About airport arrivals

Immigration. On inbound international flights you will be given two forms to complete. One is for immigration; after the officer at the immigration desk has stamped this form do not lose it - you will be asked for it on when you exit Guatemala. Lose it and you will be fined.

Customs. Give the form to the customs officer after you collect your bags from the carousel.

The currency of Guatemala is Quetzal. (Q.)
At the date of last page revision $1 = Q./.7.70 (seven Quetzalez, seventy cents).

Taxis in Guatemala City are not metered so you need to agree a price with the driver before entering the taxi. At Guatemala airport (Aurora), however, taxis are now made to queue and the price for a taxi is fixed. If you are not being met from your hotel arrange your transport at one of the desks immediately after customs and before you exit the terminal. If you don't, outside you will face a scrum of taxi drivers hustling for business. There is a large display board showing the taxi fares to various parts of the city. Don't be fooled by touts hanging around the airport; have nothing to do with any of them no matter how "official" they say they are.

In the airport international departures area (next to arrivals) there is a tourist information desk open 24 hours, banks, money exchange offices, and ATMs that take Visa/Plus and Mastercard/Cirrus and give U.S. dollars or Quetzales. Upstairs there is a 24-hour pharmacy where you can get shots in case you forgot.

If you are taking internal flights in Guatemala you MUST reconfirm your return flight 72 hours before departure. Domestic airlines persistently overbook flights, particularly on the Tikal route, and if you don't reconfirm you will lose your seat. Check-in time for internal flights is two hours before flight departure and airport tax is US$3 for security. Check-in time for international flights is three hours before flight departure and airport tax is US$25.

The international telephone dial code for Guatemala (All Country) is ++502, and all numbers are 8 digits. The cellphone begin with 5.

The information and prices are accurate to the best of my knowledge at the time of writing but they could all change tomorrow.

Stay safe.

People have the impression that Guatemala City is a dangerous city; I don't believe it is any worse than any other major city, but it is different, and there are some precautions you should take you should definitely not go. Crime falls into various categories.

• Theft. Most crimes against gringo travelers are crimes of opportunity; don't give the crooks the opportunity. When out on the street don't wear a watch or any jewelry, keep your wallet and valuable documents in a neck or leg pouch (or, even better, in your hotel safe), only carry enough money for your immediate needs, don't carry your credit cards, keep an arm through the strap of your bag or pack and grip the body of your camera at all times, beware of distraction tricks, and never leave baggage unattended. Zona Viva (Zona 10) is safer than Guatemala City center but don't make the mistake of thinking there aren't any snatch thieves in Zona Viva because there are!
   

• Deception. Never do business with someone in the street; always go to the company office. Always deal with a reputable business. If you hand over money for any service you must get a receipt (boleta) with the company name on it. If you book a tour ensure the receipt says exactly what is included and what is not included.

• Violence. Violent crimes against foreigner are normally very rare in Guatemala. However serious cases have occurred and precautions are essential.
  If you want to go out of the disco with your new friend try to tell someone who you are going with and where you are going. If you invite someone back to your hotel room make sure he hands his identity document to the receptionist.

  WARNING Recently a visitor to Guatemala City made a friend in a disco and took him back to his room. On waking up next day the visitor found that his new friend had gone and so had his notebook PC with all his work for his Masters degree. Not so clever!

  In bars, discotheques, or anywhere, politely refuse an offer of drink, food, cigarettes, or even pamphlets from seemingly friendly strangers; their offer may be drugged. Buy your own drinks and collect them yourself.
  ALL OF THESE WARNINGS ARE VERY IMPORTANT BUT CAN BE EASILY FORGOTTEN AFTER A FEW DRINKS. BE WARNED! BE CAREFUL!
   

• Drugs are fairly easily obtainable; on no account have anything to do with them. If you are caught, there is no bail while waiting trial (which can take well over a year), and the penalties are extremely severe.

Finally a few words about Guatemala City traffic; it is anarchic, chaotic and ruthless. As a passenger in a taxi or bus you may as well sit back and enjoy the inevitable music and put yourself in the hands of fate, otherwise you will never leave the airport. You are much more at risk as a pedestrian; to Guatemala drivers you do not exist and you may as well be invisible. Assume that you are, and do not assume that drivers will stop at a red light or a stop sign, or indicate turns, or will not drive the wrong way on a one-way street or on the opposite carriageway. I have come close to being flattened more than once due to inattention.