passengers held at gunpoint.

International Driving Permit 1949 is required

• The most common religion in Guatemala is Catholicism
• Don't forget to shake hands with direct eye contact when greeting (men). Women shake hands or give a light touch on the forearm. Friends kiss each other once on the cheek.
• Don't wear flip-flops to explore Mayan ruins - go with proper shoes.
• Don't be surprised by occasional touching during the conversation - it’s pretty common.
• Don't pass all the people without being silent - it's polite to say hello or speak softly.
• Don't take photos of locals without their permission.
• don't forget to be cautious and aware of your surroundings at all times - keep a low profile not to attract extra attention for small robbery crimes. Guatemala has a higher crime rate.
• Don't put the thumb in between the middle and index finger while making a fist - it‘s an obscene gesture.
• Don't forget to wave goodbye by raising their hands with the palm facing in and wave their fingers at themselves.
• Don't always expect everyone speaks Spanish - some people speak indigenous languages like K'iche or Kekchi.
• Don't necessary use public ATMs - watch out for scams.
• Don't leave your drinks or food unattended in a bar or restaurant.
• Don't underestimate the power of the Pacific ocean - beware of strong currents riptides and undertow along Pacific coast beaches. Warning signs or beach guards are rare.
• Don't always expect to have the famous Guatemala coffee - most of the coffee is exported and it can be hard to find it everywhere served.

Do I need travel insurance to travel to Guatemala?

Travel insurance is very important when traveling overseas. We strongly recommend that you take out cover to travel to Guatemala. You can usually take out single trip or annual multi-trip cover to give you peace of mind should anything happen.

It can be a better and cheaper option to take annual multi-trip cover as it usually covers any number of trips taken in one year with a maximum of up to around 60 days away per trip.

We work with the top names in the industry and have already pre-selected the easiest, cheapest and best quality travel insurance on the market to save you time and money trying to find the best cover.

Travel insurance typically covers the following; however, you can tailor a policy to suit your needs depending on where you are traveling to, your activities and how long you are away.

• Medical Expenses
  Medical treatment can be extremely costly and add up very quickly, and include Overnight stays in hospital, minor or major surgery, accident and emergency treatment, drugs, COVID-19 treatment, journey home if you cannot use the original ticket, dental treatment, and many more unexpected expenses.
• Baggage and personal belongings
  If your baggage is lost, stolen, damaged or delayed it is extremely frustrating. If you must buy new clothes, toiletry products or personal belongings it can be very expensive and time consuming.
• Cancellation
  Sometimes due to unforeseen circumstances you may need to cancel your trip. This could be due to several reasons such as illness, injury, a bereavement or many other scenarios. Usually airlines, tour operators and hotels have large cancellation fees, so buying travel insurance that covers this is recommended.

Health Care

Healthcare System in Guatemala

Healthcare of Guatemala is ranked 102th in the world. The public healthcare sector is said to cover approximately 88% of the country’s population. However, hospitals and clinics in Guatemala under the public system are highly underfunded and often lack basic medicine and equipment.

Health Risk

Leptospirosis

Caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira.

Chagas disease (American Trypanosomiasis)

Occurs from accidentally rub feces (poop) of the triatomine bug into the bug bite, other breaks in the skin, your eyes, or mouth.

Dengue

Occurs from insect bites, including mosquitoes.

Leishmaniasis

Occurs from sand fly bite.

Zika

Occurs from mosquito bite.

Hantavirus

Less commonly, being around someone sick with hantavirus.

Tuberculosis (TB)

Caused from an infected and contagious person coughing, speaking, or singing.