|
|
|
You can either take a bus from Guatemala City to Flores or you take a plane. It is just a matter of time. If you have time enough, take the bus. This will cost you 15 hours, a ride through the forrests. Or you take the plane, only 1 hour. Of course a plane ticket is much more expensive. We paid $33 each for a one-way ticket. There are a number of aircompanies who fly to Flores. We flew with Tikal Jets. You can by tickets everywhere. On the airport are also some ticketstands, but they are not open all the time.
Flores is a town on an island. There is one dusty road going from the 'mainland' to the island. It's not very big, but completely build full. There is no place for another building. There is also a great number of hotels and restaurant, because this is the main gate to Tikal where the Maya ruins are.
You can rent a boat with a captain, who will show you the lake. Ask him to show you the small zoo on the island. It's very little, but you will find some crocodiles, some colourfull birds and some other (strange) animals. Definitely worth a short visit.
In Flores it is easy to arrange a bustrip to Tikal, the place to be for the Maya ruins. Almost at every hotel in Flores you will find someone who can arrange this. Try to be in Tikal at sunrise, from the top of the ruins you have a nice view over the rest of the ruins and the jungle. Remember to bring at least P100 in the bus, because close to Tikal the bus stops and you have to pay the entrance fee. We were so stupid not to bring that much, fortunately we could borrow it from a very friendly English/Australian couple. At the actual entrance you can also buy tickets, so why this ticket-office is here in the middle of the jungle beats me. We didn't know that, so we were pretty stressed.
At the temple complex it is very dark before sunrise, it is in the middle of the jungle. We wanted to walk to the El Mundo Perdido, since we heard that is the highest point from where you have the furtherst view over the complex and the jungle. We were a little lost, but we did find the Temple II at the Great Plaza. This is definitely the most impressing spot in the complex and the view was great. In the early morning it is also very quiet, but at 11 o'clock busloads of tourists come in and the specific ambiance is (a little) gone, so be there in time!!
Also climbing the Pyramid, Temple IV and the El Mundo Perdido is quit an climb (also a little dangerous because of the small and steep stairs, so be carefull). Imagine how this looked like a few hundred years ago. We didn't see Palenque in Mexico or Copan in Honduras, but I think Tikal is more impressive than Chitzen Itza in the Yucatan.
 |
 |
|
 At
sunrise on top of the Temple II. A perfect spot to have breakfast. |
 |
As you can see the Pyramid is very steep and high. The view over the jungle is perfect from here.
|
By booking your busticket to Tikal, you have to make an appointment at what time you want to go back to Flores. You can only take this bus, you cannot go on another hours. There are a lot of small vans at the entrance of the park and they are willing to drive you to Flores, but they will charge you at least $25 and your other return ticket is not valid.
In Flores you can also book a busticket to Belize City, which we did. I don't remember if there are any local busus going to the border, we took a tourists bus.
