PETÉN - Guatemala - page 504

The only direct service to FRS from the United States, a Saturday-only flight via Hous-
ton on Continental Express, was dropped in November 2006 after 18 months in operation.
Within Guatemala, travel agencies in Antigua, Panajachel, Guatemala City, or Quetzal-
tenango can help you find lower fares from Guatemala City to Flores on the regional car-
riers. These are in constant flux, with at least one of these airlines having recently gone
under. Flights on TACA are usually in the $200 range for a round-trip flight, but you can
often save a substantial amount by booking through one of these travel agencies.
Bus
Linea Dorada (tel. [phone], www.tikalmayanworld.com , $15-30 one-way) has buses
from Guatemala City at 10 A.M. and 9 P.M. daily, stopping in Río Dulce and Poptún along
the way. There are also daily buses to and from Belize City ($17 one-way), leaving at 5
A.M. and 7:30 A.M. and returning at 2 P.M. and 5 P.M. Buses arrive and depart from the
main bus terminal along 4a Calle in Santa Elena as well as from another office on Playa
Sur in Flores (tel. [phone]).
You'll find minibuses to Melchor de Mencos, Poptún, and Sayaxché west of the market
in Santa Elena on 4a Calle. Buses and minibuses to San José and San Andrés ($1, 40
minutes) leave from 5a Calle, west of the market.
San Juan Travel (2a Calle, Santa Elena, and Playa Sur, Flores, tel. [phone]) oper-
ates service to Belize City ($20), continuing to Chetumal, Mexico, leaving daily at 5 A.M.
and 7:30 A.M. from its office on 2a Calle in Santa Elena. The shuttle also picks up passen-
gers at the hotels in Flores and Santa Elena with prior arrangement. Return trips are at 9:30
A.M. and 4:30 P.M.
GETTING AROUND
Taxis and Tuk-Tuks
You'll find taxis at the larger hotels in Santa Elena and at the Mundo Maya International
Airport. A taxi from the airport to Flores should cost no more than $3. More popular and
much less expensive are the tuk-tuks (Asian-style motorized rickshaws) you'll find seem-
ingly everywhere. Short trips of about a kilometer or two within the Flores/Santa Elena
area on tuk-tuks are usually in the range of $0.75.
Shuttle Buses
ShuttlebusesandminivansplytheroadbetweenFloresandTikal. Linea Dorada (fromthe
market in Santa Elena or Playa Sur in Flores, tel. [phone], www.tikalmayanworld.com )
makes the trip from Flores at 5 A.M., 8:30 A.M., and 3:30 P.M., returning at 2 P.M. and
5 P.M. and costing $3 one-way. San Juan Travel (2a Calle, Santa Elena, and Playa Sur,