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rooms with shared bath for $13 d, and rooms with private bath for $26 d. There are more
luxurious bungalows and a suite for $30 and $36 d. The latest addition to Finca Ixobel's
offeringsisaseriesoftreehousessetamidspaciousgrounds.Somehaveelectricity; others
are candlelit. Prices range from $11 d with candle-light to $17 d with electricity. Only one
oftheso-calledtreehousesisactuallyinatree,butallareattractive,quitecomfortable,and
set above the ground. A deluxe tree house with its own bath and electricity is popular with
honeymooners and goes for $23 d.
The restaurant here serves delicious, inexpensive meals, largely usingingredients grown
in the finca's vegetable garden. Breakfast and lunch are à la carte, while dinner is served
buffet style ($4-8). Breakfast items include homemade yogurt and granola, pancakes, and
eggs, with plenty of vegetarian options for lunch and dinner. There is also a bar set beside
a swimming pond where you can chill out in a hammock or play a game of “Twister” with
your new friends and fellow travelers.
AnybustravelingtheRíoDulce-FloresHighwaywilldropyouoffattheturnofftoFinca
Ixobel. From there, it's just a short 15-minute walk to the lodge. You can arrange minibus
transport to Flores and book bus tickets to Guatemala City from Finca Ixobel. Minibuses
go by every half hour 8 A.M.-5 P.M. and cost $5.50 one-way. Transport to Guatemala City
on Linea Dorada bus lines ranges $12.50-20 one-way. If you are arriving at Finca Ixobel
after nightfall, your best bet is to go to La Fonda Ixobel in Poptún town and get a cab from
there to the farm.
Villa de los Castellanos
In the town of Machaquilá, seven kilometers north of Poptún, Villa de los Castellanos
(Aldea Machaquilá, tel. 7927-7541, $25-40 d) is just off the road in a peaceful riverside
setting overlooking the Río Machaquilá and set on 12 acres of land encompassing forest
and a medicinal plant garden. Its 14 comfortable cabanas all have private bath. There is
also a good restaurant. The friendly Guatemalan owners, who live onsite, organize trips to
local caves, ruins, and forest preserves. One of the owners is a beekeeper and uses tradi-
tionaltechniquesinvolvinghollowed-outlogstocareforthesurprisinglydocilehoneybees.
There's also a small display of ancient Mayan artifacts (registered with the Institute of An-
thropology and History) found while living on the property.
Cocay Camping
Back toward Poptún is Cocay Camping (tel. 7927-7024, $5 per person), set in splendid
isolation on the banks of the Río Machaquilá just past the town proper. There are camping
spaces, very basic cabins, and a café serving vegetarian fare.
