Moon Guatemala (Moon Handbooks) [Paperback]

Al Argueta (Author)

Book Description

Series: Moon Handbooks | Publication Date: September 21, 2007

Part-time Guatemala resident Alvaro Argueta provides travelers with an insider's view of Guatemala's rich ecological gems, including idyllic surfspots and popular volcanoes. Argueta is the perfect tour guide — providing trip ideas like Highland Adventure and Exploring the Maya Past and Present. Packed with information on dining, transportation, and accommodations, Moon Guatemala has lots of options for a range of travel budgets. Every Moon guidebook includes recommendations for must-see sights and many area, regional, and city-centered maps. Including experienced advice on visiting Lake Atitlan, La Antigua, and the variety of museums in Guatemala City, Moon Guatemala gives travelers the tools they need to create a more personal and memorable experience. With expert writers, first-rate strategic advice, and an essential dose of humor, Moon guidebooks are the cure for the common trip.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The 480-page book was written by Al Argueta, a Texas-based photographer of Guatemalan decent who lived there for two years and has explored much of the country. His passion for the joys of this nation can be sensed throughout the book. Be sure to check it out before making your own visit to discover Guatemala. -- Gadling, The Traveler's Weblog, October 9, 2007

About the Author

At the age of three, Al Argueta first traveled to Guatemala with his father and was utterly captivated by the country’s landscape and its Mayan inhabitants. He would later live in Guatemala for two years, allowing him to formally learn Spanish and to experience Guatemala’s culture firsthand. During summers in high school and college, Al often took a month off to travel to Guatemala, exploring its jungles, ruins, and villages.

In college, Al majored in Journalism and Latin American Studies, managing to squeeze in two study-abroad programs—one in Manchester and one in Maastricht—and traveled through much of Europe. After college, he interned with Costa Rica’s Tico Times, getting his first exposure to travel writing and photography, in addition to covering then-President Bill Clinton’s visit to Guatemala. Al worked briefly for a newspaper in the Virgin Islands before moving on to photography school in Hawaii. He also taught English to college students in Thailand for a time, continuing to satiate the travel bug that bit him years back.

Al now lives in Austin, Texas, where he’s managed to stay put for an unprecedented six years. In addition to writing, he does freelance travel photography for clients that have included National Geographic Adventure, Caribbean Travel & Life, Condé Nast Traveler, Outside’s GO, and Continental. In addition to Moon Guatemala, Al is also the author of Moon Living Abroad in Guatemala and Texas Yesterday & Today.

For the latest updates from Guatemala, visit Moon Guatemala's Facebook page.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 500 pages
• Publisher: Avalon Travel Publishing; 2 edition (September 21, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1598800574
• ISBN-13: 978-1598800579
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #318,305 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #26 in Books > Travel > Latin America > Central America > Guatemala

More About the Author

At the age of three, Al Argueta first traveled to Guatemala with his father. He was utterly captivated by the country's landscape and its Mayan inhabitants. He would later live in Guatemala for two years, allowing him to formally learn Spanish and to experience Guatemala's culture firsthand. During summers in high school and college, Al would take a month off and travel to Guatemala to explore its jungles, Mayan ruins, and villages.

In college, Al majored in Journalism and Latin American Studies, managing to squeeze in two study-abroad programs in Manchester and Maastricht. He also traveled through much of Europe. After college, he interned with Costa Rica's Tico Times, getting his first exposure to travel writing and photography, in addition to covering then-President Bill Clinton's visit to Guatemala. Al worked briefly for a newspaper in the Virgin Islands before moving on to photography school in Hawaii. He also taught English to college students in Thailand for a time, continuing to satiate the travel bug that bit him years back.

Al now lives in Austin, Texas, where he's managed to stay put in one place for an unprecedented five years. In addition to writing, he does freelance travel photography for clients that have included National Geographic Adventure, US Airways, Caribbean Travel & Life, Condé Nast Traveler, Outside's GO, and Continental. Guatemala is still his favorite place to photograph. His website is www.alargueta.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better Than Rough Guide or Lonely Planet..., September 23, 2007

By 

Jared Cullison (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Moon Guatemala (Moon Handbooks) (Paperback)

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.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Guide Book, Worth Every Penny!, January 17, 2008

By 

Micah L. Poe - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Moon Guatemala (Moon Handbooks) (Paperback)

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.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the best Guatemala travel guide, December 1, 2007

By 

James Campbell (Westlake Village, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Moon Guatemala (Moon Handbooks) (Paperback)

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.