The best weather conditions in the upland areas are during the dry season Dec – May. It can be cold in the highlands in winter, while the jungle areas are hot and humid all year round. Culture lovers may opt to spend Easter in Antigua.

For more detailed information visit our When To Go section.

The official language spoken in Guatemala is Spanish and indigenous indian languages mainly derived from Maya.

The official currency in Guatemala is Quetzal. Notes can be withdrawn using a UK credit or debit card from the many ATMs. There’s at least one in most main towns. You may have ask your bank to authorise withdrawals before you leave the UK and each transaction is limited to about £100.

The time difference between the UK and Guatemala is GMT-6 hours.

Holders of a full British passport do not require a visa, although passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the trip begins. Anyone with a different nationality should enquire with us or check with the relevant consulate.
If flying to the US, or via the US you will need to fill in your online ESTA application.

Please check Travel Health Pro for information on health recommendations and vaccinations for the destinations you are visiting. Please note that many Latin American countries require proof of vaccination against Yellow Fever if you have recently travelled to another country where Yellow Fever is present.

A visit to neighbouring Belize, where there are luxury eco-lodges, superb diving and snorkelling all embraced in British Caribbean cultural heritage; Copán, the ruined Mayan City of northern Honduras with its intricate carvings, accessible from Guatemala by road.

Semana Santa, Easter. Celebrations throughout the country; especially impressive in Antigua.
Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, 1-2 Nov. Celebrated throughout the country.
Traditional fiestas:  There are many festivals in Guatemala from giant kite flying near Antigua to wild horse racing in remote Todo Los Santos.

Honduras holidays are possible at any time of the year. The coastal lowlands have a hot tropical climate all year round with temperatures approaching 30^oC. The mountainous interior has a milder climate and in Dec – Jan temperatures hover around 18^oC and it is cool at night. The rainy season runs May – Nov with afternoon showers – although precipitation is more persistent on the north coast. Sep – Nov is the season when rainfall may be heavy and hurricanes are possible.

Spanish is the official language of Honduras.

The currency of Honduras is Lempira. You can change US dollar cash or travellers cheques locally in banks and may be able to obtain cash advances via the few ATMs in larger towns and cities. You may have ask your bank to authorise withdrawals before you leave the UK, and withdrawals may be limited. However these ATMs do not always accept foreign cards, which are also not usable in many smaller hotels and commerce. You can obtain cash advances in most banks throughout the country. NB: a charge of $US40 is made at the airport upon leaving the country (you can pay with a credit card).

The time difference between Honduras and the UK is GMT-6 hours.

As of 15 August 2024, UK passport holders must obtain a visa before travelling to Honduras. Passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the trip begins. Anyone with a different nationality should enquire with us or check with the relevant consulate. If flying to the US, or via the US you will need to fill in your online ESTA application.

Please check Travel Health Pro for information on health recommendations and vaccinations for the destinations you are visiting. Please note that many Latin American countries require proof of vaccination against Yellow Fever if you have recently travelled to another country where Yellow Fever is present.

A visit to neighbouring Central America countries, such as tiny, friendly El Salvador; wildlife-rich, slickly organised Costa Rica and the Mayan cities of Guatemala, all easily accessed by land or air.

There are flights via US and European hubs, the journey from London takes around 15 hours.

Semana Santa, Easter, throughout Honduras. Celebrated from Thursday through to Easter Sunday.
Festival Lluvia de Peces (Rain of Fish), Yoro, start of rainy season in Jun. Parades and carnival. It’s a puzzle for scientists, but the dark clouds are accompanied by very heavy rain which will last upwards of 3hrs. Once the rain has stopped, the city streets are littered with living fish. Commemoration of the arrival of the Garifuna communities, 12 Apr. Presentations by music and dance groups including the Ballet Folklórico Garifuna.

The coastal lowlands have a hot tropical climate all year round with temperatures peaking at well over 30°C. The mountainous interior has a milder climate and in Dec-Jan temperatures hover around 18°C and it is cool at night. The best time to visit is during the drier months of Nov-Feb – it gets very hot thereafter. The rainy season runs May-Oct with short tropical showers – it is cooler, but some of the back roads may be impassable. Sep-Nov is the season when rainfall may be heavy and hurricanes are possible.

For more detailed information visit our When To Go section.

The official language spoken in El Salvador is Spanish.

The official currency of El Salvador is the US dollar. The former local currency (colon), was phased out in 2003. You can obtain US dollar cash or exchange travellers cheques locally in banks and money exchanges (casas de cambio) and may be able to obtain cash advances via the few ATMs in larger towns and cities. You should authorise your bank first, and withdrawals may be limited.

The time difference between the UK and El Salvador is GMT-6 hrs.

Holders of a full British passport do not require a visa, although passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the trip begins. Anyone with a different nationality should enquire with us or check with the relevant consulate.
If flying to the US, or via the US you will need to fill in your online ESTA application.

Please check Travel Health Pro for information on health recommendations and vaccinations for the destinations you are visiting. Please note that many Latin American countries require proof of vaccination against Yellow Fever if you have recently travelled to another country where Yellow Fever is present.

A visit to neighbouring Central America countries, such as Nicaragua with its splendid colonial cities and coral island beaches; wildlife-rich, slickly organised Costa Rica and the Mayan cities of Guatemala, all easily accessed by land or air.

Semana Santa, Easter is celebrated throughout El Salvador. It is celebrated from Thursday through to Easter Sunday.
Towns and villages all celebrate the feast days of their local saint, sometimes with protracted celebrations, as in San Miguel and Sonsonate with programmes of artistic events.

Arts and Culture Festival takes place in February in Suchitoto. The pretty colonial town hosts a world-class arts and culture festival with music and dance groups.