THE PACIFIC COAST - Guatemala - page 311

$1.40tocrosstheCanaldeChiquimulillaovertothebeaches.Sipacate'srecommendedac-
commodation, Rancho Carrillo (tel. [phone] or 5413-9395, www.marmaya.com ) is on
a clean stretch of private beach. There are a restaurant, pool, and bungalows with air-con-
ditioning, private bath, minifridge, and cable TV. The bungalows house up to four people
and cost $60 regardless of occupancy. A family-size unit for up to eight people costs $108.
Smaller, more basic rooms without air-conditioning but with outdoor hammock on a deck
fronting the beach cost $40 d. There are deals available if you're here Sunday-Thursday.
El Paredón Surf Camp
East from Sipacate about five kilometers is the village of El Paredón Buena Vista, home
to Guatemala's surfing mecca. Featured in National Geographic Adventure and Outside,
El Paredón Surf Camp (tel. [phone] or 5744-9342, www.surf-guatemala.com ) is a bare-
bones surfing hideaway where you can stay in a bed or hammock with meals for $12 a
day. The meals are provided by a local family and are heavy on seafood. Surfboards are
available for rent at $15 a day. You can put them to good use on the sea, which dishes out
1.5-2-meter (5-6-foot) rollers opposite the lovely beach at your doorstep.
Theownersinsistyoubookinadvance.TransportfromAntiguaorGuatemalaCitytakes
two hours and costs $45. It is highly recommended, as getting here by public bus involves
changing buses four times.
El Paredón is inside Sipacate-Naranjo National Park, home to large extensions of
mangroveforests.Littlehasbeendonetomaketheparkanauthenticecotourismattraction.
The emphasis at El Paredón is decidedly on the surfing aspects, though the owners can ar-
range kayaking in the neighboring lagoons.
ESCUINTLA
ThedepartmentalcapitalofEscuintlaisasweltering,busyplaceandmainlyapitstopalong
the road to the coast from Guatemala City, or if you're heading east-west along the Pacific
Coast Highway. A four-lane autopista starts just outside of Guatemala City and leads from
Palín to Escuintla, with inspiring views of Agua, Fuego, and Acatenango Volcanoes along
the way. Another four-lane highway continues south from Escuintla to Puerto San José,
Puerto Quetzal, and Iztapa. A bypass means you don't need to even pass through town un-
less it's absolutely necessary.
Yourbestbetforadecentcheaphotelisalong4aAvenida.Otherwise,try Hotel La Villa
(3a Avenida 3-21 Zona 1, tel. [phone], $20 d), containing adequate rooms with fan or
air-conditioning, cable TV, and private bathroom. There are also a swimming pool and res-
taurant. Nicer accommodations with swimming pools popular on weekends with Guatem-
alan families can be found along Avenida Centro América in Zona 3. The best of these
is Hotel Sarita (Avenida Centro América 15-32 Zona 3, tel. [phone], $50 d), offering