Flores is a small slow-paced village with Caribbean sensibility,
pastel-colored buildings and friendly people.
Flores
is situated on an island in Lake Petén Itzá,
45 minutes by road from Parque NationalTikal and 2 hours from Cayo District in Belize.
Enjoy exploring the cobble-stone streets
flanked by handicraft stores and charming houses,
many of which are small hotels, guesthouses
and restaurants.
Good places to eat
are easy to find in Flores. Order up your favorite
international cuisine or go Guatemalan
if you're
looking for a taste adventure.
The shops
stay open well into the evening
and you can purchase
colorful hand-made
garments, fabrics and other take-home items,
including t-shirts and local
hard-wood carvings fashioned
after indigenous wildlife.
SLIDE
SHOW - DESCRIPTIONS
Welcome Arch - Causeway into Flores
Catholic Church - Central Plaza
Flores - Street View
Hotel La Casona de la Isla - Lake View
Open-air market in Santa Elena
Three-Wheel Taxi (Tuc Tuc)
Hotel La Casona del Lago - Flores View
"Launcha" on Lake
Petén Itzá
Side street in Flores
Dining in Flores
Fabrics from Flores
THINGS TO DO AROUND FLORES
Lake Petén Itzá -
Going anywhere on Lake Petén Itzá is a very pleasant
affair. You can hire a "launcha" (wooden motorboat)
to visit the zoo on the small island of Petencito. Besides
the indigenous
wildlife, some of which roam freely on the island, there is
a good size "Wet & Wild" type water-slide, which
makes for a great way to cool off in the heat of the day.
There are also several nature-wildlife trails, one of which
leads to a un-excavated Mayan structure.
ARCAS - The
nearby Asociación
de Rescate y Consevación de Vida Silvestre (ARCAS)
is a wildlife rescue center.
Animals being cared for include - macaws, green and yellow
parrots, jaguars, howler and spider monkeys, kinkajous and
coatimundis that have been rescued from smugglers in the illegal
pet trade. At the center, the animals are rehabilitated for
their hopeful release back into the wild.
El Mirador - Afterwards, motor on
to San Miguel and hike up the steps to "El
Mirador" (The View) for an unforgettable panoramic view
of Lake Petén Itzá. On the other side of the
island there is a secluded beach area, "la playa",
for swimming.
Santa Elena -
Walk or
take a 3 wheel taxi (TucTuc) for less then a dollar and cross the island causeway into Santa Elena and
experience the bustling streets of Santa Elena and it's sprawling
market areas. Here you can try your hand at
bartering for locally produced fabrics, phone accessories,
sunglasses, watches, bootleg cd's and other local and regionally
produced items.
Cuevas
de Actun Kan -
At the edge of Santa Elena town there is an easily accessible
(by taxi) cave attraction, which is maintained
by INGUAT. It is quite large and takes around 45 minutes to
have a look around and complete the well-lit, circular route.
A flashlight is provided to explore unlit areas. Well-marked trail system
highlight some interesting formations that resemble animals and people, plus plenty of stalactites and stalagmites.
Canopy Tour - There are two places that offer adventure rides, such as hanging from a harness and sliding down wires attached between trees. Canopy Tour Tikal is located judy outside the Tikal main gate.
In addition to Zip-Line Tours, they also have Hanging Bridges which is excellent for Wildlife Spotting. The second is Ixanpajul - a 5 minutes drive from Flores, which has a canopy tour and suspension bridges. In addition, they offer horseback riding.
Mayan Ruins - Excursions
from Flores to the most frequented archeological
sites include Tikal,Yaxhá and El Ceibal.
Where to Stay ....
Hotel La
Casona de la Isla Picturesque lakeside
hotel in Flores with jacuzzi and pool. Open-air restaurant and bar, Cable TV, phone, AC.
Hotel Isla de Flores Luxury and comfort in the heart of Flores. Each room has two queen-size beds, AC, Cable TV, phone and shower-bath-tub.
Hotel Petén Lakeside
hotel with comfortable rooms, many with a direct lake views; jacuzzi and indoor pool. Open-air restaurant and bar, Cable TV, phone, AC.
Casazul
This charming, modestly priced nine-room Guesthouse is located on the shore of Lake Petén and boasts some of the best views of the lake in Flores.
Hotel La Casona del Lago
A well appointed Caribbean-style, lakeside hotel situated on the shores of Santa Elena with 32 rooms, Swimming Pool, Jacuzzi, Restaurant & Bar.
Flores - Tikal-By-Air
See Tikal by day and still be on-time for your same day, return-air-transport .... or dine and spend the evening in Flores/with overnight and enjoy the ambience of Flores.
