From Volcanoes to Barrier Reefs: Our Family Backpacking Adventure Through Guatemala and Belize
- charliejychen
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
Jocharvel+2’s second backpacking trip is now in the book. The trip has been in the planning since last summer. I am glad we did everything we set out to do plus some more, and we all thoroughly enjoyed the adventure together.
Leading up to the trip, I was feeling a growing uneasiness in my mind about safety in the two countries. After all, these Central American countries only make the news when violence broke out. On the other hand, we knew travel advisories and news headlines are never the true reflection of a country. So, adventure, on we go!
The next 17 days would take us from colonial cobblestone streets to active lava fields and highland volcanic lake, through ancient Mayan caves, and finally to the turquoise waters of the Caribbean.
Why Guatemala and Belize?
The planning started with a simple desire for variety. I initially looked at the Bahamas and Curacao, but the more I researched, the more I was drawn to Belize for the barrier reef. I wanted a trip that offered more than just beach stay. Combining Guatemala’s active volcanoes and Mayan ruins with Belize’s islands felt like the perfect mix for a family backpacking trip with the kids.
The Verdict on Safety: Despite my pre-trip worries, both countries felt perfectly safe. We stuck to common sense—avoiding late-night walks in unfamiliar areas—but the reality on the ground was far more peaceful than the news headlines suggest. Whether we were walking on quiet residential streets or navigating bustling local markets, at no point on the trip did we feel unsafe.
Antigua & Volcan Pacaya
We arrived in Antigua late at night, greeted by the uneven cobblestone streets. It wasn’t until the next morning that we really appreciated the city’s charm. This colonial town really exceeded my expectations. The city is colourful with vibrant facades and everywhere you turn, you see beautiful courtyards tucked behind decorated wooden doors. We spent time navigating the labyrinthine market, scored some incredible mangoes, and accidentally discovered Cimarrona, a refreshing salty lemon soda.
The culture depth of the city is also striking. Since our stay coincided with Lent, we witnessed a procession in one of the evenings. The dedication of the participants and the scale of the procession is truly impressive - a vivid display of tradition that defines the spirit of the region.
The highlight for the kids was Volcan Pacaya. It was a relatively strenuous 1.5-hour climb to the foot of the peak, where we walked on hardened lava from the 2021 eruption. Roasting mash mellow in volcanic heat was an interesting experience. The kids loved running down slopes of loose volcanic rock. I was especially proud of Aidan; despite "horse taxis" following him and yelling for business, he completed the entire trek on his own feet, leading the pack!
Lake Atitlan & The "Chicken Bus" Adventure
We moved on to Panajachel, where we braved the "Chicken Bus"—retired North American school buses painted in wild colours. While most tourists take private shuttles, taking the public route to Chichicastenango was an adventure in itself. It’s time-consuming and a bit chaotic, but it gave us a real sense of how locals travel between the mountain towns.
Flores & Tikal
In Flores, we stayed at La Casa Colorada in San Benito. Located outside the main tourist area, the hostel is surrounded by local housing, giving us a look at the daily life of local people. Most side streets here are unpaved; we learned the only paved street nearby was built because a former governor lived there.
La Casa Colorada was founded by Janesca and Alex, a French couple. They set up an NGO, with a vision to support local communities with better education and quality of life. On the last day of our stay, we joined the volunteers from the hostel and spent 1.5 hours walking the neighbourhood to pick up roadside garbage. We walked just 1 small block around the hostel and the amount of garbage we collected was mind-boggling. Garbage is ubiquitous - when garbage starts piling up at a spot, it will continue to accumulate like a dump. Apparently, recycling is non-existent in Guatemala and all garbage pickup is expensive. As a result, garbage burning and illegal dumping are rampant. It was a small way for us to contribute to the community during our stay and it was a valuable experience for the kids to experience life in this part of the world.
During our stay in Flores, we visited the grand ruins of Tikal. Situated in a thick jungle, it offers more shade and wildlife than the ruins we've seen in Mexico. While the kids aren't usually fans of ruins, Aidan spent the entire tour chatting away with everyone on the tour, especially an elderly lady in our group. For him, the social interaction turned out to be the highlight of the tour!
The ATM Cave (Actun Tunichil Muknal)
The ATM cave in Belize was probably the most memorable activity of the trip. The tour involves trekking through the jungle, three river crossings, swimming into a cave and wading through water at various depth for the most part inside. When the water got deep, I had to drag Sofia across the water on her back to keep her chin dry (so she could heal her wound better for swimming later in the trip). Inside the cave, we saw ancient Mayan pottery and human remains for sacrificial purposes under the glow of our headlamps. It was a challenging and unique experience.
Tobacco Caye & The Barrier Reef
We finished the trip on the coast of Caribbean seas, including spending 3 nights on Tobacco Caye, a tiny island where the pace slowed down. After nine years (basically since Sofia was born!), Joanna and I finally got to go diving together while the kids hung out at the cabin. Sofia snorkeled for the first time in the ocean, seeing beautiful corals and fish in nice and clear water. It was the perfect end to our journey.
Kids on the Road: The "Hostel Life"
Having the experience from the Mexico trip, the kids are very accustomed to budget traveling. In fact, they all agree that staying in hostels is more fun than in hotels because they get to meet all kinds of incredible people.
Meeting travelers like Marcel from New Zealand, who has been on the road for two years, or Sara and Gabe, who are cycling from Alaska to Argentina with their 4-year-old, opened the kids' eyes. They realized the world is much bigger than Toronto.
When there was downtime, the kids’ creativity took over. They invented "Hammock Hockey" using mini ping-pong balls and crumbled toilet paper and “Kick Ball” using a soccer to play using a combination of baseball and dodgeball rules. Incredible and very amusing!!
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