Travel ideas for Guatemala - unique sights, worth Guinness records

The active stratovolcano of Santa Maria is situated to the west of Guatemala, in the immediate vicinity to the city of Quetzaltenango. It’s about 3,770 meters high. According to scientists, the first eruption of Santa Maria volcano occurred about 30,000 years ago. First recorded eruption has been a little over a hundred years ago, in 1902; it has claimed the lives of six thousand people.
The eruption has been so strong that residents of Costa Rica have heard the preceding explosion at a distance of 800 kilometers. Height of the ash stem has been about 28 kilometers; the eruption has thrown out at least 5.5 cubic kilometers of lava. This eruption was one of the most powerful and tragic in the 20th century. In 1922, a new Santiaguito mouth has formed that can be found an altitude of about 2,500 meters.
Travelers have a unique opportunity to rise to the extinct volcano crater and observe the volcanic activity that doesn’t stop for a minute. According to scientists, such large-scale and destructive eruptions of Santa Maria aren’t expected in the near future, so numerous tourists are attracted to those places. Even during its sleep volcano constitutes a great threat because of mudslides on its slopes. The foothill town of El Palmar has suffered from them twice. Now it’s prohibited to visit mountain areas during the rainy season. ... Complete sights collection

The ancient Mayan city of Samabaj had been regarded as a legend for many years, till its ruins have been found in one of the lakes in Guatemala. This important archaeological discovery occurred in 1996, and later, scientists were able to specify that Samabaj has sunken more than 3.5 thousand years ago. According to one of the most actual contemporary hypotheses, the ancient city has been situated on a small island that was completely flooded as a result of the earthquake.
Researchers have discovered ancient ceramics, magnificent altars and incense, as well as many beautiful ceremonial monuments at the archaeological area. All of these priceless artifacts confirm the version that the flooding of the rich and prosperous city was sudden. Over time, the water of the oceans receded and formed the beautiful Atitlan Lake, where the ruins of old buildings were discovered.
The pioneer in this unique historic district was a diver, Roberto Samayoa, whose stories about the wonderful city on the bottom of the lake were doubted by representatives of the local authorities. Exploration of the lake began in 1998; today it’s one of the most visited and famous attractions in Guatemala. The ruins of the city lay at a depth of 35 meters; they will be interesting to divers and fans of history. ... Complete sights collection

The impenetrable jungle of Guatemala, inhabited by the Mayan tribes since ancient times, conceals one of the most mysterious artefacts on earth. Here, in the midst of the luxuriant thickets of the exotic trees, lies the huge sandstone statue discovered by the researchers in the 30s of the last century. At first sight, the head of the impressive size seems unspectacular and reminds of the part of the statue of some ancient goddess. However, it is not so.
It is that the facial features of the statue differ strikingly from the classical appearance of Maya. The statue is very different from the stone statues found in the nearby territories of Guatemala. The extensive research has proved that the terrain where the statue was discovered was never populated. Moreover, the statue is much older than in the nearby sculptures of Maya.
The researchers do not have a uniform version of the statue origin. Some of them think that the head can be the face of the extraterrestrial being. An alternative to this version is the presumption that the statue could have been created by the older peoples who inhabited the jungle of Guatemala before Mayan civilization. A few years after discovering the unique monument, its location became known to the general public. The troops used the stone head as target, so the unique monument was almost completely destroyed. ... Complete sights collection

Early 18th century was also marked by a strong volcanic eruption. That year the disaster occurred in Guatemala. In 1902, the eruption of Santa Maria volcano happened there. It is considered one of the most violent eruptions of the 20th century. The incredibly powerful explosion occurred after 500 calm years. The diameter of the crater left after that is 1 500 meters.
Santa Maria volcano is the part of the chain of stratovolcanoes. After the eruption of 1902, it regularly reminds us of its power. Next, the less powerful eruption occurred in 1922. Seven years later, the volcano released into the atmosphere a cloud of easily flammable gas that killed 5 000 residents of nearby towns and villages. The height of the volcano is 3 772 meters. Researchers found out that the first powerful eruption of this structure occurred about 30 000 years ago.
During a volcanic explosion in 1902, about 5.5 cubic kilometers of volcanic material were thrown to the earth surface. One side of the volcano was completely destroyed by an explosion. The power was so great that even inhabitants of Costa Rica have heard it, besides the fact that about 800 km shares them with Santa Maria volcano. The terrible tragedy of the early 18th century took the lives of 6 000 people. Currently, the diameter of the crater is 3 300 meters. It is still considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world. The last major eruption occurred in 2011. However, thanks to the timely evacuation, it was managed to avoid human victims. ... Complete sights collection