Page 29 | OkAntigua | Travel Guide to Antigua Guatemala

Renting In Antigua Guatemala Like A Local

When I first started looking for an ideal destination for my first stop on the “slow travel” world tour, many cities popped up on the list. Ambergris Caye, Belize, was an early front-runner. English is spoken there, and the beaches are gorgeous. A perfect combo.

I also considered Granada, Nicaragua and either Las Tablas or Boquete, Panama. All great destinations and well worth a stop later down the road. However, they were at a very significant disadvantage.

I’d already been to Antigua Guatemala and had fallen in love with it. I mean, look at the picture below. Wouldn’t you also?

Antigua Guatemala’s gorgeous backdrop

Fast forward to today, and I’m pretty happy with the decision. Antigua Guatemala is a great jumping off point for attractive destinations throughout Guatemala. Stick with this site long enough, and I’ll show you what I mean.

One of the first hurdles I needed to clear was finding a place to stay. I did the first thing a digital nomad would do. I googled.

Eventually, I found a place that so far I’m satisfied with. These are the lessons I learned about moving overseas as a first-time expat:

Avoid Renting in Antigua Guatemala at “Gringo” or Expat Prices

Some websites online will cater to expats and charge a premium, even when the same rental property advertises for less elsewhere. I routinely came across properties that were listed for much, MUCH more on websites aimed at English-speaking readers than what they were listed in the local classifieds.

To avoid being gouged, try two simple strategies when renting in Antigua Guatemala:

1) As I mentioned, search Guatemala online classifieds. The drawback will naturally be that they will often be in the native language, though not always. Fortunately, rental descriptions are pretty easy to figure out (number of bedrooms, bathrooms, neighborhood, and utilities –if any– included).

2) The best investment you can make, money-wise, is to learn the local language. If you or a friend (local or expat) speaks the local language, you’re less likely to be charged a premium if you let them inquire about the property first. You or they may even be able to bargain the price down if you don’t sound like a foreigner. Foreigners are usually thought to be loaded with money.

3) Not all rental agencies – or even real estate agents – are created equally. Because there’s no regulating body for rental agents in Guatemala, anyone can jump into the market and fish for tenants. Marketing agreements are nonexistent, so the same property can be advertised by multiple agencies, with often substantial differences.

Since agents draw their salary from commissions (usually the first month’s rent if a tenant signs a one-year contract), they’re likely working against your interests, looking to get you into the highest-priced property they can.

Don’t rely on their word that the rental price quoted is the lowest price possible the owner will agree to, or that there aren’t any cheaper properties on the market.

It’s Worth Paying a Little Extra if Utilities Are Already Included

Utilities may be hard to hook up if not already in place. I learned this the hard way when I moved into the property I’m at today.

I rented a property with the understanding that hooking up Internet service would not be problematic. I won’t rehash the details, you can read that here, but it wasn’t as easy as was portrayed by the people I rented from.

Keep in mind that to obtain service, you will sometimes need to show proof that you’ll be renting the property for a while. Often you won’t be able to get service at all if you’re a foreigner, for lack of a required document or local bank account.

Save yourself a headache and get as many utilities included in the rental price as possible.

Don’t Rush Into Renting Without Getting a Lay of the Land

At first, it all will seem exciting and new. You’ll want to be in the middle of everything, which is fine IF you’re on a short vacation.

Once you live in the place for an extended time, you may start gaining a new level of appreciation for peace. The crush of tourists usually gets annoying when you cease being a tourist. That cool, happening bar half-a-block away will drive you insane a month later when you need to catch up on some sleep.

Also, desirable locations tend to be much higher priced than cheaper neighborhoods a mile or two from the center of the action. But discovering those rental property gems that combine affordability with accessibility and safety will take a bit of time.

What do I recommend?

Stay for a month in a hostel or hotel that offers monthly rental rates. Not many hotels advertise monthly rates, though some do. You can also try AirBnB.

It never hurts to ask the hotel owner what sort of deal they will make with you. Sometimes you’ll even get daily breakfast thrown into the deal.

Try to bring the rate down by requesting maid service only once or twice a week instead of daily visits. They’ll be very much open to hearing your proposal, especially if it’s the off-season.

Your Rental Deposit May Not Always Be Refundable

In the US, it is often customary to get your deposit back if you leave the rental property in good shape. Understand ahead of time that depending on the country, your deposit may be as good as gone, and you may not see a dime once you move out of the property.

For that reason, be suspicious of owners asking for more than one month’s deposit, or any other exorbitant sum. Be prepared never to see your deposit again, be super grateful if you do get it all back.

Be Wary of Rental Contracts You Don’t Understand

Don’t enter solely into a verbal agreement. Obtain proof, in writing, that you are the occupant of the property, for the length and rate agreed. Having legal backing will protect you in the case the owner decides to raise the rent midway through your stay.

It will also protect you if someone else claims they want to sell the property and need you to move out. By law, they won’t be able to do anything until your lease runs out, provided that you are paying on time and have receipts showing so.

Keep in mind that the contract will likely be in the local language, so bring along someone that knows the language and can translate it for you, if necessary. Also know that in some countries, like Guatemala, a contract written in English is not valid legally, therefore unenforceable and useless.

Hopefully, these tips save you from making an expensive mistake and help you avoid an unpleasant experience overseas.

What has been your experience when renting abroad?

I’d love to hear your comments!

El Paredon Guatemala: Visiting Paredon Surf House

While I’ve lived in Guatemala for a while and had previously visited many other times, I hadn’t found a chance to visit any of its beaches. Guatemala rarely figures in any guidebook as a beach-worthy destination. Part of it I think is that other fantastic attractions tend to overshadow perfectly serviceable beaches, like El Paredon Guatemala. Did you know you could surf in Guatemala? See my review below of Paredon Surf House.

The closest beaches to Guatemala City and Antigua Guatemala are those on the Pacific Coast, located about 2 hours away. Monterrico beach gets top billing, due to being more developed and having more amenities, although it’s not necessarily the best beach on the west coast.

While looking up info about possible beach destinations, I found out about El Paredon Beach, located inside Sipacate-El Naranjo national park. This area is known as Guatemala’s best surf spot and featured in El Paredon Surf Report.

Driving to Paredon Surf House

I found online a neat little hotel on El Paredon beach, Paredon Surf House. I decided to drive there one Saturday morning to check it out.

If you don’t have access to a vehicle, there are now some travel agencies offering shuttles to and from El Paredon. A one-way shuttle costs about $12USD. Plan to spend the night, as shuttle schedules allow for a 2-3 hour stay if you want to come back the same-day – far too little time.

From Antigua Guatemala, you need to head towards Escuintla, the road that goes through Ciudad Vieja. We were barely on our way, and we were already looking forward to sucking in some clean sea breeze.

Smoke from a chicken bus

Keep following the signs to Escuintla as you head out of Ciudad Vieja. This road is also known as CA-14.

Bear left on CA-14, towards Escuintla

As you continue heading towards Escuintla, you’ll pass by the town of Alotenango and La Reunion Golf Resort, a five-star hotel and planned community. Designed by Peter Dye, it is said to be one of the best golf courses in all of Guatemala. The place looks magnificent inside, even if it doesn’t look like much from the outside and its location is in the middle of nowhere.

Overloaded pickup truck – a common transportation mode in Guatemala

As you drive past Alotenango, around the bend, you’ll notice a striking hill dominating the landscape. Known to locals as “Pikachu Mountain,” it’s a popular rock climbing destination. Why the name? Not sure, but I have a theory.

For a Q10 ($1.25) fee per person, you can enter the small park and climb to the top. There’s also a shallow river, safe for kids. Street vendors gather here to sell food on the weekends. The entrance to the small parking lot can be easy to miss. Look for a turnoff on your right.

Striking Guatemalan landscape

As you get closer to the mountain (a hill, really), you’ll notice a distinctive boulder. I guess if you squint your eyes, you might confuse the rock with Pikachu, of Pokemon fame. That’s my theory on the name.

Pikachu mountain

After experiencing cooler temperatures at the start of the trip, it warmed up considerably once we reached Escuintla.

Driving past the Pikachu, you’ll come to a fork in the road allowing you to enter the Escuintla bypass. Otherwise, you’ll have to drive through the city of Escuintla and find your way to CA-9, the new highway that leads to the coast. Bear right at the fork.

Entrance to CA-2 Highway

After a short drive on the bypass road, you’ll see signs for Puerto Quetzal, which is on the coast. The Mazatenango/Retalhuleu (Reu) exit is CA-2, which takes you all the way to the Mexican border. From here on, follow signs for Puerto Quetzal.

Head to the coast, toward Puerto Quetzal

Antigua Guatemala road to the coast

The drive down CA-9 is fairly nice, as the road is in great shape. This is the same road that leads to Monterrico and Iztapa, another popular beach. El Paredon beach is further up north, so you need to drive through Puerto San Jose and away from Puerto Quetzal.

Highway to the Pacific Coast

Puerto Quetzal is Guatemala’s main shipping port, so it makes sense that the Guatemalan Naval Base is located nearby.

Guatemalan Naval Base

Keep following the signs for Puerto San Jose.

Follow the turnoff to Puerto San José

Puerto San Jose is a familiar town with visitors from Guatemala City, because of its accessible public beach. It was at the very least interesting to drive through.

A small church, Puerto San José

“Left Shark” hanging out in Guatemala

If you continue on the main road, you’ll come to a 4-way intersection. Continue straight and follow the coast to exit Puerto San Jose.

Drive past Puerto San José, away from Puerto Quetzal

You’ll see a sign for Masagua, the direction in which you’re headed. You’ll also see signs for Escuintla, which can be a little confusing since Escuintla is where you came from originally.

It turns out that CA-9 is U-shaped, and makes its way to Escuintla. This means you can head to El Paredon from either end, from Escuintla. I guess we missed the exit for the old CA-9 while on the Escuintla bypass.

In any case, it is just more convenient, and faster, if you drive on the new road that goes through Puerto San Jose (unless you’re going to the beach during Easter Week: Puerto San Jose gets super crowded, and it’s best to avoid driving through).

If you’re coming from the new CA-9 section, via Puerto San Jose, you won’t have the benefit of certain landmarks. There’s a sign for “Linda Mar,” but only viewable when you’re heading TO Puerto San Jose from the old CA-9 that winds through the town of Masagua. There’s also a giant billboard with a girl in a bikini, which is the only thing I recall from it.

The entrance to Linda Mar is around Kilometer marker 98.5. Below is what the turnoff to the road looks like, on your left, if coming from Puerto San Jose.

If coming from Puerto San José, you won’t see signs for Linda Mar

And if you’re coming from Masagua, on old CA-9.

If you missed turn off, go back – Turn off will now be on the right

Head down the road until you see signs for “Parc. Los Angeles”. Turn right at the Pepsi shrine and head towards Juan Gaviota.

Follow signs to Juan Gaviota village

After a few miles, you’ll find Carrizal Gas Station on your left. Turn left shortly after you drive past the gas station.

Carrizal Gas Station

After driving over a small bridge, you’ll see a rural school. Turn right.

Juan Gaviota Public School

This road used to be all dirt until a new development was built on the coast, Juan Gaviota Marina del Sur. Now it’s partially paved, at least until you drive past the resort. You’ll see the high-rise condos in the distance, to your left.

As you drive further down the road, the paved road ends. You’ll have to stay on that dirt road for almost 10 miles.

The road to El Paredón

The landscape is gorgeous and peaceful.

Coastal landscape Guatemala

At some point, the road winds through a private lot. Slow down, as there are cows, horses, and other livestock on the road. They’ll slowly move out of the way – hopefully.

Watch out for cows

Arriving at Paredon Surf House

After driving for what seems like forever, you’ll see the signs for Paredon Surf House (PSH). Turn left and park in the lot behind the hotel.

Entrance to Paredon Surf House

Paredon Surf House parking lot

PSH is laid back, as you’d expect for a hotel built by surfers, for surfers.

Accommodations

PSH accommodates visitors of all budgets. There are separate bungalows with private, open-air showers, with cheap sleeping cots above the main building and other options in between. It pays to book ahead, as all the private rooms were fully booked and only a few beds remained when I called ahead the morning of my trip.

Dorms are upstairs

Activities

There’s a Q25 fee, per adult, if you just want to spend the day and make full use of the facilities. There are more than a few options, besides surfboard rentals and lessons.

You can go kayaking, take a horseback ride on the beach, get yourself a massage, take Spanish lessons, among other things. Lots of options at very reasonable prices (listed in quetzals below).

Note: Only dollars and quetzals accepted.

Paredon Surf House prices

PSH Restaurant

There’s also a restaurant that serves very reasonably priced a la carte meals during lunch hours. At night, the restaurant offers a communal meal, and all guests share in the dining experience.

While it took forever to get our meals (we arrived close to the restaurant’s closing time for lunch), the food (grilled fish) was very fresh and quite tasty. Each meal cost about Q50 (~$6.15), plus drinks. Not bad at all.

PSH Pool

The pool, while small, is in a shaded area and nice.

Paredon Surf House pool

The pool came in handy, as Guatemala’s Pacific Coast beaches are of the black, volcanic sand variety. This type of sand gets super-hot between midday and 4 p.m., making that a very good time to have lunch and lounge by the pool.

It’s best to enjoy the beach during the morning hours, before the sun heats up, or after the sun starts setting down a bit, giving the sand a chance to cool down.

Pacific Coast breezes

The surf was producing waves 3-feet high when we arrived, but by the time we left, before sundown, waves were picking up and getting to about 5-feet high. I would recommend children stay at the pool, even when the waves are not that high.

Paredon Beach is not treacherous like Monterrico’s

Even though the hotel was almost near capacity, we had the beach all to ourselves.

You’ll have the beach to yourself

After hanging out most of the afternoon, it was time to hit the hammocks for some relaxation time.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay to watch the sunset. It was time to leave as I didn’t want to get caught driving back at night on a dirt road with livestock roaming around.

Hammocks, Paredon Surf House

One last look as we headed out at sundown.

Sunset on the Pacific Coast

El Paredon beach was a pleasant surprise after what I’d heard about Guatemalan beaches. I enjoyed it, even though I’m used to gentler, white-sand beaches. I’ll make plans to go back and visit other beaches.

If you want to visit Paredon Surf House, book online ahead of time or call. Definitely worth the trip.

*****

Have you visited El Paredon Beach?

El Mercado: Antigua Guatemala’s Farmers’ Market Tour

Last time I discussed food I showed you how far your money could go if you shopped at Antigua Guatemala’s Mercado (Farmers’ Market). Now I want to give you a virtual tour of what it looks like and what you can purchase there. You’ll be surprised (or scared!) at what “delicacies” you may be able to find.

El Mercado in Antigua Guatemala is enormous and easy to find, though at first, the entrance may not be visible. It’s located behind Alameda Santa Lucia, a relatively busy road, on the side away from the city. There are unmarked alleyways with stalls selling all sorts of items: clothes, home furnishings, DVDs, etc.

One of the Mercado’s many entrances

Once you get past those stalls, you’ll get to the entrance of the main building housing the bulk of the stores and permanent structures built from cement-block.

The most “official” of all entrances

The market is open for business on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. You can find a smattering of stalls open on off days, though those days are where major cleaning operations and unloading of fresh produce occurs.

I’ve mentioned before that the market is very clean and free of the typical rotten-food odor you can catch a whiff of at other farmer’s markets. I’m guessing cleanliness of the market is strictly enforced, based on the big sign stating (translation):

“It is strictly prohibited to urinate and defecate in this sector.”

I’m usually not in favor of applying silly little rules, but this one I’m glad is in place.

“It is strictly prohibited to urinate and defecate in this sector.” Just this sector???

There’s a couple of sections to the market. One section is devoted to food, and in the other half, you can find clothes, florists, bookstores, jewelers, bonsai tree sellers, and all other sorts of knick-knacks. The produce section sticks more closely to the 3-day schedule while the hard goods section is usually open all week.

Most sellers at the Mercado are Maya

Beans and corn are a staple of Guatemalan diet, and the variety available is not surprising.

A large variety of legumes

There are many different fruits here that are not easy to obtain in the USA. Tamarind (left in the pic) is not common in its whole fruit form in the states, although ethnic stores are likely to carry bottled tamarind-based juices and sweets.

Tamarind fruit and other seeds

Pacaya (left, green) is an edible flower and very common as it is a traditional Easter Week dish. It is eaten sauteed with egg fritters and tomato sauce. I’ve had it, and it’s similar to baby corn, although it has to be prepared right to remove a somewhat bitter taste.

Pacaya flowers

Jocotes are another favorite fruit here in Guatemala. It tastes similar to a small plum, though more tart and has a large, inedible seed.

Jocotes are beloved in Guatemala

Below is another fruit that is popular here and in Southeast Asia, known as sour-sop. It has a very interesting texture, soft and lots of pulp, with a hint of coconut flavor. Usually prepared as a drink or eaten raw.

Sour-sop or guanabana

Starfruit (left, yellow), which is also grown in Florida and may be familiar to more people up North. Sweet and tart, it has sort of an acquired taste to it.

Starfruit – Carambola

Mangoes and grapes are abundant here, but I’d never seen nances (left, yellow) or lichas / rambutan before (red fruit in the center).

Nances I did not particularly care for, though they are a favorite here – so are lichas, which I found interesting to eat. Lichas look like the mean cousin of strawberries. Unlike jocotes, the hard, spiky shell is not edible, and the seed is huge. The pulp is sweet and tasty.

Clockwise from top: lichas, mangos, grapes, nances

In addition to the above, there are various stalls dedicated to selling fish and meats. The seafood sellers spread their wares around blocks of ice to keep them cold. This is not the most sanitary arrangement, as someone has to be on hand constantly swatting flies away.

I usually steer clear of purchasing seafood here, preferring to buy it at better-refrigerated establishments outside the market.

Fish market inside the Mercado

If you’re hankering for eating mean-looking catfish, you’re in luck here!

Catfish and shrimp for sale

Butchers are usually a little more sanitary than the seafood vendors, though it’s not uncommon to see the butcher, with their blood-stained aprons, handle meat without gloves. As with any produce or food from the market, it is better to wash them thoroughly with purified water before taking a bite, just to be safe. I have not had any issues with any food I’ve bought at the market… yet.

Meat section at the Mercado

If catfish aren’t your thing, may I interest you in some roasted armadillo? A whole one goes for 140Q according to the quoted price. Alligator meat is also available at a slightly lower price.

In the mood for roasted armadillo?

Nuns also like shopping here. Good Friday was safely in the rear-view mirror, so she was ready to go for some steak action.

Nuns shop for groceries too

The other half of the market is loaded with cheap clothing, shoes, and tons of pirated movies. While the Police here routinely cracks down on people producing pirated content, they seem to leave the small-time sellers alone.

A DVD goes for 10Q, although if you know how to bargain you can get them for 5Q each. Quality will depend on whether the movie is a recent release or a rip of an original DVD of a movie that has already been released. They have a TV and DVD player on hand to test the quality of movies before you buy.

You’ll save more money the harder you bargain, although prices for meats rarely change no matter how much you want to bargain them down.

Bootleg DVDs for sale

Angry Birds shirts are pretty popular this year.

Clothes for sale too

If you want to buy your deli meats and other assorted items at a “normal” supermarket, the place to go is La Bodegona, right across the street from the market. It is the biggest supermarket in town. So big it has two entrances, the one below on 4ta Calle Poniente and the other entrance at 5a Calle Poniente.

Entrance to La Bodegona

La Bodegona entrance on 5a Calle

La Bodegona is split into two sections, one-half selling household goods and the other half a conventional supermarket. There’s a second floor devoted to furniture and a small bookstore.

View from the second floor

Office supplies and crafts on the second floor

The deli section is popular, as store employees routinely hand out deli meat samples and other things.

There are other specialty stores here that sell imported goods, organic items, etc. Pretty much everything you need can be found in Antigua. Being able to eat healthy on the cheap here is great.

Driving to Guatemala: Extending Your Vehicle’s Permit

If your travels overland require you must drive through Guatemala, be warned. You may have planned to hit a few of the sights and merrily go your way, but trust me, Guatemala will slowly draw you in.

Spend a week in Antigua Guatemala, or a weekend at Lake Atitlan, and pretty soon an idea slowly settles in: Despite everything you’ve heard from people who have never visited Guatemala, this country is quite nice and maybe you’d like to see more of it.

Soon, a couple of weeks turn into a month, then two months… and you realize that the end of your 90-day tourist visa is fast approaching and you’re not quite ready to leave yet. Been there, done that.

Tip #1: Don’t Let Your Vehicle Permit Expire

Extending a tourist visa for an extra 90 days is not terribly complicated, only time-consuming. If you let your vehicle permit expire, you won’t be able to renew your permit and will be asked to take the vehicle out of the country immediately. DO NOT let your vehicle permit expire!

Tip #2: Renew Your Tourist Visa First

You can leave the country for a day, return the next day, and that will get you a fresh 90-day stamp. This applies if you leave for any country in the world, except when you go to one of the CA-4 countries (El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua) which Guatemala has open-border agreements with. Visiting CA-4 countries will not get you a fresh stamp. That leaves Mexico and Belize as the closest options, Costa Rica a distant (literally) third option.

Alternatively, you can renew your visa an extra 90 days by applying for an extension at the Guatemala City Extranjeria office. Here is the step-by-step guide to renewing your tourist visa in Guatemala City.

Renewing Your Vehicle’s Permit

Your vehicle is a different story. Its “visa” or import permit is tied to the tourist visa, meaning the permit will valid as long as the vehicle owner’s tourist visa is valid. This presents a problem if you need to keep your vehicle in Guatemala with you.

Like your visa, your vehicle’s import permit can be renewed, though not at the Extranjeria office. Be advised that your vehicle’s import permit likely won’t be extended until your tourist visa is extended first.

I attempted to find answers on how to do this by going to the main office of the Superintendencia Administrativa de Tributos (SAT), in Zona 9.

The Customs official directed me to the second floor. There, I met a helpful official who promised to find answers to an apparently previously unasked question:

How do I extend my car’s permit without leaving the country?

After a pleasant 10 minute wait in the lobby (he asked if I wanted coffee or a cold beverage – which I politely declined), the official informed me that the rules had recently changed (surprise!) but that I would be able to extend my permit at SAT’s Customs branch located near the airport. Thankfully, I knew how to get back to La Aurora International Airport, so finding the place was not complicated.

How to get to SAT’s Customs Office

1) Head over to La Aurora International Airport, in Zona 13. Follow the signs from Calzada Roosevelt.

2) Follow the signs for passenger pickup/drop-off entrance.

3) When you get to the first roundabout, bear right. Follow yellow signs for arriving/departing flights, which will be your first roundabout exit. You’ll see the second roundabout at the end of the street, about a half mile away.

4) As you approach the second roundabout, you’ll see the offices for Payless Rent-a-Car and Dollar Rent-a-Car in the distance. Take the second exit for 11 Avenida, towards Payless.

5) Bear left and drive past Dollar and Payless Rent-a-Car.

6) After you drive past Payless, there will be a fork in the road less than quarter-mile away. Stay on the main road. Very soon after you’ll see the signs for SAT Aduana Express Aereo, the office building you need to go into.

7) There’s a cheap, dirt parking lot, right across the street from the SAT building. Careful crossing the street, which is heavily trafficked.

There’s only one public entrance to the building. The section open to the public is fairly small and somewhat crowded. Don’t be concerned with the slew of windows in front of you, just turn left and head immediately for the “Informacion” window and stand in line.

The process is straightforward. Show your passport bearing your new 90-day stamp to the official, along with the SAT import permit paperwork you received at the border. Explain that you’re still seeing the wonderful Guatemalan sights and would like to extend your vehicle’s permit to match your new entry stamp.

The official will make copies of your passport and stamp and enter the new extension date (matching your visa’s stamp) into the system. The official will also give you a new printout showing your new extension date, along with the official’s stamp and signature.

All this with no fees or even charges for the photocopies!

Interestingly, the official told me I needed to renew my tourist visa before getting the extension. The first time I visited the Customs office, I didn’t have my passport with me, as I’d left it with the Extranjeria office. It would be another 8 days before I’d see it again. “No problem”, said the officer. The official graciously provided me a 15-day extension to take care of my visa, which was due to expire in 4 days. I promised to bring my passport back to show that it had indeed been extended. Rules in Guatemala are often fluid and will often depend on the mood of the official and the attitude of the person making the request.

The official explained that they give vehicle extensions as a courtesy to visitors. They have no obligation to extend your permit. Which is why it doesn’t hurt to be nice and extra gracious to the official providing the extension.

I was also informed by the official that the permit can be “temporarily suspended” if I wished to visit a neighboring country, such as Belize or Mexico, and reinstated once I decided to come back to the country. All one needs to do is pay another visit to the Customs office and tell them of the dates one is leaving and returning. This will come in handy if you have to come back after you’re done with your 180 days in-country and have to leave before coming back. Again, not official policy, but a courtesy they can extend to you. Keep in mind they’re losing revenue by allowing people to stay in the country for long stretches of time without paying import taxes.

This was by far the most pleasant and courteous experience I’ve received from Guatemalan officials during the trip. It may have to do with the fact that these officials are not jaded by having to deal with hundreds or thousands of tourists every week.

*****

Want more tips about living in Antigua Guatemala? Check them out here: https://okantigua.com/guatemala-expat/

Antigua Guatemala Cost of Living Update: Fruits and Veggies

One of the best things about living in Antigua Guatemala is the exciting number of dining options are available. Due to the huge influx of tourists, you can find good, quality restaurants representing almost any type of cuisine. Do you want French food? Plenty of options. Thai? Japanese? Mediterranean? Italian? All covered. Getting your fix of the food you enjoyed back home is pretty easy.

Unfortunately, dining out all the time is not a budget-friendly option. An easy way to control your budget (and eat healthier to boot!) is to take advantage of Antigua’s local farmer’s market. For fresh fruits and veggies at great prices, El Mercado (The Market) in Antigua Guatemala is hard to beat. Here’s a typical haul I brought from the market:

My weekly shopping haul

How much did this spread set me back? Exactly Q165.50 – about $22.00USD!

Here’s the cost breakdown:

FRUITS

Strawberries (2Lbs): Q8.00

Pineapple: Q10.00

Melon: Q10.00

Blackberries (1Lb): Q3.50

Young Coconuts (4 @ Q5 each): Q20.00

VEGGIES

Tomatoes (2Lbs): Q6.00

White Onions (1Lb): Q3.00

Broccoli head (2Q each): Q4.00

Carrot (2 @ 1Q each): Q2.00

Lettuce head: Q3.00

Radish (bush): Q2.00

Eggplant (1): Q3.00

Local Avocados (2): Q5.00

Cilantro bunch: Q1.00

Green Bananas (6): Q4.00

Sweet Corn (4-Pack): Q6.00

Sweet Plantain (6): Q10.00

Yucca: Q4.00

MEATS

Smoked Pork Chops (1Lb): Q25.00

Fresh Chicken – Cut Up (4Lbs): Q36.00

El Mercado itself is a pleasure to shop in. It is kept very clean and police continuously patrol the market on the lookout for miscreants. While I always exercise caution and try to be aware of my surroundings, I can say it is not rare to see tourists walking around with fancy camera equipment happily snapping pics.

The easiest way to adapt to the culture, minimize homesickness and protect your budget is to eat like the locals do. One can eat very well here by sticking to a healthy diet of in-season fruits and veggies.