Budget

Flights – 100 000 points pp (LAX ↔ Denpasar round-trip)

Accommodation – $1 668 total
• Le Cliff $194 / nt × 3 • Ubud homestay $56 / nt × 3
• Bamboo Mansion $384 × 1 • Sidemen villa $192 × 1
• Denpasar hotel $65 × 1 • Nusa Penida bungalow $138 / nt × 2

Transportation – $219 total
• Mopeds $60 each (~$5/day) • Gojek rides $63 (7) • Sanur–Penida ferry $18 pp RT

Activities & entry fees – $222.06
• Surfboard rental $10 • Tibumana waterfall $0.68 pp + $0.30 parking
• Monkey Forest $5 pp • Hats $5 each • Rice-terrace swing $4 pp + farmer tip $5
• Pura Tirta $3 pp • Suwat waterfall $1.10 pp
• Silversmith workshop (@silver.agung) $25 pp
• Lempuyang Temple + shuttle $10 pp
• Diamond Beach parking $0.60 • Manta-ray snorkel $14 pp
• Kelingking Beach parking $0.60

Visa on arrival – $35 pp
Grand total: $2,109 (≈ $191/day, $95 pp/day)

Arrival & Safety Basics

Guatemala City is best treated as a gateway; pick up a rideshare straight to Antigua’s cobblestones and you’ll skip the capital’s safety headaches. Uber works reliably and cheaply across Guatemala—great for airport runs, food deliveries, or late-night returns after the chocolate workshop. Clear nights on Acatenango can drop below freezing, so rent proper layers in town before the ascent; Wicho & Charlie’s gear shed keeps costs low, and a porter saves your knees for the summit push.

Getting Around & Spending Smart

Central America’s two currencies play out differently once you head south. In Costa Rica prices for tours and meals are often quoted in U.S. dollars, but paying with a fee-free card in colones usually nets a better exchange rate than the vendor’s math. Road quality swings wildly—potholes between La Fortuna and Monteverde turn to axle-deep ruts—so the splurge on a 4×4 rental is less luxury, more necessity. Guatemala’s highlands, by contrast, reward travelers who stick to rideshares and shuttle vans; add a small bill to your Uber fare for driver patience on narrow colonial lanes brimming with tuk-tuks.

Weather-wise Planning

Both countries run on a May-to-October wet season that can cloak volcano views and flood jungle roads. Visit November through April for the clearest shots of Fuego’s fire or Arenal’s perfect cone. Even in the dry months afternoon showers pop up—pack a quick-dry shell, silicate packets for camera gear, and a lightweight towel for those sudden roadside dips under waterfalls. Cash out ATMs in larger towns before venturing into village markets or trailheads; small fees for parking, porter tips, and roadside fruit seldom take cards, and you’ll move faster with exact change.