Guatemala TravelGuide

General Info:

Market Days:
Saturdays: Antigua, Chichicastenango, Joyabal, Momostenango, Nebaj, Nahuala, Panajachel, Sacapulas, San Martin Jilotepec, Rabinal, Santa Cruz del Quiche, Senahu, Soloma, Sumapango, Tecpan, Todos Santos, Tucuru, Uspantan.

Sunday
Chichicastenango, El Quiché: Joyabaj: Rabinal : San Juan Comalapa: San Martin Jilotepec: Sumapango: Momostenango, Totonicapán: Nahualá, Sololá: Nebaj, El Quiché: Patzún, Chimaltenango: San Cristóbal, Totonicapán: La Antigua Guatemala, Sacatepéquez: Santa Maria Chiquimula, Totonicapán: Comalapa, Chimaltenango: San Mateo lxtatán, Huehuetenango: Todos Santos, Huehuetenango: Tecpán, Chimaltenango: San Lucas Tolimán, Sololá: Tactic, Alta Verapaz: Tamah, Alta Verapaz: Tucuru, Alta Verapaz
San Cristóbal Verapaz, Alta Verapaz: San Martin Sacatepéquez, Quetzaltenango

Monday
La Antigua Guatemala, Senahu: Tucuru: Sacatepéquez: Chimaltenango, Chimaltenenago: Zunil, Quetzaltenango

Tuesday
Comalapa, Chimaltenango: Patzún, Chajul: Lanquin: Rabinal: San Lucas Toliman: Totonicapan: Chimaltenango: San MartinJilotepeque, Chimaltenango: Sololá, Sololá: Olintepeque, Quetzaltenango

Wednesday
Chimaltenango, Chimaltenango: Patzicia, Chimaltenango: Momostenango: Sacapulas:

Thursday
La Antigua Guatemala, Sacatepéquez: Chichicastenango, El Quiché: Nebaj, El Quiché: Sacapulas, El Quiché
San Mateo Ixtatán, Huehuetenango: Todos Santos, Huehuetenango: San Sabastián, Huehuetenango: San Juan Atitlán, Sololá: San Martin Jilotepeque, Chimaltenango: Tecpán, Chimaltenango: Nahualá, Sololá: San Lucas Toliman, Sololá: Tactic, Alta Verapaz: Tamah, Alta Verapaz: Tucur, Alta Verapaz: San Cristóbal Verapaz, Alta Verapaz
San Martin Sacatepéquez, Quetzaltenango: Totonicapan:

Friday
Comalapa, Chimaltenango: Chimaltenango, Chimaltenango: Patzún, Chimaltenango: San Francisco El Alto, Totonicapán: Sololá, Sololá: Santiago Sacatepéquez, Sacatepéquez: Chajul: San Lucas Toliman:

Saturday
La Antigua Guatemala, Sacatepéquez: Patzicia, Chimaltenango: Totonicapán, Totonicapán: Chichicastenango: Joyabal: Momostenango: Nebaj, Nahuala, Panajachel, Sacapulas, San Martin Jilotepec, Rabinal, Santa Cruz del Quiche, Senahu, Soloma, Sumapango, Tecpan, Todos Santos, Tucuru, Uspantan

A less known market occurs every Friday in San Francisco el Alto. At 2640 meters (8400 ft), San Francisco el Alto is about 4 hours west of Antigua by car. Here you will find a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, household items and textiles. Unlike the tourist orientation of Chichi, San Francisco el Alto is a market “by the people, for the people”. Follow the road up to the open-air animal market where you will see all the pigs, goats, cows, horses, chickens, turkeys, ducks, cats, dogs, horses (and more!) for sale or trade. Just 16 km. from Momostenango, in San Francisco el Alto you can find a nice selection of their woolen blankets for sale.

Momostenango: If you have time (a few days) you might get people to show you their wool spinning and weaving techniques, if not you can try hiking to the Pala Chiquito hot spring where the blankets are dyed and washed.

Nahuala: Another place close to Xela, or Antigua and well worth a visit, is the small village of Nahuala. You won’t find it in any guidebook, and it is just a small dot on the map. In spite of its easy access from the main road, tourists never go there. If you visit the village during its Tuesday or Sunday market, you will see both men and women still wearing traditional clothes. Men wear an orange-striped jacket and a brown skirt held with a thick leather belt. Along with Todos Santos and Solola, it is one of only three places I have seen where most men still proudly wear their traditional clothes.

Almolonga: One of my favorite villages, less than three miles away from Xela is Almolonga. If you don’t find it in guidebooks it’s because writers don’t visit it. But if you like non-touristy produce and flower markets with vibrant colors and fresh smells you should not miss the Wednesday, Friday or Saturday markets. It is one of the few places in Guatemala where people although shy, do not mind photos. If you like taking photos, you won’t be disappointed. Women wrap their heads with colorful hand-woven belts called cintas and might even pose for you.

Chaju: From Nebaj you can catch a bus to the end of the dirt road to the enchanting town of Chajul. The trail is very rough and during the rainy season, the bus doesn’t always make it. For this ride, more than any other in the country, you need to have a strong stomach and it will help if you close your eyes and pray until the bus stops. There you will feel what it must have been like to visit the villages around lake Atitlan decades ago. There is a striking contrast between the earth tones of adobe houses, the bright red and blue huipiles and the green vegetation surrounding the village. In front of each house are weaving lines where women sit every day constructing their tapestries by mixing bright yellow, green, orange, purple and pink threads into the base of red or blue. In the evening, men and teenage boys can be seen walking back from the forest with loads of firewood lashed to horses or carried on their backs with a strap over their foreheads. Throughout the Altiplano, firewood remains the principal means for cooking and heating. There is one catch to visiting this charming place; you must not have a tight schedule. You never know if the bus will come from one day to the next, and it only goes as far as Nebaj. When you arrive in Nebaj, there will be no connecting bus for Quiche. If by chance a bus makes it up during the rainy season, on the way back down the bus will slip and slide on the muddy, narrow and steep path inches from the cliff, you might wish you had never made it up. This is the only place I recommend to go visit only during the dry season (November to April ).

Complaints for tours or services: INGUAT or that you will file a complain in DIACO (consumers office) they will take you more seriously if they want to stay in business.

Tansport:

Chicken Buses, here is the drill — Just take the bag inside the bus and tell anyone who tries to stop you in Spanish that you need it inside — “No, no senior, necesito esto adentro. Es muy importante.”

1) You can usually put the backpack in between seets in the way back of the bus (try entering through the back emergency exit if possible).

2) If there is no space in the back or in between seats, you can put the bag on your lap . Not comfortable, and looks funny, but better than putting it up top in the rainy season. Frankly, I did it several times and it is not so bad.

3) If you are on a longer trip and want more space, you can pay for two seats and put the bag next to you on the seat. Even a long trip is only like 15 Quetzales, so it is not too much money.

Guatemala has good and safe public transportation. Depending on what you want to spend, depends on what sort of bus you get. You can go from Guatemala City to the Rio Dulce for about $5 USD and the ride will take around 6 hours or more on a Chicken Bus. The Chicken buses are not just the school bus (Bluebird) make. They are also city transport typ buses (names of the companies are…Fuente del Norte, Litegua, and a couple of others.) There are faster buses (that don;t stop every couple of miles and pick up/drop off passengers. They are called express buses. One is called Linea Dorada and is about $12 USD from the City to the Rio. Another is ADN which is more like $27 USD for that trip. With Linea Dorada you may or may not have air conditioning, but you do have a hostess who passes out free sodas and water and serves a snack lunch. Same services with ADN, but has air conditioning and more luxurious. Litegua has an express bus. So does Fuente del Norte (Maya de Oro). The express buses only take about 4 or 41/2 hours for that trip.

Airport General
If you have 5 hours to wait at the other terminal before you go to Tikal, I’d go walk around and talk to the people who work at the hangers. Might be able to make a friend of someone with a plane. I got a free flight around Guatemala my first trip from a local who owned a plane–did the entire Pacific Coast at 40 feet above the beach. There are a bunch of american ex-pats who work as helicopter mechanics in the hangers.

Food:
The food is great. Once out of Guatemala City, a good meal (grilled chicken breast with rice. veggies, and bread for example) will cost about $2 or $2.50 USD. Everything is much cheaper, but still good quality. A mixed drink (like Rum and Coke) will cost $1.25 USD.

Alcohol:
The best rum is Ron Zacapa Centenario. Sold in a straw wrapped bottle with a black label it is aged 23 years. DO NOT mix this with coke…that would be a sin. This stuff you sip like a fine cognac and it tastes like it. You don’t have to go to Zacapa to get it. It is available in Antigua in the store that used to sell paint up by the arch. If you fly out of Guat. the duty free shop has the lowest prices…about $25. In country it is about $32. It is even better than Cuban rum.

Markets:
The market day at San Francisco el Alto is huge and varied and visited by very few tourists. It’s easy to get to. It lies just off the Pan American Highway along the turnoff for Momostenango. There is a large sign at the Y shaped junction. - so it’s not likely you’ll miss the stop. The market starts early and gets crowded by 10 and runs into mid afternoon. Livestock sales are a big part of this market. Also, fabrics, untensils, produce and all kinds of agricultural items- you’ll be fascinated for hours.

Doctors:
Our physician here in Antigua speaks some English. We have known him for five years and have used him for ourselves, for my elderly mother, for our adoptive granddaughter and had nothing but positive experiences with him. My husband is a retired emergency room nurse from the USA so is a good judge of medical abilities.

The physician’s name is: Dr. Ruben Marroquin. His office address is 6th Avenida Sur No. 25. His phone number is 7-832-2785 and his cell number is 5-200-9197. Office hours are Mon.-Fri. 3-7p.m. but call first to be sure he will be in.

If you have a medical emergency while here or a SERIOUS condition then go to Hermano Pedro Hospital, the PRIVATE one behind the market. They have the best equipment, etc.

Guat to Belize / Belize to Guat

If you want to travel into Guatemala that would be a great place to leave from. Having done the trip myself, I can tell you it isn’t bad at all. There are usually many other backpackers and general travelers who take this route. First, you take a water taxi from Placencia fuel dock to Independence (it’s a short ride by water, but a long ride by bus). From there you take a bus to Punta Gorda, Belize (to check out of the country). From Punta Gorda, you take the water taxi (a much bigger water taxi) to Guatemala. The water taxi schedule is: from PG to Livingston, Guatemala is Tuesdays and Thursdays (several different departure times)—from PG (Punta Gorda) to Puerto Barrios, Guatemala any day of the week (also several departure times). They take you right into the Immigration and Customs offices. From Livingston, you hop in a water taxi up river to the Rio Dulce. From Puerto Barrios, you have three choices…1 is a water taxi (but the cost is very high), 2 a taxi-cab (can also cost a bit, like $40-$60 US), or take a chicken bus or mini-van chicken bus to the Rio Dulce. Once in the Rio Dulce you can find several choices of hostels; Casa Perico, Backpacker’s; Tijax; Torugal Marina. Most choose Backpackers or Casa Perico, they are both great as far as hostels go. You can travel from the Rio Dulce to many great places in Guatemala. One place, called Cascada de Agua Caliente (Hot waterfall) in Finca El Paraiso is a short bus trip from town.

Livingston to Utila (Honduras)
Firstly I got a ferry from Livingstone to Peurto Barrios and then a taxi to the border at Corinto. I took a bus from Corinto all the way to San Pedro Sula and then another one from San Pedro Sula to La Ceiba. At the time there was only a morning Ferry to Utila but now theres an afternoon ferry that leaves at 4pm so you could get from Livingstone via Puerto Barrios corinto and San Pedro to Utila in just a day. travel from San pedro to La Ceiba is around $3, a taxi to the ferry terminal is 30lempira ( don’t let them charge you more as its a fixed price) the ferry to Utila is $14 one way. I can’t remember how much I paid for the rest but it was really cheap.
Just a note - the longest part of the trip was the part between Corinto and Omoa as the road ther is really bad.

also its good to ask around the local boat captains as I know they run trips from Utila to Livingstone so would presume they have to come back.

Antingua:

Hotels:
Posada La Merced is a good, cheap place to stay. Many on this board have had nothing but good things to say about this place. Also La Sin Ventura, right by the park might be worth looking into. $US25.00 per night rooms. Do a google search for that hotel. Good luck and have fun in Guatemala.

Believe Posada La Merced asked $22 3 weeks ago when I was there. Couldn’t stay anyway as they could only give me a room for Friday and I wanted Saturday also—-rooms were already reserved for weekend. they ( posada Merced ) e-mailed me back last week quoting 38 us per room !, after I complained they put it down to 25 ..I will wait ´till I get there

About $20 a night will be just fine. Try Hotel Palacio Chico on 4a Avenida Sur, right off the Parque Central

I have stayed at both the Yellow House and Posada de la Mercedhttp://www.merced-landivar.com/. While I was alone I stayed in shared rooms at the Yellow House ($5 (US) a night) and when I was with my boyfriend we stayed at Posada de la Merced for $20US/night. Ceci (the owner and manager of the yellow house is wonderful and I met really interesting people there. It also was the cleanest shared space hostel I have ever stayed in. And very safe. You can finder cheaper hostels but they get shady. Yellow House is one of the nicest hotels I’ve been to in Guatemala. It’s friendly, very clean, breakfast and Internet are included and it’s easy to meet people there. Really good deal.

Posada la Merced was really charming and they light the patio and stairs with candels at night.

Casa Santa Lucia #3 was great–friendly staff and very clean. great view from the roof–$17 a night for a double with private bath. Casa Santa Lucia #4 is my all time fav. Around the corner is Hotel Dona Angelina. If these are full then there are several with in a block or so.

A good choice for you in Antigua is Posada San Sebastian. In one of the quieter parts of town (remember this is Latin America) on a relatively quiet street, near lots of good restaurants, close to everything, rooftop terrace for wonderful views (a number of Antigua hotels have rooftop terraces), historic, grand antique furniture and furnishings, in your price range (~50$)

One place that I have used many times is Casa Santa Lucia #4 -Calzada de Santa Lucia #5. Last year it was $20 a double. Private bath. Clean. Good restaurant across the street..Weiners

Food:
Tostaduria Antigua and get a cup of the best coffee in town for Q4.

Bars:
The rains are a good excuse to duck into a little bar and have a drinky-poo or two until it stops. In Antigua I recommend La Diligencia (in the public market, around the back, free snacks with your beer!) or the El Paso (7a Ave Norte and 2a Calle- Smallest bar in Antigua, but no snacks).

The Mono Loco, Ricky’s and Reilly’s are a safe bet. Most start their happy hours at 5pm. Drinks are CHEAP and food is nice. Chances are if you pay attention you can find a rave going on outside the city where everyone goes to hang out after all the bars close. Yeah, dry laws come into effect at 1 am.

Tikal:

To Do:
WALK DOWN THE OLD AIRSTRIP TO SEE SOME GREAT CROCS!!

I can recommend a great guide who also offers rooms which are great clean safe and relaxing. Here is the info you will need. Just let her know what you need and she will reply with the info. She is very good have used her for 6 years and will be going in July for 1 week to see her. Happy travels./

“Yolanda Quintana”

(Tikal Inn?) THERE IS A MIDNIGHT TOUR….YOU WILL SEE JAGUARS.OR YOU DONT PAY.

FOLLOW THE AIRSTRIP AWAY FROM THE PARK AND YOU’LL FIND A POND FULL OF CROCS…SOME MAYAN FOUNDATION IS THERE BUT DON’T KNOW WHAT IT WAS.

Food:

Best place to eat is the the comedor on the far end of the 3 or 4 comedors along the entrance road, the one closest to Flores, believe it is called Imperial Maya. Good food, good prices, friendly family owner.

In the Tikal Park, there are only a few places to eat and there are high park prices to contend with, no matter where you go. However, although you will have to pay more than elsewhere in Guatemala to eat there, you can still have a good meal without spending more than you need to. As you come into the main part of the park, you will see three small buildings on the right. These are comedores or diners. The very first one you see when coming in is the Imperio Maya. The food is good enough to attract the regular minivan drivers and the owner’s idea of ensalada or salad involves some tasty cooked vegetables, so you won’t be leaving much on your plate. You also will not be leaving there hungry unless that was your choice, because the helpings are large. This is a family run place and the owner is rightfully proud of the food. Enjoy it.

Now at Tikal: Inside the ruins all you will get are drinks…might be chips and such at the base of temple four. The hotels have restaurants as does the visitor center. Cheaper are the 3 comedors across the street from the visitor center. Problem is that this is all going to be at least a 30 minute walk each way…probably more depending on where you are in the ruins when you get hungry. I always take a couple liters of water and box of cookies or something to see me through the day.

Hotels:
TIKAL INN..GREAT SERVICE…..EXCELLENT FOOD……IT WAS $60 FOR A DOUBLE BUT INCLUDED 2 MEALS…RECOMMEND IT HEARTILY!!!

WENT TO TIKAL IN MAY..RECOMMEND THE TIKAL INN…GET A GUIDE…EARLY MORNING TOUR IS BEST……AVOIDS THE 105F TEMP.

If you mean $30 per person for a double room, you may be able to do it at one of the 3 hotels at the ruins (not sure, I was in my post 9/11 “I want to go, and dont care what it costs mode” so I dont recall what the room was - I had a package with meals, driver from airport and guide - and was traveling alone) - but probably not.   El Remate nearby has lower cost hotels - or stay in Flores/Santa Elena. If you dont mind moving around a bit, you may want to spring for 1 night at the ruins, so you can easily do sunrise/sunset - then spend another night at one of the cheaper hotels further away.   If you can book the hotel without meals and tour, do so. Lots of cheap restaurants at the ruins. A guide is $40 for 1-4 people for the day, $10 for each additional person (was there again for a day last month, so this price is pretty current)  Also, I am always hot and was dreading the night without a fan - and it was fine. Actually needed the blanket about 5am - and this was late April, hot season in the Peten. Noticed no biting bugs either trip.
tough to get a hammock $5.25/night, when i arrived at 4pm they were full. I highly recommend spending the money, the best part of tikal was from 4-6:30pm when people are catching buses back. also early entrance. We paid $40Us for 2 with a shared bathroom at the jungle lodge. Fabulous place. They had a swimming pool which was great. Jaguar inn more expensive, as is tikal inn.

Ask about the Finca Ixobel in Poptun. I highly recommend the tree houses and the food there is fantastic!

Dont stay at the Jaguar Inn.

Other Options for Staying:

There are two camping grounds, a large grassy tree-shaded one run by the park, dierctly across the street from the visitor’s center, and next to the park police headquarters, with toilets and showers. You can rent a concrete floor palapa if you want and string a hammock. You can rent camping equipment at the visitor’s center building. The other camp ground is run by Hotel Jaguar Inn, but to my knowledge does not have camping equipment for rent. You can buy bottled water at the visitor’s center, from vendors at the pyramids, and probably from the hotels and comedors. The hotels have lockers. I don’t know if the visitor’s center has lockers or not. Camping there these days is definitely within the realm of safe enough. Best place to eat is the the comedor on the far end of the 3 or 4 comedors along the entrance road, the one closest to Flores, believe it is called Imperial Maya. Good food, good prices, friendly family owner. As to seeing animals, you will see flocks of irredescent (?) turkeys, beautiful from certain light directions. And lots of coatimundis who will come after your snack food. Other than that you may not see much unless you know how to look for it. Most wildlife in the jungle isn’t seen much unless it wants to allow iltself to be. Ask the guides how to spot the toucans and monkeys. You will hear the monkeys howling a bunch. Sometimes a night they sound a little like a chorus of capuchinno machines.

I was at Tikal last month and stayed at the campground run by the park. you pay at the restraurant at the visitors center and they will let you leave your pack, etc. there while you are in the park, they don’t reccommend you leave anything at the campground unless you rent one of the huts they have available. Huts are just large enough for a sleeping pad but can be locked when you aren’t there. Very safe, armed guards 24-7-365. You can see some monkeys and birds as well as coatumundis in the park but not much else. You’ll hear monkey off and on most of the night especially near dawn. Campground has showers, toilets and is near to everything else including restraurants. I took my own camping gear so can’t comment on the rental issue, have heard reports both ways. Cement floored palapas are 25 Q a night and think the huts are 50 Q.

Flores:

Hospedaje Doña Goya is located on the far side of the island from the causeway. Just follow the road that runs along the perimeter of the island until you see the sign. The people who own it speak many languages including English and German. Try and get a room with a balcony. They do not have a phone. Prices are low, ranging from Q45 and up.

The best thing about staying at Posada Tayazal is the rooftop terrace, which comes complete with hammocks and lots of sunshine. Located a few blocks past the Doña Goya, this place is friendly and cheap. Prices range from about Q45. Telephone: 9260568

Hotels: General

Saw pictures looks nice j. Hotel Maya International
Flores , Guatemala

I stayed instead at a place very near there, directly across from Flores that was much more my cup of tea. It’s called the monkey Lodge, but has another name in Maya that I can’t recall just now…sorry. The thatched roof cabanas are very, very, nice (and kept clean) with hammocks, but no great view of the lake as they didn’t want to cut any trees. Nice swimming area though..with innertubes! Oh, and the food is great unless it is just you and Berni, the owner, but he is an exceptional cook. He was also very helpful in trying to arrange tours with just me. I wanted to go to Ceibal and on the last day i was there he found someone who would take me if I payed double, and I agreed. Sometimes it is better to be alone anyway. The price was $50 us, but when I arrived in Flores for the pickup they had talked two other people into going so I only paid $25.

if you stay in flores, which is relatively near to tikal, you can stay at the hospedaje dona goya, and they will provide you with transportation to the ruins. it is only $3 a night, the people who own it are very nice, and it is quite clean and safe.
I think that La Casona would make a good stay for your group. For me it was a splurge after a week in the jungle, but I don’t normally stay in such places. La Casona has a real pool, not just one for wading like the Peten.
I enjoyed Hotel Santana, clean rooms, roomy, on the water for $35 US per night.

The hotel we chose in Flores we got from the Lonely Planet Guide of that year….the Hotel Petén (lacasona@guate.net) This is lakeside, has a small courtyard with tropical plants, a pleasant lakeside terrace with restaurant. Also a small indoor swimming pool….(kids?) Also, it had a small room with computers in it, evidently for internet access for guests. It has 19 plain, but comfortable rooms with private baths, A/C and fans. We followed the advice of the LP guide and got a room on the top floor with a view of the lake and a small balcony. The price in 2001 was US $25/30/40 for a single/double/triple, except in July/August when it went up $5. The rooms on the top floor are numbers 31-32-33-and 34.
Again…no budget places that stand out. Rooms can be tight here. Because of the heat…especially after spending the day at Tikal..this might be the best spot to splurge on air conditioning. Be aware that air conditioned hotels can be booked up a week in advance.

Air conditioning is a very worth while splurge. Pools are few. Not is your price range…but this might be one of those places to jump up an extra $20. The Hotel Casa Elena just across the causeway in Santa Eleana is real nice for about $40. It is airconditioned and has a pool. You can walk across to Flores in about ten minutes. Plus there is a super market nearby. You could cater your own meals which would make up for the extra cost above your budget. First shuttle to Tikal leaves around 5am. They pickup from the hotel…just tell the desk the day before. Actually, the shuttle office is only a block away. They spend awhile gathering everyone up…plus there is always one idiot who isn’t ready.

Food:

I heartily recommend supper at the Sunset Cafe for its unobstructed view and opportunity to quietly see the somewhat mystical sunset over this historic lake.

I like busy restaurants that depend on repeat customers, not tourists or street people. An inexpensive place to eat in Flores is the place on the top of the hill on the square. In Cayo, another good place is Erva’s with an r.

Incidentally, this particular area has been the scene of several assaults on tourists who have been pulled over by bandits on that particular stretch of the Flores to Melchor de Mencos highway.

Just to let you all know about a lovely Cafe in flores! Its called Cafe Uka and is run by a really nice couple called Neil and Beatrizz. He is from Belize and she is Guatemalan. They serve fantatic coffee and food and also have brand new computers/internet etc. Nice surroundings and jazz music to accompany some afood and coffee. You can find it easy on Calee Union right hand side if walking up to Mirador del largos hotel before you turn on the bend

El Remate:

It is located on the shores of Lake Peten Itza and is only 36kms from the entrance to the National Park. You can enjoy a swim in the lake, a visit to the jungle reserve, Biotopo Cerro Cahui or shop for local handicrafts, especially woodcarvings. Staying in El Remate is much cheaper than staying in the park and more convenient than staying in Flores.

Hotels:
Don David, it has lovely rooms with private bath and hammocks on the shores of the lake, but they were expecting a tour group and the inn was full. They referred us to Los Gardenias across the street and for half the price, we found newly remodelled and impeccably clean rooms with private bath. A single room cost 80Q or $10US/night. www.lacasadedondavid.com

Also Gringo Perdido and several beatiful and ecoturistical hotels there.
I stayed at La Mansion Del Pajaro Serpiente in El Remate. I think I paid $15 for a very nice room. It is on a hill over a lake with great views. It has 2 swimming pools and nice landscaping. Your parents and kids would love it. El Remate is closer to Tikal than Flores. It is owned by an American woman who has been in Guatemala since she was a child and her Guatemalan husband.
Transport:
There is a 530 am shuttle that will get you to the park by it’s 6am opening.

What to do ? Get up to a Mirador for a view of the lake and say ‘waow’ / Swim at a few spots / Buy wood-carving / Relax on a hammock / Eat crocodile meat / Spot monkeys and other species at the Biotopo / Tour the natural ruins of Ixlu (2km away, left just before road to Belize, 20mn walk on the trails) / Once there, check the tiny INGUAT office at the intersection, the map and the stalea / Walk to the other lagoon (Laguna Salpeten) and the ruinas / Play football with the kids / Enjoy the sunset by the lagoon / Watch the stars…
What you may not like ? Having little to see in the village beside the hotels, hospedaje, restaurants and tienda along the road / The cost of accomodation (Q20 minimum) and what you sometimes get for that price / The limited swimming area / Finding a crocodile in your swimming area / The hot sun / The barking dogs at night / Encountering a malaria or dengue carrying mosquito / The cost to reach Tikal : you won’t save much ! / The cockroaches
How long ? One day for the place, one day for Tikal and one day to relax !
Where to stay ? Plenty of choices with two categories beside the expensive hotels : the ‘natural’ places, often on the hill (which means good panorama), with very open ‘bungalows’ to share (which means no privacy and maybe safety issue) and the hospedaje offering basic rooms. From the South toward Tikal :

Hospedaje Sal Itza, ‘natural’ on a hill / 15 for hammock, 25 for bed / Good setting and nice view but bungalows in bamboo or cement open and rather basic.

Posada Los Angeles, concrete house / 30 per bed / Basic but correct rooms by the road.

El Mirador del Duende, ‘natural’ on a hill / 20 for hammock, 35 for a bed / Go there for the nice setting, the original white Mayan style bungalows and the backpackers atmosphere / What you may not like : the prices for what you get (very basic), the open bungalows, the busyness (hence safety issues), the cockroaches & the attitude of some member of the staff

Pat Sak Luk Hotel, ‘natural’ on a hill / 25 per bed / About the same as the above but a little more run down and basic. It is however cheaper and less busy.

Hospedaje Peten Maya / 25 per bed / Basic rooms w. mid-sized wall which means little privacy.

The Mayan Princess / 25 per bed / Go there for the western atmosphere with music and movies / What you may not like : the small rooms w. thin wall partitions (means noise if full) and the cockroaches.

Jungle Cafe, ‘natural’ on a hill a bit away from the road / 15 for hammock, 20 for bed / Go there for the good prices, good setting and good view / What you may not like : it is rather run down.

® Posada Ixchel / 35 per bed / Go there for the nicest, cleanest and biggest rooms in this price category and the green setting a bit away from the road / What you may not like : the dog !

® La Casa de Bruno’s Place / 25 per bed / Go there for the nice & clean rooms in a tiny garden w. hammocks / What you may not like : the dog from the above !

La Casa De Don Juan / 20 per person / Cheap but only half-size walls, hot as under the roof and obligation to share if busy.

Filin Posada, behind the above / 20 per person / Same as the above but a bit more off the road

Hotel Sun Breeze, lake’s side, off the road in a tiny garden but unfortunately not by the lake / 35(1), 50(2) or 75(3) / Expensive for this kind of basic empty room

La Casa de Don Douglas, on the road to the Biotopo / 25 per person / Basic and run-down

® Casa Roja, ‘natural’, 1km on the way to the Biotopo, sign a bit hidden, when the road curves a bit / 25 per bed / Double kayak Q20 per hour / Go there for the nice & clean setting, the relative isolation and the jungle noise / What you may not like : you will have to share the open room if busy and it is a small walk to the village.

Casa de Dona Tonita, just after the above / 30 per person / Family atmosphere and lake view from the balcony but rather basic rooms in wood.

Where to eat ? Quite a few restaurants caters for westerners palates. It is not too cheap however with the basic Pollo fritto at Q20 min. Crocodile meat is sometimes available for around Q45. As in Flores, Restaurant The Mayan Princess is popular with backpackers : good dishes at Q29. An even better choice may be opposite El Establo ‘Garlic & Horses’ : no horse meat but great dishes reasonably priced. The nice owner was also planning barbecue by the water (Q10) and Indian & Arabic food on low table (Q15). There are also a few basic comedores, popular with the police force, but rather plain. One is by the road to the Biotopo (it serves the usual huevos + frijoles + coffee for Q10). Comedor Susan is by the Restaurant Peten Maya and The Mayan Princess and serves meals for Q10-15.
A Biotopo Tour ? Biotopo Cerro Cahui is located 2.5km away on the north side of the lake. The way is pleasant and the tropical rainforest even more. How you will like it will however depend of what animals you manage to spot along the 6km loop track and whether or not you are coming back from Tikal. The westerners I met while going up had seen nothing except the view from the two miradors. Going late afternoon, I however spotted a snake, the tail of a fox, dozens of spider monkeys high in the trees and of course plenty of birds. The ruins however will be definitively disappointing. Altogether, it is a pleasant 2-3 hours walk (avoid at noon as it climbs a bit) but the Q20 entrance fee is a bit high (local people pay Q10). Ask to see the few snake’s jars at the ticket desk. Check also the latest safety issues as serious robberies took place there previously…
Other tours ? Most places offer a jungle or lago tour, by foot, horses (Q75 for 4 hours) or kayak. The best place for the latest is at Mon Ami Restaurant, 1.5km on the way to the Biotopo : it cost only Q10 per hour and the French Biologist should accompany you on the 3 hours journey toward toucans, turtles & parrots. He is also doing a morning jungle tour around the Biotopo (not inside) for Q45 incl. a sandwich.

ChiChi:

Market ChiChi
Also realize that there are some way cool mask shops that are middlemen for most of the masks you see at the market. Make sure you wander around town and visit the churches and if you have time, especially on Sunday, you can see local people making offerings and prayers at Pascual Abaj up the hill. And the cemetary is very colorful. Instead spend the nite in one of the several nice hotels in Chichi or on Lake Atitlan. And here is something almost no tourists do that is simply amazing. Just 15 miles north of Chichi are the unreconstructed ruins of Utatlan, with an amazing tunnel dug with nine stations of offerings (candles, hootch, flowers) and local people doing rituals there. Incredible. This is located on the outskirts of town of Quiche, also a cool town to visit. If ya really want to mix it up with the locals, visit the Chichi market on Sunday and get on one of the local “collectivos”, basically a pick up truck that departs every 10 minutes for Quiche. Just keep say Utatlan and they’ll drop you off there. Or take the collectivo all the way into town and get a cheap taxi to the ruins. I’ve taken the chicken buses all thoughout Central America. Don’t travel at night. It can be an amazing experience but understand that the most unique chicken bus trips are in the more remote parts of the country and especially on the local market days. If you really want to do a cool side trip via chicken bus, keep going from Chichi north past Quiche, all the way to Huehuetenango and on to Nebaj. I’ve gone up there since the late 80’s and you will really never forget such a thing (NOTE: there are good cheap hotels in all these places, even Nebaj has a modern restaurant started by Peace Corps volunteers and a couple of internet cafes). Lots of weaving, Spanish and other classes. You can do that in almost any town that welcomes any tourists. Just ask around when you get there.
Hotels:
No recommendations here. None of the budget places are nice or a good value. To get anything arrive early Sat. afternoon. You would do well to consider going to Chichi from Pana on the $7 RT tourist van for the day…Chichi is no longer a bargain shopping spot. You go for the action.

Nebaj:

Buses:
Quiche to Nebaj (Quick Nebajense) 9,10,12,16 12,13,16,19 Cost 10Q
(White Wake) 9,13,16,17 12,13,19,20 Cost 10Q
Guat City to Nebaj (Clavellinas) 05:00 13:00 Cost 25Q

Hotel:
In nebaj, if you like culture, stay at the mayan Hostel “posada Ixil Don Juan”.

Transport:
Around Nebaj, you’re in the highlands, with really winding roads, avoid planning night bus trips in that area !
You’ll probably take the bus through Uspantan (To Coban) the landscapes are beautiful !

Coban:

Last week July Cobán - FOLKLORE FESTIVAL -
The festival includes examples of indigenous handiwork; typical cuisine; and Mayan ceremonies, music and dances. The culmination of the festival on Saturday evening is the election of Reina Rabin Ahau (Daughter of the King) from contestants representing all the Mayan towns in Guatemala. Mayan customs, traditions, costumes and music are presented. Entrance fee Q50 (seats) or Q 40 (stands), and reservations must be made in advance with Prof. Marco Aurelio Alonzo at 951-1709 or 951-1657. August 1-6 Cobán A.V. Fair
Around Nebaj, you’re in the highlands, with really winding roads, avoid planning night bus trips in that area !
You’ll probably take the bus through Uspantan, the landscapes are beautiful !
Coban is an interesting town, definitely much more developed that Chisec. Don Carlos Victoria, owner of the Farmacia Victoria behind the cathedral is an awesome man. If you need some advice in the area, stop by his place and say hi. The Hostal d’Acuña is really good in Coban, their restaurant is rather expensive but the place is good to chill.
I afterwards spent about 2 months in the transversal norte, between Coban and El Estor, in a caving expedition. Really interesting area, good bus network, but not at all developed for tourism. You have to rely in your capacity to meet with locals so they take you to the beautiful places in the area (Quetzal reservations, waterfalls, caves, canyons, etc…). We did a beautiful 3 day hike around K’anti Shul, but to get up there you need either a jeep or a lot of luck!

If you decide to go through El Estor, you can then take a boat ride through Lago Izabal to Fronteras, and there go up to Poptun by the road.

Instead of staying in Coban (there is not much interesting here) stay in Chisec which has te new natural atractions: Bombil Peck, Cuevas de Candelaria, Rio San Simon, Cancuen.

In Fray Bartolome (on your way to Peten) don’t miss Las Conchas, some say it’s better than Semuc.

Transport:
The shuttle from Antigua to Coban? Take the $6Q bus into G.City and from there you can catch a microbus or large bus to Coban. The large busses cost $45Q, and less for the microbus. It takes about 4-5 hours from G.City to Coban direct.

Nicely done. I actually made it from Todos Santos through Coban to Flores in about 30 hours recently. All of your connection suggestions are dead on. You can actually go from Todos Santos to Buenos Aires and then on to Aguatacan, skipping HueHue.

One note, all of the locals warned that bandits had been attacking night buses from Uspantan to Coban in past months. Definitely stay the night in Uspantan and catch an early morning bus to Coban unless you get to Uspantan relatively early in the afternoon.

The lonely planet says it can’t be done, however I went from Todos Santos to Coban in one day!!! However 10 hours. I didn’t take the direct bus from HueHue, i caught a mini van, just outside Hue Hue called Buenos Aires.Got a lift to Aguacatan. Right away there was a mini van to Sacapulas. With this road now paved it only took 30 minutes. A bus leaves Sacapulas at 10am for Uspantan.(very crowed)
once i arrived at Uspantan, i thought to stay the night, however right behind was a bus (it was direct from Cunin) to Coban. Left todos santos at 6am and arrived at 4pm. My connections were PERFECT.
write if you need more info. The road from uspantan to Coban is spectacular.

How to get to … (bus schedules)

From, To, travel fare, travel time, departure time, departure location

Guatemala to Cobán, Q 30.00, 5 hrs., Every 30 min from 4:00 to 17:00, Monja Blanca office 8.Ave 15-16, Zona 1, T2511878 Cobán to Guatemala, Q 30.00, 5 hrs., Every 30 min from 2:00 to 17:00, Monja Blanca office 2aCalle 3-77, Zona 4, T9513571 Cobán to Carchá, Q 1.00, 20 min., Every 15 min., Campo No 2 near football stadium Cobán to Chamelco, Q 1.00, 20 min., Every 15 min., Escuela de Enfermería (5 Ave. and 4 Calle Zona 3) Chamelco to Don Jerónimo’s, Q 1.00, 20 min. , 11, 12, 2:30 & 4 hrs, behind the church of Chamelco, there are also irregular pick-ups Chamelco to Caves of Rey Marcos, Q 1.00, 25 min, 11, 12, 2:30 & 4 hrs, behind the church of Chamelco, there are also irregular pick-ups Cobán to Tactic, Q 2.50, 50 min., Every 20 min., Campo No. 2 near football stadium Cobán to Biotopo El Quetzal, Q 5.00, 1:20 min., Every 20 min., Campo No. 2 near football stadium Cobán to El Estor, Q 18.00, 7:00 hrs., 5:30, 7, 8,9, 11 and 13, Campo No. 2 near football stadium Cobán to Sayaxche Peten, Q20, 7 hour trip, leaves 6:00 am and 12 noon from Escuela Felipa Gomez 3a Ave. & 2a Calle Zona 4. Buses to Santa Elena / Flores Peten leave regularly from Sayaxche ferry. Cobán to Playa Grande and Lachuá, Q 40.00, 4:00 hrs., iregular, Mercado la terminal Cobán to Lanquín, Q 8:00, 3:00 hrs., 6:00, 11, 13, and 15 hrs., Office near Mercado la terminal, 3 Calle between 1st and 2nd Aves. Zona 4. Lanquín to Semuc, Q 10.00, Q 200.00, 2:00 hrs., Before 9:00 a.m., Later hire pick-up at the central park of Lanquín Cobán to Las Casas, Q 15.00, 4:15 hrs., 5:30, 6:30, and 10:00 a.m., Office in Carchá, bus comes to Cobán and stops at Dispensa Familiar and then in the central park of Carchá Guatemala to Salamá, Q 14.50, 3:30 hrs., From 4:45 to 16:45, 11 Av. Y 17 calle 11-32 Z.1 Salamá to Guatemala, Q 14.50, 3:30 hrs., From 4:45 to 16:45, One block from the parque, T9401809

To Do:

The Festival Folklorico (which Ends with the election of the Rabin Ajau) starts five days before the last saturday of July, the election of the Rabin Ajau (the mayan queen) is always the last saturday of july. Try to go one hour before the election of the Rabin ajau so you will have a beter view

You can do Semuc Champey by yourself without a problem. You need to take a bus from Guatemala City to Coban. Once there just ask where the mini-buses to Lanquin depart and go there. In Lanquin there is several places where you can stay the night, some in the middle of the town and others near by. I stayed in a hotel in town run by locals, and it was very nice and peaceful (need to remember the name). The next day it will only take you half an hour on a bus to reach Semuc Champey in a bus or if you are feeling in the mood for some adventure you can even go in the back of a big truck.

Semuc Champey and Lanquin are gorgeous places. Be careful in Semuc and get the bus to the falls as we were robbed by bandits en route back from the falls to our hostel which was a 10 minute walk in the middle of the afternoon.

Hi, I visited Semuc last summer and its incredible. Best advice I could give is to get to the nearest town, can’t remember what its called now, and stay at this little eco-tourist lace called El Remate. Its pretty hippyish, but you just chill by the river, or in the hammock and meet loads of travellers. From here, just hitch a ride to Semuc (we favoured the top of a logging truck) with other people from the camping place. Wouldn’t bother with a tour, its not necersary. You pay an entrance fee to the caves which are worth a check, but spend your time swimming in the cascading pools. If you’re feeling energetic take the sky route path up the cliff edge once at the ppols. You ascend to about 800ft, lose about 5lbs in sweat, but the view is ridiculously impressive. Enjoy.  I remember there is buses beetween Chisec and Sayaxche. In this part of the country pretty much all the transportation is with mini-buses and you can go anywhere you want.   I never been in Laguna Lachua myself, but here is a website it might be interesting for you http://www.visitchisec.com
Laguna Lachua was beautiful, with very warm, Caribbean-like turquoise water. The nearby finca is closed - I heard that it was purchased by someone in the military, then the land was occupied by peasants. However, you can stay in the park itself, which I would highly recommend. You have access to the cooking facilities and bug-netted bunks. The best of it is that you get to stay after all of the day people leave, and can have the whole laguna more or less to yourself. We also saw armadillo and crocodile. Recommendation - there’s no electricity at night, so you will want to take a flashlight.
Definitely do go to Laguna Lachua and stay the night there. You can get a minibus there from Coban.  It’s about an hour’s walk on a really clear path through the jungle.   When I was there (bit before Christmas), there was a minibus from Lanquin to Semuc Champey at 8 or 8:30. You can start walking (really pretty - but a big hill!) and get the bus if it goes past. There was also a bus back middle of the afternoon. There is a bus a day between El Estor and Cahabon from there you can get another vechicle on to Lanquin - takes most of the day.

Lanqin (Semuc) is a great place to have a dip. If close to Coban, you might want to try stopping at the Biotopo del Quetzal. It’s a natural reserve for Guatemala’s national bird, the Quetzal. You might be able to catch a glimpse of this elusive animal. Word to the wise, the early bird catches the worm. Wink. There are also some caves that you can visit, if you are not claustrophobic.

Hotels:

The only decent Hostel to stay in is D’Acuna - 50Q/night. There is an excellent restaurant on-site, and they can hook you up with relatively inexpensive tours. I stayed at 3 different locations on different jaunts to Coban and found D’Acuna to be the most accomodating for the cheapest price. Things to see in/around the city - definitely Finca Santa Margarita, a little coffee farm. They can take you on a tour as well, if you like.

La Posada: Q 153, BP, P, CH, TO, R y Café, elegant colonial atmosphere, excellent food. (1a calle 4-12 z 2, Tel: 79521495, 79510588)

Real gem here…Hotel Dona Victoria. Centuries old mansion. Rooms themselves are funkily classy…the grounds and public areas are nice.

Hotels in Cobán
Abbreviations: R Restaurant, TV Television, BP Private Bath, BC Communal Bath, CB CableTV, LV Laundry, P Car Parking, TO Tours, TC Credit Card, CH Traveler’s Cheques, TH Phone in every room

NOTE: Prices for a single room. Subject to change. For Holy Week, the Half Marathon, the Folklore Festival, and Christmas / New Years it is advisable to make hotel reservations well in advance.

Casa Duranta: Q. 200 / 300, R, BP, LV, P, TV, TC, P E-mail: info@casaduranta.com
(3a calle 4-46 Zona 3, Tel: 79514188 Fax: 79513596)

La Posada: Q 153, BP, P, CH, TO, R y Café, elegant colonial atmosphere, excellent food.
(1a calle 4-12 z 2, Tel: 79521495, 79510588)

Mansión Armenia: $ 14, TV, CB, P, Café, BP, TC, CH.
(7a av 2-18 z 1, Tel: 79522284, 79514284)

Hostal Doña Victoria: Q 103, BP, R, Bar, colonial atmosphere, good food.
(3a calle 2-38 z 3, Tel: 79514213, 79514214)

Oxib Peck: Q 96, BP, TV, R.
(1a calle 12-11 z 1, Tel: 79521039, 79513224)

Posada de Carlos V: Q 70, BP, TV, R.
(1a av 3-44 z 1, Tel: 79513501/2)

Rabin Ajau: Q 66, R.
(1a calle 5-37 z 1, Tel: 79514296, 79510808)

Celinda: Q 66, TV, CB, P, R, BP, AC, CH, TH.
(2a av y 4a calle z 3, Tel: 79512765)

Villa Imelda: Q 60, TV, CB, P, R BP, AC, CH.
(4a av 2-21 z 4, Tel: 79521008)

Perla María: Q 48, BP, TV, R, P.
(4a av 1-25 z 3, Tel: 79521988)

Monja Blanca: Q 42, BP, BC, R, P, nice atmosphere.
(2a calle 6-30 z 2, Tel: 79521712, 79510531)

La Providencia: Q 36, LV, P Q10-15, R , Café, BP.
(Diagonal 4 2-43 z 2, Tel: 79521209)

Posada Villa Real: Q 35 / Q60 (BP), TO, R.
(6a av 1-81 z 4, Tel: 79512526)

Hostal D´Acuña: Q 50, R, BC, LV, AC, TO, TC, CH, clean, nice atmosphere, good food. E-mail: casadeacuna@yahoo.com
(4a calle 3-11 z 2, Tel: 79510482, 79510484 Fax: 79521547)

La Paz: Q 30 / 24, BP, BC, R Clean, quiet.
(6a av 2-19 z 1, Tel: 79521358)

Alemán: Q 25, P, BC, AC, basic
(2a calle 1-23 z 1, Tel: 79521501)

Monterrey: Q 20 / 15, P, BC, AC, basic
(6a av 1-12 z 1, Tel: 79521131)

Casa Luna: , Bed and Breakfast
(5a Ave 2-28 Zona 1, Tel: 79513528)

BACK…

Hotels Outside of Cobán
Abbreviations: R Restaurant, TV Television, BP Private Bath, BC Communal Bath, CB CableTV, LV Laundry, P Car Parking, TO Tours, TC Credit Card, CH Traveler’s Cheques, TH Phone in every room

Chisec

Estancia de la Virgen: Q 50 (sngl), Q 96 (dbl), R, BP,CB, P, pool.
(-, Tel: 79797748)

San Juan Chamelco

Don Jerónimo’s: $ 25, R, TV, BP, AC, P, peaceful and relaxing. Three vegetarian meals included.
(-, Tel: 53013191)

Sauna Xucaneb: Q 70, BP, AC, TC.
(Km 220 carretera San Juan Chamelco, Tel: 79513415)

San Pedro Carchá

Hospedaje RAX PO (blue moon): Q 60 / 70 / 80, R, BP, BC Unique café-bar with spectacular mountains view. Convenient rates. E-mail: raxpocoban@yahoo.com
(11 ave. 4-45 zona 1 San Pedro Carchá, Tel: (502) 7951-5160, (502) 5976-8382,)

Posada de Don Francisco: Q 135, P, TO, BP, AC,TV, CB, R, TC.
(Salida a Carchá km 2.5, Tel: 79513366)

Real Carcha: Q75, R, TV, BP, AC, P.
(-, Tel: 79516442)

Santa. Cruz, Alta Verapaz

Hotel and Ristorante La Lupa Di Roma: , Serving the finest of Italian and International cuisine, a truly Italian atmosphere, personalized services and reasonably priced, E-mail: sales@otupactours.com info@otupactours.com
(Km 200.1 Carretera Coban, Santa Cruz Alta Verapaz, Tel: (502) 79514444, Telefax (502) 9512292)

Park Hotel: , Resort and Conference Center. E-mail: parkhotel@intelnet.net.gt
(Km 196.5 Carretera Cobán, Santa Cruz Alta Verapaz, Tel: (502) 79520807, (502) 79520809-10, (502) 79520831)

Sayaxche, Peten

Hotel Guayacan: Q 60 - Q 150, From Q60 / room (1 or 2 people) to Q150 / person with air conditioning and cable TV.
(-, Tel: 79286111, 79286640)

Tactic

Eco Hotel Chi Ixim: , R, BP, TV, CB, LV, P
(Km. 182.5 carretera A Cobán, Tactic Alta Verapaz, Tel: 79539198) Hotels in Cobán Abbreviations: R Restaurant, TV Television, BP Private Bath, BC Communal Bath, CB CableTV, LV Laundry, P Car Parking, TO Tours, TC Credit Card, CH Traveler’s Cheques, TH Phone in every room

NOTE: Prices for a single room. Subject to change. For Holy Week, the Half Marathon, the Folklore Festival, and Christmas / New Years it is advisable to make hotel reservations well in advance.
Casa Duranta: Q. 200 / 300, R, BP, LV, P, TV, TC, P E-mail: info@casaduranta.com
(3a calle 4-46 Zona 3, Tel: 79514188 Fax: 79513596)
La Posada: Q 153, BP, P, CH, TO, R y Café, elegant colonial atmosphere, excellent food.
(1a calle 4-12 z 2, Tel: 79521495, 79510588)
Mansión Armenia: $ 14, TV, CB, P, Café, BP, TC, CH.
(7a av 2-18 z 1, Tel: 79522284, 79514284)
Hostal Doña Victoria: Q 103, BP, R, Bar, colonial atmosphere, good food.
(3a calle 2-38 z 3, Tel: 79514213, 79514214)
Oxib Peck: Q 96, BP, TV, R.
(1a calle 12-11 z 1, Tel: 79521039, 79513224)
Posada de Carlos V: Q 70, BP, TV, R.
(1a av 3-44 z 1, Tel: 79513501/2)
Rabin Ajau: Q 66, R.
(1a calle 5-37 z 1, Tel: 79514296, 79510808)
Celinda: Q 66, TV, CB, P, R, BP, AC, CH, TH.
(2a av y 4a calle z 3, Tel: 79512765)
Villa Imelda: Q 60, TV, CB, P, R BP, AC, CH.
(4a av 2-21 z 4, Tel: 79521008)
Perla María: Q 48, BP, TV, R, P.
(4a av 1-25 z 3, Tel: 79521988)
Monja Blanca: Q 42, BP, BC, R, P, nice atmosphere.
(2a calle 6-30 z 2, Tel: 79521712, 79510531)
La Providencia: Q 36, LV, P Q10-15, R , Café, BP.
(Diagonal 4 2-43 z 2, Tel: 79521209)
Posada Villa Real: Q 35 / Q60 (BP), TO, R.
(6a av 1-81 z 4, Tel: 79512526)
Hostal D´Acuña: Q 50, R, BC, LV, AC, TO, TC, CH, clean, nice atmosphere, good food. E-mail: casadeacuna@yahoo.com
(4a calle 3-11 z 2, Tel: 79510482, 79510484 Fax: 79521547)
La Paz: Q 30 / 24, BP, BC, R Clean, quiet.
(6a av 2-19 z 1, Tel: 79521358)
Alemán: Q 25, P, BC, AC, basic
(2a calle 1-23 z 1, Tel: 79521501)
Monterrey: Q 20 / 15, P, BC, AC, basic
(6a av 1-12 z 1, Tel: 79521131)
Casa Luna: , Bed and Breakfast
(5a Ave 2-28 Zona 1, Tel: 79513528)
BACK…

Hotels Outside of Cobán Abbreviations: R Restaurant, TV Television, BP Private Bath, BC Communal Bath, CB CableTV, LV Laundry, P Car Parking, TO Tours, TC Credit Card, CH Traveler’s Cheques, TH Phone in every room

Chisec
Estancia de la Virgen: Q 50 (sngl), Q 96 (dbl), R, BP,CB, P, pool.
(-, Tel: 79797748)

San Juan Chamelco
Don Jerónimo’s: $ 25, R, TV, BP, AC, P, peaceful and relaxing. Three vegetarian meals included.
(-, Tel: 53013191)
Sauna Xucaneb: Q 70, BP, AC, TC.
(Km 220 carretera San Juan Chamelco, Tel: 79513415)

San Pedro Carchá
Hospedaje RAX PO (blue moon): Q 60 / 70 / 80, R, BP, BC Unique café-bar with spectacular mountains view. Convenient rates. E-mail: raxpocoban@yahoo.com
(11 ave. 4-45 zona 1 San Pedro Carchá, Tel: (502) 7951-5160, (502) 5976-8382,)
Posada de Don Francisco: Q 135, P, TO, BP, AC,TV, CB, R, TC.
(Salida a Carchá km 2.5, Tel: 79513366)
Real Carcha: Q75, R, TV, BP, AC, P.
(-, Tel: 79516442)

Santa. Cruz, Alta Verapaz
Hotel and Ristorante La Lupa Di Roma: , Serving the finest of Italian and International cuisine, a truly Italian atmosphere, personalized services and reasonably priced, E-mail: sales@otupactours.com info@otupactours.com
(Km 200.1 Carretera Coban, Santa Cruz Alta Verapaz, Tel: (502) 79514444, Telefax (502) 9512292)
Park Hotel: , Resort and Conference Center. E-mail: parkhotel@intelnet.net.gt
(Km 196.5 Carretera Cobán, Santa Cruz Alta Verapaz, Tel: (502) 79520807, (502) 79520809-10, (502) 79520831)

Sayaxche, Peten
Hotel Guayacan: Q 60 - Q 150, From Q60 / room (1 or 2 people) to Q150 / person with air conditioning and cable TV.
(-, Tel: 79286111, 79286640)

Tactic
Eco Hotel Chi Ixim: , R, BP, TV, CB, LV, P
(Km. 182.5 carretera A Cobán, Tactic Alta Verapaz, Tel: 79539198)

- North-East of the Cathedral :

Hotel Central, central indeed by the Cathedral on 1C. / Room w. HW shower 54(1) or 97(2) / Was full but should be nice with those prices !

® Hospedaje Maya (9522380), 1C 2-33, Zona 4, just east of the Cathedral / Sgl 20, Dbl 24, Trpl 36 / No HW / A good setting a bit off the road but it was full, the keeper already had a few drinks and I was obviously annoying him with my questions…

Hotel Aleman, 2C, west of 2Av, 3mn from the above / Room 25 per person, w. shower 35 per person / HW / Very basic cheaper rooms but the ones with shower are acceptable.

Pension Elsita, 3a Av, 3 C, 2-47, east of market / Sgl 15, Dbl 25 / No HW / Correct & cheap but basic rooms and so so environment at night (do not go via the market)

Hotelito Maria Elisa, going east on 3 C. / Sgl 20, Dbl 40 / HW / Tiny and rather depressing rooms

® Pension Norte, pink house, a bit after the above, west of 5 Av / Sgl 23 first night then 18 / No HW / Go there for the nice setting, good prices and acceptable rooms / What you may not like : the approximate cleanliness and the size of the place (noisy if full).

Hotel Villa Imelda, South on 4 Av / 60 per person for HW and local TV. Was full so could not check the rooms.
- At other locations, 5mn from the Plaza :

® Hotel La Paz (9521358), 6 Av 2-19, N-W of Plaza / 30 per person, Sgl w. shower 42, Dbl 72 / Go there for the nice & spotless setting & rooms at good prices

® Pension Monja Blanca (9522214), Diagonale 4, Zona 3, S-W of Plaza / Q50 per person, w. shower & local TV Q100 per person / Go there for the charming old-style rooms around a beautiful tiny garden and the quietness / What you may not like : the price maybe…

Where to eat ? Plenty of occidental restaurants & pizzeria but you love the local food so much that it would be a pity, isn’t it ? Plenty of comedores as well offering set meals for Q12-14. A good one is Cafeteria Santa Rita, South of the Plaza near the Cathedral. The plaza is also full of stalls selling barbecued meat but, at Q10, I am not sure it can beat the above set meals… It is a popular option with locals anyway. For a large selection of Coffee and chocolates, head for Cafe El Tirol, West of the Plaza. Pastries and ice creams can be found at nearly every corner.
Info ? As there is no Inguat Office, you have to rely on the private businesses : Internet Cafe, Hostal D’Acuna and Proyecto Eco-Quetzal (2a C. 14-36) are good places for info. There is a map of town & surroundings just west of the plaza.
Internet ? Internet Cafe by Cafe El Tirol by the Plaza is the most obvious place but it unfortunately charges a ridiculous Q30 per hour (and Q10 for 15mn !). In theory, this is because one needs to call Guatemala City. In practice, the guy could not explain me why more remote Nebaj was only Q20… Hotel Dona Victoria (by the post office on 3 C.) is cheaper for 15mn at Q7.5 There is fortunately another option : Milenio Cafe on 3 Av, North 1 C. It was closed when I was there (Santa Semana !) but it charges Q20 per hour (Q5 for 15mn).
Banks ? Plentiful. No problem to change TC and cash. There is also a visa ATM at Bancafe (1 Av 2-66, Zone 2)
Supermarket ? Two place, East of the Cathedral on 1 C. Not too cheap however…
An half a day tour ? After walking the plaza and the ugly market, you could head to El Calvario, 15mn away (head west on 1 C. and turn right on 7 Av) : the view from the top of the stairs is OK but the Parque Nacional de Las Victorias in the back is the main attraction : this is one of the best park spotted (if not for the mosquitoes and some rubbish, it would be paradise !) and the numerous paths, the longest being 7.5 km, are great ways to relax (I spent half a day there, spotting wild orchids, ants at work and huge butterflies). One of the numerous entrance is by the basketball field (it cost Q6 for foreigners, Q1 for locals, but there isn’t always someone at this gate, in particular late afternoon; the park closes at 5pm). If this gate is closed (it should be during WE), the main entrance is on 3C at the level of 11a Av. After the park, you could head to Vivero Verapaz, an orchid farm about 3km out of town (follow diagonal 4 and cross the bridge) : 60000 orchids belonging to 750 species are on display, including 200 miniatures species. On the way, you will see a big sign on the left for a Recreative Center : the area by the river is popular with locals who come here to swim, play football or picnic on the grass. You can walk the river for 10mn but the area further was reported dangerous. There is an admission of Q2.5 but you may be able to avoid it.
A day out to the villages ?  I first took a bus (Q1, 20mn) to San Pedro Carcha, a village which could actually be skipped if you are short of time: there is nothing special to see and the only cheap Hotel (Hotel La Reforma, Q25 or 40 w. cold water shower) would indeed need to be reformed.  From there, I walked to San Juan Chamelco, on a pleasant enough road (take left when the road split in three and take water as it is hot) : you will pass a pineapple field, a river with a popular ‘Balneario’ Center and a lovely dump on top of a hill ! It should take 2 hours but you may be able to hitch your way.  There aren’t much to do in San Ruan Chamelco as well but the church, market and settings are nice enough for a stroll. Half an hour later, you could head for La Grutas Rey Marcos, the main attraction in the area : it is 6km away and you have regular transports (at least during WE, Q1) leaving behind the Cathedral on 0 C. 0 Av. This private area (Balneario Cecilinda) is actually another swimming & picnic spot : it cost Q10 to enter but you may get in for a bit cheaper if you argue that you came for the cave only. That would actually be a pity as the series of pools and waterfall are inviting, especially after crawling in the mug… The newly discovered 150m long cave cost another Q15 to visit : this includes the equipment (helmet w. torch) and the guide for the one hour tour. You need to register at the bottom of the path. Expect to exit real dirty as you need to crawl… Avoid WE for a more relaxing experience. In the near future, it may be possible to spend the night there as bungalows were being constructed.  About 10mn before Cecilinda, a sign on the left points to Don’s Jeronimo’s (3082255, jeronimo@dearbrutus.com), a great place to naturally relax for a couple of days. It does not look too impressive on the outside but the rooms and bungalows w. kitchen & HW shower are superb ! The American farmer that run the place intimately knows the area and will happily show you around. Prices at $25 per day ($45 for couple) may scare backpackers but include everything (lodging, vegetarian food, excursions, tube for the river & blueberries !).  Back in San Juan, regular buses (Q1) do the trip to Bagan, passing another popular swimming area.

Rio Dulce:

The lanchas (long motor boats) leave at set times daily, a few times a day, unless you want to pay more for a private one. I can’t remember exactly how much it cost, I think around $8 - you buy tickets at a kiosk, and the prices have been set to be the same for all (at least this is true in a few places in Guatemala When you get off a bus, there will be people who will show you where the docks are.
I personally didn’t care much for Rio Dulce itself, its just another little Guatemalan town. However there are some nice hostels in the area, in the jungle around the river, that are peaceful places to relax. Lonely Planet lists a few good ones. Personally I headed straight for Livingston. I paid 75Q (about $9) for the boat ride, but its absolutely worth it!! Livingston itself is pretty small and I would recommend spending only a couple of days there. There is a popular 1-day jungle tour that goes through the jungle, the beaches and to some nice waterfalls, it costs about $6 and there are many places on the main strip that sell tickets. Also, when leaving Livingston I recommend not going back to Rio Dulce, head to Puerto Barrios instead. Its only an hour ferry or boat ride, is much cheaper (the ferry is even cheaper but I think the boats charged around $3) and there are actually more buses leaving from there.

Rio Dulce and Livingston are great places to go. Chances are you might go through there anyway. So think about it? There is a manati reserve there and lots of water and boats to have fun with. The Siete Altares is a beautiful place to visit. You might also get to go snorkeling or diving if you like that.

Hotels:
I assume that the website mentioned was www.mayaparadise.com. I didn’t stay here, but Casa Perico was highly recommended, I think that you have to radio them from Brunos and they will pick you up. We spent several days at Denny’s Beach. Good swimming, cheapish food, and cheap to moderate accomodations (they have air conditioned modern cabins for 100Q per person or very rustic cabins for 45Q a person).

Panajachel:

Hotels:
Gotta stay with Mario’s Rooms. It’s a tradition for me. Never had a bad stay there.

At Pana I like the little hiden hotel dos mundos with a beatiful clean pool.

Sayaxche

How about Dos Pilas this is a really great site you can walk in one day see the site and walk out the next or possibly go by horse back whichever you decide, you will be the only person there along with your guide and the caretaker. I have been here and there is also a cave you can go in that opens up into a large chamber with murals, this cave is full of bats though so depends on your adventure status. I have listed the guide that I went with and she can arrange this trip for you. Just email her and she will write back. Happy travels.

Guides: Speak to Don Julian or his son, also Julian at El Caribe hotel if you want the best local guides to the area. They will give you a fair price. Number is in the guidebooks. They don’t speak English though, but lovely family, real Peteneros.

Dos Pilas/ Auguateca
Josh, as an alternative to boating to and from Aquateca, consider going by trail from the village of Escarbado, located on the cove that separates Petex Batun Lodge from the one occupying the tip of Punta de Chimino. Going in, figure on 1 to 2 hours of easy walking through milpa, then corozo forest, once you complete the somewhat grueling climb to the summit of the escarpment. You can also hike directly from Petex Batun Lodge to Dos Pilas, without having to enter by way of the trailhead at El Caribe. The forest has been devastated by groups of Kekchi settlers who have invaded the archaeological zones, but some grand old mahogany and ramon colorado trees continue to thrive atop the escarpment. From Dos Pilas, you can continue on by foot to settlements along the Rio Chixoy, but that route, too, has suffered deforestation the past couple of years. Good travels.

We hired a boat and boatman from (I think it was) Don Luis, who had a small building to the right as you come up from the ferry. He had doors onto the beach and the next street. Even if he has passed on, I suspect that his sons are still there. At each of the sites, one of the guardianes is likely to take you around and show them to you. Given the varying inaccuracies of regular guides, they are probably just as good. Take some aguardiente along as a tip. They don’t get to town much.

The Dos Pilas trip included a man to walk along with us both ways and make sure we didnt get lost. It was about four hours then. Also, if you could get to the library and copy relevant pages from Joyce Kelly’s book on Central American ruins. Then read them on the boat ride and at the sites as well. I think that most guides are a waste of money.

Local guides are easy to find in the area. Sayaxche has plenty. Just follow the directions of any of the above posters. I particularly enjoyed the company of Higinio Aguilar, a boatman at Sayaxche, who knows the trails well. I would surely have become lost on my hike to Dos Pilas without him as the path became confused with the numerous illegal logging roads which crisscross the trail, especially close to Dos Pilas itself. Using local guides is a good way to get the money directly into their pockets. If you ask anyone for a recommendation, they will take their cut for the referral from your guide.

There is some serious newsworthy work being done at El Peru/Waka these days. This is the one overnighter I wish I could fit into my next trip, but by the time I would get around to it, I suspect we will have had our fill of jungle travel for a while.

Dos Pilas is a great trip. First you ride down a jungle river, then you meet your guide and hike or ride to the ruins. I liked having a horse to hop onto when the trail was in swampy areas. Overnight was the way we saw it. We stayed in the former archaeological bunk shelters.

A friend did an overnighter to Nakum and enjoyed it.

Although it just involves mounds in the jungle and a few stelae, San Jose de Motul makes a person think of Stephens and Catherwood, but you can get there by dirt roads. It would make a nice day trip if you have time.

Wherever you go, I suggest that you take some liquor or something else along to tip the guardianes. They do long rotations away from their families and money is just paper in a remote spot in a jungle.

base yourselves in Sayaxche for a night or so. If you go to Dos Pilas, you will also stay in the cabins the field workers stayed in during the archaeological dig there. They are super basic, but okay as shelter

If you are going to Dos Pilas, why not take the kids to the clifftop site of Aguateca? When you jump off the boat and see the 200 foot wall, your boys will be wanting to scamper up the trail to the city on top. Even more exciting is the chasm on the opposite side, which is equally deep but only about 20 feet wide making Aguateca a Maya Masada. A lot of work has been done there in the past five years revealing the palaces and temples on top of the mesa. The forest, which is still mostly in place on top provides a kind of safety area near the edge so your kids don’t get too close to the drop off for your peace of mind. There are even a couple of natural bridges joining the mesa city to another larger part of the site across the fault-chasm. Aguateca is very easy to reach by boat.

A word of caution about Dos Pilas - the place abounds in mosquitos because that region gets more rainfall than the area around Tikal to the north. I have also seen several snakes on the trails around Dos Pilas. Four years ago, I stepped right over a “Chalpath”, or jumping viper, which fortnately for me, didn’t jump. Chalpaths only get to be a little over a foot long, so they don’t look as dangerous as they are. Last summer on the El Duende trail at Dos Pilas, I came across two small snakes, which quickly scurried away before I could get a closer look at them. It can get pretty wild out there, which might make parents nervious about jungle hikes with children. Riding horses to get there is a good idea, but keeping to the cleared plazas is the safest bet.
————–
Description : A relaxed river town surrounded by Maya ruins hidden in the jungle.

Comments : If you have some time ahead, explore : there are more than 20 archeological sites in the area ! Otherwise, spend a night and head for Tikal !

What to do ? Relax from your trip, on the shore of the river / Explore ruins / Walk jungle / Spot wildlife / Make beautiful river trips

What you may not like ? Having little to see in town / The slightly higher cost for food & water / The sticky weather / The mosquitoes / The cost for the boat

How long ? A few minutes for the town, half a day for Ceibal (by boat), a few days for the other ruins.

Where to stay ? Quite a few places to stay with basically two options : very basic or nice. Whatever, make sure you get a fan.

Hotel Guayacan (9268777), by the river / Nice rooms w. shower in the main bldg cost Q125. Opp. the streets, basic but big & clean rooms are a bit pricey at 40(1) or 60(2). One offers a river view / Go there for the nice terrace overlooking the river, the kitchen and the clean atmosphere in the main bldg.
® Hospedaje Mayapan, turn left from the above / Q15 per person / The rooms are acceptably big & clean but the lightning is a bit dim and the walls in bamboo lack privacy.
® Hospedaje Sayaxche, turn right from the Hotel / Q15 per person / The downstairs rooms are depressing but the upstairs’ ones are bright, clean & big. Two rooms (Q30 but maybe discount if alone) offer a great view toward the river. Unfortunately, the curtails are tiny and the local residents can be a bit noisy (or peeping) on the outside terrace…
® Hotel Petex Batun (9286165), continue toward N-E, by the river / Q100 w. shower & cable TV / Go there for the nice clean rooms at good price if two. The upstairs rooms with the view are of course the best.
Hotel Posada Segura, near the above (street before on the left) / 25(1) or 40(2), w. shower 75, w. cable TV & view 100 / Go there to follow the other backpackers as this place is recommended by a major guide book. Truly, the more exp. rooms are nice but the cheapest are small, basic and not too clean.
Where to eat ? A few comedores and restaurants. A cheap one (Q12 meat, Q15 fish), popular with locals, is Comedor Esmeralda, opp. Hospedaje Sayaxche. A better but slightly more expensive one (Q20 meat, Q25 for two big fishes) is Restaurant La Playa, by the Texaco Station.

Bank ? You can change TC at Banora, near the river. It however closes early at 4pm.

Water ? The cheapest place for water was Tienda Los Gemelitos, near Bank Corpobanco : Q0.75 or even the usual Q0.50 after some discussion. Other places charge Q1.

Visiting the ruins of Ceibal ? It is advisable to visit them before Tikal but the setting in the jungle is also nice and there are some good carvings. The easiest way is upstream on the river but it cost $30 for the boat (bargain !) for the whole adventure (free entrance). Allow half a day. It is much cheaper by road but it involves a 8km walk through the jungle from the main road (take any transport heading South) and would therefore require a day (and lot’s of water). Renting a bike would be a good option is you can find one…

Other ruins ? The lago de Petexbatun’s shores offer lot’s of wildlife and Maya ruins, incl. Aguateca (boat plus 20mn walk, good carving, view and atmosphere) and original Dos Pilas (boat to Rancho El Caribe plus 12km walk). Ask in town for more info.

Leaving ? The only bus to Coban leaves at around 4am (Q40, 8 hours). After that, you can take a pick-up (or bus at 7 & 13) to Raxruja (Q20, 2 hours) and change bus there (last bus to Coban reported at 1pm). There is also one bus to Guatemala City at 4:30pm. For Flores, buses at 6, 6:30, 11 & 18 plus regular pick-ups and micro-buses. All cost Q10 and takes 2 hours. To Bethel (Mexican Border), you will have to take one of the three daily bus coming from Flores, at the junction north of Sayaxche.

The trip to Santa Elena (Flores) : SS / L&R / Q10 / 2 hrs
The trip started by a river crossing : Q1 per person but 5 persons are required and it may take some time to get them. A bit annoying when you spot your bus leaving on the opposite side…
The 6:30 bus showed up at 6:25 on Sayaxche side (taking it in Sayaxche would probably make you save Q1, a great way to start the day no ?) and departed at 6:45. This was the ugliest dirtiest and oldest bus spotted so far, without -sacrilege !- the smallest religious icon. But I don’t think this is the reason why we were stopped at 7:05 by policemen in bullet-proof jacket : all vehicles were being filtered.
The road was basically flat and rather boring so if you did not get enough sleep… We arrived within 2 hours.
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Mini Guide:

SAJAXCHE
Global Mark : 11.50

Ratings by criteria :
Charm
Scenery
Culture
Tradition
Market
Relax
Fiesta
Cost
AVER.
3
3
4
3
2
3
2
2
11.00
Ratings by backpackers :
Surveyed
Liked
Comeback
Recommend
Range
AVER.
1
100%
0%
100%
12
12.00
 Description : A relaxed river town surrounded by Maya ruins hidden in the jungle.
Comments : If you have some time ahead, explore : there are more than 20 archeological sites in the area ! Otherwise, spend a night and head for Tikal !
What to do ? Relax from your trip, on the shore of the river / Explore ruins / Walk jungle / Spot wildlife / Make beautiful river trips
What you may not like ? Having little to see in town / The slightly higher cost for food & water / The sticky weather / The mosquitoes / The cost for the boat
How long ? A few minutes for the town, half a day for Ceibal (by boat), a few days for the other ruins.
Where to stay ? Quite a few places to stay with basically two options : very basic or nice. Whatever, make sure you get a fan.

® Hospedaje Mayapan, turn left from the above / Q15 per person / The rooms are acceptably big & clean but the lightning is a bit dim and the walls in bamboo lack privacy.

® Hospedaje Sayaxche, turn right from the Hotel / Q15 per person / The downstairs rooms are depressing but the upstairs’ ones are bright, clean & big. Two rooms (Q30 but maybe discount if alone) offer a great view toward the river. Unfortunately, the curtails are tiny and the local residents can be a bit noisy (or peeping) on the outside terrace…

® Hotel Petex Batun (9286165), continue toward N-E, by the river / Q100 w. shower & cable TV / Go there for the nice clean rooms at good price if two. The upstairs rooms with the view are of course the best.

Hotel Posada Segura, near the above (street before on the left) / 25(1) or 40(2), w. shower 75, w. cable TV & view 100 / Go there to follow the other backpackers as this place is recommended by a major guide book. Truly, the more exp. rooms are nice but the cheapest are small, basic and not too clean.
Where to eat ? A few comedores and restaurants. A cheap one (Q12 meat, Q15 fish), popular with locals, is Comedor Esmeralda, opp. Hospedaje Sayaxche. A better but slightly more expensive one (Q20 meat, Q25 for two big fishes) is Restaurant La Playa, by the Texaco Station.
Bank ? You can change TC at Banora, near the river. It however closes early at 4pm.
Water ? The cheapest place for water was Tienda Los Gemelitos, near Bank Corpobanco : Q0.75 or even the usual Q0.50 after some discussion. Other places charge Q1.
Visiting the ruins of Ceibal ? It is advisable to visit them before Tikal but the setting in the jungle is also nice and there are some good carvings. The easiest way is upstream on the river but it cost $30 for the boat (bargain !) for the whole adventure (free entrance). Allow half a day. It is much cheaper by road but it involves a 8km walk through the jungle from the main road (take any transport heading South) and would therefore require a day (and lot’s of water). Renting a bike would be a good option is you can find one…
Other ruins ? The lago de Petexbatun’s shores offer lot’s of wildlife and Maya ruins, incl. Aguateca (boat plus 20mn walk, good carving, view and atmosphere) and original Dos Pilas (boat to Rancho El Caribe plus 12km walk). Ask in town for more info.
Leaving ? The only bus to Coban leaves at around 4am (Q40, 8 hours). After that, you can take a pick-up (or bus at 7 & 13) to Raxruja (Q20, 2 hours) and change bus there (last bus to Coban reported at 1pm). There is also one bus to Guatemala City at 4:30pm. For Flores, buses at 6, 6:30, 11 & 18 plus regular pick-ups and micro-buses. All cost Q10 and takes 2 hours. To Bethel (Mexican Border), you will have to take one of the three daily bus coming from Flores, at the junction north of Sayaxche.
The trip to Santa Elena (Flores) : SS / L&R / Q10 / 2 hrs The trip started by a river crossing : Q1 per person but 5 persons are required and it may take some time to get them. A bit annoying when you spot your bus leaving on the opposite side… The 6:30 bus showed up at 6:25 on Sayaxche side (taking it in Sayaxche would probably make you save Q1, a great way to start the day no ?) and departed at 6:45. This was the ugliest dirtiest and oldest bus spotted so far, without -sacrilege !- the smallest religious icon. But I don’t think this is the reason why we were stopped at 7:05 by policemen in bullet-proof jacket : all vehicles were being filtered.  The road was basically flat and rather boring so if you did not get enough sleep… We arrived within 2 hours.
Guatemala’s Center
RAXRUJA
Description : A dusty street under the hot sun (at least when I was there)
Comments : This place does not look nice at all at first but the surroundings mountains, the huge cave of Candelaria and the Rio Escondido should provide some escapes if you are stuck here. They may even be worth a stay…
What to do ? Change transport, wait for a transport or explore the area ? 8km on the road to Chisec, you will find the impressive Cuevas de la Candelaria (Q25, 2 hours with guide). This area is guarded and managed by a French guy who created the Complex Cultural de Canderia and usually caters for French tour groups.
What you may not like ? The atmosphere of the town
How long ? The time until the pick-up or bus shows up or an afternoon ?
Where to stay ? The best bet in town is apparently Hotel Agua Verte (no name), 400m on the road to Sayaxche : Q25 per person w. fan or Q80 w. AC.
Leaving ? You may indeed wish to… There are quite a few pick-up to Sayaxche during the day. They cost also Q20 and are much faster than the 1pm bus. Comfort is another issue… / Buses to Coban (Q20, 5 hours) should leave at 5,8 & 13. / You can also go to the Mexican border from there via Subin and Bethel.
The trip to Sayaxche (Peten) : SSS / L&R / Q20 / 2.5 hrs A pick-up was waiting for our bus but the idea of spending two hours shaking and breathing dust under the sun with twenty other people did not really appeal to me. Especially after being told that there would be a bus at 1pm…  I waited for it at a nice flowered tienda (nearly opp. Hotel Agua Verte) and it did show up on time and, yes, there were even seats available ! The problem with this bus is that it was taking its time, stopping a couple of times at every village to let people get in or off and, more irritating after a while, to sell the newspaper of the day (the one with the girly poster inside and the most stupid international news you could imagine).  One hour later, we reached Peten. It is easy to tell : there is a sign, a sanitary inspection to check that no passenger carry a pork in his luggage (this apparently to prevent cholera to spread) and a dusty road. The latest actually does not last too long and the last section (40mn) is on an excellent route.  The scenery was of course different from the highlands and it certainly looses points in the scale of beauty. The Northern Transversal Strip is basically flat and desolated. It however did offer some sights, like a cattle of oxen or a few cow boys… There were however no Generals in sight (huge properties in the areas were distributed to the army’s top men, hence its surname of ‘General’s Strip’) and it got boring after a while. We reached Sayaxche at 15:20.
LANQUIN & SEMUC CHAMPNEY
Global Mark : 14.88 Top Five : No5

Ratings by criteria :
Charm
Scenery
Culture
Tradition
Market
Relax
Fiesta
Cost
AVER.
5
5
1
3
2
5
2
3
13.00
Ratings by backpackers :
Surveyed
Liked
Comeback
Recommend
Range
AVER.
20
100%
95%(19)
100%
11 to 20
16.75
 Description : A tiny village by a river, a huge cave and the local ‘eighth wonder of the world’
Comments : This is the place to come to to say ‘waow’ and relax. But you won’t be alone : it is popular with locals during WE and backpackers all year round…
What to do ? Tour the village in 5mn, focusing on the 400 years old church / Tube the river / Relax on a hammock / Visit a lighted cave (Q20) or fight your way in (free except if caught) / Relax a bit more / Bath in the river / Snorkel in search of fishes / Try to spot bats leaving the cave at dusk / Enjoy the view from your room / Talk with other backpackers by a fire /
What you may not like ? Not being on your own / The heat during the day (fortunately the river is nearby) / The dual entrance fees at the cave : foreigners, tourists or backpackers pay twice as much as the locals / The shy bats / The water pump noise at the cave / The slightly more expensive water (the cheapest at El Retiro : normal price of Q0.5 if not cold, Q1 otherwise) / The few mosquitoes /
How long ? At least two days.
Where to stay ?

There are two acceptable hospedaje in the village (Divina Providencia and El Centro), both charging Q20 per person in OK rooms with an OK view and outside HW but they can not compete with the setting of the following. The only advantage is that they are now quite empty during the week as most backpackers are heading to :

El Retiro, 500m outside town on the way to Cahabon / Q20 per person. One isolated room for Q30 per person / No HW / Go there for the gorgeous setting by the river, the isolation, to relax on a hammock, to meet other backpackers in the evening by a fire and to tube the river down (free) / What you may not like : as it is busy, the owner may ask you to share your room (you may refuse) and it can be noisy as the walls are real basic.

There is also one hotel (El Recreo) but the rooms for Q25 are depressing and the other rooms overpriced for what you get. The swimming pool is disgusting and they do not even have hot water !

Where to eat ? Most people are heading to Comedor Shalom. Indeed, this is the only one open after 7pm. The meal cost Q12 and can be either OK or tasteless. Better if available would be to share the dinner of El Retiro’s owner (Q10) or organize a barbecue by the fire…
Others ? Nope ! No banks to change money (changing US$ cash is however OK with some locals) and no internet to send news. There is however a post office.
A cave visit ? If you wish to see the cave in good lightning conditions, it will cost you Q20 (locals pay only Q10). It is usually open until 4pm but there may be extensions if tourists keep showing. This is also a place where you can spot some of the very useful dustbins of Guatemala and those are free to use ! When the lights are switched off and the door locked, it remains possible to visit (just climb the wall) but you will need some courage, powerful lightning and a friend or two to go with (some parts will be dangerous in the dark). The cave then takes another dimension ! At dusk, you are also supposed to see millions of bats exiting their sleeping camps. We however waited until 7pm for two nights (well after the 6pm recommended time) and saw nothing ! The people on a tour who had waited three hours were certainly a bit pissed off by those impolite (or too shy) animals ! I learned the reason later on : to spot the bats, you need to wait inside of the cave !
Relaxation on the river ? Beside swimming, it is possible to tube or kayak. The tubes are free for El Retiro’s guests and are a great way to relax, depending on the level of water. I was told the trip down from the cave would take 20mn. It took 1.5 hours, as the level of water was low. It was very relaxing on most parts but also a bit painful on the few ‘rapids’, when rocks were very much visible…
The eighth wonder of the world ? This is how locals refer to Semuc Champney, a series of pools and waterfalls, 10km from Lanquin. This is certainly exaggerated but it remains a great sight and a wonderful place to swim and relax. Getting there can be a problem outside of Lanquin’s market day (Monday and Thursday) or WE but, with a little of patience or luck, you should not have to hire a Q125 pick-up… You could of course walk but be aware that the road is not flat and very hot (a few tienda along the nice way however). Walking from Semuc back to Lanquin is easier and can be done in less than 2 hours. Once there, you have to pay the Q20 entrance fee (same for the locals) and are greeted by a huge sign of all the things not to do. Everything is written in Spanish except the last recommendation : “don’t leave anything of value unguarded”. This is a sound advise and, considering that the idea is to swim, you should leave your important stuff at your GH anyway. You then walk a bit and, if normally constituted, should soon start smiling and say ‘waow !’. It is recommended to show up early : at around 11am, tours are there ! Camping is very much possible (with hammock or tent) and free, even for a few days (you pay the entrance fee only once). This is of course the best way to appreciate the setting. You can buy snacks and liquids (Q1 for 0.5L of water) at the small tienda but there is no proper restaurant yet. Bringing a mosquitoes lotion or net is a good idea for a more enjoyable evening. If you crave for action or isolation, you could pass the pools and penetrate the forest to reach the rapids section (and see where the Rio Cahabon plunges furiously into the cavern). Continuing a bit more off the track, you will reach a more quiet section where it is possible to swim on your own (with caution as there are still a strong current). The tranquil pools by the waterfalls may be a safer bet… Another thrill (not tested, local guide recommended) would be to go behind the last waterfall to see the water emerging from below the rock. There are plenty of tiny fishes (throw any food and spot the fight !) so bringing a mask make sense. A few locals are paid to keep the place clean and this is quite a sight as well, although they usually deal more with dead leaves than dead can of coke (that they will throw somewhere else).
Leaving ? To Coban at 4,5,6,13:30 & 14:30, although the latest two aren’t always working (if this is the case, you can hitch or join the tour that visit the cave in the late afternoon. It should cost Q10 and take 2.5 to 3 hours / East to Cahabon at 8,9,14:30,15:30 and 18. Q5. 1.5 hours. From there, the bus to El Estor leaves at 4am (Q15, 3.5 hours). Considering that Cahabon’s people were reported to be aggressive toward foreigners, you may wish to hitch to Panzos ASAP. / North to Flores, you need first to take a bus to Pajal at 4,5,6 or 14 (Q3, 45mn). From there, go to Sebol (2.5 hours) and Raxruja (30mn). There are a few buses from Coban direct to Raxruja in the morning. Bus(es ?) from Coban to Sayaxche also follow this itinerary. / To Poptun in Peten, go to Pajal, then Fray Bartolomeo Las Casas. The bus from there to Poptun leaves at 3am so you may prefer to hitch…
The trip to Raxruja : SSSS / Right + Left / Q3 +18 / 45mn + 3 hours Waking up naturally at the noises of the three or four excited roosters at 4am, I decided to take the 5am bus to Pajal, the crossroad to the North. The bus showed up at 5:25 but did not leave Lanquin’s ‘place’ until 5:45. So if the roosters could be a little bit late… We reached Pajal at 6:20. There is absolutely nothing to do there except to wait for another transport as this place is basically a crossroad with a tienda (or the contrary). Fortunately, the bus to Raxruja showed up half an hour later. It was quite full but most people got off at the small village of Canpul, as this was market day (Wed), at 7:25.  The road up to Sebol was gorgeous (but narrow and therefore dangerous), with superb panoramas, mostly on the left side. We arrived there at 9:35. There are apparently no places to stay there and that is a pity because the river with the small waterfalls is inviting. This is not the case however of Raxruja that we reached half an hour later…
Guide to Cobán and the Verapaz A Cornucopia of Beauty and Wonder
Copyrights 2001 by BIDAS/Proyecto Eco-Quetzal 2a Calle 14-36 Zona 1, Coban, Tel : 9521047, e-mail : bidaspeq@guate.net
Reproduced with the amable authorization of Jeronimo Makransky of Don Jeronimo’s On sale locally

General information
Stuff to do of an afternoon

Vivero Verapaz orchid nursery

Finca Margarita coffee tour

Principe Maya Museum

Calvario Church

Parque Nacional Las Victorias
Full day trips out of Cobán

Cecilinda / Rey Marcos Cave

Quetzal Biotope, Cave of Chicoy. Chixim Church

Sachichaj waterfall

El Salto de Chilascó waterfall
Several days trips out of Cobán

Lanquin / Semuc Champey

Proyecto Eco-Quetzal

Candelaria Caverns

Laguna Lachuá

Jungle hike to Río Ikbolay

Rafting on the Cahabon river
Special events and fairs
Spanish schools
Lodging and services in Cobán

Hotels, Cafes, Restaurants

Doctors who speak English

Banking, ATM’s, and Internet access
Fun Stuff
How to get to 
General Information ?  Cobán is located in the cool, humid mountains of northern Guatemala. Its lush, subtropical cloud forests are perched on top of the watershed dividing the Yucatán Peninsula: the pristine rivers of Alta Verapaz feed into the Chixoy?Usumacinta system (Gulf of Mexico) to the west, and into Lake Izabal?Rio Dulce (Caribbean Sea) to the east. Cobán is the center of Guatemala’s gourmet coffee-growing region, and also produces cardamom  and allspice for export. Because of its unique history (Alta Verapaz was never “conquered”; rather, Juan Matalbatz, the chieftain of the warlike Q’eqchi Indians, voluntarily converted to Christianity and allied himself with the Dominican priests), the indigenous people of Alta Verapaz have preserved their language and customs to a remarkable degree. The dominant language of the Alta Verapaz remains Q’eqchi, and Pocomchí, not Spanish. The Q’eqchis and Pocomchís are shy and wary of strangers, but if you can say a few words in their language, they become warm and friendly (”en?kwan-bee” means “hello”; “ban?tee?osh” means “thank?you”). The elevation of Cobán is 5000 feet and the average temperature is 70 degrees. Annual rainfall of 70 inches makes the countryside green and lush. The dry season (March through May) can be quite hot; the winter months (December - January) very cold and damp. There are no particular health hazards in highland Verapaz, so no special precautions are necessary (however it is advisable to avoid eating street food).   How to get from Guatemala to Cobán: Buses from Guatemala City leave hourly from Transportes Escobar - 8 Avenida 15-16 Zone 1 - Tel: 251-1878 every day except Christmas. During holidays (Easter week, September 15th, Christmas - New Years) it is advisable to purchase tickets a day in advance.   Note: there is no regularly scheduled transportation from Cobán directly to Peten. However it can still be accomplished through a succession of three chicken buses through Sebol, or Chisec to Raxruja then to Sayaxche and from there to Flores (see chapter 9: How to get to….). Also by guided tours. This offers the ambitious traveler a chance to see the striking beauty of the Alta Verapaz usually only seen by the local inhabitants. The roads are rough but well worth the trip. Once the border of the Petén is reached the road improves dramatically. See also: Heading north from Lanquin.  Stuff To Do Of An Afternoon ?  Vivero Verapaz orchid nursery - over 35,000 plants embracing 650 species of orchids collected by the late Otto Mittelstaedt. There are miniatures which can only be examined with a magnifying glass, and other varieties the size of large bushes. Some orchids are fragrant (such as vanilla and a coconut-scented variety) and others are fetid (such as an orchid pollinated by mosquitos, which stinks like a sweaty mammal). And there are many examples of Guatemala’s national flower, the Monja Blanca (white nun - Lycaste virginalis, var. Alba).  Services: guided tours cost Q10 per person and take from ½ hour to 2 hours, depending on one’s interest. The nursery is open every day between 9 am and noon, and between 2 and 5 pm. There are furnished bungalows for rent; call 952-1133 or 951-4202 for information.  How to get there: It’s a 40-minute walk from the central park in Cobán on the old road to Guatemala City (see city map; there’s a large sign at the entrance to the nursery). Or, you can take a taxi from the central park for Q10.
Coffee Tour - Finca Margarita in downtown Cobán offers a tour of the coffee plantation. Bilingual (Spanish-English) guides explain the history of the plantation and demonstrate the culture and processing of coffee. The tour ends with a coffee-tasting in which you will learn to distinguish between Prime (lowland) coffee, Semi-Hard bean (middle altitude) coffee, and Hard bean (high altitude) coffee; as well as learn to distinguish between the different blends of gourmet coffee. Services: guided tours cost Q15 per person and take 1 ½ hours. The tours are available Monday through Friday from 8 am to 12:30 pm, and from 1:30 to 5 pm; and on Saturday mornings from 8 am to noon. For more information  call 951-3067. How to get there: Finca Margarita is located three blocks from Cobán ’s Central Park, at 3a Calle 4-12 Zone 2.
Principe Maya Museum - this is a varied collection of Mayan artifacts, including carvings in mother of pearl and jade; polychromatic pottery; magical and ceremonial objects; work tools and implements of warfare; hieroglyphic panels; and a replica of a Mayan tomb. There is also an important collection of clay figurines representing warriors wearing animal masks. The name “Principe Maya” is taken from a statue in the Museum’s collection of a Mayan prince, replete with quetzal headdress.  Services: The museum is open from 9 am to 6 pm, and the cost of admission is Q10 per person. The owners are available for informative talks about the various objects in the collection How to get there: See city map. 6ª Ave 4-26 Zona 3, T9521541
Calvario Church - The Calvario is the most sacred site in Cobán, the focal point of religious practices throughout the year, but especially on Good Friday. Several altars are erected on the incline leading up to the chapel. The first of these is Los Tigrillos, which is for making wishes - one lights a candle and prays to the power of the spot for help in making the wish come true. The second altar on the ascent is San Salvador: this is the lover’s altar, and a candle burned here carries the wish for love. The highest altar, across from the entrance to the chapel, is La Calavera: candles are burned here to ask for health. The present chapel was constructed around 1810. Within its whitewashed walls burn hundreds of votive candles - on the floor, on altars, on the railings. Q’eqchi supplicants kneel before the image of Christ and speak to him of their sadness and devotion with murmured prayers, whispered plaints, and soft crying. Outside the chapel, the view across the terrace is a magnificent panorama of the city of Cobán , nestled in rolling green hills. To the southeast rise the Rocja mountains, dominated by the cloud-shrouded Mt. Xucaneb, the highest point in Alta Verapaz. How to get there: see Cobán city map.
Parque Nacional Las Victorias - this 84 hectare park is a natural reserve with marked footpaths on the northern edge of Cobán . It’s a great place to walk, jog, or just relax and contemplate nature. The forest shelters a large and varied population of birds as well as ornamental and medicinal plants.  Services: There are picnic tables, benches and fireplaces for barbecuing. Camping is permitted (there are toilets but no showers). Entrance fee is Q1 for adult or Q.50 for child nationals, and Q5 for foreigners.  How to get there: see Cobán city map. 
Full Day Trips Out of Cobán ?  Cecilinda / Rey Marcos Cave (San Juan Chamelco A.V.) - Cecilinda is a bathing / picnic spot where a spring gushes forth from the mountainside into a series of pools and waterfalls. The recently discovered Rey Marcos cave is located above the spring, and contains some of the most beautiful decorations of any cave in Central America - huge stalagmites with filigree ornamentation in translucent stone, as if squeezed from a tube by a pastry chef. In addition to the cave and pools, there is an artificial children’s pool, and scenic hiking trails up the mountain through lush rainforest. Services: There is a restaurant featuring typical Guatemalan cuisine open on weekends, also a tienda with soft drinks and snacks. Picnic facilities are available. Entrance to Cecilinda is Q10 per person; guided tour of the cave costs an additional Q10 and includes helmet and light. It is open Saturday and Sunday from 8 am to 5 pm, but special arrangements can be made on weekdays with Ivan Fernandez at 951-2756 or 951-4356 (call a day in advance). For US$12 per person ( 3-person minimum) Ivan will pick you up at your hotel in Cobán , provide a tour of the cave and a snack, and return you to your hotel. Inquire at the Internet Café in Cobán . Overnight lodging is available at the nearby hotel Don Jeronimo’s (Tel: 308-2255), which also offers hiking trips, tubing and swimming. How to get there: From Cobán take the bus to San Juan Chamelco (see city map). In Chamelco, take a bus or pickup truck going to Chamil from the corner of zero Calle and zero Avenida. Ask the driver to let you off at the Rey Marcos cave (at the hermita / puesto de salud in aldea Santa Cecilia). Continue straight another 100 meters following the signs to Cecilinda. Or, you can take a taxi from the cathedral in Cobán (in front of Supertienda El Gallo) directly to Cecilinda for Q50.
Quetzal Biotope - Chicoy Cave - Chixim Church (Purulha B.V., Tactic A.V.) - These three attractions can all be visited in one day if you have a car or take a tour (inquire at Internet Café in Cobán ).  Biotopo del Quetzal: Right on the Guatemala-Cobán highway at km 160 (4 kms south of Purulha, B.V.) there is a remnant of the formerly huge cloud forests of Guatemala, the Biotopo del Quetzal. The University of San Carlos protects this 11 km² area, a small part of which is open to the public. Cloud forests are the most beautiful of tropical forests. Every tree seems to be the work of art of a Japanese florist, being covered with mosses, red flowering bromeliads and carpets of orchids. The reason for all this splendor is the high humidity in the air - Caribbean clouds run into these mountains and drop their rain, which is why epiphytic plants, which have no major roots, can grow on the branches of trees. While bromeliads get their water from the rain, storing it in their leaf rosettes, orchids store the water in their succulent bulbs. With a bit of luck you’ll see a resplendent quetzal, the national bird of Guatemala, which come to aguacatillo trees across the highway in the mornings. You can do an hour walk on the Biotope´s trails, and take a swim at the end in one of the little creeks. Right next to the Biotope there is a huge clearing covered by something that looks like a huge black tent. This is a plantation of leather leaf, a fern used by florists.  Services: Hours are from 7 am to 4 pm, and admission is Q 20. Rangers are there to answer your questions. There is a space for camping and barbecue stands. There is a tienda with snacks and soft drinks in the Biotopo itself. Additionally, lodging is available nearby: Hotel Los Ranchitos (on the highway right after the Biotopo) offers inexpensive bungalows, restaurant, and a cheap tienda. Hotel La Posada del Quetzal, at km 157 offers a pool, garden and comfortable bungalows with fireplaces. Tel 208-5958, 367-1771, 367-1772. Lodging and meals (with bar) are also available at Hotel-Restaurant Ram Tzul at km 158, which has waterfalls and swimming spots of its own. Tel: 335-1805, e-mail: ramtzul@internet.net.gt  How to get there: From Guatemala City, ask the bus driver to let you off at the Biotopo del Quetzal. From Cobán, take a Guatemala City bus and ask the driver to let you off at the Biotopo. Tours are also available from the Internet Café.
Chicoy Cave - Cueva Chicoy is not really a cave, but rather a sinkhole of perhaps sixty meters diameter, so no flashlights are needed. A natural cathedral, it has anticline and syncline walls, clusters of stalagmites stretching up to fifteen meters in height, and a high, vaulted ceiling. The entrance of the cave is covered by forest. If you enter in the morning (11 a.m.), there is still mist and the sunrays enter the cave through a green filter. Be careful with the slippery descent. The cave has strong vibrations: the Mayans use the cave of Chicoy for healing and making wishes (if you want to do the same, bring candles to light at the main altar behind the stalagmites), and it is often the scene of important Mayan rituals, such as the ceremony marking the beginning of the 260-day sacred year - Cuaxaquib (8) Batz (Monkey). Services: Entrance fee is Q5. There are public latrines and a picnic area below the cave.  How to get there: The cave is located 1 km in from km 169 on the Cobán - Guatemala highway, 4 kms north of Purulha, B.V. From Cobán you can take a Guatemala or Purulha bus and ask the driver to let you off at Finca Chicoy. From the Biotopo you can hike the 8 kms or flag down a bus going north.
Chixim church - this church has a miracle Jesus which attracts pilgrims from all over Guatemala (particularly on January 1st and 15th, the day of the Black Saint of Chixim). The walls of the room to the left of the main altar are covered with plaques of thanksgiving for miracles ascribed to El Señor de Chixim. The terrace in front of the church affords a spectacular panoramic view of the Tactic valley. A few steps down from the terrace, to the right, is the monument of Jesus Lopez (ask at the tienda for permission to enter); this is a room full of macabre (albeit with a sense of humor) mosaics with religious connotations, made by late shaman Jesus Lopez.  Services: Tactic has several hotels: Pensión Central 3a calle 4-10 zona 1; Pensión Sulmy 4a ave. 1-02 zona 2; Hotel Villa Linda 4a calle; Eco-Centro Chixim on the main highway just south of town offers private bungalows and a restaurant.  How to get there: From Cobán , take a bus to Tactic A.V. (see Cobán city map). Chixim church is a half-hour’s walk up the hill from downtown Tactic. Additionally, the famous colorful guipiles of Tactic can be seen in the central market.
Sachichaj - This is a 15-meter high waterfall which cascades from a cave into a turquoise lagoon of breathtaking beauty - a great place to picnic and swim. It is highly recommended that you take a guide since it’s easy to get lost in the maze of paths leading to it. How to get there: You can get a tour from the Internet Café in Cobán . If you are in your own vehicle, the road from Cobán to Chisec crosses the Sachichaj river at km 24. Just past this point on the left is Tienda y Comedor Reina where you can hire a guide. Leave your vehicle at the old army encampment and walk 40 minutes to reach the waterfall.
 El Salto (Chilasco, B.V.) - This is a series of waterfalls, four in all, which drop 130 meters altogether and thus is one of the highest waterfalls in Central America. The final waterfall of 40 meters drop is the most impressive. El Salto is reached via a 2 hour hike through the virgin cloudforest of the Sierra de Las Minas Biosphere Reserve, which contains a wide variety of fauna. From here it is another 5 hours’ hike to the Los Albores camp in the heart of the Biosphere Reserve.  Services: Guides are available for Q30 from Defensores de La Naturaleza in Chilasco and it is possible to rent a horse for Q30. There’s a rustic cabin at Rio Concepcion where you can spend the night. More information is avail- able from the Defensores de La Naturaleza.  How to get there: Chilasco is located 12 km from the turnoff at km 145 on the highway from Guatemala to Cobán . You can get a bus to Chilasco from the terminal in Salama B.V. at noon, or from the crossroads on the main highway (El Cumbre) at 12:30 pm every day. Return buses leave Chilasco at 3 pm. Tours can also be booked from the Internet Café in Cobán . 
Several Days Trips Out of Cobán ?  Lanquin / Semuc Champey:
Lanquin: Lanquin is a small town located 64 kilometers west of Cobán (3 ½ hour’s bus ride). Just off the central park is a 400 year-old church containing an original silver altar and many religious relics. Located 1 km. from town is the cave of Lanquin through which flows the Rio Lanquin (take your own flashlight; it has happened that the lights in the cave go off unexpectedly, in which case you are trapped until someone decides to turn them on again). The first night in Lanquin, whether you explore the cave or not, you should go out to the river’s edge at dusk to watch the bats fly out of the cave. It is most definitely an impressive sight to watch several millions of bats swarm out of the cave and fly down the river. You can swim in the river that flows out of the cave (if you like). If you have a tent, you can camp at the mouth of the cave. Services: Hotel El Recreo is very nice (but costly); Hogar del Turista, El Retiro (next to the Cahabon river 300 meters from town on the road to Cahabon), and other hospedajes are quite cheaper. It’s not a bad idea to buy some cheese and snacks in the supertienda in Cobán before you leave so you have something good to eat during the journey. Also, the last bank and ATM until Peten are in Cobán, so you’d better get all the cash you need there.  How to get there: you will need a minimum of 3 days (unless you take the one-day tour: it’s a long drive, 8 hours on the road to and from - consult Hostal de Acuna or Internet Café in Cobán for details of the one-day tour. Cost = about $35 / person, 3-person minimum). Buses for Lanquin leave Cobán a block from the terminal de buses market at 6 and 11 am and 1 and 3 pm, and get you into Lanquin about 3 hours later. The cost is Q8.
Semuc Champey: This is a series of Travertine pools and waterfalls in virgin rainforest, located 11 kilometers from Lanquin. The place is incredible; you have to see it to believe it. Also it’s a really fun and beautiful place to swim in and explore. When the water (which is rich in calcium carbonate) passes over the lip of a dam, it is agitated, which causes the water to evaporate and deposit calcium carbonate on the top of the dam. Thus the dams are being built up faster than normal erosion can wear them down. The pools and waterfalls occur on top of a huge cave through which flows the Rio Cahabon.  Services: Entrance fee is Q20; parking fee is Q5. You can buy cold beer and soft drinks from the government commissary at the entrance, but not food. There is a dressing room to change into bathing suits. There are places to picnic and barbecue. If you have a tent, there is a place to camp. The latrines leave something to be desired.. Do be careful of leaving belongings; the local youths have discovered that thievery pays off (i.e., leave your valuables back in Lanquin, or hide them well in the bushes, when you go off exploring).  How to get there: Leave your heavy belongings in the hotel in Lanquin - just take a day pack with swimming suit, towel, and food. EARLY in the morning, get yourself out on the road to Champey. There’s lots of coffee / cardamom fincas on that road, and the finqueros will give you free rides. You can also rent a pickup truck in Lanquin to take you and bring you back for about Q 120 (ask around). Or, you can walk: it’s a 3-hour walk down, and a 3-hour walk back (through tremendous heat - 11 km up and down the mountain from Lanquin). To head north from Lanquin: Take the 5 am or 7 am bus from Lanquin to Pajal (the crossroads). The buses from Cobán to Sebol pass Pajal at roughly 7:30, 8:30, and 8:45 am. From Sebol, you can take a bus to Raxruja. You can either hitch a ride with a pick-up or ride a bus to Sayaxche. From Sayaxche you can catch a bus to Flores, Peten. A good place to stay in Raxruja is Hospedaje Agua Verde.  To go to Poptun: Take the 5 am or 7 am bus from Lanquin to Pajal (the crossroads). Flag a bus or truck going to Fray Bartolomeo Las Casas (known locally as “Fray” or “Las Casas”). In Las Casas take a truck going to Poptun. There is a bus from Las Casas to Poptun, but it leaves at 3:00 am,  arriving in Poptun at 8:00 am.
Proyecto Eco-Quetzal (PEQ): PEQ takes tourists to remote areas of the rainforest which are only accessible on foot. The guides are rural Q’eqchi Mayans who sometimes know very little Spanish, but who know the forest intimately and have received thorough training as guides. They take visitors by bus, launch, and on foot to the heart of the rainforest. The visitor stays in the guides’ homes (which have been outfitted with beds, mattresses, latrines, bathing facilities, and boiled drinking water). You share in daily Q’eqchi life, hear the stories of the aldeas, and with luck might participate in Q’eqchi rituals and celebrations. In addition you will experience beauty of the subtropical rainforest, and in all likelihood will see the resplendent quetzal bird in its natural habitat. Participation in this project is not only a unique cross-cultural exchange opportunity, but also helps protect the vanishing rainforest. Services: For Q 320 you get a guide for three days, lodging for two nights, 6 meals, registration fee. Q 110 for each additional night. The PEQ office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm and from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm. It is located at 2a Calle 14-36 Zone 1, Cobán . Tel/fax: 952-1047. Detailed descriptions of available tours are available by e-mail: bidaspeq@guate.net   Proyecto Eco-Quetzal: this 10 year old NGO is dedicated to conserving and protecting the rainforests by offering economic alternatives to the indigenous occupants such as agricultural projects, candle manufacture using wax from the arrayan tree, and ecotourism. PEQ has lowered the deforestation rate to a 0.1% in the 70 square km area in which it operates.
Candelaria Caverns: The Candelaria Caverns are sacred to the Q’eqchi Mayans. The Candelaria River passes through a mountain via a subterranean network of grottos. The principle gallery is monumental, with a width of 20 to 30 meters and a height of up to 60 meters, and it is filled with large blocks of breakdown and is graced by gigantic stalagmites. It is 200 meters long and has occasional windows to the outside world piercing its walls and ceiling, which create a light show on the rocks and water from the sunlight which filters through the jungle outside the cavern. Some of the caverns have carved ladders or platforms constructed by the Mayans. It is possible to swim in the river and sunbathe on the banks near the eco-camp. This area is threatened by fires and logging by the local population, and a team of French led by Daniel Debreux are trying to enlist the help of local communities to protect it and create a national park. The people of Muqbilbel run the camp, and some of them are studying tour-guiding in France. There is some conflict between the local community and the conservationists. Services: Tours of the caverns cost Q25, which includes a professional guide fluent in Spanish and French. It is also possible to rent boots. The tour of the smallest cave takes 2 hours. It’s also possible to tour the caverns in a boat; this tour takes two days and enables you to see parts of the caverns inaccessible by foot. This expedition costs Q250 and includes overnight accommodations. Make your reservation at least two days in advance with Sergio Sierra at Tel: 710-8753. Accommodations: At the eco-camp the French have built first-class bungalows and kitchens, with beautiful and peaceful gardens. The cost is US$ 50 per person per day, which includes all services and a tour of the cave. It is also possible to camp at the entrance at Doña America’s in the Rancho Rios Escondidos: in this case you should hire a guide at the Cooperativa Sechaj (see below). How to get there: Two day (+ one night) tours are available from Hostal de Acuña for US$ 270 per person (2 person minimum) which includes food, lodging, and guided foot tour of the caverns. If you are on your own: from Chisec take the road to Raxruja for 20 kms. to the bridge over the Candelaria River. The Cooperativa Sechaj is located 2 km. past the bridge. Here you can engage a guide for the first cave. The most famous caves are 6 ½ kms. past the bridge on the right side, where there are two signs announcing “Escuela de Autogestion” (there is no sign for the caverns - on the left side of the road is a hill which is the center of finca Rancho Rios). Enter here and go past the oil pipeline for 5 minutes to the eco-camp.
 Laguna Lachua: Lake Lachua is like a little Caribbean sea set down in the tropical rainforest of Alta Verapaz. The lake is surrounded by lush vegetation including mahogany and cedar trees, and fauna such as jaguars (whose footprints can often be seen around the lake), giant shad which frequently pop out of the crystalline waters, and abundant birds such as parrots and toucans. In the distance - reflected in the mirror of the lake - you can see the wooded peaks El Peyan and La Sultana. The water of the lake contains so much calcium that the northern rim, where the water leaves the lake, has rock formations which appear like shells of calcite; and trees which fall into the water quickly turn into calcite skeletons. The water also has a high level of sulphur, which is where the name “Lachua” comes from (in Q’eqchi’ “Li chu ha” means “the fetid water”). The sulphur indicates the probable presence of petroleum beneath the lake. If you cross the lake in a launch, what looks to be a white beach is actually a mire, so be careful not to sink into it.  The lake is 173 meters above sea level, and is 222 meters deep (thus beneath sea level), which is major puzzle for geologists. One theory holds that the lake was formed from a large salt deposit; another theory is that the lake is a meteorite crater, and the rest of the meteorite which formed the lakebed fell near Cobán in the Nim Tak’a depression, where one also finds meteoritic rocks of the same age as those around Lachua. Lachua is a National Park with a total area of 14,500 hectares (the lake itself occupies 400 hectares). The Peyan river empties into the lake, and the Lachua, Tzetoc and Del Altar rivers drain it. The climate is hot and extremely humid, with an average temperature of 26° C, rainfall of 3.3 meters, and humidity of 91%. The abundance of mahogany in the park has caused problems between conservationists and illicit loggers, who can earn up to ten times the going wages of a laborer by cutting down mahogany trees. The governmental authorities (UICN and INAB) who administer the park have adopted strategies of vigilance, and also seeking economic alternatives for the rural populations around the park. For example, UICN sells high-quality organic chile, chocolate, and honey made in the surrounding communities; by purchasing these products - as well as by visiting the lake - you can help the communities’ sustainable economic projects.  Services: The park has a capacity of 84 day visitors and 21 overnight visitors, so it is not a good idea to visit during the Easter or Christmas holidays when it quickly becomes crowded. Admission costs Q40; boat rental Q7 per hour; and a guide costs Q30 (this must be arranged in advance at Tel: 704-1509). Camping costs Q20, beds with mosquito netting cost Q60. There are showers, toilets, barbecue fireplaces, and a large round hut shelter. You must bring your own food and drinking water, and take your trash out when you leave.  How to get there: Hostal de Acuña offers 2 day (+ 1 night) tours for US$90 per person (2 person minimum), which includes food, lodging, and guide. If you’re on your own: heading east from the Cobán - Playa Grande crossroads it is 5 km (road to the right) to the entrance to Lachua (watch for thatched Administration building and signs on the left). You then have to walk 4 km through the hot, moist jungle to get to the lagoon.
Jungle hike to Río Ikbolay: This deep blue river winds its way through the jungle and disappears behind a mountain barrier, continuing its way below the surface in caves. The water reemerges in natural spring fountains and is so saturated with calcium that it cements its own path through the virgin forest. There is a beautiful cave, formerly also an underground arm of the river, with gorgeous white stalagmites. The Q´eqchi´ host community of Rokjá Pomptilá colonized this area twenty years ago. They are growing cardamom below primary forest shadow. They will guide you and share their everyday life in the jungle with you. The community is beautifully situated at the edge of the river, which is always inviting for a refreshing bath. The community of Rokjá sits right in one of the biggest tropical rainforest reserves of Guatemala in the vicinity of Laguna Lachuá. Your visit helps this community to keep on protecting their forest. Services: A tour costs Q 320 for three days and two nights, guide, food and bed included. Every additional night Q 110. A motor boat round trip to the natural spring fountains costs an additional Q 100. See Proyecto Eco-Quetzal, above. You can contact your guide in Eco-Quetzal, Cobán, 2aCalle 14-36, Z1, T9521047.
Rafting on the Cahabon River: Class IV river trips down the Cahabon and Polochic rivers pass through beautiful canyons and tropical rainforests. Top-notch physical condition is required.  Services: Two companies offer tours lasting from 1 to 4 days:

Maya Expeditions, 15 Calle 1-91 Zone 10, Guatemala City - local #104. Tel: 363-4955, Fax 337-4666, e-mail mayaexp@guate.net

Argueta Ramiro Augusto, Lote 30, Mz. B. Barrio Santo Domingo, Carcha A.V. Tel: 952-1413. Cost from Cobán about US$185; from Guatemala City about US$235.

Special Events and Fairs ?  The titular fairs of the different towns are good opportunities to observe Mayan culture, customs, cuisine, music, dance, and religious observances. There is a parade opening day, and various activities and expositions depending upon the town. If you plan to visit Cobán during Holy Week, the Media Maraton, or the Folklore Festival / Fair, it is highly advisable to book  hotel reservations in advance.   January 20-25 Rabinal B.V. Fair. See the only precolombian theatre show left in both Americas: A sad piece about a rebellious King with Maya-Achí  Music and vivid dance. January 22-25 Tamahú A.V. Fair May 1-4 Santa Cruz A.V. Fair. See the dance of the Guacamayos. May 4-9 Tucurú A.V. Fair 2nd or 3rd Sunday in May - HALF MARATHON - this 21 km race from Cobán to Carcha and back attracts world-class contestants. Entrance fee of Q50 can be paid at any bank.  June 10-13 Purulha B.V. Fair  June 21-24 Chamelco A.V. Fair June 24-29 Carchá A.V. Fair July 20-25 Cubulco, B.V. Fair: See the Palo Volador, where two drunk men spiral down a ritual pole July 21-26 San Cristóbal A.V. Fair Last week July Cobán, - FOLKLORE FESTIVAL - the festival includes examples of indigenous handiwork; typical cuisine; and Mayan ceremonies, music and dances. The culmination of the festival on Saturday evening is the election of Reina Rabin Ahau (Daughter of the King) from contestants representing all the Mayan towns in Guatemala. Mayan customs, traditions, costumes and music are presented. Entrance fee Q50 (seats) or Q 40 (stands), and reservations must be made in advance with Prof. Marco Aurelio Alonzo at 951-1709 or 951-1657. August 1-6 Cobán A.V. Fair August 11-16 Tactic A.V. Fair August 22-28 Lanquin A.V. Fair First week December - COBÁN ORCHID EXHIBIT - a vast exhibition of the finest orchids contributed by collectors from all over Guatemala. Held in the convent (next to the cathedral) Entrance fee Q2.  
Spanish schools ?  It’s easy to learn Spanish in Cobán because - since it’s not a “tourist town” - students have to speak Spanish at all times. There are two schools:

Active Spanish School, 3 Calle 6-12 zona 1 - $ 110 per week including host family. The teacher of this small school also conducts excursions to Cobán’s many natural wonders. Get to know Cobán´s finquero-nightlife and the corresponding vocabulary.

Escuela De Español Muq’bil’ B’e, 6 Avenida 5-39 zona 3 - $ 100 per week including host family. The teacher’s specialty is Maya Q´eqchi classes which are very popular. He conducts after-school activities if there are more than three students enrolled.

Lodging and services in Cobán ? 

Hotels :
R Restaurant, TV Television, BP Privat Bath, BC Comunal Bath, CB CableTV, LV Laundry, AC Hot Water, P Car Parking, TO Tours, TC Credit Card, CH Traveller’s Cheques, TH Phone in every room  Hostal Doña Victoria, Q 103, 3a calle 2-38 z 3, T9522213, BP, AC, R, Bar,  colonial atmosphere La Paz, Q 30, 24 , 6a av 2-19 z 1, T9521358, BP, BC Clean, quiet Mansión Armenia, $ 14, 7a av 2-18 z 1, T9522284, TV, CB, P, Café, BP, TC, CH Monterrey, Q 20, 15, 6a av 1-12 z 1, T9521131, basic  Oxib Peck, Q 96, 1 c 12-11 z 1., T9521039, BP, TV Perla María, Q 48, 4a av 1-25 z 3, T9521988, BP, TV, R, P Posada de Carlos V, Q 70, 1 av 3-44 z 1., T9513502, BP, TV Rabin Ajau, Q 66, Calle Minerva, 5-37 z 1., T9522296, R  La Posada, Q 153, 1a calle 4-12 z 2, T9521495, BP, CH, TO, R y Café, elegant colonial atmosphere, excellent food, but next to traffic Villa Imelda, Q 60, 4 av 2-21 z 4, T9521008, TV, CB, P, R BP, AC, CH  La Providencia, Q 36, Diagonal 4 2-43 z 2, T9521209, LV, P Q10-15, R , Café, BP Hostal D´Acuña, Q 30, 4a calle 3-11 z 2, T9521547, R, BC, LV, AC, TO, TC, CH, clean, nice atmosphere, good food Celinda, Q 66, 2a av y 4a calle z 3, T9512765, TV, CB, P, R, BP, AC, CH, TH Posada Villa Real, Q 35 BC, Q 60 BP 6a av 1-81 z 4, T9512526 TO, R Monja Blanca, Q 42, T9521702, BC, nice atmosphere Alemán , Q 25, 2a calle 1-23 z 1, T9521501, P, BC, AC, basic Posada de Don Francisco, Q 135, Salida a Carchá km 2.5, T9521509, P, TO, BP, AC,TV, CB, R, TC Real Carcha, Q75, San Pedro Carcha, T951-6442, R, TV, BP, AC, P Sauna Xucaneb, Q 70, Km 220 car Sn Juan Chamelco, T9513415, BP, AC, TC Don Jerónimo’s, $ 25 (3 vegetarian meals included), San Juan Chamelco, T3082255, R, TV, BP, AC, P, peaceful and relaxing 

Cafés :
Café Tirol, western end of the park; you’ll have a hard time finding a café with more different kinds of coffee, mocha and chocolate Pasteleria Suiza, 5a Calle 2-96 Z 3, finger licking pralines and cakes Café La Posada, western end of the park; good cakes, a nice colonial atmo- sphere and a good view of the activities in the park Café Santa Rita, south side of the park, inexpensive food and cakes  

Restaurants :
Hostal D´Acuña, good European-style menu, nice atmosphere, 4a calle 3-11 z 2 El Refugio, great steaks, tortoise soup, typical food, 2a calle y 2 av z 4  Boca del Río, 3a calle y 1 av z 3 Hacienda Imperial, Kak´ik´(Q’eqchi soup), great steaks, 1a calle 4-11 z 1 Kam - mun, Chinese food, 1a calle 8- 2 z 2 La fonda del Black, good local food, but often from the freezer, just before Pte. San Vicente on the old road to Guatemala 

Doctors who speak English :
The Centro Médico Galeno gives 24 hour medical services and has a team of English-speaking doctors of different medical fields, 2a calle 3-08 Zona 3, (night entrance is at the back). T9513175, See city-map. 

Banks :
BANCAFE, accepts Traveller´s Cheques: Thomas Cook, Citicorp, has cash ATM for VISA, 1a Av 2-66 z 2, T9521011 BAM, accepts Traveller´s Cheques: Thomas Cook, Citicorp, obtain cash with MasterCard, 1aCalle 2-24 z 3, T951-3642 /43 Banco de los Trabajadores, accepts Traveller´s Cheques: American Express, Thomas Cook, Citicorp,Diagonal 4 3-12, Zona2,  Banco del Ejército, accepts Traveller´s Cheques: American Express, obtain cash with MasterCard, 1aCalle 5-24 zona 2,  Banco Industrial, has cash ATM for VISA, 1aCalle 4-36, Zona 1 

Internet Access and Car Rentals :
Internet Café, 1a Calle 3-13, Z 1, T9514040, To send e-mails Q 10, receive Q 5, Use one of 12 Computers Q 0.50/ min, intercafe@c.net.gt , Tours, Tourist info, fax, collect calls CyberCobán .com, 3a Ave 1-11, Z 4, T9511777, To use internet on one of 8 Computers 3-18 min Q5, 18-33 min Q10 Inque renta Autos, 3a Av 1-18b z 4, T9521994, Car rental Tabarini Rent A Car, 5a Av 2-43 z 1 , T9513282, Car rental 
Fun Stuff ?  Cine Turia on Cobán’s central park, mostly action features with subtitles and poor sound, Q 7 and Q 10. Kikoés Tasca - Blues bar and German restaurant, European atmosphere, good food, pricey, older crowd. 2a Ave 4-33, Z 2 Keops - Bar, Disco, Q 35 cover charge. mix of music, mostly latin. High-class crowd. On Friday and Saturday, 3a Calle 4 - 71, Z 3 Le bon - Bar, Disco, Restaurant, Q 15 cover charge, US Pop, Latin/Latin rap. Adolescent crowd. 3a Calle 2-38, Z 3 Tofuba - New Disco, 2ª Calle 16 Ave, Z 2 Milenio - Bar, Disco, restaurant, pool tables, TV to watch sports. No cover charge. Mix of music, take requests. Older finquero crowd. 3a Ave 1-11, Z 4. Hostal Doña Victoria - Bar, 3a calle 2-38 z 3, T9522213 Sociedad de Beneficencia - irregular open merengue parties, swimming pool, ping-pong, 2a Calle, 6-16, Z 2. 
How to get to…  From, To, travel fare, travel time, departure time, departure location  Guatemala to Cobán, Q 30.00, 5 hrs., Every 30 min from 4:00 to 17:00, Monja Blanca office 8.Ave 15-16, Zona 1, T2511878 Cobán to Guatemala, Q 30.00, 5 hrs., Every 30 min from 2:00 to 17:00, Monja Blanca office 2aCalle 3-77, Zona 4, T9513571 Cobán to Carchá, Q 1.00, 20 min., Every 15 min., Campo No 2 near football stadium Cobán to Chamelco, Q 1.00, 20 min., Every 15 min., Escuela de Enfermería (5 Ave. and 4 Calle Zona 3) Chamelco to Don Jerónimo’s, Q 1.00, 20 min. , 11, 12, 2:30 & 4 hrs, Behind of the church of Chamelco, there are also irregular pick-ups Chamelco to Caves of Rey Marcos, Q 1.00, 25 min, 11, 12, 2:30 & 4 hrs, Behind of the church of Chamelco, there are also irregular pick-ups Cobán to Tactic, Q 2.50, 50 min., Every 20 min., Campo No. 2 near football stadium Cobán to Biotopo El Quetzal, Q 5.00, 1:20 min., Every 20 min., Campo No. 2 near football stadium Cobán to El Estor, Q 18.00, 7:00 hrs., 5:30, 7, 8,9, 11 and 13, Campo No. 2 near football stadium Cobán to Chisec, Q 15.00, 3:00 hrs., iregular, Mercado la terminal Chisec to Candelaria, Q 3.00, 1:00 hrs., iregular, From Chisec with pick-ups Cobán to Playa Grande and Lachuá, Q 40.00, 4:00 hrs., iregular, Mercado la terminal Cobán to Lanquín, Q 8:00, 3:00 hrs., 6:00, 11, 13, and 15 hrs., Office near Mercado la terminal, 3 Calle between 1st and 2nd Aves. Zona 4. Lanquín to Semuc, Q 10.00, Q 200.00, 2:00 hrs., Before 9:00 a.m., Later hire pick-up at the central park of Lanquín Cobán to Las Casas, Q 15.00, 4:15 hrs., 5:30, 6:30, and 10:00 a.m., Office in Carchá, bus comes to Cobán and stops at Dispensa Familiar and then in the central park of Carchá Guatemala to Salamá, Q 14.50, 3:30 hrs., From 4:45 to 16:45, 11 Av. Y 17 calle 11-32 Z. 1 Salamá to Guatemala, Q 14.50, 3:30 hrs., From 4:45 to 16:45, One block from the parque, T9401809
COBAN
Global Mark : 14.11

Ratings by criteria :
Charm
Scenery
Culture
Tradition
Market
Relax
Fiesta
Cost
AVER.
3
5
3
3
2
4
3
3
13.00
Ratings by backpackers :
Surveyed
Liked
Comeback
Recommend
Range
AVER.
19
100%
79%(15)
100%
10 to 20
15.21
 Description : A relaxed & green provincial capital with everything you need to recharge your batteries after your ecotourism adventures.
Comments : Considered by most as a travel hub, Coban is actually a great base for visiting the amazing surroundings.
What to do ? Relax in a superb flowery park, smelling pine trees and spotting butterflies (Q6) / Discover 750 species of orchids (free, Q10 if tour) / Tour a coffee plantation & taste coffee (Q15) / Learn about the Maya Culture (Q10) / With a lot of luck, spot a Quetzal, Guatemala’s national symbol bird (Quetzal Biotope, Q20) / Visit various churches / Crawl various caves / Swim at various ‘Balneario’ Centers / Admire various waterfalls / Trek the rainforest (Q320 for 3 days) / Drink some more of coffee : some of the world’s finest are produced in the area ! / Eat well / Have an ice cream ! / Learn Spanish ?
What you may not like ? The dirty & smelly market & bus terminal / The lack of tourist office / The expensive internet / Some remote & tricky to reach attractions
How long ? A few hours for the town, a few days for the area, all your life for the coffee ?
Where to stay ? I was in Coban during Santa Semana and most of the places were fully booked. This did not help me to check the rooms… In my quest for an acceptable and possible place to stay, I encountered the followings :
- North-East of the Cathedral :

Hotel Central, central indeed by the Cathedral on 1C. / Room w. HW shower 54(1) or 97(2) / Was full but should be nice with those prices !

Hotel Aleman, 2C, west of 2Av, 3mn from the above / Room 25 per person, w. shower 35 per person / HW / Very basic cheaper rooms but the ones with shower are acceptable.

Pension Elsita, 3a Av, 3 C, 2-47, east of market / Sgl 15, Dbl 25 / No HW / Correct & cheap but basic rooms and so so environment at night (do not go via the market)

Hotelito Maria Elisa, going east on 3 C. / Sgl 20, Dbl 40 / HW / Tiny and rather depressing rooms

Hotel Villa Imelda, South on 4 Av / 60 per person for HW and local TV. Was full so could not check the rooms.
- At other locations, 5mn from the Plaza :

® Hotel La Paz (9521358), 6 Av 2-19, N-W of Plaza / 30 per person, Sgl w. shower 42, Dbl 72 / Go there for the nice & spotless setting & rooms at good prices

® Hostal D’Acuna (9521547, uisa@amigo.net.gt), 4 C. 3-17, South of Plaza / Dorm (4) $5, Dbl $10 / Lovely, classy & relaxed restaurant / Local delicacies on sale / Go there (if possible with someone) for the cleanliness, the info, the great setting in a superbly furnished colonial house around a garden and the classical music / What you may not like : it is expensive for a bunk bed !
Where to eat ? Plenty of occidental restaurants & pizzeria but you love the local food so much that it would be a pity, isn’t it ? Plenty of comedores as well offering set meals for Q12-14. A good one is Cafeteria Santa Rita, South of the Plaza near the Cathedral. The plaza is also full of stalls selling barbecued meat but, at Q10, I am not sure it can beat the above set meals… It is a popular option with locals anyway. For a large selection of Coffee and chocolates, head for Cafe El Tirol, West of the Plaza. Pastries and ice creams can be found at nearly every corner.
Info ? As there is no Inguat Office, you have to rely on the private businesses : Internet Cafe, Hostal D’Acuna and Proyecto Eco-Quetzal (2a C. 14-36) are good places for info. There is a map of town & surroundings just west of the plaza.
Internet ? Internet Cafe by Cafe El Tirol by the Plaza is the most obvious place but it unfortunately charges a ridiculous Q30 per hour (and Q10 for 15mn !). In theory, this is because one needs to call Guatemala City. In practice, the guy could not explain me why more remote Nebaj was only Q20… Hotel Dona Victoria (by the post office on 3 C.) is cheaper for 15mn at Q7.5 There is fortunately another option : Milenio Cafe on 3 Av, North 1 C. It was closed when I was there (Santa Semana !) but it charges Q20 per hour (Q5 for 15mn).
Banks ? Plentiful. No problem to change TC and cash. There is also a visa ATM at Bancafe (1 Av 2-66, Zone 2)
Supermarket ? Two place, East of the Cathedral on 1 C. Not too cheap however…
Spanish ? Coban could be a good option as there aren’t too many tourists yet. The cheapest school (but maybe not the best) was also spotted here : Active Spanish (3a C. 6-12, Zona 1), $85 for 20 hours of private teaching and lodging in a family. There are other options.
An half a day tour ? After walking the plaza and the ugly market, you could head to El Calvario, 15mn away (head west on 1 C. and turn right on 7 Av) : the view from the top of the stairs is OK but the Parque Nacional de Las Victorias in the back is the main attraction : this is one of the best park spotted (if not for the mosquitoes and some rubbish, it would be paradise !) and the numerous paths, the longest being 7.5 km, are great ways to relax (I spent half a day there, spotting wild orchids, ants at work and huge butterflies). One of the numerous entrance is by the basketball field (it cost Q6 for foreigners, Q1 for locals, but there isn’t always someone at this gate, in particular late afternoon; the park closes at 5pm). If this gate is closed (it should be during WE), the main entrance is on 3C at the level of 11a Av. After the park, you could head to Vivero Verapaz, an orchid farm about 3km out of town (follow diagonal 4 and cross the bridge) : 60000 orchids belonging to 750 species are on display, including 200 miniatures species. On the way, you will see a big sign on the left for a Recreative Center : the area by the river is popular with locals who come here to swim, play football or picnic on the grass. You can walk the river for 10mn but the area further was reported dangerous. There is an admission of Q2.5 but you may be able to avoid it.
A day out to the villages ?  I first took a bus (Q1, 20mn) to San Pedro Carcha, a village which could actually be skipped if you are short of time: there is nothing special to see and the only cheap Hotel (Hotel La Reforma, Q25 or 40 w. cold water shower) would indeed need to be reformed.  From there, I walked to San Juan Chamelco, on a pleasant enough road (take left when the road split in three and take water as it is hot) : you will pass a pineapple field, a river with a popular ‘Balneario’ Center and a lovely dump on top of a hill ! It should take 2 hours but you may be able to hitch your way.  There aren’t much to do in San Ruan Chamelco as well but the church, market and settings are nice enough for a stroll. Half an hour later, you could head for La Grutas Rey Marcos, the main attraction in the area : it is 6km away and you have regular transports (at least during WE, Q1) leaving behind the Cathedral on 0 C. 0 Av. This private area (Balneario Cecilinda) is actually another swimming & picnic spot : it cost Q10 to enter but you may get in for a bit cheaper if you argue that you came for the cave only. That would actually be a pity as the series of pools and waterfall are inviting, especially after crawling in the mug… The newly discovered 150m long cave cost another Q15 to visit : this includes the equipment (helmet w. torch) and the guide for the one hour tour. You need to register at the bottom of the path. Expect to exit real dirty as you need to crawl… Avoid WE for a more relaxing experience. In the near future, it may be possible to spend the night there as bungalows were being constructed.  About 10mn before Cecilinda, a sign on the left points to Don’s Jeronimo’s (3082255, jeronimo@dearbrutus.com), a great place to naturally relax for a couple of days. It does not look too impressive on the outside but the rooms and bungalows w. kitchen & HW shower are superb ! The American farmer that run the place intimately knows the area and will happily show you around. Prices at $25 per day ($45 for couple) may scare backpackers but include everything (lodging, vegetarian food, excursions, tube for the river & blueberries !).  Back in San Juan, regular buses (Q1) do the trip to Bagan, passing another popular swimming area.
A spiritual trip ? The first place where you could light a candle is Chicoy Cave, a very special place for the Maya. This natural cathedral, lighted by the sun, contains massive stalagmites. When I was there, it unfortunately also contained small fires making lots of fumes. It is muggy so good shoes are required. It is rather easy to reach : take a bus to Guatemala City (Q5, 45mn), get of at km 169 and walk for 1.5km. There is an entrance fee of Q5.  From there, I went back to Tactic, 14km to the North (hitch your way). This small town is famous for its Chixim Church, overlooking the valley : its miracle Jesus (look for the ‘thanks’ plaques on the left of the altar) attracts candles from all over Guatemala. Beside, the view is great ! If you wish to stay, Pension Central (3a C. 4-10, no HW) offers correct rooms for Q18 per person. Other options available. There are frequent buses back to Coban : Q2.5, 45mn. The above two should not take you more than half a day (except if very unlucky with your hitching). You could therefore add a visit to Quetzal Biotope (no need for a candle there), located at km 160. It cost Q20 to enter this beautiful 11 square-km cloud forest where, if very very lucky, you could spot a Quetzal ! For more chance of spotting one (sunrise during the dry season), you should sleep in one of the rustic bungalow of Hotel Los Ranchitos (3313579).

Leaving by bus ?
To
Price
Time
Freq
Hrs
Guatemala City (1)
20, 30 or 32
2 to 16, cheapest at 4,6,11 & 13
hour
4-5
Lanquin (2)
8
6,11,13,15
na
2.5
El Estor
18
4 to 15
60-90mn
6-7
Raxruja
20
5:30 to 13
x6
5
Sayaxche (Peten)
40
7 (3)
na
8-9
Uspantan
15 ?
10 & 12
na
4-5
Carcha & Chamelco
1
day
15mn
20mn
Santa Cruz
2
day
20mn
40mn
Tactic
2.5
day
20mn
50mn
Notes : (1) From Escobar Buses, 2 C, West 4 Av. / (2) From 3 C, West Terminal / (3) more buses may also leave from San Pedro Carcha
The trip to Lanquin : SSSSS / Right / Q10 / 3 hrs I eventually woke up on time for the 6am bus ! But, once at the station, a surprised : no bus there ! It was 5:35. Did it leave already ? I asked a local and was told that it was leaving from the supermarket Familiar Dispensar. Indeed, it was there. Only the later buses leave from the office… The atmosphere inside the bus was like it should be inside an old school bus : most people were going to work and knew each other. They apparently also knew that the bus would not leave on time and took their time to show up : we left at 6:20 We stopped at San Pedro Carcha 15mn later and then reached the rocky but beautiful road, with some excellent panoramas on the right side. It was not straightforward however as the narrow road often did not allow for more than one vehicle to proceed… Going backward to advance is part of the game in Guatemala !
SACAPULAS

 Description : A small rather charming village by a nice river
Comments : Most people use Sacapulas as a transport hub only. Why not therefore be original and spend a night there ?
Where to stay ?

® Hospedaje Tujaal, street behind the church, right side / Q20 per person / Cold shower but TV in all the acceptable rooms

Restaurant Rio Negro, pink house by the river / Q20 per person / HW shower / Basic & empty rooms without view under the roof.
Leaving ? There are quite a few buses from Quiche to Nebaj (Q10, 1.5 hrs) or Uspantan (Q13, 2 hrs). Schedules are unreliable but there are regular buses in the morning and a few in the afternoon. Last bus for Nebaj was reported at 7pm and for Uspantan at 18. Expect changes. For Huehue, you will have to hitch to Aguacatan first. A lot of buses to Quiche (Q4, 1 hour).
The trip to Nebaj (Ixil Triangle) : SSSS / Right / Q6 / 1.5 hrs This was a trip like I love them : the bus showed up from Quiche already packed and I had to share one third of half a seat (my traveling companions were ‘large’) at the back of the bus. Not the best conditions to enjoy the great scenery ! The road on the edge of the mountain was lovely as well : narrow, rocky, dusty and turning all the time. Excellent for the digestion ! My conditions improved fortunately a bit after one hour, as people got off : half a seat and then a full seat ! I could not enjoy this luxury for too long however as we arrived 15mn later.
The trip to Uspantan & Coban : SSSSS / R & L / Q7 + Q3 + Q10 + Q2 / 2 + 0.5 + 4 + 0.5 hrs This was certainly an interesting adventurous trip but it was a truly amazingly beautiful one.  It started rather unoriginally with a packed bus ride to Uspantan : Q7, 2 hours, scenery on the right up to the split with the Nebaj road (if coming from there, save twice 45mn by getting off at this crossroad) and then slightly better on the left. Most people spend a ‘night’ in Uspantan (at least 3 places in the Q20 per person bracket) for the simple reason that the only bus to Coban leaves at 3am. It actually did not look like an ugly town to spend an afternoon but I had a problem : the next day was Santa Semana and there would be no bus running.  I therefore had no option but to hitch my way. Quite a few pick-up do the trip to Chicaman (Q3, 30mn), from where it is supposed to be easier to get a connection to Coban. I don’t know how easier it was but not too many options did show up when I was there. Early in the morning and outside of Santa Semana would certainly proved better. I was however not completely out of luck. A medium sized truck showed up an hour later. Yes, it would go to Coban or, more exactly to San Cristobal Verapaz. And it would cost me Q10 for the privilege of joining the dozen of people already in the back.  Sitting on my backpack did not prove a good idea : I was getting all the smokes from the truck in addition of the dust. Standing up was less original but more hygienic and offered a better view on the left side. About one hour later, everybody got off. I was not against the idea of getting more space. But then, a wonderful surprise : the truck turned around ! We had made a side-trip for those guys ! - Maybe you could have told me about it ? - I was the only transport available anyway ! That may have been true but I was still a bit pissed off by this more than one hour ‘waste’. I consoled myself with the amazing scenery.  It took us 30mn to get back to the crossroad (just after a basketball field, the road to Coban is the left one). There, the already great scenery turned even better with the view of the river below. 45mn later, we reached a bridge and the clouds. A few rain later, the driver stopped to invite me in a dryer place : next to him in the cabin. I hesitated a bit as I would not enjoy the scenery as much but my legs appreciated my choice of comfort.  It was also easier in the cabin to realize how bad the road was. Nothing to compared with some roads of Asia, of course, but this was the worse road I had encountered in Guatemala so far. Soon after, the scenery nicely moved on my right side, with some views of the jungle and some splendid panoramas. If taking the 3am bus from Uspantan, this may be the only section that you will spot…  We arrived at San Cristobal at 4:15pm. This also looked like a nice place to spend some time, with a lake, a beautiful plaza and an ethno-museum (’Katinamit’, morning only) about the life of the Maya-Pokomchi people. But would there be buses tomorrow to Coban ? ‘Not sure’ being the answer, I took the Q1-2 every 30mn until 7pm bus to the city. I arrived at 5pm. Ouf !
NEBAJ (IXIL TRIANGLE)
Global Mark : 13.70

Ratings by criteria :
Charm
Scenery
Culture
Tradition
Market
Relax
Fiesta
Cost
AVER.
3
5
1
3
3
4
2
4
12.50
Ratings by backpackers :
Surveyed
Liked
Comeback
Recommend
Range
AVER.
10
100%
60%(6)
100%
12 to 18
14.90
 Description : A gray town in a green environment
Comments : The rather big town has little appeal but the surroundings are lovely.
What to do ? Walk the market and have a look at the church / Try to understand why some guidebooks refer to Nebaj as a ‘beautiful old town’ / Visit a weaving fabric / Walk the beautiful countryside / Visit the other villages of the triangle, if possible during market day
What you may not like ? Your first impressions of the town : it is not the charming little village you had imagined ! / The confusing streets / The dusty roads of the countryside : look for the trees covered with dust ! / The unreliable transport info / The lack of regular transport to the other villages / The late dogs and early roosters /
How long ? A few days for the walks
Where to stay ? Kids will wait for you at the bus station and offer you a selection of places. It would be fine to follow them except that they do not always know what they are talking about : I was offered a Q15 room with attached shower (rather difficult to believe indeed) to find a Q18 room without shower. The following may be therefore more helpful :

® Hotel Ixil, on the road to Sacapulas / Q18 per person / Go there for the huge rooms, the charming colonial house & the tiny garden / What you may not like : a bit run-down and lack of furniture (beds only)

Hotel Posada De Don Pablo, one block south of Church / Sgl 30, Room w. shower 40-50(1) or 60-70(2) / Go there for a bit of luxury / What you may not like : the too exp Sgl for what you get !

Hotel Nebajense, 4 C. 5 Av. / Q18 per person / Go there for the central location and clean concrete rooms / What you may not like : the setting is not too exciting !

Hospedaje Experanza, orange house / Q15-18 per person / Very basic rooms w. wood partitions under the roof

Hotel Casa Shalom, on the road to Chajul / Room w. satellite TV & shower 54(1) or 100(2) / Go there if you crave for TV but the rooms are fairly empty.

® Hospedaje El Viajero, pink house opp. petrol station, continuing after the above, 3mn from plaza / Q15 per person / HW 5pm to 6am / Go there for the OK bright rooms, the view from the first floor, the traditional sauna and the good price / What you may not like : the gas station is lighted & active all night long and the rooms have a window toward that ugly side only.

® Hotel Llebal Tenam, further down the road to Chajul, 5mn from plaza / Sgl 18, Dbl 42, w. shower 42(1) or 72(2) / Go there for the nice & clean setting and the good showers / What you may not like : the Sgl are real tiny with slim wood partitions & low roof and the other rooms a bit pricey

® Hospedaje Las Clavellinas, 0a C, 3 Av, turn left before Hotel Casa Shalom, then right and continue on 3 Av up to the end of the village, 5mn away / Q15 per person / Go there for the nice & clean rooms & house, the relative isolation and the family atmosphere / What you may not like : the relative isolation ?
Where to eat ? Plenty of reasonably priced comedores in town plus snacks around the market.
Banks ? Bancafe (2 Av 46) can change cash and TC. Banrural changes only cash.
Internet ? Right by Bancafe. Q20 per hour or Q5 per 15mn.
A Waterfall walk ? This charming 45mn walk to La Cascada de Plata is a classic : take the road to Chajul and turn left just before the tiny bridge. Then follow the river, full of rubbish and detergent (moss everywhere) until you reach the 30m or so high waterfall. It smells the laundry but is impressive nevertheless. For a little bit more adventure, you could climb the tiny path on the right of it. Do not worry : you won’t have to slide the same way down as you can get back to the road from the top.
A walk to Acul Village ? This charming village is about 1.5 hours away. Take the road going downhill from Hotel Posada de Don Pablo. At the bottom, take the right road (there is a sign) and go up for about 45mn. You will get a great view from Nebaj. The road is then flat for 10mn and then go down on the other side of the mountain toward the village. It is worth wandering around but the only place of interest is the Finca San Antonio, on the way out of the village, which produces some great cheese (for sale). From there, take the 10km flat road to Nebaj via another beautiful way (transports available as well if tired).
Markets ? The small market gets bigger in Nebaj on Thursday & Sunday. If you visit the other villages, try to coincidate with market days, as transportation will be better. Cotzal is on Wednesday & Saturday and Chajul on Tuesday & Friday.

Leaving ? There is one direct bus to Huehuetenango (Q17, 4.5 hrs) but it presently leave at 1:45am ! Most people heading west therefore go to Sacapulas (every hour from 3 to 7am plus 11am, Q6, 1.5 hrs) and try to get a pick-up from there. Same thing if heading toward Coban. For the South, there are a few direct buses to Quiche, via Sacapulas, in the early morning and at around 11am.
The trip back to Sacapulas : SSS / R & L / Q6 / 2 hours The trip started at 5:30 by physically pushing the bus to wake up the sleeping engine. I had been told that the bus would leave at 6 or 6:30. It left near empty at 5:45.  The best panoramas were supposed to be on the left but, at this time, everything was covered with fog. You might therefore enjoy the right side as much.  I needed info - How much is it to Qiche ? - Q15. - And to Sacapulas ? - Q10. Well try but I knew that the price was Q6 only. The extra Q4 was maybe for the morning pushing exercise ? This was my first tentative of bus rip-off : not all the buses’ staff were honest after all… It actually took a bit longer to go down than go up : 1h45. It is true that any kind of speed would be moderately appreciated on this dangerous road. Doing it in the middle of the night really does not look like a great idea…  If going to Uspantan, you may ask to get off at the crossroad, about 45mn before reaching Sacapulas.
AGUACATAN
Global Mark : 13.50

Ratings by criteria :
Charm
Scenery
Culture
Tradition
Market
Relax
Fiesta
Cost
AVER.
3
3
1
4
4
4
1
4
12.00
Ratings by backpackers :
Surveyed
Liked
Comeback
Recommend
Range
AVER.
1
100%
100%
100%
15
15.00
 Description : A small charming town that fills up with colors on Sunday, market day
Comments : The market is the (good) attraction but you could also stop to experience the relaxed atmosphere, possibly without any other foreigner.
What to do ? On market day, takes a lot of photos : the traditional costumes are beautiful ! / Wander around : it is fairly relaxed / Walk half an hour (direction East then follow the signs) to Nacimiento Rio San Juan, a fresh water source that has been turned into a refreshing natural swimming pool & picnic spot / Climb the mountain for a superb panorama / Come back to town via a different way (turn right from the source to emerge on 8a Av.) / Play pools (4a C., near 8a Av) / Play football (same street) / Swim (nice swimming pool opp. Esso Station, Q5 or free at the source) / Watch an action or Kung Fu video (4a. Av)
What you may not like ? Being the only foreigner in town ? / Showing too late for the market (people start packing back at noon) / The few rubbish in the natural pool / The tons of rubbish in the main street after the market /
How long ? One day
Where to stay ? Two basic but acceptable places, Q15 per person, Q5 for HW

Hospedaje Aguateco, 5a Av. / Go there for the nice setting around some greenery and the view from the first floor / What you may not like : it is noisy during the day as this place is also a game center with video games and babyfoots

Hospedaje Nuevo Amanecer, 6a Av. / Go there for the larger beds and relative quietness / What you may not like : no view and no open-space
Where to eat ? A few restaurants, incl. Tony’s a Mexican eatery. A few snack stalls around the plaza : fritos, corn, tacos, etc. A lot of comedores…

Leaving ? There are plenty of buses to Huehuetenango (Q4, 1 hour, 6am to 4pm, every 30mn) but that’s about it ! If you wish to go the other direction to Sacapulas or Nebaj, you will have to wait for the one or two buses coming from Huehue and usually showing early in the afternoon. Taking a pick-up in the morning to Sacapulas (Q8, 1 hour) is therefore what most people do.
The trip to Sacapulas : SSSSS / Left / Q10 / 1h10 / Pick-up With only one direct bus to Sacapulas or Nebaj at around 12:30am, the pick-up option sounded like a good idea. It is actually a good idea except that not too many pick-up agreed with it on that day : I waited for 1.5 hours at the intersection of 4 C. and 7 Av. And I was not alone…. At around 9am, we were enough people to interest a driver. That is, of course, if we would agree to pay Q10 instead of the usual Q6. We did agree.  The trip was worth waiting for, with beautiful panoramas of the mountains and the river valley. Traveling by pick-up may be less comfortable than by bus but it offers much better viewing opportunities. It is also faster by about 20mn.
HUEHUETENANGO
Global Mark : 13.50

Ratings by criteria :
Charm
Scenery
Culture
Tradition
Market
Relax
Fiesta
Cost
AVER.
3
3
2
4
3
3
2
4
12.00
Ratings by backpackers :
Surveyed
Liked
Comeback
Recommend
Range
AVER.
2
100%
100%
100%
12 to 18
15.00
 Description : A very relaxed department’s capital that see little tourists
Comments : This is the place to come to if you are looking for authenticity. Most travelers remain at the bus station and see the town from the window of their bus only.
What to do ? Relax by the lovely plaza & orange Cathedral, the ladino hang out place / Walk around the big covered market, the Maya part of town / Notice the difference of atmosphere / Have your shoes polished / Visit bad restored ruins nearby / Learn Spanish : at least 4 schools (around $130 per week w. accomodation) and little temptations to talk English !
What you may not like ? The difficulty to get precise transport info / The few drunk people, sleeping on the street or eager to talk to you / The little attractions in town
Market days ? Thursday & Sundays
How long ? One afternoon until your bus leave in the morning
Where to stay ? A few good places in Zona 1, near the plaza :

® Todos Santos Inn (7641241), 2 C 6-74 / Q30 per person or Q40 if shower / Go there for the nice clean rooms, some with a view, in a nice clean house / What you may not like : not much in the rooms beside the beds

Hotel Vasquez, opp the above / Sgl Q31 / Not as good as the above but acceptable.

Hospedaje El Viajero, 2 C., east of the above / Sgl 15, Dbl 30 / Very basic but the cheapest prices.

® Hotel Central (7641197), 5 Av 1-33, a green facade without name, opp exp. Hotel Zaculeu / Rooms 18(1) 30(2) 42(3) or 54(4) / Go there for the huge rooms well furnished, some with balcony, at good prices, the old charm & the helpful staff / What you may not like : the old charm, the dust on the furniture (ask for some clean up) and the noise from the road

Hotel Gobernador, 4 Av. 1-45 / Rooms 23(1) or 41(2), w. shower 41 & 75 / Small, dark and basic rooms

Hotel Mary (7641618), 2 C 3-52 / Rooms 35(1) or 70(2), w. shower 55 & 85 / Go there to check the rooms as it was full when I visited and to have a look at the OK view from the terrace.

Hotel Queen Santo (7649754), 3a Av 0-20 / Sgl 50, w. shower 90 / All rooms w. cable TV / Go there to watch TV in the OK rooms.

® Hotel Posada Familiar (7641189), 4 C 6-83 / Room Sgl 20, Dbl 40, w. shower & local TV 50(1) or 80(2) / Go there for the correct atmosphere and rooms / What you may not like : the Sgl are basic & dark and the road noisy.
Where to eat ? A few places around town. The comedor at Hotel Central offers breakfast for Q10 breakfast and lunch & dinner for Q15. The food was OK but the portion not as big as what I was used to in the previous comedores. Let me know if you find something better…
Internet ? Expensive at Q30 per hours. One place opp. Todos Santos Inn. A cheaper one (Q18) was however reported on 6 Calle, on the way to the bus terminal.
Supermarket ? Just opp. the Cathedral on 5 Av.
The ruins of Zaculeu ? Once you have walked the city & covered market, take a bus (2C, just west of Todos Santos Inn, about every 30mn from 7am to 7pm) to the ‘Ruinas’. 20mn and Q1 later, you will reach them. It is now free to visit (it was Q25 before) and that is good because they really aren’t impressive. The previous colonial power, the United Fruit Company, indeed did a fairly poor job of restoration. The tiny museum is however OK and the setting very nice. Go there during WE to spot locals having picnic on the grass.

Leaving ? The bus station is located in Zona 5. Regular buses do the connection with zona 1 from 6 Av, near the Cathedral. It cost Q0.65 and takes 10mn. Buses heading to the North or to the East should however pass by the Cathedral. Ask for advise.
To
Price
Time
Freq
Hrs
Xela
8
3am to 6pm
15mn
2.5
Guatemala City
30
day
30mn
6
La Mesilla
8
day
15mn
2
Todos Santos
8
5:45, 10:45, 12:30 to 16
na / a few
2.5
Aguacatan
4
6,8,9:30, 10 to 16:30
na / hour
1
Sacapulas
10
11:30, 13:30
na
2.5
Nebaj (1)
17
11:30
na
4.5
(1) Except Sunday
The trip to Todos Santos : SSSSS / Left / Q8 / 2.5 hrs I had requested the guesthouse owner to make a phone call on my behalf to check the latest schedule. Apparently, the bus was leaving at 6am. I did not wake up on time (who cares, I know) but still managed to reach the station at 5:43. Two minutes later, the bus left, nearly empty. It basically followed the same route I had taken 5 mn before, showing up on 4 C, by the Cathedral at 5:50. If you wake up late, you know where to go… The bus was soon packed, with at least three people per seat. One exception : the seat by the driver. I jumped there as soon as I could, not so much for the space but for the view. The windows were really dirty but the panoramas were amazing nevertheless.  We climbed the mountain for about one hour and then turned left on a dusty and bumpy road. Welcome to the Cuchumatanes ! On that road, the best scenery was definitively in the front, then on the left. Sometimes, it is possible to seat on the roof (basically when the bus is too packed) : that would be the best way to enjoy the amazing scenery… From that turn off, the bus started to empty, little by little, and there were only a few people left when we reached Todos Santos at 8:15.
The trip to Aguacatan : SSS / Right / Q4 / 1.5 hrs We left half empty at 9:30 but then took the time to fill up at El Calvario (the blue church). When we really left the town at 10:00, the bus was really packed : I shared my seat with two mothers and their kids ! The total trip was supposed to take 45mn only. But that was in theory, outside market day (it was difficult to advance), without any stops nor buses coming the other direction (the road is narrow by the ridge and prudence is a necessity) and with a kamikaze driver. We arrived at 11:00.
TODOS SANTOS
Global Mark : 15.45 Top Five : No2

Ratings by criteria :
Charm
Scenery
Culture
Tradition
Market
Relax
Fiesta
Cost
AVER.
4
5
3
5
4
5
1
5
16.00
Ratings by backpackers :
Surveyed
Liked
Comeback
Recommend
Range
AVER.
20
100%
90%(18)
100%
10 to 20
14.90
 Description : A traditional Maya village in the heart of beautiful Cuchamatanes, the largest non-volcanic peaks in Central America.
Comments : This is many people’s favorite place, but certainly more for the setting and people, the Mams, than the dusty village.
What to do ? Say ‘waow’ at the scenery / Take 5mn to visit the village / Take a few days to meet the people and trek around / Take a few weeks to learn Spanish, Mam (the local language) or the art of weaving / Take 260 days to follow the tzolkin, the ritual calendar / Wash yourself the traditional way in a chuj, the smoke sauna (never wondered why the locals were smelling the smoke ?) and forget it all ! / Listen to marimba / Wave and say hello to kids / Spot cactus of all sizes / Smell pine trees / Come back for the fiesta (November 1), one of the most famous of Guatemala with its furious horce racing, the Skach Koyl, that will designate the “El Capitaine”, followed by the “Day of the Dead”.
What you may not like ? There are not much to do in the village / The people asking for money in exchange of a photo / The limited supply of big water bottles (1 gallon) / Not being alone anymore / The barking dogs and the mountain echo of those damn barks ! / The (too) early drunk people / The massacres of the 80’s / What happened to that Japanese guy & the local driver (see below) / The chilly evenings at 2,470m, especially during winter / The dust when the wind blows / The local-men swaggering
How long ? At least a few days
Where to stay ? A few acceptable places near the church, all recommendable :

Hospedaje Casa Familiar, on the left from the main road, follow the sign / Dorm (6) 15, Sgl 20, room 25(1) or 40(2) / Go there to meet people, see local weaving, play with the kids (yes, it is very ‘familiar’) and enjoy the view from the terrace / What you may not like : the busyness all day & evening long, the thin wood walls which means little quietness, the rather bad shower system and the not so cheap prices.

Hotel Mam, turn left before the above, purple house on your right. Ask at the opp. tiny green restaurant / Room 12(1) or 24(2) / Go there for the large OK rooms, some with a tiny terrace over the road. / What you may not like : being on your own ?

Hotelito Todos Santos, just after the above, big sign, nice concrete house / Sgl 15, Room 20(1) or 30(2), w. shower 25(1) or 40(2) / Go there for the nice & clean rooms at good prices and the best view / What you may not like : the family noises and the water system

Hospedaje El Viajero, pass the above on your right and turn right / Room 15(1) 25 Dbl / Go there for the relative isolation & quietness, the large rooms and the (apparently) good bathroom / What you may not like : the rooms are a bit depressing and the view from the terrace slightly less attractive.

Hotel La Paz, on the main road / Q10 per person / Go there for the cheapest prices in town, some acceptable rooms w. terrace overlooking the road or to be on your own / What you may not like : it is rather basic and the road is noisy.
Where to eat ? A few snacks places around the market. You do have a few ‘foreigners’ restaurants but Comedor Katy is a better prices-authenticity-hygiene’s compromise for Q15. On Friday, head to Proyecto Linguistico Espanol/Mam for a friendly dinner with marimba music for Q15.
Internet ? Not yet ! But as it is becoming busy…
Bank ? You can change cash or TC at Banrural. The rate is a bit lower than in a city (7.56 instead of 7.63 for example).
Study Spanish ? At least 4 places to study for about $115 a week (15 hours of lessons) incl. family lodging, two traditional smoke sauna (chuj) and other activities. A good deal and a good way to experience the local culture. This being said, to base oneself in a place where most people speak a dialect (mam) may not be the fastest way to make progress. If you wish to learn Mam or weaving, then do not hesitate however ! The non-profit ‘Proyecto Linguistico Espanol/Mam’ also hold regular cultural conferences at 6pm (except Friday, dinner with ‘marimba’ music for Q15) and movies at 8pm (Q5). It also organizes trekking to the area in the morning for Q10. What is more, they have a ping-pong table ! Other schools organizes the same kind of activities so it is always worth checking their weekly program.
Trekking around ? You should start your trek by visiting the Spanish schools to check what trek they will run the next day. They usually go once a week to La Torre (the highest mountain peak in Central America) or the cave at Tuj Xiolec. It cost Q10 for non-students.
Of course, you could also walk on your own : following any path will reward you with beautiful mountain panoramas.  I was thinking going to La Torre on my own. - How long to go there ? - Three hours. OK, I thought, 1.5 hours to reach it and 1.5 hours to climb it. I therefore walked up toward Huehue for 1.5 hours (great walk except for the trucks & other vehicles which regularly smoked me) until I reached a path on the left (just where the road gets up again). - ‘Is this the path to La Torre’, I asked kids. - Yes. The guy from the Spanish schools was just coming down with two backpackers. They had taken the 6:30 bus and looked happy with their adventure.
Looking up, it was really impressive, with rocks that seemed impossible to climb. But there was a path and I followed it. Soon, the path disappeared. But the area was severely logged and it was obvious that I would have to keep going up to reach the summit. So I kept going, following more or less the logging line, sometimes finding the beginning of a trail. This was an exhausting 1.5 hours climb up but the panorama at the summit was amazing !
Going down was a lot of fun : the direction was clear as it was possible to spot the road but the path ? I slided my way down and was rather lucky not to loose my balance too many times and to always be able to advance (remember that there is a lot of high impassable rocks so stay in the logging areas). I was back at the road an hour later. A few buses from Huehue showed up but they were so crowded that I preferred to walk down.
I ended up at the Spanish school 1.5 hours later. - ‘So, was this really the highest mountain’ ? - No, the highest is La Torre. Did you see the cave ?’. As it proved out, I had not climbed the right mountain. I went up Tuj Xiolec, where the attraction is not so much the view than the cave. No wonder that there was no path to the summit ! La Torre was much further (3 hours walk from Todos Santos plus 2.5 hours climb). Anyway, this had been a great adventure, the panorama from the road & the summit had been amazing as well and I had the satisfaction of having done what few backpackers had done before…
 The Saturday market ? If you come here to shop for local handicrafts, you will be disappointed : only a few stalls display traditional clothes. Other sell basic commodities and food products. The only attraction of the market is actually to spot thousands of Maya people in their traditional costumes. Certainly a nice & interesting sight but probably not worth a special trip…
 The April 2000 dramatic events ? There are several versions of why two people were killed in Todos Santos. Below is just one of them :
People had discovered a few days before the body of kids without internal organs (there is an odious organ traffic in the region). The radio was therefore spreading the news, advising for parents to be vigilant toward strangers approaching their kids. Then came buses of tourists, as usual before the Saturday market. An old Japanese guy, seeing a little girl crying, tried to bring her comfort by taking her in his arms. Saying that, dozens of locals in their early twenties attacked him. The bus driver tried to interfere and was killed. A younger Japanese tried to interfere and was killed. The crazy (and certainly drunk) kids then turned to the other tourists, who found refuge in the shops. Then the police showed up, the kids were arrested & jailed and Todos Santos became a quiet place again.
Other versions talk about the kidnapping of kids a few days before (there is also a traffic of kids in the area) or a religious celebration which had announced the venue of an evil stranger…
Following the incident, advises were given to travelers not to take kids in photos without asking permission first and be polite toward the locals. This is always a good advise but it does not seem too related to the events. Indeed, all the kids in the area seem eager that you take their photos (sometimes in exchange of some money) ! And from the smiles of the locals, it is difficult to imagine any kind of animosity toward foreigners.
Still, the poverty of the locals and the damage that alcohol makes to the mind may explain why the young generation one day turned violent against the rich tourists. It is an incident that is however not likely to happen again. Being courteous and avoiding any kind of arrogance toward those very pride & naturally friendly locals should prevent animosity to develop…
 Leaving ? There are quite a few buses (12 ?) to Huehuetenango between 4:45 and 6:30. After this rush time, buses are expected to go at 11:30, 12:30, 13 & 14. It cost Q8 and takes around 1.5 hours.
The trip back to Huehuetenango : SSSSS / Right / Q8 / 1.5 hrs There are plenty of buses before 6:30. The scenery did not change and that was good because those panoramas are really beautiful. What did change however was the time it took us to reach Huehue : less than 2 hours to the bus station. It was market day (Sunday) and therefore real busy. Easy to understand why backpackers who see the bus station only do not fall in love with the place…
XELA (QUETZALTENANGO)
Global Mark : 14.32

Ratings by criteria :
Charm
Scenery
Culture
Tradition
Market
Relax
Fiesta
Cost
AVER.
3
5
3
4
5
3
3
3
14.50
Ratings by backpackers :
Surveyed
Liked
Comeback
Recommend
Range
AVER.
22
95%(21)
73%(16)
86%(19)
7 to 18
14.14
 Description : A big town with a large community of learning-Spanish gringos and plenty of things around.
Comments : The town has a relaxed Greek atmosphere but this is not the attraction : the Spanish-schools, the villages, the artists and the volcanoes are.
What to do ? Visit the helpful tourist office for maps & info / Spend an hour visiting the city (basically the church and the museum) / Climb the highest mountain & volcano of Central America (the Tajumulco, 4220m) / Shop at the biggest market in Central America (San Francisco on Friday) / Many other places to trek or shop in the area / Then relax at the hot springs / Discover one of the most colorful church of Central America / Watch a movie (a few cinemas) or local people hugging & kissing (a lot on Sunday) / Eat pizza (one restaurant at every corner in zona 1) or good pastries / Degust hot chocolate inside one of the nicest cafe in Central America / Play video-games or baby-foot / Be original : learn Spanish !
What you may not like ? The little attractions in town / The lack of cheap local food in zona 1 / The limited cheap & nice places to stay / The beggars and drunk people / Seeing nearly as many foreigners as local people on the plaza (not to say in zona 1) / Spotting armed guards in front of each bank / Annoying a gringo who would rather talk Spanish / The traffic and associated pollution / The chilly mornings at 2333m…
How long ? Half a day for the town, a few days for the surroundings, a few weeks to learn Spanish…
Where to stay ? Quite a few places to stay in Zona 1:

Pension Victoria, 6 Calle, 3mn from the Plaza / Q20 per person / Go there for the cheapest rooms, the very central location and to meet locals / What you may not like : it is rather run down & noisy (thanks to the dogs, cat, parrots or road) and the rooms aren’t equal in size and quality so ask to check a few

Pension Yesly, just after / Room 30(1) or 50(2) / Big but empty rooms. Not too charming as well.

Hotel Occidental, 7 Calle, the nearest from the Plaza / Rooms w. shower 70(1) 90(2) / Big & clean rooms, some unfortunately dark as no windows.

Casa Argentina (7612470), 12 Diagonal 8-37, 10mn from Plaza, near a market / Q25 per person, either in huge dorm (20) or much better rooms / Monthly rent : Q600 Sgl or Q1200 Dbl / When rooms become free, dorm guests have the priority / Go there for the friendly atmosphere with free water & kitchens. Quetzaltrekkers is also based here. / What you may not like : the dorm !

Hotel Oriental (7632241), 14 Av 3-36 / Sgl 40, Dbl 60, w. shower & TV 60(1) or 75(2) / Free water / A Chinese management hotel with acceptably priced & comfortable rooms w. shower.

® Pension Oriali (only sign : ‘Pension Hotel’), 2 Calle, just east of 12 Av / Q45 per person / A nice little house with comfortable & clean rooms plus a parrot and some greenery. Try to get a discount.

® Hotel Colonial (7612488), 3a Calle 9-48 / Q35 per person / Kitchen / Go there for the nice panoramic view of town, the acceptable big rooms at good prices and the relaxed atmosphere / What you may not like : not trying your luck with a discount as it is possible.

Hotel Los Olibos (7653469), 13 Av. 3-32, North 4 Calle / Dbl w. shower & cable TV 110 / Go there for the comfortable rooms at acceptable prices, at least if two people.

Radar 99, just opp / Room 30(1) or 60(2), w. shower 40(1) or 70(2) / An acceptable option that however lack charm.

Hotel Altense (7654648), 9a C. 8-48 / Room w. shower 40 per person / Correct rooms & atmosphere at correct prices but the area does not look too safe late in the night…
Where to eat ? There are plenty of restaurants in zone 1 but they nearly all have a westerner touch. If you are fed-up of pizzas, burgers or Italian food, it may take you a while to find your paradise. It could be found in the area S-E of the plaza : there are a few snacks on offer at night and a couple of reasonably priced restaurants. Among those, Sagrado Corazon Cafe (9a C. 9a Av., opp. Hotel Altense, 8am to 8pm except Sunday) offers some interesting local menus at Q11-20 : it is tasty and well served ! Another good place in the same area, highly recommended by vegetarians : La Salida (10 C. 9 Av, 10:30 to 21 except Wed). Good and well served dishes cost around Q15. Unfortunately, the whole area does not look like the safest, with rather poorly lighted streets. One place is not to be missed : La Luna Cafe Y Chocolate Museo (8a Av. 4-11) : 100 years of chocolates tradition inside a lovely museum !
Internet ? Most places collided to raise their prices from Q10 to Q15 an hour (Q4 per 15mn). The American manager of Alternativas (16 Av. 3-35 and 3-59, opp. Parque Juarez) however disagreed and kept the original tariff : Q3 for 15mn, Q10 for one hour on Sunday & daily from 3pm to 9pm (Q12 other times). Support him !
Banks ? A dozen of banks around the plaza, incl some with ATM machine. Most however do not change TC. The best rate at the time of writing was ‘Banco Occidental’, North of the Plaza : there is always a long queue but you may watch ‘Mr Beans’ on TV while waiting and there is a cold water dispenser…
Supermarket ? “Despensar Familiar” can be found S-W of the plaza on Calle 7. Open daily from 8am to 6pm.
Info ? Basically three places to head to for precise information on the numerous options :

The tourist Office, South of the Plaza. Open Mon-Frid 8am-1pm & 2-5pm, Sat 8am-noon.

Quetzaltrekkers, located at Casa Argentina organizes regular trip (incl. to Tajumulco for $55) and use the money to help finance various programs.

Adrenalinatours ( 13 avenida , 4 calle, pasaje enriquez), where Patrick, a Belgium guy (adrenalinatours@hotmail.com), will patiently explain you some options of this very rich area. He organizes trip for $11-20 depending of the number of person and can rent tents and sleeping bags.
Learning Spanish ? Having read everywhere that this was the place to go for studying Spanish, Xela may become victim of its success. There are as many schools as ever and the prices are still very reasonable (about $70 per week + $70 for lodging with a family, a bit more during summer) but the high number of students nowadays means that the opportunities to speak English has never been as high. Success will rely heavily on your commitment to converse with locals rather than fellow students. This being said, Xela remains one of the best overall option in Guatemala. There is usually no need to book online (with add. fee), except if interested by a specific school.
A tour of the villages ? There are dozens of villages worth visiting around Antigua. Some are well known. Others have to be discovered with patience, by talking to people and spending some time in the area. Most villages however become really interesting only during their market day. The following is what I did on a Sunday :
It was very foggy that day but the bus to San Francisco still managed to find its way to ‘La Rotunda’, where I was waiting. It took about 40mn (and Q2.5) to reach the village, whose main attraction is the view to the valley (left side better) and, above all, its Friday market, the biggest in Central America. I arrived at the perfect time (8:20), when the mass was just ending : waiting at the door of the nice church, I was able to meet the whole village. Most remained on the place to degust a glass of ‘leche’ (milk). If you want to meet people, this is the drink to have…
Beside that, there was not much to do so I soon took a bus to Momostenango (R2.5, another 20mn), the center of wool production in the highlands, with a few nice buildings. But today’s attraction was its market : if you love colors and pushing crowd, this is the place to be ! You should also ask a local to tell you the way to the ‘volcancitos’, some strange shaped stones. There is an acceptable hotel (Hotel Estiver, 1C 4-15, zona 1) but nobody was there so prices remained a mystery. Hospedaje Roxana, near the church was cheap (Q11) but dirty.
The bus back to Xela took a complete different way : a small rocky and dusty roads that would be enjoyable if the bus was not that packed and hot. Indeed, because of the dust, the windows were closed and this gave us a lovely sauna atmosphere. It stopped at all the villages and emptied little by little. This way, it took twice as long to reach San Francisco…
I had decided to visit Totonicapan (’Toto’) so stopped at the ‘Cuatro Caminos’. Rather than waiting at the crossroads, you could walk for 5mn to reach a place where girls wash clothes and themselves. From there, it will be a 20mn (Q1.5) trip along a nice road. That road is actually the only good reason to go outside of market day (Tuesday & Saturday) as Toto really is not too interesting. It is a poor provincial capital and you may feel uneasy displaying any kind of luxury.
The trip back was interesting as we were caught in a heavy hails assorted with some flash of lightning. It was fortunately a very local manifestation of nature and we found Xela as dry as ever. I did not make this time the mistake to go to the bus station and asked to stop near ‘Parque Juarez’, an interesting area, 15mn walk from the Plaza.
On the way back to Xela from ‘Cuatro Caminos’, you should make a side trip to the hilly village of San Andres Xecul (road just before the ‘Esso’ Station). You could walk the 4km or wait for one of the numerous bus or pick-up. Beside its nice setting, this village is famous for his splendid & colorful church, probably one of the nicest in Guatemala. The doors open only after 2:30pm (except on Sunday, morning as well) but the facade is what people really care about. The smallest church at the top of the village is worth going only for the view. From the village, buses depart every 30mn to Xela (Q2.5, 45mn).
 The market days ? It is always best to visit a village during its market day : Zunil => Monday / Totonicapan => Tuesday & Saturday) / Momostenango => Sunday / San Francisco El alto (the biggest in Central America) => Friday / Almolonga => Wednesday & Saturday / Salcaja => Tuesday / Xela => the first Sunday of each month / For other markets, check the table market days
 A trip to the hot springs ? It is possible to go on a tour for $8 but I would recommend doing it on your own. For several reasons :

You will be able to visit Zanul (Q1.5, 20mn, bus from La Salida Restaurant) : this village at 2076m has got a beautiful church (usually open after 2pm only, except on Sunday), a colorful cemetery, a room to worship Maximon (or San Simon, the evil saint, at the bottom of 3 Av, likely to change, Q2 to enter but still free to have a look), a textile cooperative and a (covered) market on Tuesday (best time 10am). Above all it enjoys a superb location !

You will be able to walk the road, at least one way. This is indeed a better attraction than the springs themselves. 8km long, it can be safely walked in 2 hours, among the vegetable-growing fields (smell them !) with Volcano Santa Maria in the background and plenty of birds above. To find the road, go up the village and cross the cemetery. You will see a road going up on the left of the main road. Enjoy !

You can do it for much cheaper. In theory, considering that one way by pick-up from Zunil cost Q35 and the entrance fee Q10, $8 may sound like a bargain. In practice, you can get a ride up for as little as Q5 (local people pay Q2) and a little of patience. Just walk the road and stop all the pick-up going up : a few will refuse your offer but one may agree (it is going anyway !). The chances of getting the Q5 ride are much higher on the way down (you may not even have to bargain)

The sources ‘Fuentes Georginas’ aren’t that impressive. It is too hot to swim and the basins aren’t that luxurious nor beautiful nor isolated inside the vegetation. The first basin is just after the gate on the left. As the ticket guy is sometimes stationed further away, you may be able to test the water for free. Otherwise, you will have to pay the Q10, even to have a look. There is a restaurant (sandwiches Q10, comidas Q35, cafe Q4) and good houses (two big beds, separated bathroom and fireplace as a bit chilly at 2400m) can be rented for Q90(1) or Q120(2). Hot Springs or not, the setting is gorgeous and this would be a great retreat…
 Climbing Volcanoes ? There are three volcano options in the area : easy Laguna Chicabal, moderate Tajumulco (the highest summit in Central America) and challenging Volcan Santa Maria.
Laguna Chicabal is one of the easiest volcano to climb, as well as one of the most original : it boost a lake in its crater. It does not really make sense to go with a guide as the way from the village of San Martin Sacatepequez (Q2.5, 45mn) is pretty straightforward (and upforward : good physical condition required) : once on the main street, turn right and keep going. At a three roads intersection, take the one going up on the left and sweat for 20-30mn. 1-1.5 hour (from the bus) later, you should reach the ticket office and the parking (a tour with an agency should actually bring you there) : it cost Q10 for foreigners to enter the reserve (Q1 or Q4 for locals). 20-30mn up later, you should understand why it was worth coming : your first view of the lake ! Magic ! That is, of course, if it is not foggy… To reach the lake, you must go down a long step of stairs. Then, take your time to wander around. The members of an evangelist sect were making all kind of crazy noises when I was there but this is not supposed to happen more than once a month. I had just finished walking around (45mn) when the fog showed up and covered the whole place in 30 seconds. “It is normal here, it will clear up again in 5mn” said the ticket guy (yes, another one !). But 15mn later, the lake was still invisible…
Inactive Volcan Santa Maria, 3772m high, requires a lot of energy and a guide as it is covered with forest. Easy to get lost ! It can be done in one day but spending the night near the top is recommended. Agencies charge $12-20 depending on the number of people.
Inactive Tajumulco, 4220m high, the summit of Central America, can be done on your own (if possible with someone) in about 5 hours at a relaxed pace (plus 3 hours transport). There is no hard climbing involved and no safety issues have been heard so far, as farmers grow crops on its slopes. Patrick can rent you a tent (Q30) and a sleeping bag (Q25) to help you fight the freeze. It is indeed recommended to spend the night near the top to enjoy both sunset and sunrise.
 Leaving ? If you do not wish to go to the busy Minerva Bus Terminal (Q0.65, from 9 Av 8C, 15mn), bear in mind that most long distance buses stop at the roundabout ‘La Rotunda’, about 15mn walk from the Cathedral. It may be full when showing however…
To
Price
Time
Freq
Hrs
Km
Guatemala City
24/28
5 to 17
hour
4
206
Panajachel
12
5,6,8,10,12,15
na
3
100
San Pedro
12
11:30,13
na
2.5
?
Santiago Atitlan
?
8,11,12:30,16:30
na
4.5
?
Chichicastenango
8
5,6,9:30,10:45,11,13,14,15:30
na
2.5
94
Huehuetenango
8
5 to 17:30
30mn
2.5
90
San Marcos
6
day
30mn
1
?
La Mesilla
12
5,6,7,8,13,14
na
4
170
Toto
2.5
day
20mn
1
30
San Francisco el Alto
2.5
day
30/60mn(1)
1
17
Zunil (2)
2
day
30mn
20mn
10
San Martin
2.5
day
30mn
45mn
?
Notes : (1) every 30mn market day, then to Momo / (2) from 9 Av. 10 C. Zona 1

The trip to Huehuetenango : SSSS / R / Q8 / 3 hrs  When I showed up at the station at 7am, the bus was already moving. I jumped in to learn that it would do circles. I jumped out, thinking that I could maybe find one really ready to leave. I did not. 10mn later, the initial bus came back… It left the terminal at 7:35 and the ‘rotunda’ at 8:00. It was packed ! The scenery was first better on the left but soon changed side. As this was also the side of the sun, you may therefore prefer less luminosity. We stopped to fill up the tank at 9:50 (everybody strangely went off) and reached Huehue’s terminal, located in Zone 3, at 10:10.  I was directed toward the bus for Todos Santos. - What time does it leave ? - At 12:30 - And do you have buses in the morning ? - No ! Actually, asking other people, there were buses in the morning. At what time ? 10 people asked, 10 different answers… I decided to spend the day in Huehue ! The buses to the center of town leave from after the market on the east. It takes 10mn and cost Q0.65
EL ESTOR
Global Mark : 15.53 Top Five : No1

Ratings by criteria :
Charm
Scenery
Culture
Tradition
Market
Relax
Fiesta
Cost
AVER.
5
5
1
4
2
5
2
3
13.50
Ratings by backpackers :
Surveyed
Liked
Comeback
Recommend
Range
AVER.
9
100%
100%
100%
14 to 20
17.56
 Description : A tiny village between lake and mountains
Comments : Add the nearby natural wonders to the great setting & relaxed atmosphere and you obtain one of the travelers’ favorite place.
What to do ? Adapt the pace of the village : cool ! / Swim : in the lake, by a hot waterfall or in a canyon, the setting is always gorgeous ! / Smell the bats and, if you dare, spot them ! / Explore caves / Spot parrots, howler monkeys (the scary ‘lion’ howl) and plenty of lizards / Canoe a canyon / Visit the Rio Polochic delta, a swamp wildlife reserve with plenty of birds (accessible by boat, around Q300) / See cowboys at work / Fish in the lake / At 8pm, watch a bad movie for Q1, sometimes a porn (Cine Allan, by the dock) / Alternatively, play pools
What you may not like ? Having little to do but relax in the village / The lack of good really cheap places to stay / The hot sun & dusty roads /
How long ? One day in theory, a week in practice ? Three days would actually be a fair deal…
Where to stay ? Most places are concentrated within a few blocks of the Plaza. With the sticky weather, you will need a fan or a lake breeze.

® Santa Clara Hotel, 5 Av / 20(1) or 32(2) downstairs without fan, 25(1) or 32(2) upstairs still without fan, 36(1) or 48(2) upstairs w. fan & shower / Go there for the cheapest rooms and the correct rooms w. shower, facing the lake / What you may not like : the rooms downstairs lack fresh air and it can be noisy.

® Hotel Vista Del Lago, beside the dock / w. shower & fan 50 per person / Go there for the nicest & cleanest rooms, if possible upstairs for the view from the terrace / What you may not like : the rooms are rather small

® Hotel Villela, 6 Av / Sgl w. fan 25, w. shower 30 per person / Go there for the nice garden and the cheapest & largest rooms w. shower / What you may not like : the rooms are rather hot & humid and some mattresses are really bad.

Hospedaje La Posada de Don Juan, by the Plaza / w. fan 25 per person / Basic and not as nice setting

Hotel Central, behind the above / w. shower & fan 48(1) or 72(2) / Tiny Cable TV on balcony / Rather expensive for what you get
® Hotel Ecologico ‘Cabanas del Lago’, 10mn walk along the lake / 60 per person or 250 for bungalow (up to 5) with kitchen, 50 or 200 without / Go there for the great setting, the private ‘beach’ and the nice bungalows, ideal for a family.
Where to eat ? A few places charge very reasonable rates for full meal or good dishes : Comedor Torita (by the dock) charges Q10 for the basic meat meal. Tiny Comedor Heydi (6 Av.) has new fair to good dishes every evenings w. tortillas for Q10. There is an ice-cream parlor for desserts by the plaza but, as usual, it is not cheap. The place by the cinema (same owner) sell good biscuits for Q2 the big bag.
Banks ? Corpobanco & Banrural both change TC of any kind. The first one was offering a much better rate.
Bike ? On 6 Av. 4-26. Q15 for 6 hours. Bear in mind however that the road is bad, the sun is hot, the stealing of the bike is an issue and the bus probably cheaper.
Backpacker’s Tips : Anthony Asael, Belgium (Nov 01) « New internet cafe in El Estor… in the church, ask for the Father ! »
 A waterfall paradise ? The hot waterfall of El Paraiso (Q5 entrance fee) should be high on everybody’s list. The setting is lovely, the river fresh (or warm) and the waterfall really hot ! Sitting next to it, you can smell the sulfur and feel like in a sauna. When you have sweated enough, dive into the refreshing pool ! There are plenty of fishes there so do not forget your mask. There are also plenty of caves so do not forget your flashlight, if possible waterproof as you need to swim to some of them. On the right of the waterfall, a path leads you to the top. The cave immediately to the right of this path is inhabited by thousands of bats, a truly impressive sight and a smelly experience. Of course, if you disturb them too much, there is a small risk of being bitten and, in this case, you will definitively need the ten rabies shots… It is better to reach the spot in the morning as it gets busy in the afternoon. Avoid the WE and the noisy locals. It cost Q5 from Rio Dulce or El Estor (about 45mn) but foreigners are sometimes asked for Q7 by the dishonest guys of this damn ‘Fuente Del Norte’ Bus Company.  The El Paraiso Hotel (9497122) is located 20mn walk away on the other side of the road. The setting is great w. a black sand beach and the bungalows (for up to 4 people, great for a family) by the lake are comfortable. They however cost 100(1), 170(2) or 250(3 or 4). A much better option, if equipped, could be the lovely camping ground : Q25. Unfortunately, there are no common showers. The restaurant is a bit pricey : Q20 for eggs dinner, Q40 for meat. Water cost the normal bottle prices.
A Canyon Experience ? El Boqueron Canyon, 8km toward Rio Dulce, is the second (some would say first) natural wonder of the area. It is not so much about swimming (possible but long and safety issues with your belongings) than renting a canoe (Q20) to navigate the river inside the narrow corridor. It is splendid and, early in the morning or late in the afternoon, you may hear Howlers monkeys. By showing up early, you may also find the place deserted : take a canoe and negotiate the price when you return, that is if the owner did show up in between…

 Leaving ? Unfortunately, you have to one day… Hourly buses to Rio Dulce from 6 to 19 (Q10, 2 hours). Going West toward Coban, one bus daily at 11:30. The bus goes first to Pazos (Q6, 1 hour), then to Cahabon (Q15, 4 hours), then to Lanquin and Coban. Problem is that it will leave Cahabon at 2am only ! You therefore need to board another bus or pick-up (Q5, 1 hour).
The trip back to Rio Dulce : SSS / Right / Q10 / 1.5 hrs Another day well started : waking up at 5:45 for the 6am bus ! I bet my previous record, leaving the room within 10 minutes… to find the garden gate locked ! To make the key keeper understand that I was in a hurry was another challenge but I still managed to catch the bus. It was full, as are most of the first buses. Showing up a bit earlier at the departure location is therefore recommended. Actually, I was lucky : one seat was only occupied by an umbrella. - “Can I seat here ?” - “No, it is for an old fat lady” Seeing no fat lady standing nor waiting outside, I decided to seat anyway. And I was right because she never showed up. Late wake up or locked gate, I don’t know…  This 6am bus was actually going to Puerto Barrios (Q17, 3.5 hours). I therefore wondered whether to stop in Rio Dulce or save money by taking the 10am ferry from the city. I opted for the boat scenery and got off at 6:20
RIO DULCE
Global Mark : 10.36

Ratings by criteria :
Charm
Scenery
Culture
Tradition
Market
Relax
Fiesta
Cost
AVER.
3
4
2
2
2
3
2
2
10.00
Ratings by backpackers :
Surveyed
Liked
Comeback
Recommend
Range
AVER.
22
59%(13)
23%(5)
32%(7)
5 to 18
10.73
 Description : A busy & dusty one street town by the Rio Dulce (the river) where buses stop and boats leave
Comments : There is little reason to stay here but there are plenty of reasons to pass through, on your way between Guatemala or Flores, Livingston or El Estor. A good point : the setting, once out of the main street, is lovely.
How long ? Traveling by night being dangerous in Guatemala (especially in Peten), you may have to spend a night here (usually, you can avoid). Otherwise, take a bus or a boat out. Before doing so, you may have a look at the river setting, the yachts and maybe also the Castillo San Felipe (a miniature medieval castle, 1km upstream from the bridge, Q2 by pick up, Q10 by boat, Q2 entrance fee).
Where to stay ? A few places in town but rather more pricey than in the rest of Guatemala or basic. Better to stay in El Estor…
- From below the bridge toward West (Flores) :

® Hotel Rio Dulce, big orange building below the bridge / w. shower 50(1) or 90(2) / Big, clean & correct rooms, unfortunately a bit expensive.

® Hotel Posada Del Rio, below the bridge / 40(1) or 60(2) / HW in common shower / Clean and nice setting with river view from the balcony. You may have to negotiate the price down a bit.

Bruno’s Hotel, below the bridge, river side / Camping 30, Dorm (10) 40, Sgl 75-90 min. / The best setting and a swimming pool (Q20 for non-guests) but rather exp.

Hospedaje Marilu, green building / 25 per person, room w. shower 60 / Apparently correct but cockroaches were reported

Hotel Riverside, an orange building, not at all on the river side / 25 per person, w. shower 50 per person / Basic but acceptable.

Hospedaje La Chaparrita / w. shower 25 per person / Cheap but basic and charmless

Hotel Sol, opp. the above / Room w. shower 60 / Big OK room
- Opp. side of the river (did not visit) :

Hotel Backpackers (2081779), by the river, Guatemala City side (stay in the bus if coming from Flores or free boat pick-up) / This place is famous for its orphanage ‘Casa Guatemala’ (250 kids) and it accept voluntary work. Problem is that it was reported costing $180 to be able to work for free ! The rooms are also expensive with dorm (10 or 18 beds) at 25 or 30 and Dbl at 35 per person. The setting however looked nice.

Hacienda Tijax (9027825), opp. Bruno’s / Free pick-up by boat, then Q5 / This working tropical farm (rubber in particular) is very original & lovely in its setting but was reported a bit dirty. The rooms are rather expensive ($21 Dbl, maybe Q90 after negotiation) but camping or dorm also available). The restaurant is also pricey and you are stuck there !

Quite a few other places requires a boat. For what you see from the river, those are luxury expensive retreats.
 Internet ? Bruno’s charges Q15 per 15mn or Q52 per hour. Daylight robbery !
Backpacker’ s Tips : Paul Coombs, England (Feb 04) « The Crow Bar by the boat jetty is a great place for drinks especially before sunset, and the friendly owner will radio for a boat to take you to a jetty where they have rooms. We stayed at the Tortuga which was lovely, and can arrange trips up to Livingstone.»

Bus Schedules ?
To
Price
Time
Freq
Hrs
Guatemala City
40 / 70 (reservation)
7,10:30 to 2:30am
hour
5
Flores
50 / 70 (reservation)
6:30, 9 to 3am
hour or so
4
Purto Barrios
10
7:30
na
2
La Ruidosa Junction (1)
5
day
30mn
1
El Estor
10
7 to 18
hour
1.5
Note : (1) from there to Puerto Barrios for Q5
 The trip to El Estor : SSS / L&R / Q10 / 1.5 hrs - “When does the bus leave ?” - “Immediately !” replied the driver. Well, it took him another 30mn to concretize his thoughts into action ! The bus was old & bad and so was the road in most parts. I had seated on the left side for the lake view but the lake remained quite distant and nearly invisible for most of the way. The scenery was pleasant anyway, incl on the right side with some nice mountains views.
The trip to Livingston : SSSSS / Everywhere / Q75 / 1.5 hours / ‘Collectivo’ Boat Most people use the beautiful but expensive river way. Speed boats leave when enough people but usually at 9am and 1 or 2pm. It cost a whopping Q75 and takes 1.5 hours. A cheaper but much longer way is to go by bus to Puerto Barrios (Q10) and take the ferry (Q12) that leaves at 10am & 2pm.  Some people had reported paying Q65 for the speed boat but we found little way for negotiation : the price ($10) is clearly posted on a board by the bridge and a dozen people are usually going on that secured 9am departure.  We boarded the boat below the bridge at 9am, to realize that it was full of water from the morning rain. Too bad for the backpacks we had thrown in ! After pouring the water out, we proceeded to different hotels to collect more passengers.  I had asked the captain if it would be possible to make a side trip upstream to see the San Felipe Castillo. It was possible and offered us a nice extra 15mn ride. The local passengers on the boat were not too happy with that but, hey, they pay Q40 only ! As we then stopped to fill up the reservoirs by Hotel Backpackers, we really left at 10am only. The first 45mn were lovely but the river rather wide. Then, approaching an island of vegetation full of birds, the motor stopped. We enjoyed a few minutes of birds singing, while the captain filled up the tank again.  The latest 45mn were the most spectacular. We had a 5mn side trip inside the Biotopo de Chocon Machacas, then stopped 2mn at a place where hot sulfurous water emerges from the rocks. The gorges just before reaching Livingston could certainly not qualify as ‘canyons’ (and are far from being as nice as ‘El Boqueron’ near El Estor) but were another opportunity to spot luxuriant vegetation, herons, squawking parakeets and pelicans.  So, if this was not spectacular, it was a lovely trip nevertheless and the different side trips or stops made the cost easier to swallow. I am not sure however that all the captains would be as nice and patient as ours (the boat name was ‘Ismeralda’)…
LIVINGSTON
Global Mark : 13.91

Ratings by criteria :
Charm
Scenery
Culture
Tradition
Market
Relax
Fiesta
Cost
AVER.
5
3
4
4
1
5
5
2
14.50
Ratings by backpackers :
Surveyed
Liked
Comeback
Recommend
Range
AVER.
22
91%(20)
45%(10)
86%(19)
5 to 20
13.32
 Description : A relaxed piece of the Carribeans
Comments : With the black Carib people (Garifuna), the Marley music and the ganjas culture, it is easy to feel in another country. It is therefore very popular with Guatemalan people during WE.
What to do ? Pick up a map or info in one of the fake Inguat office / Wander around the village, at a very very relaxed pace (beware not to fall asleep !) / Share philosophy (or something else) with the few rastas / Bask in the sun, like the dry fishes / Bath at a series of waterfalls / Spot fishermen or cormorants at work / Listen to reggae, man ! / Play basketball / Sip a drink at a cafe terrace and record the street life / Taste sea products / Drink and party all night (especially during WE)
What you may not like ? Not having much to see in town or around, beside the atmosphere / The slightly higher prices for commodities (films in particular), food or services / The dirty beach and uninviting water / The hot sun / The general lack of black people in the main businesses, despite the fact that the Garifuna culture is the main attraction : working is hard, man ! / The shortage of water at the waterfalls in the dry season / The crowd, noises and prices increase during WE / Not being better at basketball (actually, they are so good that you will probably disturb them) / The power shortcuts / The few cases of rabies / The drug culture / The lack of smiles, reported by some
How long ? You may loose the notion of time here… A few days at least !
Where to stay ? Plenty of good places to stay, although it fills up fast during WE :
- Along the shore, on the left when exiting from the pier :

Hotel Caribe / 20(1) or 38(2) / The upstairs rooms could be acceptable but the downstairs one are basic and dark.

® Hotel Henry Perrisford, big ugly building / w. shower 30 per person, w. river view 50 per person / Dirty swimming pool but correct rooms and great view from the terraces.

® Hotel El Viarejo / 20(1) or 30(2), w. shower 40 / Go there for the cheapest prices and the correct rooms. Check however that your fan is working…

Rigoletto, a small pizzeria (often without cheese !) / 50(1) or 75-90(2) / Nice rooms but smoking & drinking atmosphere with rap music

® Hotel Casa Rosada (9027014), luxury place / Dorm (4) 60, bungalows without shower 100(1) or 150(2) / Good vegetarian restaurant / Go there for the nicest setting, the relaxed atmosphere and the great dorm with 4 big beds in a huge ‘house atmosphere’ room w. shower (excellent for a family !) / What you may not like : the prices and the rather small bungalows

Hotel Vista El Mar, on the right before the bridge / 60(1) or 84(2) / Expensive for basic bungalows on stilts without shower & noisy thanks to the stereo.
- Going uphill from the main pier :

Hotel Tucan Dugu, the luxury place of Livingston / Nice swimming pool for residents only / Prices (around $70 for 2) are ridiculous considering that the rooms have no AC nor TV. Best view from the rooms however.

® Hotel Rio Tropicales, just after the immigration office / 35 (1), 60(2) / Go there for the lovely garden, well decorated, the relaxed atmosphere and the clean rooms

Hotel Rio Dulce, big wood house / 25 per person / Go there to spot the town’s life from the terrace and the correct rooms at good prices / What you may not like : it should be noisy !
- In the center of town :

® Hotel Blanco (9470256), big red & yellow wood building, near Ubafu bar / w. shower 25 per person (30 in HS) / Small kitchen / Go there for the cheapest good big rooms w. shower and the friendly Afro atmosphere.

® Hotel Garifuna, pass the Ubafu bar and turn right / Rooms w. shower 60 / Go there to check the rooms that should be nice & spotless. Was full…

Hotel King George, opp the above / Same prices but basic not so nice rooms.

Hotel California (9470178), big green house / w. shower 50(1), 60 (2) or 90(3) / Go there for the correct rooms in a slightly more quiet part of town. A bit expensive however.

® Hotel African Place, superb Moorish-style white structures on the way to the cemetery / 25(1) or 50(2), w. shower 50 or 75 / Good restaurant / Go there for the most original atmosphere, the charming rooms and the great surprising prices. The best deal in town ! / What you may not like : the hotel is for sale so it is a bit run down and the river in the garden is disgusting. Once sold, prices should increase…
Where to eat ? There are plenty of restaurants catering for tourists. Seafood would obviously be a primary choice if not too budget conscious. Rice & Beans would also be a safe bet. Fried fishes can be found for around Q25. Comedor Rio Blanco (opp. Rio Dulce Hotel) is one of the cheapest at Q12 for a meat dish, rather well served. Opp. during the day, a girl sells good & hot coconut’s breads for Q1. A great snack !
Internet ? A few places but expensive at Q18 for 30mn (Happy Fish Restaurant)
Banks ? Two banks accept both cash or TC
Tours ? You should be approached by touts at one time or another. The tours they offer incl the waterfalls (Q50), Playa Blanco (Q75), the Rio Dulce, La Cueva de Tigre (Q150), the Cayos Sapodillas off Belize for snorkeling (Q250 plus $20 exit & entry tax !) or the Punta Manabique reserve for fishing (Q500). You will always need a minimum of people to go so expect to wait a day or two.
A walk to the waterfalls ? Las Siete Altaras is the only natural attraction easily accessible by foot and on your own. It is fairly straightforward : you walk the beach up to its very end. On the way, you need to cross a small river (suspended bridge) and pass a few resorts (incl. nice Salvador Gaviota Eco Lodge, tel : 4047380, free pick-up, Q40 per person in room or Q75 per person in bungalow w. shower, cheaper comedor nearby if not happy with the restaurant) and houses. Beware not to take any path until you can no longer walk the beach. There is a small rocky way that will take you along the shore to the falls in another 5mn. The falls would be lovely if they had water ! This was not the case when I was there, at the end of the dry season, even so it had rained the two previous evenings. Of course, the guide you may go with will assure you that there is water : in the pools ! But waterfalls… Anyway, it is a nice 1.5-2 hours walk and basically the only thing to do around Livingston outside a tour. You could also go there via the village, following the road that pass African Place and the colorful cemetery with its massive tree. About 20mn later, after the road goes up on the left, take the wide soil path on the right, pass a stadium and continue toward the beach on the small path straight ahead (not going up), on the left of a well maintained property. You should reach the beach within 45mn, a bit before the crossing river point and the resorts.

Going to Honduras ? Since the opening of the new ‘jungle’ road, there are no longer boats to Omae. Touts by the pier in Puerto Barrios will offer you the ride to Corinto (1 hour) for a whopping Q50. Actually, it should cost around Q7 with regular transports.
Leaving ? To Rio Dulce, the only reliable ‘collectivo’ boat is leaving at 9am (Q75, 1.5 hours) / To Puerto Barrios, ferry at 5am & 2pm (Q10, 1 hour) plus other boats when enough people (Q25). From there, you have buses to Guatemala City (Q40, 5 hours, every 30-60mn), the Caribbean Honduras border (Q7, 1 hour), Chiquimula for the Copan border (Q20, 3 hours, every hour or so) or Esquipulas for another border and the most important shrine in Central America (Q25, 4 hours, 4 daily).
The trip to Quirigua via Puerto Barrios : SSS / L&R / Q10 + Q10 / 1.5 + 1.5 hrs / Boat + Bus The rain had been pouring all night long so it was a wet early awakening. For the first time, the guy from the guesthouse had knocked at the door as scheduled. When I was getting ready, he came to see me : “It is raining, there won’t be boat”. I thought for a while going back to bed but I felt strange about a boat that would fear getting wet… Of course, the ferry was there. The guy had probably meant that there would be no private lancha.  The rain still pouring, there was not much to see from the covered boat. Sleeping a bit more was therefore a nice option. When I woke up for the second time, the sky was clearer and Puerto Barrios was in sight.  At the pier, touts jumped on us : “Do you want to go to Honduras ?”. - “Yes but via a different way. Where are the buses to Guatemala ?” - “Straight ahead for 4 blocks then on your left”. That means on 6a Av. We reached indeed the station in less than 10mn. A bus was ready to leave. “What time is the next one ?” - “At 8am” - “You just told me there was buses to Guatemala City every 30mn” - “Yes, but they go direct. And you want to stop at Quirigua”.  I wonder if some buses would go all the way to the capital without stopping on the way (that would be a weird experience for Guatemala !) but I jumped on the bus anyway. The driver was in a hurry, racing against other buses to collect more passengers. Indeed, we had left empty… So, this bus was not direct to Guatemala… We indeed made a side trip to the village of Morales, waiting 20mn at the station there and eventually filling up. Back on the main road, the ticket guy asked me : “Do you want to go to the ruins or the village of Quirigua ?” - “The village”.  The bus stopped by a busy market area. Well, the place was bigger than I thought it would be. And there was a fiesta going on… I started looking for a guesthouse, heading where I had been told to head. 10mn later, still seeing nothing, I ask another local. - “There are no GH here, you need to go to Quirigua !” - “You mean that this is not Quirigua ?” - “No, this is Los Amates”.  Back to the market area, from where minibuses do the 10mn trip to Quirigua every 15mn or so, for Q1. We drove back on the main road for about 3km, then turned right. Coming from Puerto Barrios, ask therefore to get off at the junction, located just before km203, after the shop Super Caseta Brendy. The village center will be 10mn walk away.

QUIRIGUA
Global Mark : 13.75

Ratings by criteria :
Charm
Scenery
Culture
Tradition
Market
Relax
Fiesta
Cost
AVER.
4
3
4
5
1
4
1
3
12.50
Ratings by backpackers :
Surveyed
Liked
Comeback
Recommend
Range
AVER.
1
100%
100%
100%
15
15.00
 Description : A tiny village by bananas plantations and the Quirigua ruins, listed by UNESCO as a World’s Heritage site.
Comments : The village see little tourists and this is another good reason to spend some time there…
What to do ? Say hello to the staring locals / Walk along an old rail track / Spot tons of bananas (Del Monte plantations) / Admire 9 great stelaes, the tallest in the Maya world (up to nearly 11 meters for 65 tons), depicting the city’s rulers / Try to figure out what of the 6 zoomorphs (strange massive blocks of stones) represents a jaguar, a turtle or a frog / Back in the village, play pools or head toward a bar / Alternatively, walk the charming countryside or head toward bigger Los Amates…
What you may not like ? Being the walking attraction maybe / Not finding good bananas at the market ! / Not having much to do after you visited the ruins / The mosquitoes / The rather high ratio of drinking spot per habitants /
How long ? One day would be just fine.
Where to stay ? Three places in this tiny place but only one good quality-price ratio :

Hotel Y Restaurante Royal, the first place you will pass by, 5mn walk from the main road / 30 p.p. or 45 p.p. w. shower / The cheapest rooms have no fan nor window. The more expensive are OK.

Hotel El Eden, another 5mn down, by the market and the old train station / 36(1) or 55(2), w. shower 75(1) or 100(2) / Nice rooms w. fan but expensive for what you get and no discount possible ! Could also be noisy if busy (not likely) as thin walls.

® Hospedaje ???, opp. the above, along the rail track, just before the police office, no name / 15 p.p / The rooms are basic with iron beds and no fan but they are good & clean enough for the price asked. Family atmosphere plus the unfortunate barking dog & boosting rooster mean that it is not really quiet.
 Where to eat ? A few comedores. Comedor Nineth (the last house one on the right from the above hospedaje) charges Q10 for the correct basic meal and they have a cable TV !
Other ? Not much around. Head to Los Amates for your shopping !
The ruins of Quirigua ? This is one of the best spot, with Copan in Honduras, to see Maya carvings and, what is more, the way toward it and the setting itself are lovely. From the village, walk 10mn along the rail track, turn right at the road, and continue within the bananas reserve for about 40mn (regular transports as well if too hot). The site is free for locals but cost Q25 for foreigners. A bit expensive considering the size… Inside, disseminated on a well maintained grass are a dozens of big stones covered with delicate glyphs and Maya figures. In the back are the disappointing remains of the acropolis (at least compared to massive Tikal). Behind, the jungle is worth a short walk. For cultural info about the place, check the board at the entrance. And for colorful souvenirs, check the stalls ! The site is open daily from 7:30 to 17.

The trip to Chiquimula : SSS / Left / Q12 / 2 hrs I did not have to wait long in Los Amates. The bus from Puerto Barrios showed up at 7:30, unfortunately full. I managed to squeeze myself in the back, between girls and two very dynamics & smiling kids. Most people got off at the town of Zacapa, half an hour before reaching busy Chiquimula.  The mountains scenery was really nice, especially (but not exclusively) on the left side.
CHIQUIMULA

 Description : A busy transit town
Comments : There is little reason to stay here so most people just change bus.
What to do ? Change bus / Shop : it is rather big and there are lots of shops. Buying films before more expensive Honduras would for example be a good idea / Change money / Spot a big ruined colonial church (on the edge of town) / Drink beer : some of the cheapest prices spotted (2 bottles for Q9) /
What you may not like ? The place altogether
How long ? The time to get on another bus
Where to stay ? There is at least one good place to stay : Hotel Victoria (9422238), 2 C. 9-99 / Q30 p.p. with shower & cable TV
Where to eat ? Plenty of cheap comedores around the market
 Bus Schedules ?
To
Price
Time
Freq
Hrs
El Florido
8
6am to 4:30pm
hour
2
Esquipulas
8
day
15mn
1
Guatemala City
20
2am to 6pm
30mn
3.5
Puerto Barrios
20
day
30mn
3

The trip to El Florido (Copan Honduras border) : SSS / Right / Q8 / 2 hrs I had been happy to learn that the trip would take an hour only, thanks to the new good paved road. I was sorry to realize that I had been misinformed : the bus was full of very local farmers who had come to Chiquimula for the market (Sunday) and were heading back to their very disseminated homes. Stopping all the time to let people get off, we never really started… We reached the small village of Camotan (nice churches and some colorful traditional costumes) one hour after departure. Most of the passengers got off there so it took another 30mn to fill up the bus again.  To add insult to injury, our driver was not really a certified one. Poor brakes ! Fortunately, the scenery was lovely, with good mountains panoramas.

Guatemala’s South
ANTIGUA
Global Mark : 15.18 Top Five : No3

Ratings by criteria :
Charm
Scenery
Culture
Tradition
Market
Relax
Fiesta
Cost
AVER.
5
4
5
3
3
3
4
2
14.50
Ratings by backpackers :
Surveyed
Liked
Comeback
Recommend
Range
AVER.
21
100%
86%(18)
100%
10 to 20
15.86
 Description : A colorful and charming colonial city, part of the UNESCO listing, full of old churches and tourists…
Comments : The former capital (until the violent earthquake of 1773) is the nicest town in Guatemala and it is therefore high on everybody’s itinerary. It would however be best to visit it after a while on the road, to refuel…
Orientation : It would be fairly easy if all the streets were named at every intersection. This isn’t the case. Basically, the bus station is on the west of town, on Alameda Santa Lucia. Vertical streets (that is from N to S) are named ‘Avenue’ 7 (W) to 1 (E). Horizontal streets are named ‘Calle’ 1 (N) to 7 (S). The Plaza (Parque Central), at the center of town, marks the limit between the N-S and the E-W. Therefore, you get Calle ‘poniente’ (W) or ‘oriente’ (E) and Avenue ‘norte’ (N) or ’sur’ (S). Get a free map to make it clear !   What you can do ? Get a map from one of the touts at the bus station or from any travel agent / Walk the streets again and again, from one colonial building to another / Shop for any kind of souvenirs, from jade (expensive !) to textile (best at nearby San Antonio Aguas Calientes) / Eat any kind of food, from hamburgers to Chinese (dishes) / Visit art galleries / Take lessons of Spanish in one of the numerous school / Forget your Spanish with one of the numerous backpacker / Surf the web in one of the numerous internet cafe / Relax and forget the dusty roads / Visit the tourist office for the latest safety issues / Watch impressive processions (the best of all Central America being during Semana Santa, Easter week) / Climb volcanoes !  What you may not like ? The confusing streets / The lack of clear GH signs / The buses’ horns / The rather expensive food and limited small local restaurant / The unregular cobbled streets which make cycling around a pain (expensive anyway at around $8 per day for mountain bike) / The tourists crowd : Antigua would be so great if alone ! / The safety issues outside of Antigua that prevents you from walking alone / Some dual prices locals-foreigners / Too much comfort ? / The foreigners’ ownership : 60% of the landlords are westerners / The cool evenings at 2,500m   How long ? A few days to visit or relax, a few weeks to learn Spanish.
Where to stay ? There are plenty of reasonably-priced places to stay. Some are listed below (from West, the bus station, to East) but not all of them. During Semana Santa, prices increase (usually by two) and rooms become scarce : booking well ahead is essential !

® La Casa de Santa Lucia (8323302), Alameda Santa Lucia Sur #5, opp. market & Bus Station / Sgl (big bed) or Dbl w. HW shower Q80 / Go there for the nice setting and standing w. attractive & clean rooms made in dark wood (worth a look) / What you may not like : a bit dark maybe and a bit more expensive / Two branches : No2 (same street in the north at #21) and No3 (6 Avenue Norte #43A, near La Merced)

Posada Ruiz, Alameda Santa Lucia #17 / Basic rooms without shower Q17(1) or Q30 (2) / Go there for the cheapest rate spotted in town / What you may not like : it is basic and a bit depressing / Branch No2 at 2 Calle Poniente #25, west of 6 Avenue.

Nearby on 1 Calle Poniente, two familial places with no name but a ‘guesthouse’ sign. The first one, on the left (red facade) offers Dbl w. shower (cold) for Q50. The second (yellow facade) did not open the door after I rung the bell. Plenty of other places like those.

Posada Dona Angelina (8325173), 4a Calle Poniente #33, east of Post Office / Sgl 35, Dbl 70, w. shower 120 / The entrance looks attractive w. the plants but the rooms are basic, dim and not too clean. Only the cheap Sgl are therefore acceptable.

® Hotel Backpacker’s Place (8325023), 4a Calle Poniente #27, above the supermarket / Room 60(1) or 75(2), w. shower 75(1) or 90(2) / Free tea & coffee / Small satellite TV / Go there for the bright, clean & comfortable rooms / What you may not like : it fills up fast

Posada Refugio (no phone), 4a Calle Poniente #30 / Sgl 25-30, w shower 35, Dbl 60, w. shower 70, Trpl w. shower 90 / The rooms are basic and a bit dark & dirty but the atmosphere is acceptable, there are hammocks on the terrace and it is cheap !

® Pasada Vero (8320114), 3a Calle Poniente, in a small alley on the right, beside Hotel Primavera (basic rooms starting at Q35) / Sgl 20-30, Dbl 60, w. shower 70 / Kitchen / Go there for the friendly family atmosphere, the acceptable rooms, the good prices, the terrace and the small aviary / What you may not like : the poor birds in the small cage ?

® Hotel la Casa de Don Ismael (no phone), 3a Calle Poniente #6, the next small alley / Sgl 58, Dbl 72 / Go there for the nice, green & clean atmosphere, the terrace and the big comfortable rooms / What you may not like :some rooms are a bit dark

Villa San Francisco (8323383), 1 Avenida Sur #15 / Room $8(1) or 10(2), w. shower 10(1) or 14(2) / A nice terrace and some greenery but rather dark and basic rooms for those prices

® La Casa de los Maestros (8320551), 1a Avenida Sur #22 / Sgl Q35, Dbl 70, w. shower 45 or 80 / Weekly rates w. meals (6 days) and one hour daily of free conversation with Spanish teacher US$60 / Kitchen / Go there for the nice atmosphere, the relaxed terrace and the correct prices / What you may not like : a bit remote from the Station

Much more places, of course. Some have no name and just a sign ‘guesthouse’ or ‘rooms for rent’. Visit them if you are not happy with the above selection.
 Where to eat ? Antigua is full of restaurants catering to every taste and every nationality, from American to Chinese. If you have been traveling for a while, this is great. If this is your first stop, your stomach won’t notice too much difference from home. Prices however are rather steep : expect a minimum of US$3-5 in most restaurants and US$10 for a treat. Fortunately, for the budget minders, there are also a few real Guatemalan Comedor food. A good one is located on Alameda Santa Lucia #4, opp. the market : a full meal with soup, well served dish (to choose among 20 choices) and tortillas for Q12 ($1.6). An even better deal for the same price was reported near Pasado Vero on 3 Calle Poniente : Restaurant de La Casa de la Mixtas.
Backpacker’s Tips : Rodrigo González Mera, Chile (April 03) « Hotel León: by a travel agency, 7th calle norte, Q65 for two person, share bath, clean, nice rooms, laundry service, kitchen, a great view from the roof terrace, a few blocks from the Plaza, here you can buy the ticket for transfer to the airport - Aurora in Guatemala City (Q56 for one ticket) Restaurant: Colonial: in front of Hotel León, excellent dinner for Q15, for breakfast is a good choice too »
Backpacker’s Tips : Phil Mines, UK (Dec 02) « In Antigua on 4 calle Poniete there are food stalls similar to those in Asia. The food is good and cheap! Q7 for most things, e.g. tortillas with meat, salad, salsa, guacamole in a kebab type form. Also in the centre of the market (like most of Guatemala) are cheap comodors (pepian Q8).»
Internet ? Plenty of places around town, most charging Q3 for 15mn, Q6 for half an hour and Q12 for one hour. Internet Roy.com (1a Avenida Sur 21, opp. GH La Casa de los Maestros) was the cheapest spotted at Q2.5, 4.5 and 9 respectively. It was fast also.
Tel ? The cheapest place spotted was Planeta Maya (5 Av. Sur #11C) and Maya Charter (5 Av. Norte #10) : $0.29 a minute anywhere in the world. Prices may rise a bit in the future but should remain cheaper than the competitors…
Travel Agency ? There are about 40 travel agencies around. Difficult to recommend one but a few do not seem too reliable. Best advice would be to ask and walk around before committing. They all offer the same kind of services, that is free maps (the best spotted was provided by Atitlan tour Operator, 2a Av.Sur #4A), shuttles to various places (always much more expensive than the public bus), flights to Tikal (about $55 one way, $80 return) and tours (incl. to Volcano de Pacaya for $5-8)
Bank ? At least two 24 hrs Visa ATM machines in town and plenty of Banks. Banco del Quetzal & Banco Agromercantil, both north of the Plaza (and both open also on Sat & Sund 9am to 1pm) were offering the best rates when I was there. Tour the place…
Water ? When not provided by your GH (most do), some travel agencies (and other businesses) offer to refill your bottle with purified water : it costs Q1 for 0.5L or Q2 for 1.5L bottles. Expensive but still cheaper than a new one… The small agua bolsa are of course a cheaper option…
Shopping ? The biggest place to shop is the supermarket La Bodegona located at 4a Calle Poniente, just below the Backpacker’s Place.
Learning Spanish ? Antigua is a charming city and there are plenty of schools (and touts) to choose on the spot. They all cost about $65 for 20 hours weekly plus another $50 for accomodation & food and all offer add. services & activities. However, Antigua is very touristy and therefore not the best place to immerge yourself with the locals… Most schools also increase their rates during the busy seasons.
Visiting ? You could visit the whole place in a day but two or three would be best. Start at the Plaza (Parque Central), the Cathedral de San Jose, the Palace of the Captains General and the nearby museums. Then follow any street toward any old church (getting lost is part of the game). A few places, not always mentioned, worth a walk :
- in the South : from San Francisco Church, continue South to Escuala de Cristo (small park opp.) and then to El Calvario, a nice yellow structure about 800m South. Just before, the superb Hotel Villa Colonial is worth a look. The bus to Santa Maria de Jesus goes by.  - in the North : there is a nice viewing point on a hill, easy to spot with its massive cross. It is dangerous to go alone so the police (station on 4 Av Norte, just North of Parque Central) organizes free trip daily at 11am and 3pm.  - in the East : The 5 stars Hotel Casa Santo Domingo (3a Calle Oriente #28) is a truly impressive place that should make you feel like becoming rich (prices $77-282 plus 20% tax). Also worth a look is La Antigua Galeria de Arte (4a Calle Oriente #15)
Climbing a volcano ? This is a big business here but safety is an issue. Basically : do not go on your own but with an agency. No more agencies (at least the registered one) are setting up burglaries those days but it remains advisable to ask for advise at the tourist office. Two choices : Agua, an extinct volcano (very much visible to the South) that involves 4-6 hours climbing or Pacaya, the only active (and sometimes very active) volcano in the area that requires only 1-2 hrs walk. Most people seem to bother with the second only nowadays. It cost $5-8 depending of the agency. Make sure that it is a registered one and do not carry valuables with you. You will leave at 1pm and come back at 9pm. Most agencies (if not all) will meet each other for the climbing to the top, which means you will be spotting the bubbling lava with 30 or so other excited people. Safety becomes slightly less of an issue this way but you may regret having paid $8 to walk with people who paid $5 only…
Santa Maria de Jesus ? This rather ugly village, 11km away, is the starting point to volcano Agua and something you can do on your own. The authenticity, scenery on the way (right side when up) and the people wearing colorful traditional huipiles are the reasons to go. Also, the food is much cheaper there : the mango slices costing Q2.5 in Antigua cost Q0.5 there ! Bus leaves every 45mn or so. It cost Q1.5 and takes 30mn. The last bus back to Antigua is at about 5:30pm.
 The traditions of Santa Semana ? Santa Semana (Holy Week) in Antigua is possibly the most impressive celebration in all Central America, with half a million tourists showing up for the event. The tradition is thought to have been introduced by the Conquistador Alvarado in the 16th century, straight from Spain. Today, the religious fervor of the participants is visible through all the senses : the colorful costumes, massive andas (platform) & delicate carpets (alfombras) up to 100m long, the scents of flowers & incense, the music from the local brass bands, the delicate touch of the pickpockets…
The making of the carpets (with tinted sand, sawdust, flowers, fruits, seeds, grains, vegetables and lots of creativity) starts on Thursday evening and last until sunrise on Good Friday, when the Processions of Penance start. To get the privilege of imitating Christ carrying His cross, local people must pay a fee (Q25-50) to the brotherhood of each church, a way to finance the huge decorating expenses. Taking part is a great honor, a way of washing one’s sins away and many “turnos” are passed down from father to son. The weight of the anda (some cedar platforms weight 3.8 tones and need 80 cucuruchos to carry them) and the size of the “brothers” (from floor to shoulder) make a natural selection : too short or weak men cannot carry. There will be many shifts during the procession, each shift carrying the anda one block of Antigua.
Among the many churches, the procession of La Merced is arguably the most famous. It will be lead by 80 men dressed as Roman soldiers, usually coming from Guatemala City while the Ministry of Defense provides the “cavalry” of 21 horses and riders. 30-40 musicians follow the anda. And that is only for Jesus’ anda ! (there are other platforms, like Virgin Marie’s, carried by women). The Good Friday procession last from 6am to 3pm, the time of the Cruxifixion, when cucuruchos wearing white & purple will change into black . The Palm Sunday procession leaves the church at 1pm and returns at 11pm. Ask the tourist office for a map of the processions.
If scared by the crowd and related problems, there is hope : processions in Antigua also take place outside of Santa Semana and processions are not an exclusivity of Antigua. Most places will actually organize processions during Santa Semana. Santiago Atitlan was reported to be an excellent place as well…

How to leave ? From Antigua
To
Company
Price
Time
Hrs
Km
Guatemala City
various
4.5
ever. 15mn 5:30 to 18:30
1
45
Chimaltenango
Carrillo o Gonzalez
2.5
hourly 6 to 18
45mn
15
Panajachel
Rebuli
30
7
2.5
100
Escuintla (1)
America del Sur, Granadina
5
6:30,7:30,13
1.5
40
(1) from there to Monterrico via Taxisco & La Avellana (Q6 + boat Q5, 2 hrs)
How to leave ? From Chimaltenango
To
Company
Price
Time
Hrs
Km
Panajachel
Rebuli
15
hourly 7 to 16
2
85
Chichicastenango
various
?
ever. 30mn 6 to 17
2
98
Xela
various
?
ever. 45mn 7 to 18
2.5
145
La Mesilla (Mexique)
Velasquez
40
6:15,11:15,13:15
7
290
Huehuetenango
Velasquez, Zaculeu, Condor
?
hourly 7 to 18
5
211

Guatemala’s South
CHICHICASTENANGO
Global Mark : 13.32

Ratings by criteria :
Charm
Scenery
Culture
Tradition
Market
Relax
Fiesta
Cost
AVER.
4
3
3
3
5
3
2
2
12.50
Ratings by backpackers :
Surveyed
Liked
Comeback
Recommend
Range
AVER.
22
86%(19)
68%(15)
91%(20)
10 to 18
14.14
 Note : I did not visit this place. You are welcome to contribute !

Description : The most famous and colorful market of Guatemala, 32km North of Panajachel.
Comments : Most people like it but a few wonder what the fuss is all about : “it is just a bigger market”. Actually, on Sunday, religious celebrations and processions add to the market interest.
What to do ? Show up early : after 9am, the tourist buses show up / Shop for souvenirs, with care / Visit the 16th century church of Santo Tomas and its syncretism atmosphere / Make colorful photos / Have a look at the museum
What you may not like ? The tourist crowd / The need to bargain real hard
How long ? One morning
How to visit ? A few GH in town but prices are slighlty more expensive, in particular for the night before the market. Most people come therefore here as a day trip from Antigua or Panachanel. Travel agencies organizes trip for $4 one way or $7 return but you will save money (and arrive earlier) by doing it with public buses.
Backpacker’s Tips : Rodrigo González Mera, Chile (April 03) « Hotels: Belén: go up stairs from the Plaza and turn right, good view from the balcony, Q65 for two with bath / Salvador: go upstairs two blocks from the Plaza, Q65 for two with bath, good view from the balcony, I staid here, in general clean / Restaurant: Nim-ja: in front of the Plaza, Q17 for a good dinner with a drink / Bus: To Chimaltenango:, 2 hrs, Q15, To Antigua: 45 min., Q2,5 / Near the Hotel Salvador, one block upstairs the Plaza and than turn left by a curve, is a craftsman who sell cheaper wood crafts (typical mascaras and others) / A good idea is to come the night before the market (Sunday and Thursday) and visit the colorful cemetery or climb to the hill where they make the religious celebrations »

Leaving ? Buses to Qiche leaves every 30mn for Q2. From there, you have connections to Nebaj in Ixil Triangle via Sacapulas.
Guatemala’s South
GUATEMALA CITY

Note : I did not visit this place. You are welcome to contribute !
 Description : The often avoided capital of Guatemala, the largest city in Central America (3 millions people, one quarter of the population)
Comments : Zone 1, the old city, is supposed to offer some sights (museums, Cathedral, Palacio Nacional, etc) but most people prefer to avoid the fuss of having to watch one’s back. If you visit, do it light and do not hesitate to use taxis.
What to do ? There are quite a few things to do if you decide to stay. I did not. You are most likely to come here on transit, for a transport out or an administrative issue.
What you may not like ? The rather unsafe, chaotic, dusty and polluted atmosphere.
How long ? Are you still there ?
Where to stay ? Most budget hotels are located in zona 1, the most interesting but also most dangerous part of the city. Avoid wandering around with your bags. Book ahead and take a taxi (especially after dark)
How to leave ? Buses
To
Co
Tel
Address
Price
Time
Hrs
Km
Flores / Tikal
Fuente del Norte
2513817/2383894
17 C. 8-46, Z1
?
6 to 20
9
506

Linea Dorada
2329658
16 C. 10-55, Z1
215/100
10,20,22/19,21
9
506
Rio Dulce
Litegua
2327578
15 C. 10-40, Z1
50
6,9,11:30,13
5
265
Coban
Escobar Monja Blanca
2511878/2381409
8 Av. 15-16, Z1
?
hour 5-18
4
213
Chiquimula
Rutas Orientales
2515377
19 C. 8-18, Z1
?
hour 3:30-18
3.5
170
San Salvador
Melva/Pezzarossi
3310874/3626448
3 Av. 1-38, Z9
76/60
hour 5:30-16:30
5
240
LaMesilla (Mexique)
Velasquez
2211084
20 C. 1-37, Z1
?
hour 6-17
7
345
Centroamerica to Panama
Tica Bus
3314279/3611773
11 C. 2-72, Z9
?
12:30
4days
?
 Backpacker’s Tips : Dominique Paquette, Canada (Sept 04) « Leaving Ciudad Guatemala to… Managua, Nicaragua? If Honduras does not interest you and you want to head right to Nicaragua, here’s a great deal. When you arrive in Guatemala City, take any taxi and ask for “Hotel Espana”. In front of Hotel Espana leaves a bus that goes from Ciudad Guatemala to Managua (the capital of Nicaragua) in less than 24 hours. The cost: 25$US and of course, about a 15$US more for the borders fee (Guatemala, Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua). The bus “manager” told me this bus was leaving everyday at 2:30pm for Managua. (Arrive early to catch a nice seat) Now, here’s the catch. Perhaps your are imagining a nice confortable bus.. No. It’s a noisy chicken bus!!! And that’s the fun of it! I’ve done the ride, and it isn’t that bad. I arrived, the next day, in Managua, at 10:30am. Almost impossible to believe, but true. It never stops and runs along the Panamarican Highway all the way down to Managua. It’s cheap, fast, it saved me a lot of time and money!»

Guatemala’s South
AURORA AIRPORT

Description : A rather small structure with planes landing & taking off
Comments : The basics are there but it is not a place to longer…
What to do ? On arrival : Queue at the immigration / Get a nice 90 days visa stamped on your passport / Wait for your luggage / Change moneys (a few places) / Get tips & info at the small but helpful tourist kiosk (6am-9pm) / Say ‘no gracias’ to taxi touts / Say your first few words of Spanish (English is still OK, though)
What you may not like ? The late arrival time of most flights / Queuing or waiting too long / The limited documents available at the tourist kiosk / The US$25 airport tax : you could spend 3 days in the country with that !
How long ? Half an hour or so. It is a fairly relaxed airport but there aren’t much to do.
Where to stay ? If you arrive in the evening (and most flights unfortunately do), you should seriously consider staying in the area rather than heading for unsafe Guatemala City in search of an hotel. Dos Luna GH (21 C 10-92, Zona 13, Tel : 3345264, lorena@intelnet.net.gt) offers correct rooms for US$10, incl. pick-up from the airport. It is recommended to reserve in advance.
Banks ? Several places to change money & TC at good rates. The Banco del Quetzal agency exchanges all European currencies, US and Canadian dollars and is open from 6am to 9pm.
How to leave ? Most people nowadays do not bother with Guatemala City and head directly for Antigua. Three options from the airport. The first two should be ok in the evening but note that walking by night with your bags in Antigua is not recommended.  1/ Taxi : US$20-25, with possibilities to share. The fastest way. 2/ Shuttle Bus : US$10p.p., leaving in theory with three people. But then, the taxi would be cheaper. Coming from Antigua, the shuttle cost US$7p.p. and was reported leaving with one person only.  3/ Public Buses : US$0.13 to the city ‘Zona 1′ (No83, 20-30mn) + US$0.60 to Antigua (1 hour). This is not an option for the evening but, during the day, with a travel partner to feel safer, it enables you to have a look at the ugly capital while saving lost of bucks. See the ‘adventure’ below.
The trip to Guatemala City (Zona 1) : S / L&R / Q1 / 20mn You should ask the tourism kiosk for the latest (incl. the safety issues) but, basically, it should work out like this : exit the airport, cross the street, say ‘no gracias no taxi’, get up the stairs, cross the little park and head for the bus stop on the left. Wait a bit for bus No83 to show up. Advise the bus driver that you wishes to go to Antigua and give him your quetzal (change given). You will probably have to stand up with your bag, at least for a while (a lot of people get off about 10mn later). Sitting will enable you a glance at those very unattractive parts of the city (do not make you feel like camping there). When reaching a place with lots of buses and animation (known as ‘Finanzas’, zona 1, calle 18 or so) the driver should wave at you : follow most of the few passengers and get off. I was told at the airport that there would be some walking so I was a bit surprised to find the bus less than 50m away on the left (West direction as the bus was going from South to North).
Guatemala’s South
MONTERRICCO
Global Mark : 12.00

Ratings by criteria :
Charm
Scenery
Culture
Tradition
Market
Relax
Fiesta
Cost
AVER.
3
5
1
2
1
4
4
2
11.00
Ratings by backpackers :
Surveyed
Liked
Comeback
Recommend
Range
AVER.
14
86%(12)
86%(12)
86%(12)
3 to 18
13.00
 Note : I did not visit this place. You are welcome to contribute !
 Description : The nicest beach on the Pacific coast (for Guatemala, of course !)
Comments : As far as beaches are concerned, this is the travelers’ favorite
What to do ? Go at the beginning of the week / Enjoy the panoramas of the nature reserve / Walk the black sand beach / Watch turtles heading for the sea (turtle nesting ground) / Explore the mangrove swamp on a cayuco /
What you may not like ? It is tricky to reach as you have to change bus a couple of times (first to Taxisco, then to La Avellana, then a boat) / It is noisy and full of locals (some drunk) from Guatemala city during WE / It is therefore tricky to find cheap accomodation on Thursday, Friday & WE. / The rubbish / The relatively higher price for accomodation (up by 50% during WE) /
How long ? It’s up to you !
Where to stay ? Most are on the beach. You should be able to find something in the Q30-50 range during the week. Prices go up by 50% during the WE.
Where to eat ? At the hotels or at a comedor in the village

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 7th, 2006 at 4:38 pm and is filed under travel, guatemala, travelguides. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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Guatemala TravelGuide

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