Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
IftravelingtoGuatemalaonyourownboat,youwillmostlikelyarriveontheCaribbean
side and will need to check in with immigration officials in Lívingston before sailing up
the Río Dulce, the most popular route with boaters.
ThemostpopularrouteintoGuatemalabyriverisviatheUsumacintaRiver,whichdivides
Mexico and Guatemala. Boats travel from the Mexican town of Frontera Corozal to La
Técnica and Bethel, in Guatemala's northern Petén department. This is the route of choice
fortravelerswantingtocombinevisitstotheMexicansitesofPalenqueandYaxchilánwith
trips to the various Petén ruins. Yaxchilán lies on the Mexican bank of the Usumacinta
and is highly recommended. Buses from Palenque to the Mexican border are available via
Transportes Montebello and Autotransportes Rio Chancala. From La Técnica, buses leave
for the Petén departmental capital of Flores at 4 A.M. and 11 A.M. ($4, five hours). Buses
leave Bethel for Flores at 5 A.M., noon, 2 P.M., and 4 P.M., cost $4, and take four hours to
make the trip. Package trips encompassing bus and boat transportation are available from
various travel agencies in Palenque and Flores for travel in either direction for about $35.
It is also possible to travel from Benemérito, south of Frontera Corozal, up the Río
La Pasión to Sayaxché, Guatemala, and via the Río San Pedro between La Palma and El
Naranjo. These routes lack scheduled passenger service and are not recommended as they
areincreasinglybeingusedastransshipmentpointsbythegrowingdrugandillegalimmig-
rant trade between Petén and Mexico.
ManytravelersenterGuatemalabybus,aspartoflargerexplorationsencompassingneigh-
boring countries. If traveling by car or bus, try to make the border crossing as early in the
dayaspossible,astherearefewserviceablehotelsandrestaurantsinbordertownsandthey
are notorious for their seedy atmosphere. Onward bus service tends to wind down further
into the day, so try to get a move on while you can.
Driving from the United States
When I was 10 years old, my parents moved my family to Guatemala from New Jersey. A
year later, we took a trip back north with the mission of driving our Toyota van, left in the
care of friends, down to Guatemala. I don't remember much about the trip, quite honestly;
just a lot of highways, countless hours in a van with my family, a diet of fast food, and
nights spent in roadside motels. Once we crossed the border into Mexico, I do remember
staying at some pleasant hotels where we would relax in swimming pools after a long day
of driving. The trip also served as a good lesson in geopolitics, as the wealth disparities