My first blog post will be about my native country Guatemala. I was born in the capital of the country and moved to the U.S. when i was 7 years old (NY to be specific). Ever since my family and I left, we have gone back multiple times to visit family and to discover more about our country. With that being said the top 5 touristic places of Guatemala are the Mayan Ruins in Tikal, Antigua or “the ancient city”, Rio Dulce or “sweet river”, Lake Atitlan and the city of Flores. All of these places are crawling with tourists everyday, they all have their own unique history; along with breath taking scenery.
The National Park of Tikal:
The National Park of Tikal is probably the most famous part of Guatemala. Every time I have gone to see the Mayan ruins, I always find myself meeting new people from all over the word. People from all over Asia, Europe and the U.S. clash together in one spot to admire the ancient cities of the Mayans. I have personally climbed 5 out of 7 temples including the Grand Jaguar which is seen on left side of the picture. Fun fact, I actually got kicked off the temple as i was reaching the top because the ruin was under reconstruction and i did not notice, oops.
Antigua (The Ancient City):
Antigua was once the capitol city of Guatemala, up until the year 1773 when a massive earthquake destroyed the town. In 1776, it was ordered abandoned and what had once been a buzzing and vibrant capitol city took on the aura of a quiet provincial town. Known for its old-world style Spanish architecture by way of palaces, cathedrals, universities and hermitages, Antigua is a charming jewel in Guatemala. Antigua is also known for its active volcanoes, the Pacaya and the water volcano. This ancient city is always packed with tourists as it displays the culture of Guatemala to the full extent. I remember when I was about 6 years old, a white family approached my family and asked us if they can take a picture with my brother and I because we were wearing traditional Mayan clothes for one the religious festivals. That was the first time in my life where I began to question why those people were there and why were they so amazed by my clothes. This is what sparked my interest in all different types of cultures and my desire to travel.
Rio Dulce (Sweet River):
Rio Dulce, or Sweet River, is known for many things. The river is popular with sail boaters who, hopefully, aren’t plundering other boaters like the pirates of yore did. The river flows out of Lake Izabal, site of the Castillo de San Felipe de Lara, an old Spanish colonial fort built to keep Caribbean pirates from the river. The river today boasts one of the largest bridges in Central America. On one side of the bridge is Frontera, known for a vegetable market where many shoppers arrive in dugout canoes. This is also a main area for trade and people from all over the country come here to find all types of items and food. When I visited this small town my cousins and I stayed in a hidden hotel where the only way to get in is by kayaking. This was very fun to do as you slowly rowed into jungle like environment to reach the hotel.
Lake Atitlan:
Lake Atitlán was described as the most beautiful lake in the world. Situated in the Guatemalan highlands, the lake is a stunning exhibition of natural splendor. The portal to Lake Atitlán, the city of Pananajachel, is also a portal to an indigenous world of the Mayans and other ancient peoples. It is a beautiful area, with many tourist attractions, opportunities for exploration, scuba diving and learning Spanish. However, the best food to eat if you ever go to this lake is the fish. There are about 15 different small restaurants where they serve all typed of sea food and cook it in their own specific way that makes it taste different from the US but at the same time very flavorful.
The Town Of Flores:
Flores is a picturesque town on a small island on Lake Peten Itza, Guatemala. Connected to the mainland by a short causeway, Flores island is tiny – you can walk around it in about 20 minutes – and comes complete with some seriously beautiful views. Due to its proximity to Tikal National Park, Flores has become a backpacker hot spot, but there’s more to this tiny town than meets the eye. This small town has everything from night clubs to scuba diving and for this reason its always filled with people from all over the world. The one thing i notice is that this town is very small, so if you plan on staying in town you would have to make reservations before-hand because its always packed with people. Better to be safe than sorry.
My next blog will contain my favorite touristic places of Mexico.
Backpacking In Latin America 
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