Scientific fact or fiction, if the ancient Maya could be tourists in their modern homeland, they probably wouldn’t want the world to end in 2012. Guatemala today, the most populous and largest nation in Central America, is a natural and cultural wonder. Still home to nearly two dozen Mayan groups, each with their own distinct language, the Guatemalan landscape is swathed in rich, tropical forests, interrupted by volcanic peaks and studded with ancient Mesoamerican ruins. If you thought it couldn’t get more idyllic, this country is moreover acclaimed for its phenomenal coffee, is the birthplace of chocolate, and has gorgeous sandy beaches on both coasts flanking its beautiful interior. While in decades past Guatemala’s reputation as a travel destination was tarnished by civil war, poor infrastructure, and rumors of crime and corruption, these problems have all but disappeared. Although Guatemala City still shows signs of these social problems, travel in the countryside is generally safer, more comfortable, and more affordable than most imagine. A trip to Guatemala could mean shopping in Chichicastenango, a traditional Mayan market that is the oldest and largest of its kind in Central America, studying Spanish in the picturesque, volcano-straddling town of Antigua, climbing the temples at Tikal national park, and much more. Guatemala is definitely your ticket to a historical and tropical paradise.