Guatemala is a land of balance. The ancient and the new, the colonial and the indigenous, and the ocean and the mountains all provide a diverse landscape with different looks, flavors, and activities. The Central American country that was mired in civil war as recently as 1996 has enjoyed two decades of relative stability. With a little guidance, you can experience the best Guatemala has to offer.

Day 1 – La Antigua

Most likely, you’ll land in Guatemala City, known locally as Guate. While there are some interesting things to see in the country’s capital, it is a dangerous place and not worth spending your first day in the country. Grab a cab to La Antigua, about an hour’s drive from the airport.

La Antigua is a beautiful Spanish colonial town with ruins and folk art to spare. The people of Antigua are affectionately called Panza Verde, green bellies, for their love of avocados. If you want a treat, stay at Hotel Casa Santo Domingo, which is set among the ruins of the Monasterio Santo Domingo. You will have your own fireplace and a rustic room. This hotel is almost too spectacular for words. Even if you don’t stay here, make sure you take a walk through the ruins, which is only 10 minutes from the center of Antigua.

La Antigua is an ex-pat favorite. Students come to study Spanish in the numerous schools, and everyone uses it as a launching point to all the other tourist attractions. You will find a vibrant nightlife and plenty of places to feel at home. Walk among the plentiful ruins, visit the Mercado Artesenial, and stroll through the Parque Central. Make sure you eat at a Frida’s, named after Frida Kahlo, where you can try almost everything your little heart desires.

Day 2 – Climb Pacaya

Take a hike to Volcan Pacaya, one of the many active volcanoes of Guatemala, just a little way from Antigua. The hike is challenging at places but well worth it. As you ascend, you will get beautiful panoramic views of all the land around you. At one point, you will be looking down at mountaintops. The last part of the hike is the most challenging, as you make your way up a loose shale gradient that gives the phrase “one step forward, two steps back” new meaning. Once you reach the top, however, your sense of triumph and view of the steaming volcano will make all the pain go away. You can walk right up to the lip of the volcano and look down in – no one will stop you, but your fear may. The way down the volcano is the best part. You end up skiing without skis down the loose shale for one of the best rides of your life.

When you get back, take the first bus you can to Lake Atitlan. Travel at night can be dangerous, so the earlier you go, the better.

Day 3 – Lake Atitlan

When you wake up at Lake Atitlan, you’ll see a beautiful, deep blue lake set in a crown of mountains. The lake is the center of life for the numerous surrounding Mayan towns. Take the short boat ride across the lake to San Pedro and arrange a horseback ride where you will be able to see the lake from a series of breathtaking vantage points. Atitlan has a laid back island feel that will put you at ease at you drink your Gallo (a popular Guatemalan beer) as you watch the sun set over the lake.

Day 4 – Travel day to Tikal

While I’d love to give you a travel-free trip, it simply won’t work. You need to get yourself back from Atitlan and on the plane to Tikal. Arrange your flight in advance. You will find yourself looking longingly at the 747s as you board your prop airplane, but remember, the ride will be under and hour and you’re on your way to see 6,000 year old Mayan ruins in the middle of the jungle.

Day 5 – Tikal

Do nothing today but walk around the vast expanse of the Mayan ruins. Set deep in the rainforest in the north of Guatemala, you will get a sense of being lost in time. Tikal National Park is over 222 square miles, so wear comfortable shoes to wander through the temples and palaces. You can climb ruin after ruin, laughing in the face of vertigo. From the top of Temple IV, the highest of the ruins, you will see nothing but rainforest for miles and miles. It is then you will be struck by the fact that these ruins were ever rediscovered. These ruins were hidden for around a thousand years, as they were once almost completely covered by plants. In the early 18th and 19th centuries, Tikal was rediscovered and a painstaking excavation of the ruins took place from 1956-1969.

Take your time here. You will never see anything like this again in your life. You may see other Mayan ruins, but there is only one Tikal.

At this point, you may want to change your return ticket and explore the rest of Guatemala. From Samuc Champay’s waterfalls to the Caribbean vibe at Puertos Barrios to the mangrove swamps of Monterrico, you could easily stay for months.