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Guatemala City, Guatemala
Arrive 21:40 pm
Hotels - Guatemala City Marriott hotel ?
Can book bus via viago ?
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Santa Cruz la Laguna, Guatemala
Hostels:
La iguana perdida (can organise bus to semuc champey)
Free Cerveza Hostel - BOOK EARLY (daily activities, beer pong etc) - cash only hostel
Activities:
Yoga at eagles nest
Paddle board (at sunrise?)
Day trip to case Del mundo
Banana boat rides
Tattoos
Weaving class
Cooking class (CECAP - cafe sabor cruceno)
Scuba diving?
Manos Crucenas (artisan shop)
Temazcal (traditional Mayan sauna)
Cafe:
Circles cafe
La sagrada mezcaleria (tacos and cocktails)
Holy tortillas (grill)
Cafe Sabor cruceno (Guatemalan Mediterranean fusion)
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San Pedro La Laguna, Guatemala
Hostels:
Mr Mullets Hostel (san marcos la laguna) - looks good party vibe with boat parties etc
Zoola
Activities:
Lots of unique towns around the lake
Indian nose hike (at sunrise)
Thermal baths / Los Termsles
Boat party - every 2 weeks
Chichiacastenango - CA’s biggest market (2 hour drive) - Thursdays and Saturdays
Shopping for jewellery ?
Tuktuk up to mirador - big hand for photos
Bars
Sublime
Food:
Shanti shanti - Israeli food (soooo good)
Zoola
The point (fast food)
Pita Sabij
Anafres San Pedro (birria tacos and ramen)
Jakuu
Taco Mex
Cafe panorama - insane view
Tacoyaki Japan ramen (authentic ramen)
No hay deer - amazing burgers
Sababa (Mediterranean food with lake views)
The fifth dimension - veggie and vegan
Transport: shuttle bus to lanquin
Lanchas- boats between towns around the lake (just go to the dock and get the next boat)
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San Juan La Laguna, Guatemala
Activities:
Cooking class - with deleite ansestral
Coffee tour - El Tata Coffee tour
Chocolate making course - xocolati
La Calle de las Sombrillas (colourful streets with local shops and art galleries)
Xunah kaab honey farm - free tour
Food:
Deleite Ansestral - MUST DO - looks amazing!!!!
El artesano (wine and cheese platters)
El comal (authentic Guatemalan food)
Cafe San Juan (beans grown themselves)
El gato perdido (burgers, salads, pizzas etc)
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San Marcos La Laguna, Guatemala
hippie / yoga vibe (can go for a day) -
nature reserve cliff jumping
Yoga at eagles nest
Casa Del mundo
Trampolin- for good swim spot and 12 m jump
Food:
Circles bakery (coffee and pastries)
The hidden garden (yogurt and smoothie bowls)
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El Paredon, Guatemala
Hostels:
Driftwood surfer hostel - has pool parties
Mellow surf hostel
Activities:
Surfing
Chill on beach
Parties at hostel
Salsa at cocori lodge
Pick mangos!!
Morning turtle release
Transport:
Shuttle to Antigua - then shuttle to lake
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Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
Hostels:
Tropicana hostel (can book volcano hike through hostel) - cheap/party
Maya Payaya/ojala - more spenny
Activities:
Acatenango volcano hike (soy tours?) - £60 for 4 days - 1 day hike up - one night up volcano - half day to hike down?
Chocolate museum
Guatemalan textiles market
Cathedral de la Antigua
Macadamia nut farm
Arco de Santa catalina (next to textiles market)
Cerro de la cruz viewpoint
Hobbitenango (stone hand)
Thrift shopping - mercedo central
Convento Santa Clara (ruins)
Parque central
Explore speak easys
Munag museum
Katun goathemala- makes personalised T-shirts
Nim p’ot - handmade gifts
Food:
Porque no - nice dinner (MUST GO)
Café café - brunch
Union cafe - brunch
Rinconcito Antigueno - lunch (looks amaze)
Ta’cool tacos
La familia
Wisdom
Los tres tiempos
Casa Escobar
Cafe sky bar
El criolo - traditional food
The Garden cafe
Artista de cafe
12 Onzas
Sunshine pizzeria
Nokiate Antigua
Hectors bristo
Bars:
Café no se
Transport:
Bus to el paredon - organise through hostel
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Lanquín, Guatemala
Hostels:
Zephyr lodge (looks soooo cool) - events every night
Greengos hostel
Activities:
Tubing down river - like tipsy tubing - and play volleyball at another hostel?
Semuc day tour - includes cave tour (looks so cool)
Parties
Transport :
8 hour drive from Guatemala City
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Flores, Guatemala
Hostels:
Hotel Peten express tikal
Los Amigos
Jungle lodge tikal hostel - in the national park itself - apparently better to stay in flores town
Activities:
Tikal ruins (day trip)
More of a laid back town / backpacker hangout
Night market - good food
Jorge’s rope swing
Playa tres naciones
Food:
Cafe mena - coffee
L’idiot - dinner and drinks
Transport:
Overnight bus from lanquin to Flores (8 hours)
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El Tunco, El Salvador
Hostels:
Papaya lodge
Activities:
Surfing (el sunzal beach)
Waterfalls (tamanique)
Local beach - keep walking 10 mins from el sunzal rock
El zonte beach - short bus away (can stay here)
Food:
Esquina La comadre
Pupusas (at bright blue shop opposite esquina la comadre)
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Santa Ana, El Salvador
Hostel:
Casa verde (amazinggg)
Ricks hostel
Activities:
Volcan santa ana hike (1 day)
Routa de las flores (some people stay a night at each place - can do in one day and take chicken buses everywhere)
Watch a baseball game
Sapoapa natural pool
Cathedral de nuestra senora
7 waterfalls hike
Salto de Malacatiupan - hot waterfall (bike to when you’re on routa de las Flores)
Food:
Simmer down (pizza)
Wine bar at Casa verde
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La unión, El Salvador
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León, Nicaragua
Hostels:
Poco a poco hostel (best)
Via via
Big foot (more party? - runs the volcano boarding)
Activities:
Volcano boarding (with big foot hostels?)
Cathedral at sunset
Free walking tour - must do apparently
Las penitas- nearby beach (can surf, watch sunset, can stay a night at mano a mano hostel)
Somoto canyon day trip
Estrelli for a few days - explore the area
Food:
Manana manana- breakfast / cafe
Sua- Mediterranean (a bit more spenny)
Coco calala- good for veggies
Pelibuey - street food
Monchos
Bodegon
Bars:
23 bar
El mirador - go for sunset
Transport:
2 hour bus to Grenada (take collectivos Leon - Managua - Granada)
Fine to get public buses and collectivos around the country.
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Isla De Ometepe, Nicaragua
Hostels:
Stay in hostels in balgue or merida
Lazy crab (chill but social ish)
Hostel zopilote - on a farm, yoga included, lots of workshops
Dragons garden tiny lodge (air bnb)
Raindance hostel (social / party)
Xalli beach hotel (spenny)
Nomadas hostel
Activities:
Rent scooter to explore island
Ojo de agua- natural spring made from volcano waters - looks epic
Sunset at punta Jesus Maria
La casada de san ramon - waterfall hike
Volcano hike - either conception (8hours) or maderas (6hours - more muddy but apparently nicer)
Wake boarding
Wet Wednesday party (in raindance hostel)
Beaches:
Playa mango
Playa Peru
Punta Jesus Maria
Playa Santa Cruz
Food:
Playa mango - go for sunset (can kayak)
El pital cacao - also has chocolate making workshops and has accom?
Zapate hostel - pizza on Tuesday and Saturday
Cafe mi casita (in someone house - good food and big portions)
Cafe comedor islabella (authentic food)
Maiz (cheap)
The Locals collective (cheap)
La Benedicion de Dion (cheap)
Cafe campestre (good veggie food - run by local women - in balgue)
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Granada, Nicaragua
Hostels:
Oasis hostel
De boca en boca
Activities:
Tree house rave (only on Friday)
Boat party - Wednesdays - book through hostel
Apoyo lagoon (can also stay here at hostel paradiso)
Masaya volcano
Climb cathedral at sunset
Kayaking tour around islands
Climb mombacho volcano
Explore colonial town
Walking tour for history?
Food:
Pita pita (lunch or dinner)
Garden cafe (brunch)
Burrito loco (lunch or dinner)
Tostometro (in the market - amazing plantain burger)
Verde (brunch)
Telepizza takeaway
Banana burger!!!
Party:
Encuentros club
Sand bar (more chill)
Booze cruise - Wednesdays
Treehouse party - Fridays
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San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
Hostels:
Hola ola hostel
Pachamama - party hostel
Casa oro
Dreamsea surf hostel - more spenny but super nice
Activities:
Surf lessons
Maderas beach - good surf spot and chilling
Walk up to Jesus statue at sunset
Hike to cristo
Food:
Simon says - breakfast and lunch
Dale pues- dinner
Sushi across street from dale pues
Ding repar cafe
Nightlife:
Sunday funday !!!
Arribas bar
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Popoyo, Nicaragua
NO ATMS
Very quiet and not super social - but worth going if surfing - beach is windy
Hostels:
Big surf house - not super social
Barrel
Amahula surf house
Marumar (bit further out but v cheap)
Activities:
Surf lessons
Sunsets
Yoga at magnificent rock
Gorg beaches - look for mummy turtles laying eggs
Popoyos secret (Saturdays)
Food:
The red pepper - on curry night
Dutchie deli
Comedores
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Little Corn Island, Nicaragua
Hostels:
Activities:
Diving!!!! - dolphin dive is a good dive shop
Beaches - Otto beach
Sunset at tranquilo cafe
Bars:
Reggae bar (weds or sat)
Food:
Tranquilo cafe
Cafe desideri
Esla’s place
Yemaya- for a posh meal
Fried fish cafe - for lunch on otto beach
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Big Corn Island, Nicaragua
Activities:
Diving - with Dwayne and Kevin at dos tiburones dive shop
Bars:
Floating bar - get little boat out from arenas hotel beach
Food:
Darinias- bit spenny but amazing
Beachside bar and grill