CHAPINADAS

Places

Administrator — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 01:31:39 +0000

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.

Sustainable Turism

Administrator — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 01:03:00 +0000

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.

Salto de Chilasco

Administrator — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 02:15:21 +0000

Located in the more extensive forrest of Central America, El Salto de Chilasco in Salama, Baja Verapaz comes down from a branch of the Sierra de Las Minas to form a cascade of about 130 meters high. This affluent is 1880 meters above sea level and 146 kilometers away from Guatemala City. El Salto de Chilasco means "Dark Mountains" in Poqomchi’ language. This cascade is formed by various streams of clear water running in the mountains. Access to this place is hard in the last three kilometers because of the inclination of the terrain. It can only be reached on foot or by horse. This cascade is only one of the attractives of this area. Ecologists have the opportunity of enjoying the diversity of flora and fauna of the place. There are other waterfalls along the way such as Lomo del Macho and Rincon del Paraiso. It is also possible to arrange trips that include living with the locals so that you can get to know their costums, crafts and other actitivies. Here is a link to this place.

http://www.chilasco.net.ms/

Ricardo Arjona

Administrator — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 01:49:25 +0000

Ricardo Arjona with his album "Adentro" won the Grammy for Best Pop Latin Album in the Staples Center of Los Angeles. This Grammy, the first Grammy ever won by a Guatemalan singer confirms the success of this Guatemalan Artist. His album "Adentro" was also awarded on November 2006 as the Best Male Pop Vocal Album on the Grammy for Latin Music. Congratulations Ricardo Arjona and keep them coming.

Naj Tunich

Administrator — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 01:41:16 +0000

Naj Tunich means "Stone over the humid area". Replicas of the paintings on the Naj Tunich Caves are being exhibited in another cave located 460 meters away from the original cave. Naj Tunich located in Poptun, Peten was discovered two decades ago but was closed to the public to protect the paintings from vandalism and to treat the paintings against fungus. With this exhibition turists can appreciated the Mayan representations with include petroglyphs, human faces and a representation of the ages of spitituality.

Garifunas

Administrator — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 01:31:22 +0000

The Garifunas or "Black Carib" have survived legal and geographic barriers for over 200 years but after the signing of the Peace Agreement they have claimed their place as a musical and turistic gem in Guatemala. New turistic interests of the international community like rescuing nature, visiting exotic places and ethnical curiosity have made this community located in Atlantic Coast of Central America the prefered destination of choice. Two of the foundations of the Garifuna people are its music known as "Punta" that combines sensuality and eroticism and its african amerindian roots.

The Guatemalan Garifuna population shares its origins with their neighbors of Belice, Honduras and Nicaragua. Garifunas live from artesanal fishing and ecoturism. Livingston, Izabal is visited by many turists attracted to the rythms of the Garifuna music and their rich culture. The Garifuna people have a defined geographic space, their own language and culture but it was until the signing of the Peace Agreement in 1996 when they started gaining legal space even though they were recognized as and entity in the middle of the 1980’s.

The Gariguna presence in Livingston, Izabal started in the XVIII century when groups of black slaves escaped persecution of the English colonies on the islands. Their language is a combination of the Arawak and Kalipuna. The Garifunas were recognized by United Nations for Science and Education as a masterpiece of the Oral Language for humanity.

Chichicastenango

Administrator — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 04:03:34 +0000

The main characteristics of Santo Tomas Chichicastenango have always been its turism, folclor and its market days on thursdays and sundays. Chichicastenango is visited by thousands of national and international turists every year especially during the change of the cofradias or brotherhoods and its saint day. In contrast with previous decades, Chichicastenango has been loosing its traditional infrastructure to modern constructions that have nothing to do with its traditional colonial aspect. Chichicastenango is located 2300 metres above sea level, covered in fog and surrounded by valleys and mountains. Despite its isolation, it has kept its importance as a commercial enclave.

Market day during sundays is very special because the brotherhoods have a procession during that day. The inhabitants of the place have joined Catholic and Mayan traditions. To enjoy more of these traditions, the best places are the Church of Santo Tomas and Pascual Abaj. Pascual Abaj is a Mayan sanctuary built in honor of the Mayan God of the Earth. Visitor find a town with a special colonial flavor and full of mixed traditions.

Esquipulas

Administrator — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 01:32:57 +0000

Faith without borders in Esquipulas, Chiquimula. During the month of january, there is a proverb that is heard more than the others. The proverb is "All the roads lead to Esquipulas". During january, the Black Christ is venerated by people from all over the country and also by catholics from Central America, Mexico, United States and Canada. The Black Christ is considered to be miraculous by its many faithful followers. Esquipulas was founded between 1560 and 1570. The image of the Black Christ was sculpted by Quirio Catano in 1594.

Candy

Administrator — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 01:20:18 +0000

Dona Flora is the name of a traditional candy factory in Huehuetenango. Dona Flora was awarded last year with the "Order of the Cuchumatanes" in recognition of its commercial labor and most of all because it put the Huehuetenango name up high in a national and international level. One of the main characteristics of the candy is that it is made using manual craftmanship. According to the founders of Dona Flora, the way the candy is made gives the company that special touch. All of their candy is made in the oven.
Almost 80 years ago, Efrain Lopez and his wife had the idea of making a product that was able to identify Los Cuchumatanes and that at the same time the visitors could take with them the special flavor of candy made in the oven. Some of the ingredients used in preparing the candy are flour, honey, mermelade, sugar, eggs and fresh fruit. Every day 1,300 units of every one of the 17 varieties of candy are made.

Sipacate

Administrator — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 01:02:55 +0000

The beaches of Sipacate, Escuintla are the perfect place to enjoy and rest during any season. Located 140 km. away from Guatemala City, the Sipacate Beaches have a great deal to offer to national and international turists because of the tranquility of the sea. In Sipacate, it is possible to enjoy different kinds of food, however the traditional food of the area are the lobsters of the place. Thousands of visitors go to Sipacate during the year but it can not be compared with the amount of visitors that San Jose Beach gets. The main advantage of Sipacate is the tranquility that the places provides. Sipacate beach is a nice place to surf because even though the waves are small during day time, early in the morning and at night time they have the appropiate size to practice aquatic sports.