Moon Guatemala

The only problem I have with Argueta's Moon Guatemala is that it didn't come into print early enough. I loved my travels through Guatemala in fall of '06, but after picking up the Moon book I realized there is much more to Guatemala than what I experienced. Frankly, I find it unfortunate that I carried around several of the other leading guidebooks, yet missed out on a wealth of the country's offerings, especially beyond Antigua. The author's passion for the country shows through the insightful, thorough, and thoughtful detail, which just isn't found in any of the other books. Moon Guatemala has me excited to go back and experience the entirety of the country's richness, which in some sense I feel that I was cheated out of. I suppose an added bonus will be that my backpack is going to be considerably lighter when the single Moon book replaces the three other publishers I had with me on my first trip...my back hurts less just thinking about it.

Having traveled to Guatemala a few times, I considered myself to have a decent grasp of the sights. But my perspective changed as I purchased this most recent edition of Moon Guatemala. The author writes from a true insider perspective, giving insight into not only tourist sights, but also spots that are mostly known to locals. Anyone wishing to find the best food and nicest places to stay will need to purchase this book. Internet searches just don't cut it, as the hotel descriptions are often advertisements instead of reviews written from an actual critic. The maps in this edition are very helpful. They are drawn clearly and accurately, greatly easing travel from sight to sight. The guide also contains interesting tidbits and historical facts, which are entertaining to read and also help add significance to the various destinations. Concerning layout, it is formatted much better than any other Guatemala guidebook I have seen. Divided by various cities, the book is simple to navigate through, and points can easily be found. I really can't say enough about the quality of this book, finally a Guidebook to Guatemala done right. A must have for anyone interested in, or traveling to Guatemala.

This book turned out to be an amazing travel book. As you flip through the pages, it becomes obvious the vast insider knowledge the author has, not only from an insider's perspective but also considering the tourist's point of view. This book presents the information in a very orderly fashion; This book is a must, for anyone going to Guatemala. I would say that this book is for everyone interested in visiting this country, not just for the backpacker, but for the ordinary tourist or perhaps the business traveler.

It seems a good guidebook should be continually discovering ways to help you see, taste and smell the essence of the country you are researching. If Guatemala is one of those countries, Moon Guatemala, by Al Argueta is the market's finest guidebook for travel to this diverse and mesmerizing country. Refreshing and beautiful to look at, this publication blends Argueta's professional writing and photography skills with his extensive travel knowledge and overall expertise about Guatemala. This informative book has many new perspectives about Guatemala and it's my belief it will become your favorite traveling companion. One new discovery is Argueta's positive insight into Guatemala City, which I found agreeable and helpful. As someone who has visited the Mayan ruins in Guatemala, rafted cave-systems, witnessed many a chicken bus and enjoyed gorgeous landscapes and village-life, I still find a visit to the capital city a great addition to the diversity this country offers. Additionally, I didn't realize Guatemala affords such good opportunity for surfing. Gaining this kind of knowledge reassures me that my next trip to Guatemala (with Moon Guatemala at my side) will be even more exciting than my first visit. Don't look any further for a Guatemalan guidebook--this one is it!

This guidebook is hands down THE best guidebook if you're planning a trip to Guatemala. On the practical side, it's surprisingly lightweight despite being almost 500 pages in length. It also features some excellent photography (by the author who is also a photographer) including a great color section with accompanying intro at the start of the book. The author, Al Argueta, is Guatemalan-American and obviously knows Guatemala intimately. He has a good grasp on the history of Guatemala and shares his insights without sounding like a boring textbook. There are all sorts of facts and tidbits included throughout that make this guide interesting. It's also very humorous in places and you can tell he had a good time researching the topic - on which he is clearly an expert. There are some well-written sidebars, too. My favorites were on "Pollo Campero", a Guatemalan fried chicken franchise that has gone global: Be sure you check out their TV comercials when you get there - They're a kick! The maps are straight-forward and easy to read. As with other Moon guides, place names are located directly on the maps so you don't have to go looking for a key on a separate page. The book's organization is also very well thought-out. He includes a whole section on the often overlooked park known as the Maya Biosphere Reserve with tons of information on remote Maya sites. There's also a section on the cloud forests of the Verapaz region, which I haven't seen done as well elsewhere. Guatemala's more traditional destinations are covered equally as well. The Guatemala City and Antigua restaurant reviews are alone worth the price of admission. All in all, this is a great book that gives great options for any budget. Comparing it with the other recent Guat books, this is my top pick and I expect to see others toting it on my next visit. It's raised the bar for guidebooks on Guatemala and it was about time someone with this kind of knowledge & experience wrote such an excellent guidebook to one of my favorite countries.