Guatemala's re-emergence

If you go:

GETTING THERE: Major airlines fly to Guatemala City. Organized tours can arrange shuttle or minibus service to tourist destinations. Many visitors bypass the capital and make Antigua, 30 minutes away by car, their base. Converted U.S. school buses provide public transportation to every corner of the country, but are crowded and sometimes susceptible to robberies and crashes.

CURRENCY: One U.S. dollar is worth about 7.5 Guatemalan Quetzals. Money can be changed on the street in downtown Guatemala City or at banks and large hotels around the country. There are few established exchange houses. ATM machines are plentiful and credit cards are accepted in major cities and tourist spots, but ATM or credit cards are not helpful in rural, or less-visited areas.

LANGUAGE: English is widely spoken in Antigua, Panajachel and Tikal, but is less common in Guatemala City and Chichicastenango. At more obscure sites, knowing a little Spanish - or hiring a guide or translator - is useful.

WHEN TO GO: Dubbed the "land of eternal spring," Guatemala's weather ranges from mild in the highlands to hot and humid on the coast and in the jungle. November to February is considered the best time to go; the rainy season brings daily downpours from March through October.

LA LANCHA: Francis Ford Coppola's resort near Lake Peten Itza, Tikal; http://www.lalancha.com or (800) 746-3743.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://www.visitguatemala.com/site/home/index_3.html. For information on some of the tourist-oriented businesses in Antigua, visit http://www.aroundantigua.com or call (502) 5653-5543 for a tourism brochure.

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