Guatemala — Destination Guide: Overview

Guatemala, perhaps Central America's most beautiful and enticing country, is also its most complex and conflicted. Thirty-six years of civil war ended in 1996 with a set of peace accords, but only after 200,000 had been killed (and unknown numbers "disappeared") and over a million displaced - the overwhelming majority of them Maya. Hundreds of thousands of war refugees, psychological trauma, decommissioned (but still circulating) guns, and unfulfilled conditions of the Peace Accords, are enduring legacies of the war years. Those responsible have not been held accountable and some of the most egregious perpetrators of state-sponsored violence ...

Guatemala, perhaps Central America's most beautiful and enticing country, is also its most complex and conflicted. Thirty-six years of civil war ended in 1996 with a set of peace accords, but only after 200,000 had been killed (and unknown numbers "disappeared") and over a million displaced - the overwhelming majority of them Maya. Hundreds of thousands of war refugees, psychological trauma, decommissioned (but still circulating) guns, and unfulfilled conditions of the Peace Accords, are enduring legacies of the war years. Those responsible have not been held accountable and some of the most egregious perpetrators of state-sponsored violence remain active politically. The country's human rights record has been universally condemned, and Guatemalan democracy is fragile, plagued by corruption, voter apathy, and political assassinations. Despite all this, Guatemala remains a popular destination due to its fascinating culture (up to 60 percent of the country self-identifies as indigenous, and rituals, festivals, and sacred monuments are highlights); unparalleled archaeological complexes including Tikal and El Mirador, both in the jungle; more than two dozen volcanoes; and a well-established Spanish-as-foreign-language industry centered in Antigua, Quetzaltenango and Lake Atitlán. Random violence against tourists has diminished since the Tourist Police was beefed up, but it still occurs. Visitors are advised to be informed and aware.

About the Expert

Conner Gorry is a contributor to more than a dozen Lonely Planet guidebooks and is the lead writer for Lonely Planet's Yucatan, Belize, and Guatemala guides.