CHAPINADAS

Semana Santa or Holy Week is the longest holiday during the year which provides an oportunity to organize visits to the many turistic sites in the country.  Some of the traditional places to visit are Panajachel, Tikal, Antigua Guatemala, the beaches and the Recreational parks Xetulul and Xocomil.  However, there are many other places where there are not many people and provide a sense of adventure because of their abundance of flora, fauna and water.

Lovers of water can visit places like Semuc Champey and The Caves of Lankin in Alta Verapaz.  In Izabal Rio Dulce, The Fort of San Felipe de Lara and Lake Amatitlan in the central region of Guatemala.  There are also lakes and lagoons like Ayarza and Los Pinos in Santa Rosa, Atescatempa in Jutiapa, Yolnabaj and Magdalena in Huehuetenango.  In all of these places it is possible to organize camping trips, fishing, canoing, biking, horse riding and canopying.

Lovers of Mayan architecture can visit places la Tak’Alik Ab’aj in Retalhuleu, Quirigua in Izabal, Zaculeu in Huehuetenango and Yaxha Nakum in Peten.  

A big number of Rural communities are organizing to offer their ecological, cultural and Socioeconomic resources as a turistic destination.  In a community based turism, visitors take advantage not only of the wild areas but also learn about way of life and costums of small communities.  The turists get to know about the folclor and local costums and the inhabitants of the area benefit  economically. 

One example of this is the community of Saquija in Santa Maria Cahabon located in Alta Verapaz.  This community offers as its main attractive the practice of white water rafting in the waters of Cahabon River.  The first thing that visitors enjoy when getting there is a delicious breakfast and the costumary cacao beverage.  After that they visit plantations of cacao, corn and cardamomo where they can enjoy of cak-ik, tamales and sometimes boj which is a local beverage.