7 Things To Know About Xela, Guatemala

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In the Western Highlands of Guatemala, 200 kilometers from the capital, there is a city called Quetzaltenango (Xela), with delicious food, friendly people and a moderate climate. Here are 7 things to know about Xela.

The official name is Quetzaltenango

Xela (pronounced shay-lah) is short for Xelajú, which is the Mayan name for the city. The local football club is Xelajú M.C., in honor of former player and team captain Mario Camposeco who was killed in a plane crash in 1951 (the stadium is named after him as well).

It’s a fairly large and busy city

Xela is the second-largest city in Guatemala, spread across 127 square kilometers (49 square miles), with approximately 200,000 residents. It’s a decently sized city, with shopping malls, tons of cafes, retail stores, Spanish schools, parks, restaurants, banks, movie theaters, even a Walmart.

It is 7600 feet above sea level

Xela is around 7600 feet (2330 m) above sea level. For some people, this elevation has no effect, but for me coming from sea level, I had a headache for a few days. I recommend waiting awhile before going on any intense hikes.

Weather reports aren’t entirely accurate

Rainy season is between May and November. However, since I arrived at the beginning of April, the weather apps constantly showed thunderstorms in the forecast. Every single day. Okay, so there was one the other day (as we near the rainy season), but for the first 3 weeks, it was mostly sunny, especially in the early afternoons, with the occasional sprinkle. The sun is strong up here. It is very hot when the sun is out, but once the sun is hidden behind clouds or is setting at the end of the day, it becomes much cooler.

The best part about the weather and the elevation is that there are hardly any mosquitoes! It’s nice to not have to lather up with sunscreen and bug repellent constantly.

It’s a great place to study Spanish

No one really speaks English here, except for other tourists, of which there aren’t many. The school I go to is Sol Latino, which I found through some reviews after researching where to study Spanish in Latin America. Their website is very basic, which for me, was one of its main selling points. It was obviously not some big corporation with a fancy website trying to enroll as many students as possible. It’s a small school. They offer 20 hours of 1-on-1 lessons, accommodation in a homestay with 3 meals a day, and activities almost every day of the week, for just $165 a week. It’s an amazing deal. The activities are led by one of the instructors in the school and are always in Spanish, and are a great way to explore the area and learn about the culture with other students.

Read more about my experience here!

 

Firecrackers go off ALL THE TIME

Every time it’s someone’s birthday or a special occasion, firecrackers are set off. Which pretty much means firecrackers go off almost every day. Then dogs start barking. And the cycle continues… but you get used to it. Or like any good traveler, have a pair of earplugs handy. Mack’s are the best!

Crosswalks are just decoration (and other Xela safety notes)

I did my research before coming to Central America. I knew it wasn’t considered “as safe” as other areas of the world. Xela is relatively safe, but I was still warned by my teachers here to not walk home alone after 10 pm. However, after being in Xela for a few days my biggest fear was no longer being robbed. Getting run over by a car or tripping on the uneven sidewalks seemed to be a far more likely possibility. My favorite workout is crossing the busy street near my house. Some of the sidewalks are as high as a Rogue plyo box so you can get a box jump in after running across an intersection that has no crosswalks, stop lights or signs.

All jokes aside, you definitely want to use common sense when walking around. This is good advice anywhere you travel. Don’t walk alone at night (take a taxi), avoid deserted streets, don’t carry a lot of valuables, don’t wear flashy jewelry, always hike with a local guide. I don’t even wear my “nice” Fitbit band, because when I saw my friend wearing hers in the US (immediately before I decided to copy her and order the same one), I thought she had a new Apple Watch for about 5 seconds. Don’t go to the cemetery alone, go with a local. Don’t have your camera hanging around your neck. A jacket is necessary at night, which is actually a good thing because you can just throw your phone and cash in the pockets (preferably with zippers).