Central America Archives - Planet Whitley

Templo I from the top of Templo II at Tikal, Guatemala.

Tikal, Guatemala: The ancient Mayan city you’ve seen in Star Wars

The jungle-covered ancient Mayan city of Tikal has appeared in a Bond film and Star Wars. Climbing the temples is an awe-inspiring experience. The howler monkeys of the Guatemalan jungle The roars cry out over the thick Central American jungle. It’s all very Jurassic Park.…

Central America, Guatemala, Maya

Climbing volcanoes in Guatemala – Pacaya and Chicabal

Two Guatemalan volcanoes – Volcan Pacaya and Volcan Chicabal – show off very different sides of the country. Booking a Guatemala volcano tour Head here for a guided climb of Volcan Pacaya and here for a trekking tour to Chicabal’s lake. To just enjoy the…

Central America, Guatemala, volcanoes

Can I climb Temple IV at Tikal, Guatemala?

Discover which temples you can and can’t climb at Tikal – and which one offers the best views. The greatest Mayan site? Tikal in the Petén department of Guatemala is perhaps the most evocative of the ancient Mayan sites in Central America. Its tall, pyramid-style…

Central America, Guatemala, Maya, temples

Why the scarlet macaw has returned to the ruins of Copán, Honduras

A breeding programme is bringing back the scarlet macaw – once held sacred by the ancient Maya – back to the Copán ruins in Honduras. To skip the story and book your Copán tour, head here. Mayan Ball Game in Copán, Honduras Amid the ancient…

Central America, Honduras, Maya, wildlife

Maximón in Santiago de Atitlán, Guatemala.

Meeting Maximón – Guatemala’s rogue saint

In Santiago de Atitlán, Guatemala, there’s a saint that most definitely doesn’t meet with the Catholic Church’s approval. To skip the article and discover a wide range of tours and experiences in Guatemala, head this way. I’m led down a scrappy alleyway in Santiago de…

Central America, Guatemala, Maya, religion

Natural pool near the Cueva del Tigre, Guatemala.

Inside Guatemala’s surprisingly scary Cueva del Tigre

A community tourism project in Rio Dulce, Guatemala, gives visitors more than they’d bargained for. To skip the article and discover a wide range of tours and experiences around Guatemala’s Lake Atitlan, head this way. Community tourism sounds so fluffy and harmless. We’d go on…

caves, Central America, Guatemala