Tikal and Flores Guatemala Travel Guide (+ Map)
TL;DR
Travel guide for Flores Guatemala and Tikal – including a 2-day itinerary and a map!
We recently spent one week in Flores, Guatemala. We thoroughly enjoyed this laid-back lake town with cute alleys and amazing sunsets.
Flores is also the perfect jumping-off point for the three most important Mayan ruins in Guatemala: Tikal, Yaxha, and El Mirador.
Flores Travel Guide
Flores Guatemala Map
Is Flores Worth Visiting?
Many travellers chose Flores as a convenient base to explore the Tikal Mayan ruins. We think the small town of Flores, located on an island in Lake Peten, is beautiful and easily worth a visit in itself.
How to Get to Flores Guatemala
Getting to Flores by Public Transport
Real talk: Flores was our first stop in Guatemala. Public transport worked like a charm for us in Belize so we tried the same on our way from San Ignacio to Flores:
- Buses run from San Ignacio to the border town of Benque.
- From Benque, you can walk or take a taxi to the border.
- From the Guatemalan side border, you can take a shared minivan to Santa Elena.
- In Santa Elena, you change into a tuk-tuk to Flores.
The whole process took ages, our shared minivan in Guatemala broke down, and we paid around 20$ per person.
A shuttle from San Ignacio to Flores takes 3 hours and costs 16$. Needless to say that we took shuttles after that first day.
Getting to Flores by Shuttle
You can get shuttles to Flores from all important destinations in Guatemala (and Belize):
- Shuttle San Ignacio to Flores, 3h, 16$
- Shuttle Rio Dulce to Flores, 4h, 20$
- Shuttle Lanquin to Flores, 8h, 30$
- Shuttle Antigua to Flores, 12h, 37$
- Shuttle Lake Atitlan to Flores, 13h, 67$
How to Get Around Flores
Walking in Flores
Flores is located on an island in Lake Peten. The island is easily small enough to walk around in 20 minutes.
Tuk-tuks in Flores
If you want to leave the island and go to the mainland, e.g. to Santa Elena, tuk-tuks are a convenient option. A tuk-tuk from Flores to Santa Elena should cost around 10Q per person.
Boats in Flores
If you want to cross the lake to get to places like Playa Chechenal or Jorge’s Rope Swing, you can hire a boat from various places along the Malecon. Depending on the destination, expect to pay 10Q - 25Q.
Where We Stayed in Flores
We stayed at Hotel Villa Del Lago because we wanted a room with a lake view. We stayed in Flores for a week to get some work done so for us, it was worth it.
Here are three more budget-friendly options in Flores that come highly recommended:
Best Things to Do in Flores
1. Tikal
Tikal is the undisputed highlight of the area and the main reason why people visit Flores.
2. Walk Around Flores
You can quite literally walk around Flores in around 20 minutes. Don’t miss out on the centre of the island with its cute alleys as well as the central square with the cathedral.
3. Explore Lake Peten
Flores is located on an island in Lake Peten so exploring the lake is a no-brainer. Lanchas (small boats) leave from many places around the island.
Here are the most popular spots in Lake Peten:
- Jorge’s Rope Swing with its Instagram-famous rope swing as well as swimming opportunities.
- Playa Chechenal, a nice beach to swim and relax.
- Mirador del Rey Canek, a viewpoint on the opposite side of the lake with great views of Flores. It’s about a 20-minute walk from the boat.
- Islote and Museo Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara is a tiny island in Lake Peten. It hosts a small museum of Mayan artefacts.
4. Enjoy the Sunset
We loved watching the sunsets in Flores. You can either sit on the Malecon or grab a drink at a rooftop bar like Sky Bar.
5. Yaxha
In case you can’t get enough of Mayan ruins, Yaxha is a great addition to Tikal. It is one of the three most important and largest Mayan cities in Guatemala (alongside Tikal and El Mirador). Yaxha is much smaller than Tikal but also much less touristy.
How about a sunset tour to Yaxha?
6. Hike El Mirador
We had to include the third important Mayan sight in Guatemala as well: El Mirador. You have two options to get to El Mirador:
- Hiking
- Taking a helicopter
We opted to do the 5-day trek. You can read our full review of the El Mirador hike here:
How Many Days Do You Need in Flores
1 day in Flores to see Tikal is the bare minimum. We would recommend to spend at least two days in Flores. You can easily spend more time on the island – we spent a whole week here and didn’t get bored.
In our Guatemala itinerary, we have planned 2 to 3 days in Flores:
Flores Guatemala Itinerary
Here’s the perfect 2-day Flores itinerary
- Day 1: Explore Tikal
- Day 2: Explore Flores and spots around Lake Peten
If you have three days or more in Flores, we recommend you check out Yaxha for more Mayan ruins or the Blue Crater.
Where to Eat in Flores
These are our three favourite restaurants in Flores, Guatemala:
- For breakfast: Maple & Tocino
- For sunset drinks: Sky Bar
- For dinner: Raíces
Infrastructure in Flores
Supermarkets in Flores
There are no supermarkets in Flores, only small shops. If you want to get some shopping done, you need to go to Santa Elena.
ATMs in Flores
We used the ATM at Superfotomart (which is a super expensive shop by the way) without problems.
Many places do not accept credit card payments so having cash with you is a must.
Internet in Flores
The WiFi at our accommodation worked well enough to work.
We travelled with a SIM card that worked in most of Central America (check out the Airlao Latamlink eSIM card) which worked fine in Flores.
Flores Budget
We spent an average of 35$ per person and day in Flores Guatemala:
- Accommodation 15$
- Food 10$
- Activities 10$
Is Flores Safe
Flores is a pretty touristy place and felt quite safe.
Tikal Travel Guide
Is Tikal Worth Visiting?
Absolutely! Tikal is one of the largest archaeological sites and urban centres of the pre-Columbian Maya civilisation. Of course, it is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Best Base for Tikal
Flores is the most convenient base to visit Tikal. The transfer time is roughly 1.5 hours.
Other options are
- El Remate (transfer time 40 minutes) El Remate is a small, relaxed little village on the east side of Lake Peten. It is a much quieter alternative to Flores. Check out accommodation options in El Remate.
- Staying in Tikal directly. Staying in Tikal itself is quite pricey and nothing is going on outside of your hotel… Check out accommodation options in Tikal.
How to Get from Flores to Tikal
You have two options to visit Tikal from Flores:
1. Shared Shuttle Bus From Flores to Tikal
Currently, a shared shuttle costs 100Q (13$) roundtrip. There’s a bazillion of different operators with different pickup and return times so you can mix and match your perfect length of stay in Tikal.
2. Guided Tour from Flores to Tikal
Guided tours start at 25$ including the transfer from Flores and a guide.
We have written a complete blogpost comparing different tour options for Tikal:
Do You Need a Guide to Visit Tikal
You need a guide to visit for sunrise and/or sunset!
There aren’t many signs in the park and there is basically no internet connection so without a guide, you have to do your research before you go!
Sunset or Sunrise
The regular park opening times are from 6 am to 6 pm.
You have the option to add on a visit for
- sunrise (4 am to 6 am)
- sunset (6 pm to 8 pm).
We chose to visit for sunrise and loved it.
Tikal Entrance Fee
The entrance fee to Tikal is 150Q (roughly 20$).
For sunrise or sunset, you have to pay an additional 100Q.
In case you don’t opt for a tour which includes the tickets, you can either buy your tickets online (only in Spanish) or in Banrural bank offices across Guatemala as well as at the entrance to Tikal National Park.
Tikal Quick Overview
Tikal spans a huge area that includes over 3000 structures. We have marked the most important sights on our map:
Great Plaza
The Great Plaza is the main square of Tikal. It features
- Temple I
- Temple II
- North Acropolis
- Central Acropolis
Temple IV
Temple IV is also called the Star Wars Pyramid because parts of Star Wars Episode IV were shot here. It’s the tallest temple in Tikal and you can climb it for great views.
Mundo Perdido
Mundo Perdido or the Lost World Complex is the largest ceremonial complex dating from the Preclassic period at Tikal. You can climb the pyramid for a nice view.
Other Sights in Tikal
Other noteworthy sights include
- Temple V, the second-tallest temple in Tikal & the South Acropolis
- Temple III or the Temple of the Jaguar Priest
- Plaza of the Seven Temples
There are even more smaller structures if you want to go more off-the-beaten path and feel like an explorer.
How Much Time Do You Need at Tikal
As you can see above, the area is huge. Depending on your level of interest in history and/or nature, you can easily spend half a day to one day here.
We’d say that you don’t need more than one day unless you’re a serious enthusiast.
Infrastructure in Tikal
Food at Tikal
There are few restaurants outside the park which were pretty overpriced.
We could not find a single snack in Tikal itself but cold drinks were available.
Internet at Tikal
Our mobile internet connection was spotty to non-existent.
ATMs at Tikal
There are no ATMs in the park. Bring cash for fees, food, and souvenirs.
Toilets at Tikal
Restrooms are dotted around Tikal quite frequently.
This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. You would help us a lot if you do so. Thanks.
