Let's Label Guatemala Beautiful Quiz

Semuc Champey is a 300 meter (approximately 984 feet) long natural forming limestone bridge. Under the bridge flows the Cahabon River and there are six turquoise blue water pools on top of the formation. This natural attraction, in the middle of the jungle, brings visitors to both splash in the pools and to explore the cave system around it.

There is also a gorgeous view of the area from a point called "El Mirador" which is less than an hour hike upward.

Lake Atitlan is the deepest lake in Central America and is considered one of the most beautiful on the planet. It is found in the Sierra Madre mountains, covers 130 square kilometers (50 square miles) and has an amazing maximum depth of 340 meters (over 1,000 feet).

It is nestled in the crater of an ancient volcano and is surrounded by fern-covered valleys. Three volcanoes are in the vicinity and Atitlan Volcano has been active in the last two hundred years. Thermal baths welcome visitors to relax and villages nearby still reflect the Mayan history.

Tikal is the site of an ancient Mayan urban center. The ruins are found in a rainforest in the northern part of Guatemala and are in a National Park which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city's most populous time was between AD 600 and AD 900 when the plazas, pyramids, and palaces were built.

It was an important cog in the trading network of the area and contained roughly 10,000 people in the city proper. A visitor can see five pyramid-shaped temples and three palace compounds. Remains of smaller dwellings are scattered around the countryside, trickling up to the edge of the forest.

Guatemala City is the capital of the country, and as of 2022, is the most populated city in Central America. "Guate", as it is called locally, lies in a valley in the southwest corner of the country. It was founded in 1776 to replace the previous capital that had been leveled by a natural disaster.

It has seen rebellions and protests and a large earthquake. The city now contains government offices, industrial facilities, a university, museums, and historical sites. Sundays offer an amazing site as hundreds of locals gather in the main plaza downtown.

Quetzaltenango, or "Xela" as it is known, is in Guatemala's western highlands and sits at around 2,300 meters (7,500 feet) high. This high altitude gives the city a different climate than other parts of the country and the nights can get very cool. The area was populated by Mayans when it was conquered in the 1520s by the Spanish. During the late 1800s, coffee became a major crop and helped the city grow.

It is a center of trade between the coast and the highlands and contains mills, breweries, factories, and museums.

Many visitors who want to learn to speak Spanish visit the town since the population speaks Mayan as the primary language and a slower Spanish as the second.

Lake Lachua (Laguna Lachua) lies in the middle of national park in the area of Alta Verapaz in Guatemala. The lake is a two hour hike from the park entrance. The area is known for its biodiversity. An astounding fifty percent of the country's mammals and forty percent of the country's birds are found here.

The lake itself is a sinkhole formed in the limestone and offers snorkeling and swimming areas in the crystal clear water. Be sure to follow the signage, and camp rangers, as crocodiles are part of the local scenery!

The mountains of Sierra de Santa Cruz are at the northern edge of Lake Izabel in eastern Guatemala. The Sauce River runs here in a gorge called El Boqueron. This is a narrow limestone canyon that goes up to 700 feet on each side of the river. Visitors can swim in some areas, tube through the gorge, or hike around the perimeter.

There is also a nature preserve with tours and a restaurant run by the community with all profits going to help the local reforestation efforts.

The town of Livingston lies on the Caribbean coast of Guatemala. The locals are descended from slaves who were left to die on a ship before survivors washed up on the shore. Later, Mayans moved to the area as well to escape local civil war violence. The history gives the area a very distinctive mix of cultures and history. One of the local dishes that symbolize this mix is tapado, which is a seafood stew in a coconut broth. And a local drink is gifiti, which is rum poured over herbs and left to soak. An interesting part of the geography of the town is that is sits on a peninsula with no road connection, so a boat is the only form of transport to the site.

There is also an amazing birdwatching site nearby that brings visitors from around the world.

The Pacaya volcano is part of the Volcanic Arc which runs along the Pacific coast of Central America. The Pacya is not very far south of the capital city and is an active, erupting volcano. It was formed only about 23,000 years ago on the edge of an old crater.

In historical times, it erupted quite frequently then went dormant for 100 years. In 1965, a dome grew and the volcano has been almost continually active since then. This causes many visitors to come to the area. They can hike to the top or ride a horse up as long as they don't get too close to the active parts.

A popular marathon race even crosses the lava field.

Coban is a town located in the area of Alta Verapaz and is surrounded with caves, rain forests, and waterfalls. It was founded around 1538 near a site of Mayan ruins and had a heavy Spanish influence. In the 1800s, German coffee growers discovered the area and joined the cultural mix.

The area has become popular due to its quality coffee and cardamom spice. There are also various markets and shops dedicated to silver and textile work. Visitors can also partake of all the nature hikes, animal sightseeing, and tasting of Kak'ik (a stew with turkey and corn dough wrapped in banana leaves).