Todos Santos Cuchumatan

Todos Santos Cuchumatan lies in a valley at around two and a half thousand metres on the far side of the Cuchumatanes plateau, and it is one of the few places in Guatemala where traditional dress is still worn daily by men as well as women: red trousers with fine white stripes, a striped shirt with an embroidered collar, and a straw hat with a blue band, worn by boys and old men alike. Weaving is done on backstrap looms in the houses. The town's best-known day is the first of November, when a horse race is run through the streets as part of the All Saints festival, an event that draws large crowds and is accompanied by heavy drinking over several days.

What you actually see

• Red striped trousers worn daily - traditional dress still in everyday use.
• Backstrap weaving in the houses - the cloth made in the town.
• The first of November horse race - the All Saints event through the streets.
• A valley town at 2,500 metres - the setting below the plateau.

When to go

November to April in the dry season; the festival falls at the start of November and fills the town completely. Two days. It is cold at night year round.

Honest expectations

Photography of people here is sensitive and often refused; ask first and accept no. The festival involves very heavy drinking and can be chaotic and unsafe. Accommodation is basic and full at festival time. The bus journey is long and cold.

Nearby

Huehuetenango is south; the Cuchumatanes plateau lies between.