- Trip length: 2 weeks.
- Trip type: urban, nature, hikes and beach.
- Weather: very mixed! Guatemala was generally dry and sunny, with temperatures generally in the mid- to high 20s C, although it was 0C on top of Acatenango! Belize was hot and humid, generally around 30C.
- Flights: 2 international flights each way (I had a checked bag included but carried my suitcase on the plane to ensure I made my connections), plus one domestic flight with a 20lb checked-bag limit and 10lb carry-on bag limit.
- Main bag: Away Carry-On Suitcase (pictured above at my beautiful Belize hotel).
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that if you click through and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only ever recommend products that I use and love — this is particularly important when travelling light and every item must earn its space!
MY LUGGAGE
If you're visiting Guatemala and Belize, I would recommend travelling light. You'll need to hoist your luggage onto the roof of shuttle buses, wedge it into small spaces on lancha boats and drag it over cobblestones and sandy streets. But try to leave room for some shopping because there are lots of beautiful handmade goods to buy!
My Away Carry-On Suitcase was my main bag, as usual for trips of over five days. I brought the case onto the plane for my international flights, helping ensure I made my connecting flights. I had to check it on the domestic flight I took to Flores — it was slightly over the 20lb limit by then, but the airline staff didn't charge me.
I also brought my trusty Patagonia Women's Refugio 26L as my personal item, which doubled as my daypack on my volcano hike. Shuttle buses can get cramped so I'd recommend having a smaller personal item.
For my day bag, I brought my navy Baggu Medium Crescent. I've been trying to use crossbody bags more and this bag does just about fit my camera, Kindle, sunglasses, a water bottle and other essentials but it isn't super-comfy when it's that full. This meant I ended up using the fabric tote I got at Barefoot in Galle more often (pictured below).
WHAT'S IN MY BAG: CLOTHES
As my trip was two weeks long and covered a variety of climates and different activities, packing for a carry-on suitcase was a little tricky. It was very cold when I left London but the clothes I wore to the airport and on the plane came in handy when I needed to layer up on my volcano hike.
- Worn on the plane (and the volcano): Patagonia Nano Puff jacket, blue cotton hoodie, Unbound Merino tee, lightweight black Lululemon trousers, old Asics trainers.
- Tops: five tees (turquoise merino, indigo merino, pink cotton, turquoise cotton, lobster print), two nicer sleeveless tops (pink and turquoise), royal blue cardigan.
- Skirts and dresses: my favourite Columbia Freezer Tank Dress (pictured bellow; these are amazing for travel!), blue cotton Boden dress and one patterned skirt.
- Shorts and trousers: denim shorts, magenta linen shorts, black leggings.
- Beach and sports: bikini, two Lululemon running vests, sports bra, blue Lululemon running shorts.
- Shoes: my favourite sparkly Fitflops and these Teva sandals.
- Socks and undies for seven days, including hiking socks.
- Accessories: foldable Fedora from Muji, indigo Lululemon baseball cap, lightweight royal blue scarf.
I was pleased with my packing choices. I wore everything at least once, though I could have left the skirt at home as I kept things casual in the evenings. The merino wool tees kept me warm when I needed and as they're odour-resistant I could wear them several times between washes (I did a load of laundry at the halfway point).
My layers were useful for the volcano hike — I meant to bring a long-sleeved Uniqlo HeatTech tee too but forgot to pack it — and also for cooler evenings at Lake Atitlán. I was able to borrow more warm clothes for Acatenango from the tour company.
Comfortable walking shoes are essential for a trip to Guatemala. I opted not to bring my walking boots for my volcano hike because I didn't want to wear them for the rest of my trip. My Asics trainers, while supportive, didn't have great grip. After the volcano, the cobblestones of Antigua and Flores and the silty sand of Caye Caulker, I decided to retire them in Belize.
I didn't wear my Tevas at all in Guatemala. I mostly wore my trainers on the cobbled, hilly streets, occasionally switching to my Fitflops in the evenings. Sadly, most sandals, including Tevas, are quite uncomfortable for my running-damaged feet. But I was glad I had them on Caye Caulker where the wet, sandy streets were very slippery.
WHAT'S IN MY BAG: TECH & ESSENTIALS
I'm not listing absolutely everything I packed this time (check out this post for my standard travel essentials and my Sri Lanka packing list for toiletries), but these are some of the items I found most useful during my time in Guatemala and Belize.
Tech & gadgets
- Cameras: Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III with a 12–45 mm PRO lens, and my waterproof OM System Tough TG-7.
- This awesome credit-card size tripod: the best tripod is the one you have with you!
- Kindle Paperwhite: for long flights, shuttle bus journeys and lazy afternoons by the ocean/lake.
- AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation: perfect for noisy shuttle rides and hotel rooms. But for long-haul trips in future, I'll go back to my Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra 2 over-ear headphones. They're so comfortable, even on long flights, and the noise cancellation is incredible.
- UGREEN USB C 65W Fast Wall Charger: this charger is so flat it's great in tight spaces in hotel rooms. It has two USB-C and one USB-A slots, and can fast-charge my MacBook Air. It comes with UK, US and European plugs.
- Anker 10k fast-charge power bank: gives about two charges of my iPhone and has a built-in cable and Apple Watch charger.
- Multitasking fan/torch/charger: a hero item that can keep you cool, charge your devices and function as a torch.
- Rechargeable headlamp and teeny tiny torch for hikes and dark streets.
Other essentials
- Mini-first aid kit (paracetamol and stomach meds, mozzie repellant, insect bite relief, plasters, antiseptic wipes and tissues), SPF 50 facial sunscreen and SPF 50 sensitive sunscreen.
- Victorinox Swiss Card Nail Care: 13 tools in one, including nail file, tiny scissors, tweezers and mini-pen.
- Lewis N. Clark Comfort Eye Mask — my favourite sleep mask (and I've tried a lot over the years).
- Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Neck Pillow: packs into a tiny pouch but inflates into a full-size neck pillow in just a couple of breaths.
- Tiny umbrella and two disposable ponchos: these took up less space than a rain jacket (I don't like wearing them when it's hot). Luckily, it didn't rain so I didn't need them.
- Sungod Sierra sunglasses: luckily, it was sunny throughout my trip so I wore them constantly!
- Teeny Nanobag x2: these bags are so small and light, you can even fit them in a pocket. I always carry at least one for souvenirs, groceries, wet swim gear and more!
- This 5L LifeVenture dry bag was great for boat trips and beach days.
- Chilly's insulated water bottle and foldable water bottle: you can't drink the tap water in Guatemala or Belize, but most hotels and cafes provided free filtered water so I was glad to fill up my bottles. I used the foldable bottle when my Baggu Crescent Bag was too full or heavy.
- Laundry sheets: I had a load of laundry done in Atitlán but was glad I brought a couple of laundry sheets so I could hand-wash my Patagonia jacket, which needed a little 'refresh' after my volcano hike!
SAVE SPACE FOR SOUVENIRS
When packing, I tried not to fill up my suitcase and backpack because I wanted to save room for the beautiful textiles and other souvenirs available throughout Guatemala. It helped that I was bringing some gifts for a colleague who works in Guatemala, so I knew I'd have a little extra room!
I ended up buying two hand-woven scarves from San Juan La Laguna (top-left and bottom-left in the first photo below), a stunning cushion cover from Antigua (bottom-right) and a gorgeous table runner (top-right and in the second photo below).
I also picked up a few other souvenirs: a fun coffee-related sign, a wooden feline mask, a tiny Santa Catarina house, a colourful R decoration and a couple of fridge magnets. And I bought various (small/light!) gifts for friends and family members, and some coffee beans from Lake Atitlán and the coffee farm I visited in Antigua.
I managed to fit everything into my suitcase for the flight home, perhaps helped by jettisoning my long-suffering trainers and wearing my Tevas with socks on the plane (style icon that I am).
Looking for more tips for packing light? Check out my list of tried-and-tested products for travel and my other packing posts.
Check out my other Guatemala & Belize travel guides: Antigua city guide; Antigua specialty coffee guide; Antigua coffee farm tour; hiking Acatenango Volcano; Lake Atitlán guide; Lake Atitlán specialty coffee guide; Flores & Tikal guide; Caye Caulker guide.
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