Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
OntheBelize side,there arebusesleaving fromthebordereveryhalfhour.Youcanalso
takeataxiridethreeekilometersto
Benque Viejo del Carmen,
thefirstsizablesettlement,
from where there are more frequent services. Another 13 kilometers east is
San Ignacio,
a
pleasant town with much to see and do.
Accommodations and Food
There is little reason to linger here, as at most border crossings in Guatemala, but there
are at least two serviceable hotels should you need to spend the night here. Right at the
border overlooking the Río Mopán is the aptly named
Río Mopán Lodge
(tel. 7926-5196,
www.tikaltravel.com
,
$20d).ItsSwissownerorganizesvariousnaturetourstolocalattrac-
tions, including remote archaeological sites such as Holmul, and is a great source for local
information. Other activities include canoeing or tubing on the river. The lodge has a res-
taurant specializing in Mediterranean food. Another option is
Hotel La Cabaña
(Barrio El
Centro, tel. 7926-5205, $40 d), with comfortable rooms including air-conditioning, private
hot-waterbath,andcableTV.Therearealsoaswimmingpoolandarestaurantservingloc-
al and international dishes. Aside from a few snack and drink stands on the road leading to
the border crossing, these two hotels are your best (and really, your only) options for food.
South of Melchor de Mencos and skirting the border between Belize and Guatemala is the
Maya Mountains-Chiquibul Biosphere Reserve. Although its name makes it sound rather
official, it is really the epitome of a “paper park,” as it lacks any real protection and is be-
ing lost due to the advance of the agricultural frontier originating around populated areas
in southern Petén. Still, there remain some beautiful areas of intact forest and the park is
certainly worth saving for the ruggedness of the terrain and its corresponding ecological
and biological diversity.
Recreation
National Geographic
has put the word out concerning the existence of Central America's
longest cave network, the
Chiquibul caves,
which originate in Guatemala but continue for
most of their expanse in Belize. The Zactun entrance (Guatemala) is the passageway to the
western-most
Xibalba
cave, harboring one of the cave system's largest chambers, aver-
aging about 80 meters (260 feet) in width and accentuated by spectacular vaulted rooms.
The caves are extremely remote and have been explored only by hard-core spelunkers.
They are probably more easily accessible from Belize, which is where most scientists
studying the caves have focused their efforts. It will be interesting to see if any work is
done on the Guatemalan side during the next few years.
