Culture and art is best represented in Central America by the old American school buses that have customized and painted in glaring colors. The art on these buses is taken seriously and those details are captured well in this short Travel Video from Jason and Aracely of 2Backpackers.com. Enjoy the show!

Photo Contributors: @travelvice & @ImPedrovski

Old American School Bus

Front Grill of Old American BlueBird School Bus from Antigua, Guatemala

As a kid growing up in the USA, I, like the majority of the student population, rode a big yellow bus to school every morning.  Back then, never did I imagine that later in life I would be making my way down Central America in that same type of transportation.  Only this time, the colors and creative modifications of the bus are kaleidoscopical.

Old American school buses, affectionately referred to as “Chicken Buses,” are the primary mode of transportation throughout all of Central America.  Depending on what kind of traveler you are, you either avoid them or take advantage of them whenever possible.  In our case, Jason and I have a love hate relationship with the chicken buses.  We love them because they are cheap, just as uncomfortable as a tourist shuttle, safe and we get to experience the culture of a country up close and personal.

Cheap Local Transportation

First, let’s talk numbers.  As a concrete example, we spent $33.70 between the two of us on transportation from the entrance of the Salvadorian boarder to the entrance of the Honduran border, which is approximately 228 miles.  In comparison, while in Guatemala, we often traveled in tourist shuttles, with the exception of getting from Monterrico Beach to the boarder of El Salvador.  Only focusing on our trip from Antigua to Panajachel to Semuc Champey, which is about 164 miles, we spent $69.22 in total.  That’s a $35.52 savings and an additional 64 miles distance for riding the local buses.  That’s the value of two nights in a hostel and a meal.  This is what budget travel is about, finding the cheapest alternative.

Little Comfort

A Crowded Bus in Colon, Panama

Second, each time we hopped in a tourist shuttle we were just as cramped, if not more than on a chicken bus.   These transportation companies are definitely not concerned with the comfort level of their passengers.  They will squeeze 5 of us into a 3 seat row bench and most either don’t have or don’t use air conditioner during the 8 hour journey.  Furthermore, if the road conditions are bad, unless you’re in a Mercedes-Benz S-class, your ride will be bumpy on both a chicken bus and a shuttle.

Safety on Buses

Backpacks Stored on a Bus in Central America

Then there is safety.  I have read many chicken bus theft stories on multiple web forums and I am grateful that Jason and I have yet to experience anything like that.  But, I must say that thus far, we have felt extremely safe on the road.  We even prefer the buses over taxis; I guess we just feel more safe in numbers.  Our bags are usually right next to us, near us or in plain view of us.  We do practice precaution and try to be aware of our belongings and surroundings and we carry a money belt for cash, passports and credit cards.  I know that we can’t control every situation and the possibility exists of getting our things stolen, but if we allowed negative possibilities to dictate our life we wouldn’t be traveling in these foreign countries in the first place.

Local Culture on Buses

Finally, riding on a chicken bus is a unique way to experience the true culture.  As I mentioned, this is the primary and daily mode of transportation for locals.  These buses stop everywhere, and frequently, which adds additional time to your journey.  The system acts like veins in a body, connecting the tiniest isolated town to the rest of the country.  To get from one location to the next, depending on how far you want to go, you may have to make several transfers, but it could potentially be the same story with the tourist shuttles.  Everyone rides them including school children, farm workers, teachers, market and street vendors, all making their way to the populous cities.  From what I’ve seen, people transport just about everything on the buses, and I’m convinced they are essential to the economy of these countries. Without these old American school buses, I am guessing 90% of the population wouldn’t go anywhere, since owning a vehicle is a luxury only the wealthy enjoy.

Entertainment on Buses

There is also an entertainment value to the whole experience to be quite frank.  In each bus there is usually a driver and a conductor.  The conductor collects the fares,  helps passengers with their carry on baggage, and hangs off the side of the bus yelling the bus route to everyone passing by.  He also skillfully gets on and off at each stop while the bus is still in motion to help anyone that may need it.   The baggage brought on the buses is anything from a sack of coffee, fruits and vegetables, chickens and anything else that can be sold at a market.  Chicken buses are also habitually visited by street vendors who will ride the bus to the next stop or town while they push their merchandise onto a captive audience.  They are selling everything from beauty product to snacks and cold drinks, and even entire meals consisting of rice, chicken and tortillas, all of which are served in a small plastic bags. The vendors are of all ages from very young children to elder men and women; all are very persistent and persuasive.  When the bus is crammed with people standing in the aisle, the vendors will artfully weave their way down the aisle to offer their products to every person on board.

Love Them & Hate Them

As you might have guessed, I’m an advocate for the chicken buses, but I did mention that Jason and I have a love hate relationship with them.  Hate, because it can be hard work lugging our heavy bags on and off at each connection point.  It’s tiring, hot, uncomfortable and you will definitely feel a sense of culture shock. That said, be forewarned, it’s definitely not for everyone.  If you can spare the cash, you may opt for the tourist shuttles, but don’t expect space or comfort.  If you can spare a little more time, all you need is a little patience and an open mind and you will be guaranteed an adventure on every chicken bus ride.

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St. Francis Church in Panajachel Guatemala at Lake Atitlan

Watch our HD Adventure Travel Video of Climbing Volcano San Pedro at Lake Atitlan in Guatemala
Panajachel is the largest town surrounding Lake Atitlan in Guatemala’s highlands and serves as the base for tourists visiting the area. Lake Atitlan is one of the highlights when visiting Guatemala and many tour bus companies will shuttle you from Antigua for a visit. Enjoy the beautiful landscapes of volcanoes surrounding Lake Atitlan, but don’t go swimming in the water.

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City Streets in Antigua, Guatemala

La Antigua Guatemala (commonly referred to as just Antigua or La Antigua) is a city in the central highlands of Guatemala famous for its well-preserved Spanish Mudéjar-influenced Baroque architecture as well as a number of spectacular ruins of colonial churches. It has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. – Wikipedia

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Semuc Champey Guatemala from Above

Semuc Champey is a natural monument in the department of Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, near the Q’eqchi’ Maya town of Lanquín. It consists of a natural 300m limestone bridge, under which passes the Cahabòn River. Atop the bridge is a series of stepped, turquoise pools, a popular swimming attraction. Although it can be difficult to get to, Semuc is becoming more and more popular with travelers. – Wikipedia

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Tuc Tuc Motor Taxi In Panajachel, Guatemala

Watch our HD Adventure Travel Video: Climbing Volcano San Pedro at Lake Atitlan in Guatemala
Tuc-Tuc Motor Taxi is a very popular form of transportation in small towns throughout in Latin America. This photo was taken in Panajachel, Guatemala.

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Walking the Streets of Panajachel, Guatemala

I was asked if Guatemala is safe by another traveler while hanging out in a hostel in Argentina.  And let’s be honest, Guatemala is much less developed than Argentina, so it’s a legitimate question.  It’s not the first time we have been asked about traveling in Guatemala, although the questions did usually come up when we were in South America.  You don’t get asked such a question in Central America, mostly because all those countries are relatively the same in terms of safety and infrastructure less Costa Rica.

Safe is an Opinion

This is a very difficult question to answer, not because I think Guatemala is unsafe, but rather because the answer is an opinion.  When speaking about travel safety, you want to hear facts or concrete evidence to squabble your fears.  The only evidence I have is that Aracely and I traveled most of Guatemala for over a month and were never knowingly in danger.  I am not asking you to make a judgement on the safety of traveling in Guatemala based on our experience alone, however all I can share is our experience.

Walking the Streets of Antigua, Guatemala

Guatemala was the first country we visited on this backpacking journey and the most underdeveloped country I had ever been to.  I should clarify by saying, I have never really traveled much beyond the United States, Spain and Germany.  I was nervous.  We were carrying a few thousand dollars worth of equipment and I not only had to worry about myself, but I felt responsible for Aracely’s safety too.

Outside a Restaurant in Flores, Guatemala near Tikal National Park

Guatemala City

We had heard prior to visiting Guatemala that Guatemala City was very dangerous.  Specifically, bus robberies and bus jackings were common by gangs.  We made no plans to visit the city.  When we arrived there by plane, we hopped on a shuttle bus to Antigua, “Gringo Town.”

While staying in Antigua, we did meet travelers that visited Guatemala City during the day for some sightseeing.  They described it as any other major city, and had no bad experiences.  We also were there when our hostel maid received a phone call that her sister was just hit and mugged while picking up her paycheck in the city.  It’s all about experiences and what you may have heard.  We decided to go bowling in the city one night.  A bunch of us rented a private shuttle bus and all went well.

Antigua

Antigua is the backpacking mecca of Guatemala.  All the amenities you are used to exist here including WiFi, bars, dance clubs, laundry facilities, cafes, fast food chains, restaurants and major banks.  If you can’t find something ask another traveler or the Tourist Police.  I think Antigua is the perfect place to get your feet wet as a backpacker.

Chicken Buses of Antigua, Guatemala

Transportation

Antigua is usually the base camp for visiting other nearby attractions such as Lake Atitlan, Xela, Monterrico Beach, Semuc Champey or even Tikal.  Tourists usually take shuttle buses around the country, but Chicken Buses (old American school buses) are available for the more daring.  More daring in the sense that you really need to speak Spanish, be willing to travel slower and hope that you can figure out how to get from one destination to the other.  The shuttle buses will take you directly to your destination, but it will be cramped.

Backpacks Stored in the Back of the Bus

Volcanoes

There are many volcanoes to climb in Guatemala and some have had a history of bandit attacks.  Bandits are looking to rob you and possibly harm you.  It’s very easy to avoid such treks.  Just listen to the advice from tour agencies and hike volcanoes that are national parks.  The tour agencies are always trying to request the government convert more volcanoes into national parks, but it’s a slow process.  Once a national park, rangers patrol the area for your safety.

• Tikal National Park Video Tour
• Climbing Volcano San Pedro Video Tour
• Active Volcano Pacaya Video Tour
• Monterrico Beach Guatemala Video Tour

Armed Guards

It may take some time getting used to seeing armed guards patrol everything from gas stations to jewelry stores.  These aren’t your everyday mall cops, these guys all carry shotguns.  It’s a bit intimidating, however that is what they are going for.

People

The people of Guatemala are kind, the country is explored by few and the adventures are endless.  You won’t find roped walkways and concrete steps on your hike to Semuc Champey.  You will find yourself saying, “This wouldn’t be legal in my country.”  But, this is what makes it so exciting.

Streets of Panajachel, Guatemala at Lake Atitlan

Be Smart Stay Safe

This article isn’t intended to persuade you to avoid Guatemala City, chicken buses or volcanoes that aren’t national parks.  We are just suggesting alternatives if you want to play it safe.  However, the best way to be safe is to be smart.  Don’t carry things in pockets that can be easily pick pocketed.  Try to make friends and travel in groups.  Always be aware of your surroundings.  These are things that Aracely and I do in every country we visit.

I think Guatemala is special.  I know this because every time Aracely and I are asked about it, we light up and explain how much fun we had while traveling there.

View PHOTOS of Guatemala.

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A Blue Night At Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

Watch our HD Adventure Travel Video: Climbing Volcano San Pedro at Lake Atitlan in Guatemala

We only visited Lake Atitlan, Guatemala for two nights and during our short time there we were able to capture many different views of the lake.  This eerie yet beautiful image is of a storm that is approaching the lake.  The lights in the background are from the town of San Pedro.

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Cicada Shedding Skin at Semuc Champey, Guatemala

Semuc Champey is a natural wonder of Guatemala near the Q’eqchi’ Maya town of Lanquín.  As we walked though the jungle to get to the 300m limestone bridge of stepped of turquoise pools we encountered this cicada molting.

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Lake Atitlan Boat Dock

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Sunrise at Volcano Pacaya in Guatemala

Pacaya is an active complex volcano in Guatemala. It rises to an elevation of 2,552 metres (8,373 ft). After being dormant for a century, it erupted violently in 1965 and has been erupting continuously since then.

Pacaya lies 30 kilometres (19 mi) southwest of Guatemala City and close to Antigua.

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KanBa Caves of Semuc Champey, Guatemala

Note: We didn’t have a waterproof camera to take pictures of the cave inside or outside. If you have pictures, or plan on visiting the caves, we would love to showcase your pictures on this post. Thank you!

Semuc Champey Caves

After paying the entrance fee to the owner of the caves and the Inn Posada Las Marias, you meet the guide for the adventure.  The guides are provided by the cave’s administration and you don’t have a choice.  Each guide has a good understanding of the caves structure and hidden surface.  This is important when you find yourself swimming in a cave with the potential to kick hidden rocks lurking below.

A Candle Leads the Way

Each person is provided a single white candle about 4 inches long.  Next, you are led up steep steps into the large opening of the cave.  We entered the cave at ankle deep water and paused to light our primitive flashlights, or candles.  The water came from our ankles, to our knees, to our waist and eventually to our chest.  We all held our candles high in a sad attempt to further brighten our way.

• Tikal National Park Video Tour
• Climbing Volcano San Pedro Video Tour
• Active Volcano Pacaya Video Tour
• Monterrico Beach Guatemala Video Tour
• Semuc Champey Guatemala Video Tour

The cave was masked in darkness, and exuded a creepy feeling of the unknown.  We continued to walk through the cave with varying water levels.  Occasionally our guide warned us to be careful not to bang our legs on the submerged rocks that rose up from the cave floor, but inevitably we did.

Swimming in a Cave

Our guide explained, “You must swim now, make sure you don’t extinguish your candle.”  “Huh,” we thought to ourselves.  You could see everyone in the group make eye contact with each other in an attempt to justify our own personal shock.  I’m not a good swimmer.  Okay, I’m not a swimmer at all and I sure can’t swim with one hand in the air.  Jason was close behind me and suggested I hold onto his neck while resting on his back.  My job became to hold the two candles in one hand while circled around his neck with the other arm.  Jason then swam with both hands, frog style across the dark pool.  Many people had wet their candles during the swim, but we all helped each other ignite them before continuing.

Climbing Ladders

As if we were in a small mine, different levels of the cave were connected by ladders made of thin metal pipes held together with thick bands of rubber and black electrical tape.  We had to climb these ladders, which in our minds would be a legal nightmare in the States, but I guess that is truly one of the advantages to adventures in Central America.  Narrow tunnels led to different chambers in the cave, some with still pools of water and others with rushing water falls.   The cave’s walls were decorated with stalactite and stalagmite formations.  We even had the option to climb up a waterfall and jump off a short cliff.  Yes, all this inside the cave and far away from daylight.   Jason went for it.  I on the other hand, was particularly shy and nervous in the darkness of that cave and watched in disbelief as Jason trusted his life with our guide.  He was the only one to make the jump.

The guide makes the journey fun with several surprises that we won’t disclose here.  One bit of advice is to bring a glow stick to wear around your neck.  We wish we did.  We also don’t suggest this tour for those that aren’t physically fit, since some of the ladder climbing is a bit confined and difficult.

Budget Travel Tips

Turquoise Pools of Semuc Champey, Guatemala

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Boat on Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

Watch our HD Adventure Travel Video: Climbing Volcano San Pedro at Lake Atitlan in Guatemala

Lake Atitlán is recognized to be the deepest lake in Central America. The lake is shaped by deep escarpments which surround it and by three volcanoes on its southern flank. Lake Atitlan is further characterized by towns and villages of the Maya people. Wikipedia
Lake Atitlán has become one of the most polluted lakes in Central America and is now categorized as toxic. A major ecological cleanup is needed – Time Online Article

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I have only traveled to a few Latin American countries prior to arriving in Guatemala twenty-one days ago.  In 2003 I spent ten days in Costa Rica, in 2004 seventeen days in Ecuador (my country of origin), in 2008 eight days in Dominican Republic and in March of this year Jason and I spent six days on the Argentina/Brazil border for a visit to Iguazu Falls.

Shoe Shining Boy

Although those trips were relatively short and touristy, I feel as though I did get a glimpse, as small as it was, of the culture, people, and economic situation of those countries.  One notable and emotionally memorable observation for me was seeing children begging in the streets.  After spending twenty years living in the United States this is not something we are accustomed to seeing, or at least we can agree that it’s an extremely rare occurrence.

After visiting six towns in twenty-one days, I have yet to see one child begging in the streets of Guatemala.  I have only seen them working and they are all working very hard.  To clarify, when I say children I mean children of all ages from 4 and 5 year olds to pre-teens and up, all working.  They are selling everything from hand made bracelets, to hair products, to food; they are offering services from shoe shining to hair braiding.  With or without the help of an adult, these children are able to create honorable work out of the few resources they have.  I find that extremely impressive.

Girl Selling Candy

At such a tender age they have mastered the art of negotiating, up selling, customer service and can even calculate complex equations in their head.  One little girl offered me coconut macaroons at 5 Quetzales (about .61 cents) each but I only had a 10 Q bill.  She quickly told me to take two.  Another little boy was selling lychee at 12 for 10Q.  I asked how much he would give me for 5Q.  He put 6 in a bag and one in my hand.  “For the road,” he said.  He didn’t miss count; he was providing me good customer service.

Just out of curiosity, I did a little bit of research on per capital GDP (a debatable indicator but we won’t get into that right now) of the countries I mentioned to see how they ranked.  The results are illustrated in the table below.

Source: http://data.un.org/

Guatemala actually has the lowest GDP of them all and it’s the country where I have not seen a single child begging.  I am not implying any economic trends of any sort, nor am I claiming to know all of the poverty issues of Guatemala or any country, because I don’t.  Most importantly, I don’t mean to offend any child, man or woman that does or has begged.  All I want to do is give credit to the hardworking children of Guatemala.  You might have seen children begging in the streets, but I haven’t; I have only seen them working very hard.

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Here is a few fun statistics of our first week of travels in Guatemala.

Miles traveled: 250 miles

Hours in a bus: 21

Unidentified Criter #1 found in our bathroom

Number of hostels stayed in: 4—The hostels we’ve stayed in have been quite nice and comfortable.  El Portal in Semuc Champey was the most picturesque, but the walls of the bungalows are not sealed from the outside so you are guaranteed to sleep with a few critters.

Things lost: 3—Clothes liner, carabineer and pillow case.  We forgot them in Semuc Champey.

Mosquito bites: Aracely 13; Jason 0—I came to the conclusion that mosquitoes don’t bother Jason because he’s got hairy legs.

Cold showers: 2—I have been pleasantly surprised with shower water temperature.  Shower water pressure on the other hand, has been very low most of the time.

Stomach problems: 1—We’ve been eating almost anything and Jason has been using the Steri-pen to purify the water.  We both have been successful in staying fairly healthy so far.

Jason's Gigantic Blister

Blisters: 3—Jason has a really bad blister on his left heel and a smaller one on his right, he got them both climbing Volcano San Pedro.  I got one on my right hand from holding a tight grip of my hiking stick during the same hike.

Number of falls: Aracely 4.5, Jason 9. Our hike to Volcano San Pedro was not only a very difficult one but a very slippery one too.  Everyone in our group slipped and sat on their bottoms at least twice.  Jason took the record with 9 total falls, 4 on the way up, 5 on the way down.  The only person who didn’t fall during that hike was our guide.  I took 3.5 spills on Volcano San Pedro (the .5 is for a slip that I was able to save and not sit on my bottom) and 1 at Semuc Champey.

Pictures Taken: Over 300. Guatemala is a beautiful country and we can’t help ourselves but to take pictures of everything.  However, we have been going back and only keeping the good ones.  We don’t need 10 shots of the same mountain, just one great one.

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