I loved Flores. Flores Guatemala is a small island town in the north of the country, surrounded by Lake Petén Itzá. The lake gives the whole place a relaxed feeling, with small hotels, restaurants and rooftop terraces where you can watch the sunset. Walk El Malecón around the island so you do not miss anything, but also take a boat across the lake. I stayed for several days and was very happy I did. Flores was also my base for visiting Tikal, one of the highlights of my Guatemala trip. I will keep that adventure for my separate Tikal blog because Flores itself deserves some time too.
Flores, Petén Guatemala
Flores is in the Petén region in northern Guatemala. The historic center is on a small island in Lake Petén Itzá and is connected to Santa Elena on the mainland. Travelers often simply call the whole area Flores. The island is small, so you can explore most of it on foot. El Malecón follows the lake around Flores, while the streets climb uphill towards Parque Central and the church.
You do not need a sightseeing schedule here. Walk around, stop for coffee or something to eat and see where you end up.
How to get to Flores Guatemala
I arrived in Flores from Lanquín after visiting Semuc Champey. My shuttle took around eight hours, including a lunch break and a river crossing. The bus dropped me off on the island just before sunset. Take a shared tourist shuttle from Lanquín and keep most of the day free for the journey. During this part of my Guatemala trip I used tourist shuttles a lot because they made traveling alone very easy.
Flores also works well when Belize is next. After Flores I continued to San Ignacio, where the ATM Cave was waiting for me. Shuttles leaving Flores towards Belize City pass through San Ignacio and Belmopan and cost around Q190 per person.
Check 12Go and local travel agencies for your travel date before booking. Departure times and prices can change, and these travel days are long enough without adding a tight evening schedule.
Getting around Flores and Lake Petén Itzá
Flores is small enough to explore on foot. Walk El Malecón around the island and you will pass restaurants, hotels and different views over Lake Petén Itzá. For places across Lake Petén Itzá, take a lancha. A colectivo boat from Flores to San Miguel costs around Q5 per person. From San Miguel you can walk towards places such as Chechenal Beach. Private or direct boats cost more, so agree on the price before getting in. This is also where you will find kayaks and SUP boards. A full-day kayak rental is around Q80 for one person or Q100 for two people at Los Amigos, which makes it an easy way to explore more of the lake yourself.
My favorite things to do in Flores Guatemala
Tikal was a big reason for coming to Flores, but I also spent a couple of days enjoying the town and Lake Petén Itzá. These were my favorite places around Flores.
1. Relax at Chechenal Beach
The morning after my Tikal trip, I went to Chechenal Beach. After walking around Maya ruins the day before, swimming and doing very little sounded perfect. Take a colectivo boat from the north side of Flores to San Miguel for around Q5 per person. From there, walk towards the football field and then continue towards Playa El Chechenal. My walk took around twenty minutes.
It was a Saturday and busy with local people enjoying their weekend. I liked that. The water was clear and I spent my time chilling, swimming and jumping from the pier into the lake. The entrance fee is around Q5–10 per person. You can walk back to San Miguel afterwards or arrange a boat directly back to Flores. A direct boat costs more than the colectivo, so ask the price first. This beach girl loved this spot!
2. Take a SUP or kayak out at sunset
Around El Malecón you can rent SUP boards and kayaks. The end of the day is a perfect time to go because you can watch the sunset from the water and see Flores from another side. Take a board or kayak out for a while and have dinner afterwards. Easy afternoon, some exercise and no complicated planning needed. For a kayak, expect roughly Q80–100 for a full day depending on whether you rent for one or two people. SUP prices depend on where you rent.
3. Spend an afternoon at Jorge’s Rope Swing
Jorge’s Rope Swing was a funny one. When I first arrived I thought: what is this? But I ended up having the best time there. I spent my last day in Flores in a hammock beside the lake, swimming and jumping from the rope swings into the water. Take a boat from Flores and bring your swimsuit and some cash. Entrance is around Q25 per person. Boat prices depend on how many people share the ride; expect roughly Q50–150 for a return trip depending on whether you share or arrange the boat yourself. Agree on the price before leaving Flores. It is simple and relaxed, which was exactly what I liked about it.
4. Have a sunset drink at Mango’s Bar
For the real holiday feeling, take a cocktail and find a rooftop around sunset. I stayed at Hotel Isla de Flores, where Mango’s Bar is on the rooftop. I loved the atmosphere here. Walk upstairs, order a drink and look out over the lake while the sun goes down. When I stayed there, they also had live music. A cocktail, sunset and music after a day around Flores worked very well for me.
5. Walk up to Parque Central and the church
The church and Parque Central are at the highest point of the island. Walk uphill from El Malecón and have a look inside the white church and at the view over Flores. I also liked the square in the evening. There was more local activity and food vendors around the park, so it was a nice place to walk through before or after dinner.
Visiting Tikal from Flores
The trip from Flores to Tikal is easy to arrange through travel agencies, hotels and hostels around the island. I visited Tikal while staying in Flores too, but I am not going to squeeze that whole experience into this blog. Read my Tikal Guatemala travel guide for my experience, transport and tips for visiting the Maya site. Afterwards, come back to Flores and plan a much slower day. Chechenal Beach worked very well for me.
My favorite restaurants in Flores Guatemala
Flores has plenty of restaurants for such a small island. Maracuyá was my number one choice. I went twice, once for breakfast and once for dinner. I loved the vibe and the food was fresh, healthy and original. Before leaving Flores I even bought banana bread to take with me for breakfast on the bus. Big fan! Maracuyá has plenty of vegetarian and vegan options too.
Terrazzo was my Italian choice. I could barely decide what to order because too many things on the menu looked good. Eventually I chose a shrimp pizza, which was delicious, together with a fresh mint lemonade. After my trip to the beach I stopped at Maple & Tocino for my sugar shot. A fresh donut and strawberry milkshake were exactly what I wanted after being out in the heat. You can also go here for breakfast, brunch, waffles and coffee.
Cool Beans, also called El Café Chilero, was another laid-back breakfast place on the sunrise side of the island. They served both traditional breakfast and pancakes, and it was easy to meet other travelers there. Ask if they have a local map; I found mine useful for information about Flores and the lake.
Where to stay in Flores Guatemala
I stayed in two different Flores Guatemala hotels. Hotel Isla de Flores was my first choice. I loved the vibe and the look of the hotel, although the price is higher too. The rooms are comfortable and having Mango’s Bar on the rooftop was a big bonus for me. Expect roughly USD 120–200+ per night for a double room, depending on your dates and room type. I stayed here for two nights because the hotel was fully booked afterwards. That turned out fine, because I moved to Hotel Casa Amelia on El Malecón and was positively surprised. The rooms were good, the location beside Lake Petén Itzá was convenient and it was cheaper than Hotel Isla de Flores. Double rooms are roughly USD 70–100 per night depending on the room and dates.
Los Amigos is another popular option if you prefer a hostel atmosphere. I did not stay there myself, so I am not going to pretend otherwise, but I heard good stories about it while traveling. Dorm beds are around Q140–170 per person, while a basic private double starts around Q375 and more comfortable private rooms are around Q600.
Check Booking.com for your dates and compare the exact room and location before booking. I liked staying directly on the island because you can walk to restaurants, the lake and your Tikal pickup.
How many days do you need in Flores Guatemala?
Do not make Flores only an overnight stop for Tikal. Take at least three nights if you want to visit Tikal and have some time for Flores itself. One full day will probably go to Tikal, while another gives you time for Lake Petén Itzá, Chechenal Beach or Jorge’s Rope Swing without rushing. After arriving from Lanquín and spending a full day at Tikal, I was quite happy with some hammock and lake time.
Is Flores Guatemala worth visiting?
For me, yes. I liked Flores even without counting Tikal. The island is small, you can walk everywhere and Lake Petén Itzá is always around you. My days here were not complicated: breakfast somewhere nice, a boat across the lake, swimming and back to Flores for sunset. That was enough for me. I still remember jumping into the lake at Chechenal, lying in my hammock at Jorge’s Rope Swing and taking banana bread with me when it was time to leave.
Let Me Inspire You Takeaways
Flores Guatemala is much more than the place where you sleep before visiting Tikal. Walk El Malecón, take a boat across Lake Petén Itzá and keep an afternoon free for Chechenal Beach or Jorge’s Rope Swing. Maracuyá was my favorite food stop and Mango’s Bar was my place for a rooftop sunset. Take at least three nights if you want time for Tikal and Flores without turning every day into a schedule.
Planning Tikal or heading to Belize?
If Tikal is still next on your Guatemala route, read my Tikal Guatemala travel guide before you go. Already visited Tikal? I continued from Flores to San Ignacio in Belize, where my next adventure was the ATM Cave
