The magical site of Tikal graces the cover of travel brochures the world over, a mysterious ancient Mayan kingdom drenched in steamy rainforest that echoes with tropical birdsong and the haunting shrieks of howler monkeys Soaring temples peer out of the jungle canopy amidst a sea of green – the iconic backdrop to various Hollywood…

Guatemala City was founded in 1776 on the site of the ancient Mayan city of Kaminaljuyu as the capital of the “Kingdom of Guatemala” replacing Antigua as the new seat of power. A series of natural disasters, most notably the 1917–18 earthquakes, have stripped the city of much of its early colonial glory and given…

Situated in the heart of Guatemala where the rugged highlands begin to drop into the steamy Peten, Coban is an historic town founded by the Spanish in 1538, the “Ciudad Imperial” as it is still known today. Surrounded by lush, rolling hills cloaked in coffee and cardamom plantations owing to the arrival of German immigrants…

A Mayan trading centre since the pre-colonial era, Chichicastenango (“Chichi”) is one of the largest and most colourful, indigenous markets in the Americas, a true riot of colours, flavours and regional products. Outside market days, the town is an unassuming, traditional community of some 40,000 inhabitants but each Tuesday and Sunday, the cobbled streets and…