Travel Tips 24 > North America > Central America > Guatemala >
Monterrico
Monterrico is the most popular beach in Guatemala and also the closest to Guatemala City and Antigua. There are nice waves for surfing, but beware of the undertow. There are lifeguards on duty during the weekend. Don't forget to bring some sandals. The sand is of the black volcanic variety and is too hot to walk on after 10am. The beach is wide and stretches for miles. It is busiest(not crowded by any measure) on Sunday with mostly Guatemalans. Most local girls prefer to swim in sweat shorts and t-shirts although you will find a few who brave a bikini.
Travel to Monterrico, visa requirements
By bus from Guatemala City to Iztapa (from the bus terminal in zona 4, 05:00-18:00 more or less every hour, 1 hour and 45 min), boat across the canal of Chiquimulilla to Puerto Viejo, and from there by bus to Monterrico (four buses a day). Or by bus to Taxisco, another bus to La Avellana, and finally boat to Monterrico. There are also 3 direct buses from Guatemala City to La Avellana, leaving the bus terminal in zona 4 at 10:30, 12:30 and 14:30 (check the schedule with Transportes Cubanita). From Antigua you can take a direct mini-bus shuttle(gringo tourists) for US$18 round-trip which leaves at 8am and returning 3pm daily. By car head for Escuintla - Puerto Quetzal - Iztapa - ferry to Puerto Viejo - and then to Monterrico. Or you can take the Carretera al Pacífico from Escuintla - Taxisco - La Avellana and ferry to Monterrico.
Money
You are going to want to bring all the cash you need for your stay. There are no ATMs in Monterrico and the closest one is 3 hours away. Some of the more expensive hotels might exchange American Express travelers checks e.g. Johnnys Place. Be warned VISA travels checks are not accepted anywhere in town.
Get around
Monterrico attractions and sightseeing
- The mangrove swamp
- Club Auto Safari Chapín , if coming from Antigua or Guatemala, head towards Carretera a Puerto Quetzal, and just after Super 24 (on your right) take a left turn towards "Taxisco" or the border with El Salvador. You will see a sign with animals on it on your right, just in front of the turn. Continue on this road until you reach Km 87.5. Just before this there will be a second bridge crossing the Maria Linda river, a wide right curve, a huge hydroelectric turbine mounted in a concrete base on your left (this is the road to the Aguacapa hydroelectric facility) and at the end of this portion, a sign will show that Auto Safari is near. This is the last curve before reaching the park.
They accept all major forms of payment, including US$ and major credit cards. The park has over 105 different species, local and international, and its collection includes up to 1200 animals. They have a restaurant, snack bars (one is located at the middle of the drive through tour), clean restrooms, adult and child pools, souvenir shops, children play areas, and a large interior parking lot.
A $7 ticket for admission gets you:
- Drive through the Park
- Bus service around the drive-through area (If you didn't bring your car)
- Access to the walk-through zoo
- Boat ride in their lagoon
- Pool Access
They also offer a package price for $9, which is the same as above, but includes a full meal. They have several food options, but a typical menu in this package consists of:
- Deluxe hamburger
- French fries
- Soda or bottled water
- Ice cream (They serve Sarita Brand ice cream, really tasty!)
They open from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm Tuesdays through Sundays. It's closed Mondays. For major holidays, you can expect the park to be open even if it is on a Monday. You can call their main office Monday through Fridays to confirm if they are open: +502 2363-1105 (English spoken). The park has a phone number as well, but no english is spoken: +502 5517-1705
You can also e-mail them. They answer to Spanish and English e-mails.
City tours
There's not much going on in Monterrico, the beach life and mangrove swamp is pretty much it. At times there is a lot of litter along the beach, although the hotels between the Dulce y Salado and the Eco Beach place generally keep it clean. You can take a 2 hour boat tour of the mangrove swamp for $5. The main road leads from the beach to the mangrove swamp dock and is a pleasant liitle 10 minute walk. There are a few mosquitos at night and you will get bitten so bring repellent. All the hotel rooms have mosquito netting covering the bed. The waves at the beach have a short and dangerous break.
There is an internet cafe with 4 terminals on the main road and they charge Q12 an hour.
There is a Spanish language school.
Horses are available to ride on the beach.
Affluent Guatemalans drive their ATVs up and down the beach.
More affluent folk fly their single or twin propeller plane in for the weekend and often fly low along the beach. There is a grassy landing strip along the main road, owned by the Aeroclub de Guatemala. Helicopters also fly along the beach once in a while, usually the affluent folk touring around before landing at their beach houses. If possible take an ATV ride along the beach, (west or east for about 10 Km) you will see some fascinating houses.
Learn
Spanish school Proyecto Lingüstico Monterrico, Calle Principal, Monterrico Taxisco, Tel 619-8200, 691-7505, espanolenlaplaya@yahoo.com. 20 hours/week USD 60 (+ accommodation USD 85).
Shopping, Monterrico souvenirs
Good restaurants and cheap meals
Many of the hotels along the beach have restaurants. Some of the best are at the Hotels "Pez de Oro" and "Johnnys". But "Johnny's" customer service is subpar. The tables are dirty and the menu is one of the most expensive in town.
Food in most of the beach restaurants is rather expensive. Your best bet for budget food is along Calle Principal. Here you will find a place selling chow mein tostadas for a bargain price. Vegetarian food is particularly hard to come by here with seafood being predominant on most menus.
"El Caracol" serves very tasty sandwiches and desserts, especially crepes. Their prices are competitive. The couple managing the hotel attended culinary school and are skilled cooks.
On the main road from the beach to the mangrove dock street vendors sell chicken sandwiches for Q5 and fried chicken with fries for Q6. You can get a small slice of cake for Q2 at some of the local stores(tienda in Spanish).
Monterrico nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.
- El Caracol The best place for a cocktail and for watching the sunset. The strawberry daiquiri is awesome! Closes early, 22:00.
- El Animal Where you go after Caracol. Lively place. Watch out for possible quarrels between the staff/management and local gangs.
- Johnny's Place Ice cold fresh fruit smoothies all day long. Close at 10:00
A cold 600ml plastic bottle of Coca Cola cost Q5 at the local stores.
Hotels, youth hostels, lodging
The hotels usually operates with different prices for weekends-weekdays. On the weekends it can be difficult to get a room at your hotel of choice. Book ahead, or be prepared to walk along the beach asking for available rooms. Children often will greet you as you arrive by bus and show you the way to a hotel but they do not know about the availability of the rooms.
- Hotel "Café del Sol". Excellent menus, nice and clean rooms, on the beach, ask for our salsa y merengue courses. 180/140Q. Tel 5810-0821 www.cafe-del-sol.com
- Pez de Oro. One of the best hotels in Monterrico (http://www.pezdeoro.com).
- El Mangle, Tel 5514-6517, 5490-1336. Q180/150 double weekend/weekdays.
- Hotel Baule Beach
- El Kaiman Cheep and clean Q80 for a double and they have great pizza cooked in a clay oven.
- Johnnys Place, Tel 5812-0409, 7762-0015. Q190/150 double weekend/weekdays. Dorms, private rooms, pools, traditional bungalows and deluxe bungalows. Pools, great restaurant, and volleyball every afternoon. www.playademonterrico.com
- Hotel El Marlin, Tel 5715-4934 (owner Antonio López). Not quite finished in spring 2004, but has potential. Pool and a small bar. Q150 double.
- The Guesthouse, behind El Marlin, same owner. Basic accommodation. Q50/35.
- El Delfin, is the first hotel on the right of the main road charges Q40 per person with a minimum of two people per room on Saturdays. They have a pool and restaurant. The rooms come with a fan but share a commomn thatched ceiling so you can here everybody fart, cough, and sneeze let alone laugh and chat all night long so bring ear plugs.
- El Caracol, This small hotel, two houses down from Johnny's, has the feeling of a bed-and-breakfast. The management is friendly and they have a puppy that will play with the guests. There are only three rooms at the facility, which conveys a more intimate interaction with management. The prices are good, too. For a private, double bed room, the price tag is $10 per person. The decor in the hotel is very soothing. Candles are lit every night. There are areas in the front patio that have hammocks, couches and hammocks.
Get out
A ticket by shuttle (mini-bus full of mostly young backpacking gringos) back to Antigua costs US$10 or Q75 and leaves at 3pm on the main road leading to the beach. It is cheaper to buy a roundtrip in Antigua for US$18 (contrary to what Lonely Planet says - the locals caught on).
Reservations at Proyecto Lingüstico Monterrico and the Spanish language school. The Hotel El Delfin also runs a shuttle service.
China travel tips: Language / pensions culture in Barcelona / cheap youth hostels singapore / hotels and hostels in Trastevere in Rome / Major Morocco tourist attractions / South Africa political attractions / Vancouver visitors guide, culture & youth hostels / Las Vegas hotels, top casinos, tours and shows