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which scuba divers can explore with the help of the lodge's diving outfit. The lodge it-
self features 10 rooms in comfortable thatched-roof cabanas with private bathroom, fan,
a patio, and ham-mocks. There's also a two-bedroom furnished apartment with air-condi-
tioning. Meals are included in the room rate and feature tasty Caribbean dishes, including
seafoodstews,servedinanairy palapa structurewithlovelyseaviews.Therearealsoabar
and swimming pool. Other recreational options include visits to the surrounding mangrove
swamps and deep-sea fishing. If you call ahead, the lodge can help you out with transport-
ation from the boat dock at Las Lisas.
One of my new favorite hotels on Guatemala's Pacific Coast is the lovely Eco
Hotel Playa Quilombo de Cucurumbé (Barra El Jiote, tel. 5206-7984 or 2232-6879,
www.playaquilombo.net ) , where room prices range from $20 d in a ground floor room to
$47 for a bungalow. The comfortable and tastefully decorated rooms are built around a
swimming pool and front a gorgeous, wide sandy beach. I like the newer construction and
airy,tropicalfeel.Therestaurantservesbountifulportionsofgoodfood,includinglasagna,
BBQ steak, and chicken fajitas. You may never want to leave.
CIUDAD PEDRO DE ALVARADO
The border crossing to El Salvador is found at Ciudad Pedro de Alvarado, which is fairly
quiet. Most traffic uses the crossing farther north at Valle Nuevo/Las Chinamas. There are
frequent buses from here to Escuintla and onward to Guatemala City. There are basic ac-
commodations and eateries on both sides of the border.
A GUATEMALAN TAKE ON DISNEY WORLD
Thetwintheme parksofXocomil (Km.180.5ontheroadtoQuetzaltenango, tel.
7772-5780, 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) and Xetu-
lul (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)
sproutedseeminglyoutofnowherejustafewyearsagoontheoutskirtsofRetal-
huleu along the road to Quetzaltenango. The first of these, Xocomil, opened its
doors in 1997, with Xetulul being added in 2002. Both parks are operated by
IRTRA, the Institute forthe Recreation ofGuatemalan Private Industry Workers,
aprivateentitycreatedbytheGuatemalanCongress.Itoperatesthreeotherparks
near Guatemala City.
XocomilandXetululopenedtomuchfanfareandarebelovedbyGuatemalans
andforeignersalikeforthequalityoftheparks'attractions,theircleanliness,and
the friendliness of the staff. By any standard, the parks are impressive, and they
 
 
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