8 Epic Things to Do in Flores, Guatemala
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Expect colour and beauty from the town of Flores, located in Northern Guatemala it’s only a short bus journey away from the Belizean border. A small island based on Lake Petén Itzá, it literally only takes about 10 minutes to walk around Flores.
But don’t be fooled by its size there is plenty to be done in and around the charming town of Flores. We stayed here for a week and although that’s much more time than tourists usually choose to spend we found ourselves very much enjoying the laidback speed of travelling in Flores.
So before you decide to rush through Flores let me share the 8 fabulous things to do in Flores, Guatemala
Explore Tikal
In the heart of the jungle, this ancient Mayan settlement has fascinating historical architecture as well as a diverse biosphere with plenty of wildlife. We chose to visit as a guided tour which I would say is the most popular option, but you could definitely do this yourself as well.
You can take a tour for sunrise or sunset, the sunrise tour leaves super early, we didn’t do this and glad we didn’t it because it was super cloudy. However, it was still an early start at 4:30 am as it was recommended to us to avoid being there in the midday heat.
I absolutely loved Tikal, the site is absolutely massive and on a tour, we didn’t see it all, but what we did see was fabulous. You can climb some of the pyramids giving you incredible views over the forest and other structures and this makes it different to similar sites like Chichen Itza in Mexico.
Part of the reason I was so invested in Tikal is because of the documentary Josh and I decided to watch before we went, it doesn’t focus on Tikal it delves into the recent discoveries made by Lidar technology of sites around Tikal. I highly recommend giving it a watch before heading to Tikal, it’s the National Geographic documentary called Lost Treasures of the Maya, you’ll find it on Disney+.
Watch a basketball game at Parque de Flores
You will inevitably stroll through Parque de Flores at some point during your stay, like I said before it really isn’t a big island. There’s a cathedral and occasionally some food/vendor stands around the park.
But the entertainment factor comes from the many sports that seem to be played in this park. We caught a few basketball games just after sunset at Parque de Flores. But at different times we saw people playing volleyball and football, so if you fancy a bit of free sports viewing this is the spot for you.
Relax at Jorge’s Rope Swing
If you fancy a relaxing day by the lake Jorge’s rope swing is the place for you. Just head to one of the piers in Flores and ask to head to Jorge’s Rope Swing. We paid 150Q for a two-person return trip, although I think you can haggle more if you are in a larger group. Some people also opt to rent a kayak and kayak over if that’s more your style.
Once you arrive you’ll have to pay 25Q per person to use the facilities, which include the rope swing (duh), jumping platform, hammocks and sun beds. Luckily there are plenty of shaded spots as it gets HOT throughout the day.
You’ll have fun socialising with other travellers and judging everyone’s rope-swinging abilities. They also offer some basic food and drinks if you get peckish, just note they don’t allow you to bring your own food or booze, we did bring our own water without a problem.
Take a kayak out on the Lake Petén Itzá
One way to explore the lake is by renting a kayak and paddling yourself around, you will find people renting them on the edge of the lake or at Los Amigos hostel. It’s a calm lake so you won’t have a problem getting around on the kayak just watch out for the boats.
As I mentioned before people choose to kayak over to Jorge’s rope swing or you could head to El Mirador Del Rey Canek. If you wish you could just paddle around and see what you find around the lake, we even heard of some people spotting turtles.
Watch a sunset from Sky Bar
The sunsets in Flores are a magical site, nearly every night we were there around 6ish the sky would light up different hues of orange. And although you can watch this sunset by just standing by the lake's edge, a popular spot is to go have a drink at the Sky Bar for sunset.
If you want a seat with a good view however you best get yourself there a little earlier than sunset as a lot of people will have the same idea.
Go for a day out at Ixpanpajul Natural Park
If you fancy a day out Ixpanpajul Natural Park is only an hour and a half away from Flores and you’ll find plenty of wildlife and adventure here. You can go zip-lining through the treetops or go wildlife spotting on the hanging bridges.
It’s a little more pricey than the rest of the activities I mentioned but if you have the budget and enjoy being out in nature this one’s for you.
El Mirador Trek
The city of El Mirador is one of the largest and oldest discovered Mayan cities in the world. The trek will take you on a 5-day adventure through the dense jungle and camping in remote places.
We didn’t do this but it’s firmly on my bucket list for when we return to Guatemala. People say you can do this trek by yourself but I would never dream of this, I don’t know how to survive in a jungle so I recommend you go on a guided tour. Plus with a guided tour you will learn so much more along the way.
If you don’t fancy the trek or the camping in the jungle, you can get a helicopter to the site of El Mirador.
Visit Cool Beans Cafe
Our favourite spot for breakfast was Cool Beans. It’s on the waterfront and offers good food on a backpacker budget, the portion sizes were giant too.
The same went for the coffee it was tasty and the mug was giant, just maybe don’t order a Margarita here it wasn’t so great. Another lovely thing about this cafe was it had a super useful map of Flores and the surrounding spots to visit, this map would be perfect if you were heading out kayaking on the lake.
Top Tips for Visiting Flores, Guatemala
When it comes to the boats make sure to ask around at your accommodation or fellow travellers for expected prices. This way you have a baseline to be able to haggle otherwise you may get ripped off.
Also for the boats, if you are trying to keep it low budget opt for the shared boats. Just know they may wait until enough people are on the boat before setting off.
Check the location of the accommodation before you book it, many hostels/hotels will be in Santa Elena, which is just across the bridge from Flores, but it’s not as touristy friendly.
If you’re visiting on a budget I recommend staying at Don Cebio, there is a gorgeous terrace looking over the lake and we loved the hostel.
Flooding on the island has made some roads on the outer edge inaccessible, so you can’t always follow the maps app. Don’t worry though the island is small enough you can’t really get lost.
It is extremely hot and humid in Flores and don’t let the clouds fool you, suncream up people. I managed to burn my face sitting on a shaded terrace thanks to the water's reflection.
Shuttles/buses are banned on the island, so you’ll always get dropped off or picked up at the I Love Petén sign.
If you need a supermarket, sim card, ATM or any other shops head over the bridge towards Santa Elena and you will find a small shopping mall with everything, even a Burger King.
The town of Flores had such a cute vibe and I highly recommend it, it doesn’t get the same hype as other Guatemalan destinations but I firmly believe it should do. I hope my post inspired you to add Flores, Guatemala to your bucket list.
If you have visited Flores before let me know your favourite thing about the colourful cobbled island in the comments below.
