Guatemala Guide
The Verapaces
San Cristóbal Verapaz
Attractive SAN CRISTÓBAL VERAPAZis surrounded by fields of sugarcane and coffee. It's set on the banks of the Lago de Cristóbal, a favourite spot for swimming and fishing, although a shoe factory close to the shore has polluted the water. The Poqomchi'-speaking Maya of San Cristóbal are among the last vestiges of one of the smallest and oldest highland tribes. You can find out more about their culture at an interesting little museum, located just off the plaza at Calle del Calvario 0–03. The Museo Katinamit (Mon– Sat 8am–1pm & 2–5pm, Sun 9am– noon; US$1) hosts exhibits on the maguey plant, which is woven into bags, hammocks and rope; Verapaz flora and fauna; and music – visits to a marimba factory can also be arranged. Handicrafts are for sale too. The museum acts as a base for the Centro Comunitario Educativo Poqomchi' (CECEP; 
7950 4039, 
cecep@intelnet.net.gt), which can organize ethnotourism trips (from US$9 for a half-day walking tour) of indigenous villages and sights around San Cristóbal, and also offers Spanish language classes for US$140 a week, including full board with a local family. The website 
www.sancrisav.net has good information about the town and local culture.
San Cristóbal knows how to throw a good fiesta – it runs from July 21–26 (the main day is July 25) – and is an excellent, almost tourist-free place to head for Semana Santa, when a kilometre-long coloured sawdust carpet is created between the main church in the plaza and the Calvario chapel to the west. As all the hotels in town are pretty grim, you might want to drop by on a day-trip from Cobán.