Think twice.
No major changes since yesterday.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Guatemala
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Think twice.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Required: Yellow Fever
Recommended: Chikungunya, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Malaria, Measles, Rabies, Typhoid
Source: CDC Travelers' Health →Getting in
What you'll need at the border
Visitors to Guatemala must obtain a visa from one of the Guatemalan diplomatic missions, unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries.
Source: Wikipedia →Real, not invented
Terrorism
Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in Guatemala, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Source: UK FCDO →Real, not invented
Cultural & legal notes
LGBT+ travellers
Same sex sexual activity is not illegal, although there are no laws guaranteeing freedom from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. Same-sex marriages are not recognised in Guatemala. In Guatemala City, local people are largely tolerant of LGBT+ people. Outside Guatemala City, attitudes are more conservative. Showing affection in public may bring verbal and physical attacks, harassment and discrimination. Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers .
Source: UK FCDO →From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •Guatemala has a reputation for being a dangerous country — a reputation that's not entirely unwarranted, but the average traveller should not be too overly concerned or cautious of their surroundings.
- •A lot of the crime is drug and gang related, which, to a significant extent, doesn't affect tourists that much.
- •Understand that Guatemala is still recovering from a brutal thirty-year civil war and the war has badly impacted Guatemalan society in many ways; many Guatemalans have been pushed into pover…
- •Crime: Guatemala is one of the most criminalised countries in the world; therefore the crime rate is high.
- •As a visitor, you may instantly attract the attention of Guatemalan criminals because they normally assume that all foreign visitors are "wealthy".
- •In the unlikely event you have been threatened by a robber, do not feel tempted to resist or fight back.
Staying healthy
- •Drink only purified water (Agua Pura Salvavidas is recommended by most hospitals and hotels).
- •The U.S. Centers for Disease Control states that malaria risk exists in rural areas at altitudes lower than 1,500 m, with no risk in Antigua or Lake Atitlán. Preventative anti-malarial medic…
- •Dengue fever is endemic throughout Guatemala.
- •Hepatitis A&B vaccinations are recommended.
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Right now
In the news the last few days
Real talk
What travelers actually say
Travelers report significant health risks specifically associated with Lake Atitlan, where visitors frequently contract severe gastrointestinal illnesses like giardia despite taking standard precautions. While some travelers successfully navigate local food and street dishes, others experience debilitating sickness that requires anti-parasitic medication. Regarding physical safety, Guatemala City remains a high-risk area due to gang violence and declared states of siege. Travelers planning trips to Antigua, Flores, and the lake region generally focus on these health concerns rather than violent crime, though the lack of updated travel advisories during periods of civil unrest complicates decision-making for those already committed to their travel plans.
“Just finishing up our trip now. We were careful but still got super sick at Lake Atitlan. 3 days of azithromycin did nothing, then we got some anti-parasitic medicine from the pharmacy that did work, so I think we had giardia or something similar.
— r/travel
“We saw that the state of Guatemala recently issued a state of siege warning for gang violence in Guatemala City , and we are trying to figure out if it is still safe to travel to.
— r/travel
“I've read that eating almost any produce could result in sickness or anything washed with the water could lead to illness as well. This seems like it would narrow down our options for food greatly and be pretty risky.
— r/travel
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
A / B · 120V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 110 / ambulance: 122 CBV (national) 123 CBM (municipal lo / fire: 122 CBV (national) 123 CBM (municipal lo
Cash vs. Card
The local currency is the quetzal (Q, ISO code: GTQ) which is named after the national bird, which has ancient and mythic connotations even today. U.S. dollars are widely accepted and can be exchanged in most small towns. ATMs can be found in the major towns but do not expect to find them in every tourist spot. It is fairly easy to find your self in a town without an ATM or a place to change money
Show the receipts (10 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-09-09
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-09-09
- ca-gac — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-09-09
- cdc-health — observed 2026-09-09
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-09-09
- gdelt-sentiment — observed 2026-09-09
- reddit — observed 2026-09-09
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-09-09