A Bitcoin Beginner’s Travel Guide To Guatemala

An important part of life for many bitcoin
Bitcoin
enthusiasts is exploring the different options available to remain free and sovereign while living in economies that are friendly to their lifestyle.

Since the enactment of the Bitcoin Law in El Salvador a couple of years ago, Latin America has become an attractive region for this purpose, not only because of its relaxed rules regarding the use of bitcoin in some countries but also due to its natural resources, welcoming people, and delicious cuisine.

For this reason, I’ve written this second travel guide, this time focusing on Guatemala, a must-visit country for bitcoiners. Within its territory you’ll find a circular economy known as Lago Bitcoin, located on the shores of Lake Atitlán in the town of Panajachel. Here, you’ll find more than 50 businesses that accept bitcoin as a form of payment.

From hotels to pharmacies, you can experience a full day of living with bitcoin. Some of my recommendations for businesses that helped me cover all my needs during my stay in Pana are Hotel Los Manantiales, Restaurant Coffe Art, Restaurant Atlantis, Restaurant Monkey Pizza, Jazz Café, Casa Amaranto, Laguna Azul Travel Agency, the Bitcoin tuk-tuk, and Ruby Laundry.

A super tip if you want to explore other options is to use a website called BTC Maps, which will help you find local businesses and ATMs, not just in Guatemala but anywhere you travel around the world.

Within the Bitcoin Lake community, meetups are held from time to time. My friend Eliazar, a Panajachel native and a volunteer of this project since 2021, is an excellent person to get in touch to find out about upcoming bitcoiner events, contact the bitcoiner tuk-tuk, or get ideas about different tourist activities in Pana or the towns surrounding the deepest lake in Central America.

Now that I’ve told you how amazing Lago Bitcoin is, you’re probably wondering how to get there. Depending on your location, you can find flights ranging from $100 to $1,000. Before boarding your plane, don’t forget to fill out your SAT form, a mandatory immigration questionnaire. This will help you avoid some delays when entering the country.

A basic tip that will be useful not just for this trip but for many others is to purchase an eSIM with bitcoin before taking off to have local internet service in the country. You can easily buy it through Bitrefill.

Once you arrive in Guatemala and collect your luggage, you’ll find different booths outside offering private or shared shuttles at various prices that can take you to Panajachel. The approximate cost of a shared shuttle is 330 quetzales per person, which is around $43 at today’s exchange rate.

I should mention that the journey to Pana is long, taking between 3 to 4 hours with many curves, so I recommend taking some medication for motion sickness before boarding your transportation.

However, if you prefer to save time and enjoy luxury, there are helicopter services from the airport that can take you to your destination. Currently, there’s even a service that accepts bitcoin payments, which you can find online under the name “Let’s Fly.”

As for alternatives to obtain quetzales, the currency of Guatemala, if you’re one of those bitcoiners who travel light on fiat but loaded with sats, there’s an ATM at Hotel Amaranto with a very friendly exchange rate at the time of my visit.

If you’ve spent many days in Panajachel and want to explore other beautiful places in Guatemala, Antigua is another town where you’ll find some businesses that accept bitcoin; Café 12 Onzas or Antigua Cerveza are excellent options for food and entertainment with friends.

Guatemala City doesn’t lag behind either, as Zone 4 has an area known to the bitcoiner community as “El Barrio Bitcoin.” Besides being a kind of tech hub for startups and companies, it offers a wide variety of gastronomic places that accept Bitcoin. Meetups are often held in this area, and it’s another spot where I found an ATM for exchanges.

Hoping this guide proves useful, I invite you to immerse yourself in the bitcoiner experience of Guatemala and enjoy a country that combines tradition with innovation in a truly unique way. Safe travels, and may your adventure be filled with satoshis and great moments!