mexbungalows
las peñas, michoacan, mexico
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Joined: 06/01/2007
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I've been three times to the Panama Canal in a 33' Crown bus conversion pulling a one-ton pickup. CA 1 the Pan American highway is reasonable. I did have to unhitch the pickup in Solola when going on to Panajachel. Today I understand the highway to Flores and Tikal is paved. Most RV'ers simply pull in near a hotel and pay a small fee to "camp" overnight. Because of the light traffic I found the roadways in Honduras to be excellent but they degraded in Nicaragua and really weren't any better until I crossed into Panama.
Fuel isn't any cheaper in Guatemala than it is in Mexico and stations are far fewer outside cities. Hotels tend to be less expensive.
Please heed this advice: Our younger generation really has a good time on Guatemalan second-class chicken buses. But I can no longer tolerate legroom for a six-year old and half-inch seat padding on a heavily rutted and potholed highway. Try to stick with less common premium bus service.
I would headquarter in San Cristobal de Las Casas, and spend at least four full days there. Until 1922 Chiapas used to be a Guatemalan "Department". If you find that you are uncomfortable for some reason then maybe it would be time to re-think a further dive into Guatemala (as far as Guatemalan society, and customs are concerned). The HOTEL BONAMPAK on "El Bulee" the highway, is the place for rigs longer than 25'.
Go to the main Plaza, to the far end of it, and make a right. You will see several posters advertising van transportation into Guatemala, which stops at the border for necessary VISA stamping and tourist cards.
The "BIG THREE" in Guatemala are the city of Antigua, the fun town of Panajachel on the shores of spectacular Lake Atitlan, and of course perhaps the best mesoamerican ruins of them all "TIKAL". If you are especially adventurous try the trip to the "IXIL TRIANGLE" with jaw dropping mountain scenery and a thoroughly exotic native Guatemalan society and crafts. You might want to consider staying in the village of Nebaj.
I really should keep the following to myself :-)
San Cristobal de Las Casas is my favorite city in Mexico by a power of X 10
If my situation changes where I am now I am going to really consider moving there. Alas it is a long way back to the US border and medical coverage :-(
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Tripalot
Golden Horseshoe, Ont. Canada
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Joined: 02/06/2001
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Thanks to everyone for the information - keep it coming. Re rv insurance - I checked and the cost is approx. $350 for our 30 ft. M.H.
I also checked on Belize and it is about $40 - both prices Am. $.
2007 Holiday Rambler Admiral 30 SFS with lots of good stuff!
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Fox & Bear
Ontario, Canada
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Joined: 12/13/2006
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Tripalot - Glad you are receiving some good tips. Please e-mail me I want to get some info from you.
Barb & Bob
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Jonna
Mérida, Yucatan & Akumal, QRoo
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Joined: 09/07/2006
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We spent a month in Guatemala a couple years ago, entered from Belize and exited through La Mesilla into Chiapas. Our rig is a 27' class C towing a jeep and our friends had a 4wd truck pulling a 27' 5th wheel. We had a wonderful time, we took some weird roads and ended up crossing 6 mountains on a dirt road, only about 50 miles but it took us 2 days.
There are armed guards everywhere in Guatemala, that took some getting used to coming from Mexico. Even the soft drink trucks have a guy riding shotgun with a shotgun. The only night we spent where there wasn't an armed guard was during our trip over the mountains on the dirt road. We spent that night at a wide spot in the road near a town and felt quite safe. I felt pretty safe everywhere although clearly the locals don't feel it is safe, we tried to park one night near the Honduran border at a turnout and had many people stop and tell us we needed to go somewhere with a guard. I was kind of dubious at that point but when so many people are so adamant, it's hard to take the chance and refuse. We ended up at a balneario + hotel with a half dozen pools. We joked that it was the first time for any of us to be swimming while a guy with an automatic weapon stood nearby.
We didn't really have any problems finding a place to park although it does pay to start looking fairly early as it is not always simple. I have my log with the places we stayed and I think I have the coordinates for some of them. Our internet sat and star choice sat worked everywhere we were. I really love the country, it is stunningly beautiful and the people are fascinating. Of course, the opportunities to buy exquisite hand made artesania are incredible.
I too have heard that Tapachula is a dump and dangerous, we didn't come out that way so I have no first hand knowledge. La Mesilla is a small town and it was an easy border. We would have made San Cristobal that night except that there was a protest and they had closed the highway in Mexico, we sat around for about 6 hours and then spent the night in Comitan de Dominguez.
Our basic route was Tikal, Finca Isabel (fantastic campground near Poptún), Rio Dulce, Guatemalan border town called Frontera (we left the rigs at the border and took a cab across to Copan Ruinas in Honduras), Baja Verapaz (we went up there looking for the Quetzal and then took our famous short cut to just north of Guatemala City), Antigua, Panajachel, Chiapas. Those are the places we camped, we spent a lot of time in some and less in others but we used the truck and the jeep to explore smaller roads around us. For instance, it is difficult to enter Solola or Chichi with an RV, we drove to those and other towns in the area from Panajachel.
I really enjoyed the trip, I plan to do parts of it again when our house in Mérida is finished. Mostly for the shopping but also just because I enjoy the country and the history. I agree that Chiapas is often referred to as Guatemala north and is very similar, so it is a good stop to see if you will be comfortable. I speak ok spanish and was able to get advice and recommendations from locals about where to stay, that was very helpful as there just aren't the a lot of english speakers in most places.
Jonna
Tortuga (2001 Lazy Daze) towing Sapo (1997 Jeep Wrangler)
Our rule: You gotta spend the night with the RV to get the sticker.
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