Getting to Know Flores: A Short Overview

Flores, a town located in the northern part of Guatemala, sits gracefully on the shores of Lake Petén Itzá, still connected to the mainland by a causeway. Serving as the capital of the Petén Department, this charming place boasts a population of 13,400 inhabitants. The majority of them don't live on the island itself but in the part of Flores that is located on the mainland. The island itself is very small and mostly hosts hotels, restaurants, hostels, and Airbnbs. The size of the island makes it easy to fully explore on foot.

Renowned for its picturesque and colonial-style architecture, Flores greets its visitors with cobbled and colorful streets and a relaxed atmosphere. Despite its small size, Flores has a rich history dating back to the colonial era when it served as a strategic outpost for the Spanish conquistadors. Exploring the island's historical center and museums provides insights into its past and the cultural heritage of the region.

Surrounded by the serene waters of Lake Petén Itzá, Flores offers not just scenic beauty but also serves as a gateway to a biodiverse ecosystem. The region surrounding the lake is rich in biodiversity, with various species of birds, mammals, and reptiles inhabiting the lush forests and waterways. Birdwatching and wildlife spotting are popular activities for visitors interested in nature and conservation.

The weather in Flores, Guatemala, is typically tropical, with warm temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons. It experiences a climate influenced by its proximity to the equator and, more specifically, Lake Petén Itzá. The dry season runs from November to April and generally experiences less rainfall, with temperatures ranging from around 20°C to 30°C (68°F to 86°F). It's a popular time for tourists to visit the region due to the more predictable and enjoyable weather. The wet season runs from May to October and is characterized by increased rainfall and higher humidity. The weather can be more unpredictable during this period, with rain showers and thunderstorms being common. However, temperatures remain warm, with averages ranging from 20°C to 32°C (68°F to 90°F).

Flores: Gateway to Guatemala’s Mayan World

One of the main reasons people visit Flores is its role as an important gateway to the famous Mayan archaeological site Tikal, located about 65 km (40 miles) away. Tikal, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, was once a powerful city during the Mayan civilization and is now an impressive archaeological site with well-preserved temples, pyramids, and other structures. Situated amidst the lush rainforests of the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Tikal's allure is enhanced by its natural surroundings. Visitors have the unique opportunity to explore the ancient ruins while surrounded by a vibrant ecosystem teeming with diverse flora and fauna. Howler monkeys, toucans, coatis, and other wildlife can often be spotted in the area.

Additionally, people visit Flores for the town itself. Its unique setting on an almost island is a significant part of its appeal. Flores' location on an island in Lake Petén Itzá gives it a distinctive charm that sets it apart from other cities or towns in the region. With its cobbled streets, colorful buildings, and beautiful lake views, the town exudes a sense of serenity. Nestled between the shimmering waters of Lake Petén Itzá, Flores offers breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. Moreover, being situated on the shores of a lake, Flores provides abundant opportunities for water-based activities. Travelers can delight in boat tours, kayaking, and even paddleboarding on the tranquil waters.

Our Stay in Flores

When we arrived in Flores, we weren't sure how long we wanted to stay. Initially, we planned to stay for a week to explore the area before committing to a longer period. We secured accommodations off Flores Island, offering a scenic view of Flores across the water. Getting to our accommodation involved crossing the town center by foot, as vehicles are prohibited there, and then taking a boat from the most northern side of the island. Later, we discovered we could also take the boat directly from the car and bus stop on the southern side of the island.

These boats routinely transport passengers across the water, shuttling mainly between the island and its opposite counterpart. Consequently, there were nearly always boats stationed and prepared for these crossings. Although brief waits were possible, due to the fact that they would try to accommodate as many passengers as possible, the wait was never long. But in reality, the boats were never full.

We learned about this accommodation through friends who were staying there. We hadn't seen them in a while, so we decided to spend some days together. Additionally, they assured us of reliable WiFi—a feature that didn't seem to be a guarantee in many other places according to our online search. Following the short 5-minute boat ride, we easily found the property, located on the street where the boats drop you off.

Upon entering the premises, we walked into a garden, with the owners' residence on the right and another house on the left, both nestled along the shoreline. The accommodation was constructed entirely of wood with a steel plate roof. Overall it was clean, but basic. The house featured two sections: a ground-floor room and an upper level. Although we experienced both, we favored the upper room. Each room had 2 or 3 double beds, a bathroom, and a balcony overlooking the lake. The shared kitchen was situated outside, next to a seating area. Nearby trees housed squirrels, and we would occasionally get visits from the owners' cat, while throughout the day, we heard the distant serenade of howler monkeys.

Satisfied with the functioning WiFi and not feeling the need to get on the road again, we extended our stay to 15 days. We found there were plenty of activities available, should we desire them. However, considering the intense heat, we also enjoyed simply relaxing in front of our fan occasionally.

The owners of the property, a family of four, ensured our comfort throughout our stay. Typical for Guatemalans, they kindly invited us to try out their freshly caught and cooked fish for lunch. As we prepared to leave, they made arrangements for a friend with a boat to ferry us across the water to catch an early morning bus. As we took the boat that morning at sunrise, the mother of the family got up early and waved us off until we vanished from sight, a touching gesture.

Life on the Shores of Lake Peten: Practical Stuff

The primary language spoken in Flores, Guatemala, is Spanish. You may also hear indigenous languages such as Q'eqchi' or Itza spoken in the region, especially in more rural areas outside the city. If you don't speak any Spanish, you'll likely get by with English, since many people working in the tourist industry have basic English skills. However, if you want to communicate with the locals as well, it's a good idea to improve your Spanish proficiency.

The official currency of Guatemala is the Guatemalan Quetzal (GTQ). There are a few ATMs on Flores island where you can withdraw cash using major credit or debit cards; however, they don't always work or have money. There are more banks and ATMs outside the island's old town, where you are more likely to be able to withdraw money. Here, the ATMs will only allow you to withdraw 2000Q per transaction, with often quite a hefty fee, as in most other places in Guatemala.

Going to the supermarket here was quite an adventure, involving a stroll to the boat, a short boat trip to Flores, and a walk through town and over the bridge to the mainland. This trip is obviously a lot shorter when you are staying on the island of Flores.

While there are smaller shops around, there is a much larger supermarket in the commercial center, just off the island of Flores. We found ourselves visiting this supermarket several times for groceries, as it offered a wide range of products.

Along our street, we also discovered three small shops (which is quite a lot, considering it wasn't a very long street) and a market-like place where we could purchase fruits and vegetables. These smaller stores stocked a variety of convenient basics, including water, pasta, mayonnaise, eggs, sodas, canned foods, soap, and more. This allowed us to easily gather ingredients for all three meals of the day if needed.

One essential item to remember when coming here is bug spray. During our stay, we found ourselves using it abundantly due to the crazy amount of mosquitoes. Since the kitchen was located outside, we often cooked and enjoyed our dinners in the open air. Bug spray and citronella candles became our trusted companions in keeping these insects away.

Our Flores Opinion

For two weeks, we immersed ourselves in the rhythm of local life, always with a serene view of the tranquil waters of Lake Petén Itzá. Living alongside a local family provided us with nice insights into the local lifestyle.

As work obligations persisted, we spent part of most weekdays working. Thankfully, the WiFi proved to be consistently strong and stable, allowing us to remain productive. While we kept mobile data as a backup, as we always do, we rarely found the need to rely on it during our stay.

Like many visitors to Flores, we also visited the ancient city of Tikal, to see the old Mayan pyramids that are nestled away in the jungle. We secured tickets for a shuttle + entrance to Tikal through a local agency, of which you can find a few walking around in the streets on Flores island. The journey to Tikal takes about 1,5 hours, depending on the road conditions and traffic. The shuttle picked us up on the southern edge of Flores island and took us right to the park's entrance. We had approximately five hours to visit the site before we were picked up again for the journey back. Due to the size of the park, fully exploring Tikal was quite a challenge. Upon entering the park, we chose which parts we wanted to see for sure in case we weren't able to see it all. In the end, we were able to see most places and skipped out on a few that were further away.

At this moment, we had visited a few Mayan ruins before; however, Tikal was very impressive. There are many ancient structures, some of them quite high, towering above the lush jungle trees. Some of them are accessible, allowing you to walk up to the top of the ruin, which gives a spectacular view of the canopy of the jungle with ruins popping out here and there. A nice addition to the Tikal park are the coaties running around and the monkeys you might spot in the trees.

Of course, we also hopped on a boat a few times to wander around Flores island. Though the town itself is quite small, its colorful streets are charming. We didn't dine at any of the local restaurants or cafes here, so we cannot provide you with any personal recommendations in that regard.

While we were in Flores, we had been having stomach problems for a while. These stomach issues had troubled us in the preceding weeks, and they didn't seem to go away. Since we came from Mexico, the chances of having a stomach parasite were relatively high, therefore we sought assistance from a local pharmacy, where a kind pharmacist guided us to the appropriate remedy. Prioritizing our recovery, we took some time here to relax and get better. Besides not feeling great, most days here were very humid and hot, with some days ending in rainy afternoons, often followed by big thunderstorms. This also caused us to slow down a bit here.

The street where we were staying was just one of the few streets on this side of the water. Right behind that, the jungle starts. There is a walking route into the jungle that takes you to an elevated lookout. The viewpoint allows you to watch over the surrounding canopy and offers a view from above of Flores and Lake Peten all around. If you continue on this route, it will take you to a place where you can enjoy a swim in the lake. In order to enter, you do have to pay, but it doesn't cost much. During our two-week stay, we went on this walk twice, each time treated to the sight of a playful family of howler monkeys hanging around in the treetops above.