It is common to bargain for most purchases in the open air market. Though you may be able to bargain in other places, be aware that chain-owned shops have fixed prices (you are no more likely to bargain in a Guatemalan Radio Shack than an American one).
These are some characteristically Guatemalan things you might consider buying here:
Ron Zacapa Centenario — Guatemala's prize-winning rum
Fabrics and traditional textiles — Traditional Mayan blouses are known as huipiles (whi-peel) and skirts as cortes. Be aware that these are almost always entirely handmade and prices for a high-end huipil may be as high as Q1000.
Jade — there is large jade working factory in Antigua, but it is course a very stone.
Coffee — touted as one of the best-tasting varieties in the world
Cardamom — Guatemala is the largest exporter in the world and Coban is the main centre of this trade.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Guatemala
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Guatemala - updated Apr 2024
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Guatemala Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
