Guatemala - Travel Report

Visa and American Express are accepted on a wider basis than MasterCard, although it is advisable to inquire with your financial institution regarding acceptability. Travelers checks are generally accepted at hotels and banks. In order to avoid additional exchange rate charges it is advisable to take checks in U.S. Dollars. ATM’s are commonly found throughout the country. Visitors should be aware of the possibility of earthquakes at any time and the need for contingency plans. There are also four active volcanoes. Volcanic activity, such as that of Fuego Volcano near Antigua in January 2003, has on occasion forced evacuations of nearby villages. Both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of Guatemala are also vulnerable to hurricanes and tropical storms from June through November. Mudslides and flooding during the May to November rainy season often kill dozens of people and close roads. General information about natural disaster preparedness is available via the Internet from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at http://www.fema.gov/.