Trips to Guatemala

COAST OF THE PACIFIC

This region, well-known by their long beaches of black sand, the flora of the mangrove swamps and the turtles laying eggs of September to January, includes the departments that give to Guatemala exit to the Pacific Ocean: Escuintla, Suchitepequez and Retalhuleu.

More than 30 volcanos they contributed to the formation of these majestic black sand beaches. The coast is excellent for the sport fishing throughout the year, mainly of fish-guards. The climate is warm and humid, ideal to practice aquatic sports.

Escuintla, call the “City of the Palms” and famous by its beaches, is the door to the Pacific Ocean. In crafts they emphasize the wood works, metals, basketwork, leather and ceramics.

Suchitepequez:  Between attractive the tourist ones of this department the city of Mazatenango is, especially during the month of February when its glad celebration of Carnival is celebrated. Also all the Holy Fridays in San Antonio de Suchitepequez can be appreciated their religious fervor in the live representation of the passion of Christ.

Retalhuleu, the “Capital of the World”, as their settlers due to the wealth of their resources, hospitality of their people and exuberance of their nature call, is bathed by a great amount of rivers. The attractive earth major this warm and humid constitute their beaches, like Champerico and Tulate, Great Beach, Beach the Green one, Ocosito Lake, Beach Samalá River, Lagoon the Tiger, etc. Other attractiveness is the Cave of Encanto, excellent spas with swimming pools and hotels, as well as one of the most important and complete parks of diversions of Central America:  Xetulul and Xocomil of the IRTRA.   

Important it is the archaeological site of Abaj Takalik, manifestation of the pre-Hispanic culture and that outside lived at a time previous to Tikal. There one was, in a constructed astronomical observatory 1,800 years ago, the older real tomb of I reign Mayan. He is very famous by his “barrigoncitos”, sculptures of personages of low stature. Some are between fauces of animal equally realized in rock.

In this department are Mayan descendants k'iche'es and kaqchikeles that conserves many of their traditions.