Latin America on a budget: Antigua, Guatemala

My first Latin America budget adventure, to Antigua, Guatemala, got off to a bad start. My flight from New York to Atlanta was cancelled due to bad weather and I was rebooked via Los Angeles. I finally arrived in Guatemala City a day late, and two days of activities suddenly needed to be compressed into one. In the spirit of the assignment, however, I didn’t inflate my budget. $75 was my limit for accommodations, transportation from the airport, all food, and all activities.

Antigua is Guatemala’s top tourist draw. Famous for its language schools, its new age aura, and its nightlife, Antigua is a major tourist center, and it is undeniably cute. The town is a very pleasant place to loll about, with its particular hybrid of colonial, expat, new age, and contemporary Guatemalan influences, though it’s also easy for more action-oriented travelers to fill days here visiting the town’s churches, museums, and convents.

Antigua is also known as a jumping-off point for adventure activities, especially volcano climbing. One of these excursions would have made for a perfect second day’s activity.



Antigua is chock-full of visit-worthy spots. Some essential stops that also happen to be free include the Church of San Francisco, the Santa Catarina Arch, La Merced Church, and Antigua’s central park.

The Church of San Francisco dates back to the 16th century, though it has been rebuilt many times. A service was underway when I visited. The Arco de Santa Catarina is probably the most iconic sight in all of Antigua. It’s an arch across 5 Avenida North, one of the town’s busiest blocks. Its golden yellow hue is matched by the exterior of La Merced church one block away.

La Merced itself boasts a beautifully ornate stucco exterior of golden yellow and snaking white symmetrical vines that look from a distance like icing on a big yellow cake. Next to La Merced is a fountain which can be visited for 5 quetzales (65 cents.) The fountain was not running during my visit; apparently this is the normal state of affairs. Rounding out the town’s top free sights is Antigua’s Parque Central, located at the nerve center of Antigua. The fountain in the center of the park dates to the 18th century.Also not to be missed are a number of sights that have very reasonable admission costs. There is the Museo de Arte Colonial, which includes paintings, largely religious, of the colonial era. The collection is frankly a bit thin, though it is certainly of interest. Admission is 50 quetzales, or about $6.55.

There is a worthwhile exhibit on colonial religious life in the small museum area of the Capuchinas Convent, though the real treat here is the convent’s rambling compound. It features a glorious patio around a fountain and a still, echoey cellar. This was probably my favorite place in Antigua. Admission is 40 quetzales, or $5.25.

Also absolutely worth a visit are the ruins behind San Jose Cathedral, just off the Parque Central. Admission is 3 quetzales, or just under 40 cents. These ruins date from the late 18th century. There are underground storage spaces and at least one quaint and very popular underground chapel.

Eating and sleeping, of course, occupied the lion’s share of my remaining costs.

I had a delicious breakfast of eggs and beans at Fernando’s Kaffee, a lunchtime sandwich at Doña Maria Xicotencatl, and a chicken dinner–no shame!– at Pollo Campero, the enormous Guatemalan fried chicken chain restaurant. Pollo Campero has taken off across Central America and beyond. Table service sets the experience apart from US fast food chains.

At Doña Maria Gordillo Dulces Típicos, a famous traditional candy shop, I obtained a solid shot of sugar in the form of a delicious little dulce de leche puck for 5 quetzales, or about 65 cents.

Here’s my grub costs breakdown: Breakfast came to 34 quetzales ($4.40). Lunch was the most expensive meal at 46 quetzales ($6). Dinner was mine for 40 quetzales ($5.25). Three meals plus my caramel delight totaled $16.30.

My head hit the pillow at Hotel Casa Cristina, a cute guesthouse close to La Merced, where I paid $27 for a small, simple, and attractive room. Casa Cristina is a budget traveler’s dream spot–cheap, friendly, super clean, and without question a good value. Single rooms on the first floor at Casa Cristina begin at an even more affordable $22 per night in high season. There are cheaper places to bed down in Antigua, but I wanted charm and personable proprietors. I found both at Casa Cristina.

So how did I do in respect to my budget? I miscalculated slightly and ended up spending $76 on my action-packed day, once the shuttle from the airport was added into the total. Still, I came awfully close to spending under $75 even with a compressed schedule and the $20 cost of the shuttle from the airport into Antigua.

For anyone wanting to stay in Antigua for longer than a weekend, these costs should flatten out quickly. Those days that don’t require a shuttle to and from the airport, for example, will be much less expensive, and days spent visiting churches and other sights that don’t charge admission could easily translate into expenditures as low as $40 per day, assuming a baseline of $22 for accommodations and around $15 for food.

Hungry for more budget travel ideas? Be sure to check out Gadling’s budget travel archive.

Latin America on a budget: How to plan a budget-friendly adventure

Latin America is one of the world’s most budget-friendly regions for visitors. There are very cheap places to stay across the region–most notably across Central America–where a few dollars will get you a bed for the night and dinner.

But in a budget-friendly region like Latin America there are also huge divides in terms of quality. How do you do your research to make sure that you come up with decent accommodations and an itinerary that delivers the best value for your money?

There’s a big difference between a guesthouse that’s cheap, clean, and cheerful and one that’s filthy and barely fit for a hedgehog. There’s a big difference between good cheap restaurants and bad cheap grub, too. How do you make the right planning decisions to make sure that you end up pinching pennies in a manner that’s both high-value and high-quality?

In the video below I discuss how I planned my budget-friendly adventure to Antigua, Guatemala.


Check back tomorrow for my story and video on Antigua, Guatemala. On April 12 I’ll extend the same treatment to Suchitoto, El Salvador. All my videos were shot by Gadling’s own Stephen Greenwood. On April 19 Jeremy Kressmann will apply the Latin American budget magic to Bogotá, Colombia.

Latin America on a Budget is proudly sponsored by Delta Air Lines.

Daily Pampering: July 4 at Jumby Bay

You could spend Independence Day gathered around the BBQ, watching Uncle Ed perform his new party tricks, keeping the dog from jumping on the food table, and hiding the adult fireworks from the kids. Or, you could spend July 4 at Jumby Bay, a Rosewood Resort on the beautiful island of Antigua, sipping Caribbean cocktails following your oceanside massage. Seems like a no brainer to us…

Jumby Bay created summer packages for travelers looking for a little luxury during travel’s busiest season. The Jumby The American Way offer is a four-night summer getaway spiced-up with Caribbean flare including:

  • Four-nights’ accommodations in a newly renovated suite
  • Roundtrip Airport Transfers
  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner, afternoon tea, cocktails and house wine daily
  • Two one-hour massages at NEW Sense, A Rosewood Spa®
  • Culinary Welcome Amenity – an Antiguan twist on an all-American classic!
  • Package priced from $4,560 (inclusive) in a Beachside Courtyard Suite; rates based on double occupancy.

While you’re here, indulge in board games on the beach, an afternoon ice cream at the Jumby Bay Beach Bar, and the new “Burger Mania” menu featuring exotic takes on the traditional favorite. Jumby Bay will also be offering special theme nights for guests including a sunset cocktail cruise, a lobster bake and bonfire on the beach, a cooking demonstration with Executive Chef Juan Pablo Loza, and a chance to “turtle watch” on Pasture Bay Beach, the site of the resort’s exclusive Hawksbill Turtle Program.

Put away the stars-and-stripes sunglasses, hide the lighter fluid and pack your bags. As for the fireworks? You’re on vacation – make your own!

Want more? Get your dose of Daily Pampering right here.

Three all-inclusive vacation packages for summer

The best part of all-inclusive trips is that the thinking is taken out of the equation. Want a second drink? Hell, a second entrée? Go for it! There’s no reason not to … because the bill is already paid. I had my first brush with the all-inclusive concept last summer, and I’m sold on it, especially since I get impatient while waiting for the bill (when the meal’s over, I just want to get on with my life). So, I was pretty excited to see a handful of all-inclusive deals come across my desk or this summer.

So, take a look below at what’s coming at Vail Resorts, Curtain Bluff and Grand Teton National Park in the next few months. You’ll probably find a vacation idea to turn you on and make the coming warmth even better!

1. Vail Resorts Epic Summer Package
Head out to Colorado for this family-oriented package. Everything is covered, from airport pickup to drop-off, with plenty of activities to keep you and the kids busy. You’ll also have access to a guide who can show you the best rivers to raft, trails to hike and so on. At $249 a day for adults, you’ll pick up a savings of more than 38 percent … and you won’t have to cobble together the itinerary yourself.

2. Grand Adventure Package
If you prefer peace and quiet – not to mention being enveloped by nature – check out Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. The Grand Adventure Package includes accommodations at Jackson Lake Lodge, a rafting trip on the Snake River and hiking through Grand Teton National Park. You’ll also receive all meals and even more activities, depending on how long your stay is. A four-night package starts at $1,902 for two adults and two kids, with seven nights starting at $3,806.

3. Curtain Bluff in Antigua
Curtain Bluff is an all-inclusive resort, but the deal for the summer can be found in the rate. For a mere $322.50 a night (and up), you can go deep-sea fishing, reef snorkeling or SCUBA diving, among other activities. I’m a big fan of the spa – and the restaurant, skippered by an Alain Ducasse-trained chef.

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Photo of the Day (04.17.10)

I have an unusually small head. It makes buying hats quite difficult. Hats, you see, rarely look good on me. I always look like a child wearing daddy’s cap. It’s embarrassing. From fedoras to Stetsons, I almost always struggle to find my size in head wear. So I can sympathize with the young man in the background of this photo taken by Flickr user ³²¹. Taken in Guatemala, his problem is not unique to Central America. No, sir. Right here in New York City, I find myself surrounded by people with larger heads than mine. It’s infuriating. I can see the consternation on this poor man’s face and I understand. I, too, am all-to-often left to wonder, “why?” Why must I suffer from such a tiny head? Be brave, my Guatemalan compatriot. Be brave.

Have a picture of an unusually small (or large) body part? Or, even better, just some great travel photos? Submit your images to Gadling’s Flickr group right now and we might use it for a future Photo of the Day