Lake Atitlán

Despensa Familiar — the budget everywhere

La Torre — mid-range supermarket

Walmart / Paiz — big shop

Mercado — cheapest produce

Best: Nov – Apr · Wet: May – Oct

Fees: Bank ATMs charge ~$3–4 per withdrawal; 5B and Banrural machines are widely available.

Limits: 2,000–3,000 GTQ per pull typically.

Best machines: Banco Industrial5B networkBAC

Vaccines: Routine, Hepatitis A, Typhoid. Rabies awareness rurally; malaria pills only for low-lying jungle stays (not Antigua/Atitlán highlands).

Health: Bottled/purified water only. Antigua and Atitlán sit at altitude (1,500m+), so cooler and gentler on the stomach. Volcano hikes need real shoes and a guide. Antigua has decent private clinics; serious cases go to Guatemala City.

Tap water: ❌ Don't drink the tap. Purified 'agua pura' is cheap and everywhere.

Safety: Antigua and Lake Atitlán are the well-trodden traveller circuit and feel relaxed and hosted; Guatemala City is best transited quickly. Use tourist shuttles or Uber in the capital, don't hike volcanoes solo, and keep valuables low-key. Chicken buses are colourful but pickpocket-prone.

For most short tourist trips, citizens of the US, UK, EU/Schengen, Canada, Australia and New Zealand either enter visa-free or get a simple online authorisation (an eVisa or eTA) before flying. Typical visa-free stays run 30–90 days. Some countries want a visa arranged in advance, and a growing number ask you to fill an online arrival or eVisa form even when 'visa-free' — so always check the official portal for your exact nationality before you book.