Comments on: Pacaya volcano, Guatemala – how NOT to see it http://www.501places.com/2011/02/pacaya-volcano-guatemala-how-not-to-see-it/ Sharing the world with you Wed, 13 Apr 2011 06:54:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Andy Jarosz http://www.501places.com/2011/02/pacaya-volcano-guatemala-how-not-to-see-it/#comment-30537 Andy Jarosz Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:47:16 +0000 http://www.501places.com/?p=4723#comment-30537 Thanks for the comments guys. Agree with you Nicolas, there is no point in selling the night trip, but I guess the full minibuses suggest that there is still a demand (maybe fuelled by a myth that the agents want to keep alive). As with so many sites, I guess it will take a serious incident or two before people crack down on these activities. But there is a balance - as you say, where you are kept too far away from the volcano then there is nothing to see and people don't come. "Volcanoes are not there to provide entertainment" I hear the sensible voice in my head saying..... Thanks for the comments guys. Agree with you Nicolas, there is no point in selling the night trip, but I guess the full minibuses suggest that there is still a demand (maybe fuelled by a myth that the agents want to keep alive). As with so many sites, I guess it will take a serious incident or two before people crack down on these activities.
But there is a balance – as you say, where you are kept too far away from the volcano then there is nothing to see and people don’t come. “Volcanoes are not there to provide entertainment” I hear the sensible voice in my head saying…..

]]> By: crazy sexy fun traveler http://www.501places.com/2011/02/pacaya-volcano-guatemala-how-not-to-see-it/#comment-30513 crazy sexy fun traveler Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:24:31 +0000 http://www.501places.com/?p=4723#comment-30513 Nice story! Never trust others haha Nice story! Never trust others haha

]]> By: Nicolas De Corte http://www.501places.com/2011/02/pacaya-volcano-guatemala-how-not-to-see-it/#comment-30512 Nicolas De Corte Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:18:59 +0000 http://www.501places.com/?p=4723#comment-30512 It's very annoying that they still sell those night trips when there's no lava to see. What's the point? I've visited Pacaya back in 2007 with an afternoon trip. This was a great idea because I could take the time to walk around on a decent pace, I saw where I was going and can got really close to the lava and I could enjoy the sunset. The guides tend to be reckless indeed, and I've met more than one person who had hurt him/herself over there. The key is to take good care of yourself and not to hurry. At certain moments we were walking on loose stones next to a lava river, if someone would have stumbled, they would have been burned alive. On the other hand, I once visited the Etna on Sicily and there we were not allowed to get anywhere near the place where it got excited... It’s very annoying that they still sell those night trips when there’s no lava to see. What’s the point?

I’ve visited Pacaya back in 2007 with an afternoon trip. This was a great idea because I could take the time to walk around on a decent pace, I saw where I was going and can got really close to the lava and I could enjoy the sunset.

The guides tend to be reckless indeed, and I’ve met more than one person who had hurt him/herself over there. The key is to take good care of yourself and not to hurry.
At certain moments we were walking on loose stones next to a lava river, if someone would have stumbled, they would have been burned alive.
On the other hand, I once visited the Etna on Sicily and there we were not allowed to get anywhere near the place where it got excited…

]]> By: Linguist-in-Waiting http://www.501places.com/2011/02/pacaya-volcano-guatemala-how-not-to-see-it/#comment-30511 Linguist-in-Waiting Mon, 14 Feb 2011 11:53:31 +0000 http://www.501places.com/?p=4723#comment-30511 Oh that was unfortunate. Before canceling my planned Guatemala trip, I was looking forward to this. Thanks for the info, so if I ever decide to go, I know what to consider. Oh that was unfortunate. Before canceling my planned Guatemala trip, I was looking forward to this. Thanks for the info, so if I ever decide to go, I know what to consider.

]]> By: Rachel Cotterill http://www.501places.com/2011/02/pacaya-volcano-guatemala-how-not-to-see-it/#comment-30506 Rachel Cotterill Mon, 14 Feb 2011 09:41:48 +0000 http://www.501places.com/?p=4723#comment-30506 Thanks for the warning - that definitely sounds like a guide to avoid! Thanks for the warning – that definitely sounds like a guide to avoid!

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