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At 12,336 feet, Volc\u00e1n de Agua towers over Antigua, which was once the capital of the country until 1773 when a massive earthquake struck destroying much of the country.<\/p>\n

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Antigua’s population is only about 30,000 people, but during the\u00a0height\u00a0of the tourist season that number swells to over 60,000, many of whom are there attending one of the 80 or so Spanish schools located in town.<\/p>\n

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San Pedro La Laguna, on the southeastern banks of Lake Atitl\u00e1n, is at once an expat hippie hangout, a weekend getaway for locals, a destination for backpackers and a long-standing Mayan village dating back long before the Spanish arrived.<\/p>\n

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The town is marked by narrow roads and winding alleyways, especially fun to navigate when storms roll in and the electricity goes out, which is a frequent experience.<\/p>\n

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“Lake Como, it seems to me, touches the limit of the permissibly picturesque; but Atitlan is Como with the additional embellishment of several immense volcanoes. It is really too much of a good thing.” Aldous Huxley from Beyond the Mexique Bay<\/em>, 1934.<\/p>\n

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Caoba Organic Farm, just south of Antigua, is both a purveyor of organic food to the town’s local restaurants as well as a laboratory for sustainable, healthy farming techniques that can hopefully be reproduced by local farmers in the region, much of whom are dependent on chemical fertilizers and “feast and famine”-type farming practices.<\/p>\n

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The black basalt earth near the summit of of nearby Volcan de Pacaya offers day hikers a moon-like landscape upon arrival.<\/p>\n

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There’s regular time and then there’s Guatemala time. An 8 a.m. departure via mini-bus can easily result in a three-hour jam session layover at the town’s market while paperwork is sorted out and registrations are renewed before leaving.<\/p>\n

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Located on a scenic ridge in Lanqu\u00edn, Zephyr Lodge offers unparalleled views of the surrounding hills. Despite the amazing scenery, the real attraction here is nearby Semuc Champey, where hiking, cave exploring, bridge jumping and natural pool lounging all come together for an incredible experience.<\/p>\n

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Above the Cahab\u00f2n River at Semuc Champay is a series of naturally occurring turquoise pools where visitors can lounge in the water, dive into deep pools and slide down rock slides into parallel basins.<\/p>\n

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The sun sets early in Lanqu\u00edn as a result of the towering hills surrounding the valley. The impending cool air is a welcome respite from the day’s sweltering heat.<\/p>\n

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Tikal is located in the department of Pet\u00e9n, in northern Guatemala, and was once the capital of the most powerful Mayan kingdoms.<\/p>\n

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At 212 feet, Temple IV is the highest building in Tikal, and offers the best views of the surrounding area.<\/p>\n

By Matt Stabile<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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About the Author<\/strong><\/p>\n

Matt Stabile runs TheExpeditioner.com. You can read his writings, see his videos, purchase the book he co-edited or contact him via email at any time at\u00a0TheExpeditioner.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At 12,336 feet, Volc\u00e1n de Agua towers over Antigua, which was once the capital of the country until 1773 when a massive earthquake struck destroying much of the country. Antigua’s population is only about 30,000 people, but during the\u00a0height\u00a0of the tourist season that number swells to over 60,000, many of whom are there attending one […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16159,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2569,2049,2576,2562,17,2577],"tags":[180,179,673,2660,2658,2659],"yoast_head":"\n