Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
shopisstockedwithsomeoftheregion'smostwonderfulweavingsandisalmostanoblig-
atory stop for anyone passing through.
Hiking
There are numerous opportunities for hikes. If you want a guide or printed information to
make the most of your walk, head to either of the town's two language schools. One of the
most popular walks is to the site of
Las Letras,
the town's equivalent of the “Hollywood”
sign overlooking California's famous neighborhood. The Todos Santos version is a series
of white painted rocks above town, with an arrangement that might be illegible depend-
ing on when they were last reassembled. It's about a two-hour hike round-trip. From there,
you can continue another five hours to the villages of
Tuicoy
and
Tzichim. La Puerta del
Cielo
is another amazing lookout point accessible via a detour from Tuicoy. A five-hour
trek from Todos Santos is the village of
San Juan Atitán,
up the ridge looming over the
village and down into a valley, crossing streams and verdant forests along the way.
Accommodations
Most of the town's accommodations can be found in a cluster up the hill about a block
from the plaza. Only a few have phones to contact for reservations. A virtual Todos Santos
institution,
Hotel Casa Familiar
(tel. 7783-0656, $6 p/p to $25 d) is a longtime fa-
vorite with travelers. Run by a local family, it was being remodeled at last visit to provide
upgraded accommodations for visitors. The new rooms will have private bathrooms. The
pleasant garden dining area was also being remodeled. You can arrange guided hikes from
here as well as reading lessons. Movies are shown daily at 4 P.M.
Another good choice is
Hotelito Todos Santos
($12-13 d) with basic tiled-floor rooms
with shared or private hot-water bathroom. There's a basic café in the lobby. Next door is
the bare-bones
Hotel Mam
($3.50 p/p). Turning right up the hill at the end of this same
street, you'll find
Hospedaje El Viajero
(tel. 7783-0705 or 5754-9760, $4 p/p), featuring
rooms with bare concrete-block walls, hard beds, and little else, though there's a small ter-
race fronting some of them. All rooms share baths.
Food
There are a few decent places for food along the main street heading out from the plaza
toward the main road and Huehuetenango. Among these is
Restaurante Cuchumatlán,
serving pizzas ($8 for a large pie), curry dishes, and fruit smoothies. It also has a book ex-
change. The patio dining area at
Casa Familiar
(tel. 7783-0656, $2-4) is the best place in
town to grab a bite to eat.
Information and Services
