HAL excursions in santo Tomas Guatemala

[sr5242]

The Guatemala board is not very busy, and I am specifically untested in HAL excursions, so I was hoping some HAL afficionados could help. I am visiting santo Tomas de Castillo in march 2013 and would really like to take a HAL excursion to make sure we're back on time, etc.

 

Has anyone taken a HAL excursion in santo Tomas? If so, which one and how was it?

 

Thanks!

[iflyrc5]

We will be there in Feb 2013 on the Ryndam and are booked with "Go with Gus". It is a 4 hour tour and he has very good reviews so I don't anticipate a problem in getting back in time.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We did the San Felipe Fortress and Rio Dulce Tour.

The Fortress was great -- but we only rode over the Rio Dulce -- never stopped to look at the "river".

It was an interesting tour -- but not one that I would recommend.

[sr5242]

We will be there in Feb 2013 on the Ryndam and are booked with "Go with Gus". It is a 4 hour tour and he has very good reviews so I don't anticipate a problem in getting back in time.

 

How long did it take to hear back? I've been waiting 4 days so far. Sent 3 emails just in case. Did you have to pay anything up front?

 

 

We did the San Felipe Fortress and Rio Dulce Tour.

 

The Fortress was great -- but we only rode over the Rio Dulce -- never stopped to look at the "river".

 

It was an interesting tour -- but not one that I would recommend.

 

Thanks for the info!

[iflyrc5]

I contacted Gus at gustavo.turcios@gmail.com It took several days to get a response. We are doing the GAC-501 Ak'tenamit Livingston Tour which is 4 hours. He asked for a 50% deposit ($59) that was sent to an address in the USA. I got a notice from him when the check was deposited and all the information about meeting him.

[Krazy Kruizers]

How long did it take to hear back? I've been waiting 4 days so far. Sent 3 emails just in case. Did you have to pay anything up front?

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the info!

 

 

You are welcome -- at least you now know not to book the tour we took.

 

[sr5242]

You are welcome -- at least you now know not to book the tour we took.

 

 

Agreed- thanks again!

 

 

I contacted Gus at gustavo.turcios@gmail.com It took several days to get a response. We are doing the GAC-501 Ak'tenamit Livingston Tour which is 4 hours. He asked for a 50% deposit ($59) that was sent to an address in the USA. I got a notice from him when the check was deposited and all the information about meeting him.

 

Thanks, hope to hear from him.

 

 

Has anyone taken the ak tenamit tour through HAL? Or anyone else?

Thoughts?

 

Thanks!

[localady]

We took the Quirigua National Park tour and really enjoyed it!

Description from HAL : A Mayan city that was once the crown jewel of this region. Disembark the motor coach and walk along a stone pathway onto the grounds. View the monuments lining the Central Plaza and study the intricate carvings on the stelae, altars and zoomorphs, which reveal vivid portraits and bizarre glyphs.

We found the entire park to be amazing and well worth our time.

[sr5242]

We took the Quirigua National Park tour and really enjoyed it!

Description from HAL : A Mayan city that was once the crown jewel of this region. Disembark the motor coach and walk along a stone pathway onto the grounds. View the monuments lining the Central Plaza and study the intricate carvings on the stelae, altars and zoomorphs, which reveal vivid portraits and bizarre glyphs.

We found the entire park to be amazing and well worth our time.

 

Would you recommend this for a 10 yr old boy? How about someone with limited walking endurance?

 

Thanks!

[localady]

Would you recommend this for a 10 yr old boy? How about someone with limited walking endurance?

 

Thanks!

 

Well I was with my teen boys. They were 13 and 17 at the time.

They very much liked climbing and investigating the site. It is so very "Indiana Jones" like!

The site could be more challenging for someone with limited walking endurance, but if I recall correctly the pathways were flat and easily manueverable. So if you have someone who is mobile to accompany the 10 year old up to the top of ruins, it could be a pleasant day for everyone.

Many of the artifacts are located on the flat areas also and can be viewed by all.

[canadarocks]

Go With Gus...... one of our very best tour experiences EVER! :D

[CowPrincess]

nevermind.

[sr5242]

Well I was with my teen boys. They were 13 and 17 at the time.

They very much liked climbing and investigating the site. It is so very "Indiana Jones" like!

The site could be more challenging for someone with limited walking endurance, but if I recall correctly the pathways were flat and easily manueverable. So if you have someone who is mobile to accompany the 10 year old up to the top of ruins, it could be a pleasant day for everyone.

Many of the artifacts are located on the flat areas also and can be viewed by all.

 

Thanks, I think I'd really like something involving the Guatemalan people, as my children were adopted from Guatemala and I'd like them to experience the Guatemalan culture

 

Go With Gus...... one of our very best tour experiences EVER! :D

 

Which tour did you do with Gus? Thanks!

[canadarocks]

nevermind.

 

Wow, I totally respect you and your opinion and I just read your review. We were in Guatemala in 2009 so perhaps things have changed for the negative!

 

Please don't delete your review, because it might be the right one! :eek:

[sr5242]

Wow, I totally respect you and your opinion and I just read your review. We were in Guatemala in 2009 so perhaps things have changed for the negative!

 

Please don't delete your review, because it might be the right one! :eek:

 

Yes please I want to hear all opinions- positive and negative

[sailandcruise]

I had looked at this port but reallywanted to visit Belize City and do the cave tubing that was available on their previous Western Caribbean itinerary. For those who have been to both Santo Tomas and Belize City, which do you think is better? Did HAL make the right decision when they switched ports on this Western Caribbean itinerary? Does anyone know why they made this switch?

 

Thanks for any insights you may have.

[sr5242]

I had looked at this port but reallywanted to visit Belize City and do the cave tubing that was available on their previous Western Caribbean itinerary. For those who have been to both Santo Tomas and Belize City, which do you think is better? Did HAL make the right decision when they switched ports on this Western Caribbean itinerary? Does anyone know why they made this switch?

 

Thanks for any insights you may have.

 

I've never been to santo Tomas but I have been to Belize city, and found the area way too dirty depressed and downtrodden. There were overaggressive guides and beggars by the port, and I purposely booked this itinerary to avoid belize city. If I ever sailed there again I would not get off!

[catl331]

there were episodes on the cave-tubinng where there was too much water and people were caught and I remember one lady drowned. They are supposed to now cancel the tour if there has been heavy rains.

 

We found Belize very poor but did enjoy looking at ruins on a tour but the ride to the tour took a long time over bad roads.

 

Economy is different in Santo Tomas. This was evident as we rode out on the tour to the Mayan Steles. Many small homes always had an old truck and a string of Xmas lights on their house. The locals were better dressed and smiling.

[Wakepatrol]

Go with Gus is the best tour hands down. Book the whole day tour. You will have a delicious lunch and a day you won't forget. (I've been with him three times)

[sr5242]

Go with Gus is the best tour hands down. Book the whole day tour. You will have a delicious lunch and a day you won't forget. (I've been with him three times)

 

I really wish he'd answer my emails!

[Wakepatrol]

I really wish he'd answer my emails!

 

 

No worries email and internet is sometimes sporadic in Guatemala. You don't have to worry he will meet you at the dock he has a big cowboy hat and is always smiling.

 

Never heard of a bad review (I suppose there's one in every crowd though)

[sr5242]

No worries email and internet is sometimes sporadic in Guatemala. You don't have to worry he will meet you at the dock he has a big cowboy hat and is always smiling.

 

Never heard of a bad review (I suppose there's one in every crowd though)

 

Unfortunately he can't meet me at the dock if he doesn't answer for me to book!

[CowPrincess]

Wakepatrol said:

 

No worries email and internet is sometimes sporadic in Guatemala. You don't have to worry he will meet you at the dock he has a big cowboy hat and is always smiling.

 

Never heard of a bad review (I suppose there's one in every crowd though)

 

Actually you wrote one of the rave reviews that convinced us to take this tour in Jan 2010. And you have actually heard of a bad review, as you felt compelled to comment elsewhere about my previous comments on MY experience with Go with Gus. So here you go, Wakepatrol. Feel free to again discuss MY experience with all your friends :rolleyes:

 

 

Wow, I totally respect you and your opinion and I just read your review. We were in Guatemala in 2009 so perhaps things have changed for the negative!

 

Please don't delete your review, because it might be the right one! :eek:

 

Yes please I want to hear all opinions- positive and negative

 

Okay, here's the synopsis :)

 

We did not have Gus as our guide, we had someone else. We were to do the "Humanitarian Tour" which included going to a school, meeting the kids, donating supplies, etc. We were informed once out on the boat that the school was closed, so we wouldn't be seeing that part of the tour. The school supplies we had schlepped from Canada were left with the guide, and we hope they eventually got to the school.

 

One part of the tour was a demo by local musicians and dancers, and if they had been any LESS interested, they'd have been comatose.

 

Our guide permitted some of the tour group to wander FAR too much, and spend FAR too much time haggling with the locals over purchases, resulting in us having to travel at full speed back to the dock where our ship was. Full speed, as fast as the boat would go. It was a very uncomfortable trip and several people on the tour thought they were going to be sick from the bouncing, speed, etc.

 

I contacted Gus afterward to comment on how disappointed we were about missing the school, and he told me that he'd made special arrangements for the kids to be at the school, and we were to have gone to the school. :rolleyes: Such special arrangements that we still didn't get to the school. To me, it sounded like he was just blowing smoke.

 

If you do go on the tour, be sure to take plenty of $1 USD bills -- there are lots of kids, all wanting to show you things and do things for you, and coins are of no value to them, so you need American bills. Singles.

 

As far as internet in Guatemala, maybe yes, maybe no. AFAIK Gus spends the non-tourist season in Georgia or Mississippi or environs.

[sr5242]

Thank you cow princess. I'm thinking we should book through the ship.....

[Wakepatrol]

Wakepatrol said:

 

 

 

Actually you wrote one of the rave reviews that convinced us to take this tour in Jan 2010. And you have actually heard of a bad review, as you felt compelled to comment elsewhere about my previous comments on MY experience with Go with Gus. So here you go, Wakepatrol. Feel free to again discuss MY experience with all your friends :rolleyes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

Okay you win, the trip is terrible Gus has fooled all of his customers and all those who left glowing reviews all over the internet. I'm just a glutton for punishment I guess? I've been with him 3 times, and if I should visit 8 more times I will go with him.

 

sorry I chimed in,I have no skin in the game for whatever tour a poster books... as a matter of fact I could care less.

 

I only found out about Gus from jimhrvac who's been on a gizillion cruises,but then again,what does he know?