Trip to Flores, Peten in Guatemala

After putting off an inevitable trip to Flores, Guatemala the past few months the time came for me to venture out there. Now don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t putting the trip off because I didn’t want to go, but merely because other things kept happening in Belize that I wanted to attend, and I was trying to time the trip with getting my visa renewed.

One thing to note here in Belize is that you can keep going to immigration each month and pay $50 BZ ($25 US) for a 30 day extension of your visa. After 6 months however, the price goes up to $100 BZ ($50 US) per 30 day extension. The trick here is that if you leave the country for more than 3 days and then come back, you get to continue paying only $50 BZ ($25 US) each month for your 30 day renewals for the next 6 months again. Now at this point I have been in Belize for over 6 months and my trip out of the country for over 3 days is long due.

So off I go to Flores, Guatemala, a place I’ve heard wonderful things about, and read the reviews both online and in the travel guides. Since I live in Benque Viejo already, it is very close and easy to get to. I caught a taxi for $4 BZ to the border at Melchor De Menco. Standard crossing procedures getting my passport stamped out of Belize (paying the $35 BZ exit fee) and then changing BZ into Quetzales, then getting stamped into Guatemala (Paying the $10 Quetzales entrance fee).

Upon walking into the main street the usual taxi drivers acosted me. But you must say no to their ridiculous prices they quote you for a trip to Flores. If you have a group, you could perhaps negotiate a good deal, but otherwise it’s better to catch a short taxi ride downtown Melchor and then hop on a Collectivo minibus to take the trip to Flores for only $30 Quetzales. It only takes a couple hours and then you’re there , at the gateway to Flores.

Flores is a beautiful city on an island, which because of the bridge could be mistaken for a peninsula. It is in the center of a gorgeous green lake that is both clean and amazingly warm for swimming.

Tuk-tuk taxis drive back and forth across the bridge taking people into Santa Elena the city just at the edge of the lake. I decided to walk and shoot some video on my way.

Upon walking across the bridge I sought out the infamous and highly recommended Las Amigos. Yes, I can now recommend it too, it’s a great place to stay, and they serve all vegetarian food (I am a vegetarian so this is a high delight).

Las Amigos is a very stylin’ place, and full of interesting travellers from around the world. I relaxed most of my 4 days doing very little of anything but socializing and taking a few strolls around the island. I went swimming with some of my new friends, played cards, drank beer, and listened to two beautiful girls from Finland sing some incredible choir songs in their native tongue. That was probably the highlight of the whole trip actually, but it’s not likely that the average traveller will experience that. It is very likely that you would have fun though.

All in all I felt lazy the whole time, partying into the nights, sleeping during the days, and leaving all the tours for the tourists. I’m sure I’ll visit again soon enough, and I highly recommend visiting.

~Jambhala