Tikal Trip
Ball Court, Main Plaza, Tikal  Sunrise at Tikal

For the adventurers among you, here is a nice vacation trip.  It can be arranged easily by yourself and is an inexpensive trip that would allow the use of your Folbot or other folding kayak that can be transported by plane or you can rent a variety of boats in Flores, Guatemala. You would be able to paddle all over a medium size, clear water lake and have the opportunity to tour several impressive ruins on the same trip.

Guatemala/Tikal/Adventure:  For a unique experience as well as low cost consider this trip.  Fly yourself and your boat or rent one to Flores, Guatemala (sister city is Santa Elena).  There is jet service into Flores from Guatemala City, Merida (Mexico), or Cancun.  You can rent a car, take a bus, or cab to the village of El Remate, about 20 miles, and stay at La Casa De Don David (http://www.lacasadedondavid.com) or stay at one of the many hotels in Flores, only a few minutes from the airport.

The town of "Old Flores" has at its center a 15th century Spanish Fort/Church.  It has cobble stone streets, and held a Mayan palace before that. The island is in a beautiful natural lake, Lake Lago Peten Itza, (see map below) and is reachable via a recently built causeway.  You can stay in Flores at one of several hotels.  I have stayed at Casonas De La Isleta for about $30 US a night for two people. There are likely cheaper places, but this one is beautiful. It has an incredible view of the sun sets over the lake, and seems to be in one of the safest areas. (Details about Casonas De La Isleta are accessible at Belize First web page: http://www.turq.com/belizefirst/ )  It is air conditioned, has a patio pool and Jacuzzi and backs to the western lake shore.  You could stay here the night of your arrival or you could take a cab (about $11.00 US) or rent a vehicle and drive on to La Casa De Don David, a small hotel located on the other end of the lake, in the village of El Remate. The road is well paved and only takes about 20 minutes.  It is on the opposite end of the lake from Flores, which would be about 15 miles by boat, and is on the way to Tikal. Either place offers easy access to the lake and you can make arrangements for your hotel to store your boat.

The lake has many small rivers that are great for exploring and you are never very far from a shoreline as the lake is fairly narrow streatching out approximately 25 miles from east to west. There are great varieties  of bird and fish life and even a few freshwater crocodiles, though these are rarely sighted.  The lake is a natural, cool and clear water lake that has no natural outflow, serving as a source of many down river springs.  It is clear, cool, blue and has a decent fishing reputation.  David's place backs to the lake and it is well-fenced and safe for storage of boats and vehicles.  David has become a great friend of mine and I think his place is great, not only for the low cost, its beauty, and location, but for his hospitality.  He, his wife, and teenage daughter are wonderful people, funny and full of interesting tales about the past 25 years in the area.  They have recently gotten a cellular phone and electricity and can be reached via fax within a few days as he has to check it during his visits to Flores.  Reservations can be made via a fax number on his web site, by calling the hotel, or you can contact me and I will put you in touch with him.

There are bus services to Belize City or Mexico. There are also many mini-buses that go into the Tikal National Park that stop directly in front of David's hotel as early as 5 am.  The gate to Tikal is about 15 minutes from the hotel and you can easily get there via the bus or talk David in to taking you there and picking you up at the end of the day.  Also, there are free bicycles, but it is almost all uphill to the park, so I would not recommend it.  This is a great place to stay. He has electric fans and being on the lake, most nights are relatively cool.  You could spend several days on the lake, fishing and exploring feeder rivers to the lake.  Touring Tikal could easily take up several days exploring the ruins. The ruins at Tikal are amazing, covering over twenty square miles. In many cases you can climb in and out of old palaces and really get a feeling of what life was like then.  There is also a good museum there. Entry fee into the park is about $6 US, but exchange some money before you get to the park and you will get a break by using the local currency, Quetzals.  David will do this for you at the best rate in the area.

David's place is about $16-$18 per night for two and he has rooms for three or four.  His rooms are very clean, the water filtered, and the meals his wife and staff cook are wonderful.  He has a great menu and specializes serving the fruits and vegetables of Guatemala.  Meals are between $3 and $5 each. They will make a box lunch to take on your Tikal trip for $2.50.  There is a very comfortable feeling to his hotel. It feels like home and the staff are gracious and friendly. It surrounded by a beautiful fence made from native rock with secure parking next to the rooms. There is an overall safe feeling about the hotel and the community.  It is directly across the street from the village's health clinic which is convenient for treating any ailments that may crop up that might mar a vacation. Visit his web site at: http://www.lacasadedondavid.com

For shoppers, El Remate is known for exotic wood carvings. There are numerous wood carving shops next door to the hotel and down the road in the village of El Remate, within easy walking distance. The villagers have made carving an industry for the town as part of their contribution to the ecology of the area, reducing dependance on the more traditional farming methods or timber harvesting.  Also, Flores is a shopper's heaven on earth.  The typical cloth, carvings, and jewelry are as high quality and as inexpensive as I have seen.  Most of the merchants are Indians who make the goods and live in their shops.  It does not feel over-run by tourists. The tourists I have met were mostly from either Europe, Israel, Australia, or New Zealand.  They seemed to be of a more hardy variety as travel in this part of Central America, tending to be more backpackers and non-traditional tourists.  I have been there the last six years and have consistently had a great time.  This year, 2000, the border crossing was the easiest ever. The car fee was $5 US plus $2.50 for spraying, and the 'visa' fee was $5 for each person.  If you have interest in this trip, email me and I will answer any questions that I can.  I think a 7 day trip could be done for well under $1000 US. (about 400 for flight from the US, if you shop around, $50/day for a rental vehicle, less than $100 for room, and $50 to 100 for food) Not bad for a foreign vacation these days, especially to a place so exotic.

Most of the shop owners can speak a little English, but knowing a little Spanish will be helpful.  David is from Florida and has been in Guatemala for over 25 years. He is great source for information on the area and will arrange trips for you if you wish to places like Rio Azul or El Mirador (these take two or three days), or he can arrange river trips. He arranged a very nice afternoon horseback ride for me with a guide that ended on the top of a nearby mountain just as the sun set over the lake. It was an incredible view.  A good  many rivers feed the lake and at certain times of the year some white water rafting is possible. He quoted me about $50/per day per person for a three day trip to Rio Azul by four wheel drive and mule in a group of four.  Look up these places in the National Geographic. This trip puts you right in the middle of the Mayan civilization and many of the people you will meet are direct descendants. His neighbor is a terrific wood carver. David has developed a reputation of being a specialist on tarantulas.  There are some of his pets around the grounds that he will show on request.

Finally, there are a number of Spanish classes offered in the area. Most places offer 4 hours per day of one-on-one tutoring for about $75 a week and for another $75 a week you can stay in one of the homes of the instructors who are involved in this program.  You could also stay the week at David's hotel and have the lessons in the morning and have the rest of the day for boating or hiking.

Happy adventuring.

Bruce McNellie
Trip Coordinator
Project Belize
mcnellie@mailcity.com
For information on Project Belize

To visit La Casa De Don David in El Remate: http://www.lacasadedondavid.com