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Hi, I’d be really grateful for any advice you can give.

I’m flying out to Antigua with a friend for a week’s Spanish lessons and home-stay this November. Have read good reports on Spanish schools Ixchel and Tecun Uman so will probably try for one of those, although do understand that teachers will move around.

We are planning on staying for a second week and would like some ideas about what is viable in this very short timeframe. I am actually travelling to Mexico & Guatemala in a few weeks time – and will visit San Cristobel, Lake Atitlan/Panajachel, Chichicastenango, Flores and Tikal – so obviously I don’t want to retrace all of my footseps so soon afterwards.

I was thinking of an itinerary something along the following lines and would be grateful for comments!

- 1 day : hike up Volcano Pacaya which can obviously be done from Antigua itself. Are people allowed right to the top? Are we best to go on the midday trip rather than the early ones in terms of possible cloud cover? How dangerous/difficult is it stumbling around on the volcano after dark if you stay for the sunset (for two girls in their 30s).
- 2 days : from Antigua to Lake Atitlan and stay overnight at San Marcos or San Pedro. How long is the bus journey from Antigua – am guessing around a couple of hours and presumably a pretty frequent service? La Casa del Mundo at San Marcos looks great.
- 1 - 2 days : from Lake Atitlan to Copan in Honduras. Do buses go direct, or would we need to go back to Antigua? Roughly how long would this journey take, am guessing the best part of a day? I’ve read that we should stay at Copan overnight so we can visit the ruins early morning before it gets too hot n crowded, seems sensible – is it worthwhile? The overriding recommendation seems to be to use Hedman Alas buses which is fine, albeit more expensive than the shuttle buses – but I’ve read that they start from Antigua at around 4am, are there options later in the day to give us time to get back from the Lake?
- 2 - 3 days : from Copan to Le Ceiba in Honduras. Looking at the map I assume we would get a bus from Copan via San Pedro Sula? Again, any idea of frequency and duration would be helpful? We’d like to go into the rainforest and stay at one of the lodges – not sure how many accommodation options there are, so presume we ought to book ahead for our stay here? I presume it is easy enough to get international flights back to the UK, via the States no doubt, from La Ceiba airport without having to bus off anywhere else to get a plane home?

Seems like there is lots to do in La Ceiba incl trails, trekking, kayaking, rafting, mountain biking…so perhaps we should aim to be here for a bit longer and perhaps miss out on the volcano climb – or try to get it done one day after Spanish classes?

Would you recommend anywhere else as an alternative one 1 – 2 day trip from Antigua rather than the Lake? I’ve read that Rio Dulce and Livingston can be a bit dangerous and should be avoided. I’ve also read about the fiesta on 1 November at Todos Santos, sounds a bit crazy – has anyone you experienced it? It is quite a way off to the west compared with where we are intending to go, but wondered what the general view of this fiesta and town is?

Is it easy to get a visa for Honduras at the border on the way to Copan, or do we need to sort this out beforehand?

Thanks very much for taking the time to read this and for any advice you are able to give
Cheers

-Do NOT hike Pacaya without a guide, especially as two females. You'll definitely want to leave early, as clouds tend to cover the top by late morning.

-Tourist shuttles take about three hours from Antigua to Panajachel, from where you take a lancha to the villages on Atitlan. San Pedro is the party spot, full of stoners. San Marcos is more new-agey, with a meditation center. Casa del Mundo is actually in Jaibalito, and easily one of the best accommodations in Central America.

-To get to Copan, you'll probably have to transfer at either Antigua or Guatemala City. Unless you're on a very shoestring budget (in which case you won't be staying at Casa del Mundo), I'd opt for the tourist shuttle (distinguish this from the chicken bus), via Antigua. It's about five hours to Copan Ruinas from Antigua, so it'll be a long day if you're leaving from the lake. Hedman Alas is a good bus line, but I don't think they run to Copan Ruinas directly from Antigua - you'll have to switch in Guatemala City, which is no fun.

-There's a lot of outdoorsy type stuff to do around La Ceiba. Pico Bonito Park has whitewater rafting, hiking, jungle lodges, etc. Hedman Alas runs from Copan Ruinas to La Ceiba via San Pedro Sula, which is a typically dismal Central American city. Continental flies internationally out of La Ceiba, although San Pedro Sula is a more major airport. Tela is a cozy little beach town an hour west of La Ceiba, with good access to nearby Garifuna villages. La Ceiba itself has a reputation as a party town, although the city isn't much to look at during the day. Tela has beautiful beaches.

If you're looking for alternatives, Monterrico is a dozy little beach town, on Guatemala's Pacific coast. The beach isn't much to look at (sizzling-hot black sand), but the town is a soporific place to laze about in a hammock for a couple of days. Livingston is a dump, although the boat trip on Rio Dulce is fun.

Coming from Antigua or Guatemala City to Copan Ruinas, you'll cross the border at El Florido. It's an easy enough crossing, although there's a good chance you'll get hit for a mordura (bribe) of a dollar or two to cross. Copan Ruinas is a few km beyond the border, and a really pretty little town. You could easily kill a day or two wandering around the local villages here. As for the ruins, they aren't very heavily visited - certainly nowhere near as much as Tikal. I went in late October a few years ago, and had the place practically by myself. It's about a 15-20 minute walk out of the town.

I like much of what Felix has said other than that I believe that Tela is a flea bag....Felix and I have had discussions about this town recently, and until now I wasn't sure where he was talking about. Nope....don't waste time in Tela.

La Ceiba has MUCH to offer both in town and in the surrounding areas.

I too, have had the experience of walking around Copan without another person there. And the surrounding area is terrific....Dude, if you are going to take a horseback trip....make sure that horse ain't got one of those deadly Spanish Bits in it's mouth....I got caught in that, and only noticed it a half hour in...those things are deadly....Look 'em up if you don't know what I am talking about.

Thanks guys - really helpful advice.

Onwards n upwards with the planning...!

What felix said about Pana.

Definitely stay with the tourist buses on longer trips.

Don't go into guat city if you can help it.

Copan.. Just go there. Skip the black sand beach, and spend the time in Copan Ruinas, a very nice town which will give you a secure honduran town feeling. Your schedule is too short anyways, though you can't skip Pana. Copan is incredible. That's all I'll say.