THE PACIFIC COAST - Guatemala - page 299

Banco Industrial has Visa ATMs at its locations on the central plaza (6a Calle 5-17 Zona
1) and at Centro Comercial La Trinidad (1a Calle and 5a Avenida “A” Zona 5). Banco
Agromercantil, also on 5a Avenida facing the plaza, has a MasterCard ATM. Both banks
change U.S. dollars and travelers checks.
For Internet access, check out Internet at 5a Calle and 6a Avenida, where an hour online
costs $1.50. Hostal Casa Santa María (4a Calle 4-23 Zona 1, tel. [phone] or 5205-1132)
also has an Internet café.
GETTING THERE
Most buses plying the Pacific Coast Highway (Carretera al Pacífico) stop in Retalhuleu's
main bus depot at 7a Avenida and 10a Calle. There are regular buses to Guatemala City,
Quetzaltenango, the Mexican border, Champerico, and El Tulate.
NORTH AND WEST OF RETALHULEU
Xocomil Water Park and Xetulul Amusement Park
The first of these, Parque Acuático Xocomil (Km. 180.5 on the road to Quetzaltenango,
tel. [phone], www.irtra.org.gt , 9 A.M.-5 P.M. Thurs.-Sun. Jan. 8-Oct. 31, Wed.-Sun.
Nov. 1-Dec. 15, daily Dec. 15-Jan. 7, $10 adult, $7 children) is a wonderful water park
on par with the world's best and a must-see if you are traveling with children. Among the
attractions are 14 water slides, a wave pool, and a lazy river meandering through the com-
plex of re-created Mayan ruins and monuments. The main restaurant showcases a Mayan
pyramid painted in ochre, green, and yellow, as it would have looked in the Classic period.
Additional food stands are scattered throughout the park.
The second phase of an eventual four-park plan is Parque de Diversiones Xetulul (tel.
7722-9450, www.irtra.org.gt , 10 A.M.- 6 P.M. Thurs.-Sun. Jan. 8-Oct. 31, Wed.-Sun. Nov.
1-Dec. 15, daily Dec. 15-Jan. 7, $27 adult, $13 children), where a variety of amusement
park rides are spread out among seven plazas, each with its own restaurant and gift shop
showcasing a variety of replicated world monuments. Among the highlights are Paris's
Moulin Rouge, Rome's Trevi Fountain, and Guatemala's own Gran Jaguar Temple from
Tikal. The park is also home to Central America's largest roller coaster.
A new convention center and 18-hole golf course were in the planning stages.
Return to HIGHLIGHTS
Hostales del IRTRA
Justacrosstheroadfromthetwothemeparksarethelodgingscreatedspecificallytohouse
visitors. The Hostales del IRTRA (tel. [phone], www.irtra.org.gt ) encompass a virtual