Most people travel to Flores to visit the ancient Mayan ruins at Tikal. For that reason alone, Flores Guatemala is worth visiting. However, there is much more to this charming town than Tikal ruins.
Flores is a very small island with a causeway linking to the town of Santa Elena in the northern Petén region of Guatemala. It is surrounded by Lake Petén Itza and referred to as the gateway to Tikal.
The island is full of cobbled streets, and colourful architecture. You can walk around the whole perimeter of Flores in about 40 minutes but most of the action and things to do involve a boat trip across the lake.
I spent 3 nights in Tikal and could have easily stayed longer as there is plenty of activities to keep you busy. Flores must be added as a top stop on any good Guatemala Backpacking itinerary. As a result, I have put together this awesome Flores travel guide.
The Best things to do in Flores Guatemala
Visit the ancient Mayan city of Tikal
Number one things to do in Flores has to be visiting Tikal. Tikal is the remains of an ancient city found in the jungles in northern Guatemala. Dating back to the 6th Century B.C. this is one of the most important sites of the Mayan civilisation.
The site covers over 57,000 hectares in total and is one of the largest Mayan sites discovered. The best way to visit the site is with a guided tour. I’m not a huge fan of these normally, but in this instance, I think it’s worth it. The tour includes transportation, entrance and an English-speaking guide and cost Q250.
Highlights of visiting Tikal include the Great Plaza, the Temple of the Jaguar, and the Palace of the Nobles. The tour was very informative and takes you to the best places as there is more than one path to follow. Also, at the end of the tour there is time to explore by yourself.
I booked my tour through Mayan World Travel Agency Tours. It’s best to go to the office and book directly with them to get the best deal.
Relax and play at Jorge’s Rope Swing
Another of the top things to do in Flores is visit Jorge’s Rope Swing, a restaurant / bathing area / rope swing. Consider a visit in the afternoon and stay here for sunset, I experienced the best sunsets on my trip in Flores.
Jorge’s Rope Swing is across the lake, to get here take a local lancha (boat). With all these boats you need to negotiate the price with the driver. I paid Q25 each way, and here was two of us. Take the phone number of the driver so you can ask him to pick you up when you want to leave.
You need to pay an entrance for of Q25 and this allows you to enjoy all the facilities. You can order food and drinks, there is hammocks and chairs to relax and best of all the rope swing into the lake.
Kayak on Lake Petén Itza
Another great activity on the Lake is kayaking, make this part of your Flores trip. Kayaks are often provided for free by your hotel or hostel. However, if not, ask them where you can hire them from.
Kayak to Santa Barbara Island and visit the small museum (Museo Santa Barbara). Next, follow the mainland coast to view the colourful houses on the opposite shore.
Go walkabout on Flores Island
Although small, the island is enjoyable to walk around. Walkabout the perimeter but also the interior to see all the old streets and cute cafés. If you want to see a more authentic part of town walk across the causeway to Santa Elena and walk down the main street for many local shops and restaurants. There is also a large mall here if you need any essentials.
Sunbathe on the piers and cool down in the lake.
There are a few piers dotted around the shoreline, more so on the west coast. Flores is very hot and humid so enjoy cooling down in the lake. This sounds like a good excuse to grab a few beers from the tienda and make an afternoon of it. My favourite place was opposite Santa Barbara Island to watch the sunset over the horizon.
Visit San Miguel village and Playa El Chechenal
Another place to visit from Flores is San Miguel village, on the other side of the lake. The village is best reached by taking a boat from the north shore of the island (Q10). San Miguel is a lovely little village worth time to wander the streets and enjoy the colourful buildings. From here, you can walk 20-minutes to Playa El Chechenal (Beach).
You can easily spend an afternoon at Playa El Chechenal. As well as enjoying the white sand beach, there is a cute little wooden pier that is perfect for jumping into the cooling water.
There are also some benches and tables with sunshades to escape the heat of the sun. As a result, consider bringing a little picnic to enjoy on the beach (and don’t forget the beers!). Entrance is Q10 as it is private property.
Visit the Mirador Del Rey Canek
After you’ve had enough time on the beach, the final activity to do in this area is hike to the mirador Del Rey Canek. The hike is fairly easy, and from here you can have a complete view of Flores Island, and it’s a great way to finish off the day. Finally, make your way back to San Miguel village to take the boat back to Flores.
I hope all of these activities helps to convince you that Flores Guatemala is worth visiting
Ultimate Guatemala Travel Itinerary
If you are travelling in Guatemala check out the best Guatemala Travel Itinerary. 7 stops in total and so much diversity. Explore the best the country has to offer.
How to get to Flores Guatemala
Flores is not an easy place to get to (unless you fly) as it’s far away from other popular destinations in Guatemala. Following are instructions to get here from a number of popular destinations throughout Guatemala.
How to get to Flores from Guatemala City – By Road
Shuttle Bus from Guatemala City to Flores
The driving distance from Guatemala City to Flores is just under 500km and will take 10-12 hours depending on traffic and how fast you are driving. Driving is the cheapest option and the one most often used for backpackers.
The bus company Maya de Oro run 3 daily services departing at 10am, 5.30pm and a night bus departing at 9pm. The buses depart from 17 Calle 8a. y 9a. Avenidas 8-46 Zona 1. You can book your ticket online with Guate Go. Cost is Q(USD$48)
The bus stops in Santa Elena, the town across the causeway from Flores Island. You can walk from the station to Flores Island. Alternatively, a better option with your backpack on board will be to take a tuk-tuk. This will take only 5 minutes and shouldn’t cost more than Q15.
How to get to Flores from Guatemala City – Flying
If you have more money and less time or the thought of a 10+ hour bus journey scares the hell out of you, a flight may be a better option.
Flores does have an airport and there are five direct flights daily from Guatemala City to Flores. The cost is between USD$100 and $130 and the flight takes only 1 hour. The airline is TAG Airlines, and you can book directly with them.
How to get to the bus from Flores to Tikal
There are many tour agencies in Flores that can arrange transport to Tikal. Shop around and negotiate the best price, as a guide I paid Q100 (2022). They offer the option of having a guided tour or just transportation. The Q100 I paid included a guide in a group. The cost for transport only was Q80 so I thought for Q20 the guide is good value.
Bus from Antigua to Flores
I will suggest two options for this route. Firstly, you can book with Maya de Oro through Guate Go as with travel from Guatemala City. The cost is higher at USD$64 and there is three departures per day at 7am, 3pm and a night bus departing at 7pm.
Alternatively, another option is to travel from Antigua to Guatemala City on public transport and then follow the directions as above. The chicken bus from Antigua to Guatemala City costs only Q20 so this will definitely be a cheaper overall option, although it may add on a bit of time.
For more details of that journey read the following post which includes locations of the bus stops you need to use in Antigua and Guatemala City.
Are you heading to Semuc Champey next?
If you’ve got this far, I’ve convinced you Flores Guatemala is worth visiting. However, a trip to Flores and Tikal is usually part of a larger Guatemala backpacking itinerary including a stop at Semuc Champey. Depending which direction you are travelling, north or south, Semuc Champey will likely be before or after Flores.
To find out how to get to or from Semuc Champey to Flores and how to visit Semuc National Park follow these posts:
How to get to Semuc Champey – Best Routes
Semuc Champey: Everything you need to know
Is Flores Guatemala Safe?
A common question that is always asked throughout the Central America region is about safety. I travelled extensively through nearly every country, and I didn’t have any problems. In fact, Guatemala was probably the safest country of all of them as the locals are very friendly.
I only ever heard second hand stories that Guatemala City wasn’t safe but never met anyone that suffered any problems there. Most of the tourist places such as Flores and Tikal is perfectly safe, even at night as the city is so small.
How many days to spend in Flores Guatemala
I would recommend spending three or four nights in Flores Guatemala. One day will be taken up with a visit to Tikal and this still leaves two or three days to explore Flores itself. As you can see above, there is plenty of things to keep you busy.
Consider that the journey to get here will be long so you may need a little time to relax and recover (unless you flew of course!)
Where to stay in Flores Guatemala
Flores is a small island but there are plenty of accommodation options available. Wherever you stay make sure it is on the island and not in Santa Elena, as there isn’t much to see in Santa Elena.
I always use booking.com or hostelworld.com when looking for a room. I stayed at Natz Hotel which was in a great location and shared a private room with a friend. The cost was Q95 per person per night which is great value for a private room. It was comfortable enough and they had a little rooftop to witness the amazing sunsets.
What is the weather in Flores Guatemala?
The hot season lasts for 2 months, during April and May, with an average daily high temperature above 33°C. The hottest month of the year in Flores is May, with an average high of 34°C and low of 23°C
The cool season lasts for 3 months, from November to January, with an average daily high temperature below 29°C. The coldest month of the year in Flores is January, with an average low of 18°C and high of 28°C.
