Admittedly, it’s a pretty bold title, and of course entirely subjective. It may not be the best riding in the world to some. Nepal’s road to Mustang is pretty incredible, and the trolls tongue in Norway is stunningly beautiful. But having ridden through 40 countries over 18 years, I’m confident that you’ll find Guatemala to be at least one of the world’s best motorcycling destinations.
So what is it that makes motorcycling Guatemala so good?
Imagine the winding roads of the Pacific Coast Highway in California. Then combine that with 37 volcanoes, high altitude lakes, endless off road trails, ancient Maya ruins, world heritage cities and perfect spring weather year round. In other words, it’s more than simply remarkable roads, it’s an consciousness transforming experience of all the senses.
More, Guatemala is relatively cheap, which means renting a motorcycle is affordable, and having one repaired is super easy and cheap, especially if you have a Japanese bike.
Admittedly, while it isn’t always the safest place to ride, it really isn’t all that dangerous either. Just don’t go riding into dodgy neighborhoods at night in Guatemala City.
If all this sounds good to you, below you’ll find an experience based guide on everything you need to know about motorcycling in Guatemala.
How To Rent A Motorcycle
If you’re not riding down through Mexico or purchasing your own bike (a fairly simple process for foreigners if you’re interested) you’re going to want to pick up a rental. Although there aren’t many rental companies, the few that do exist have some pretty good deals. Ride Atitlan is one such company based out of Panajachel with some of the lowest rental rates, as well as guided tour rates in the country. Owned and operated by US expats, they’re professional, and have a unique fleet of bikes, from classic Royal Enfield’s to Japanese enduros. If you don’t have a motorcycle license, some companies will allow you to rent, provided you take their training course.
If you do decide to rent, you’ll definitely want to consider getting travel insurance, and one that covers motorcycle accidents and specifically medical evacuations. In the highlands, hospitals are few and far between as well as very remote. Having a helicopter come rescue you can be excessively expensive. So definitely get some travel insurance.
How To Stay Safe Riding Guatemala
As mentioned earlier, Guatemala isn’t the safest place to ride. To help mitigate the risks, below are a few tips:
- -Keep an eye out for slow traveling tuktuks
- -Look out for meandering kids along the road
- -stay vigilant with stray dogs
- -talk to locals about potential bandit threats
- -If necessary, call for police escorts
- -use a GoPro to record your travels
- -unmarked speed bumps are everywhere and can easily throw you off your bike at high speeds
- -Avoid Zones 1, 3, 6, 18, and 21 in Guatemala City (there really isn’t any reason to go there anyways.)
For more Guatemala travel safety tips, check out our guide Staying Safe Around Lake Atitlan.
Road Rules & Police
Guatemala, like many developing counties, can be somewhat challenging to navigate. Many common road rules, such as don’t go the wrong way down a one way, are often loosely interpreted. In other words, road rules are more suggestions than set in stone. In the result, you can pretty much ride any way you would like, as long as you don’t end up in an accident.
It’s required by law to wear a helmet in Guatemala. However many smaller towns do not enforce this. Other than that, most road rules are the same as they are in the US or Europe.
Unlike the US or Europe, you will most likely run into crooked cops, who will make up things like a city entrance toll or try and fine you for no reason. If this happens, you could either pay the cop or pretend like you don’t understand and ride off. It really depends on the situation though.
Where To Ride in Guatemala?
Although the jungles of the north and Maya ruins that go with them do offer some special riding, the best riding in the country in terms of scenery, road conditions, and the weather, is the definitely the highlands. So in this guide, we’ll be focusing on rides around Antigua, Xela, and of course Lake Atitlan. Below are some of the best riding routes the highlands has to offer.
Motorcycle from Lake Atitlan To Antigua
This ride is about 3 hours. Although you can take CA1 the main highway nearly the whole way, there are few less traveled backroads that are definitely worth checking out. More, Antigua is a must visit city. In fact the entire city is a UNESCO world heritage site, with some of its buildings up to 500 years old! Below is a recommended route:
Motorcycle Around Lake Atitlan
This ride takes around 6 to 8 hours depending on how long you decide to stop in each town. Each town around the lake is unique in terms of expat community as well as Maya culture and language. Plus, with each town, you get another incredible view of Lake Atitlan’s three volcanoes. This is arguably one of the best rides in Guatemala.
Motorcycle from Lake Atitlan To Xela
This is another great ride that offers some great volcano views along the way. More, Xela is a really cool city to check out. It’s an interesting mix between Guatemala’s colonial past and modern development.
Final Remarks
It’s not just countless beautiful roads, but the entire experience that makes Guatemala unique. You’re going to loose yourself in the twisties around Volcan San Pedro. You’re also going to meet some remarkable people, who will probably invite you in for some Pepian de Pollo. At the end of the day, there’s simply no other country, with such a perfect combination of riding, weather, views, people and affordability.