Sayaxché Travel Guide

 calcaf38 Says:  The river is beautiful. One minute out of Sayaxché and you are in pristine nature. You will see a few people fishing or washing themselves, but it is very quiet. Be sure to shop around before hiring a boatman (easier said than done). 

 calcaf38 Says:  There is nothing "to do" in Sayaxché, but you will have a great time just walking through town. Toward the edge of town, you will witness rural life in plank houses with thatched roofs. At sunset, some inhabitants will go wash in the river. Sayaxché is obviously a poor place... 

 calcaf38 Says:  This is where commoners lived and played. It is difficult to imagine, in this quiet site, a vibrant civilization and a community 4,000 strong living here. The reasons why Aguateca was founded and then frittered away so suddenly are not clear, Some monuments are left... 

 calcaf38 Says:  This is the area where the King of Aguateca and his circle lived. The glory days of Aguateca were short, some time in the 8th Century A.D. 

 calcaf38 Says:  The photos look like nothing, but the grieta (fissure / chasm) is perhaps the most amazing thing I saw in Guatemala. It is a crack in the rock, 2 to 5 meters wide and 10 to 20 meters deep. It is the entrance to the ancient city of Aguateca, making it very easy to... 

 calcaf38 Says:  Your boat will leave you at a small pier, and you will walk to the park rangers' building. There, a guide will offer his services (for free - you must leave a good tip). The first part of the complete tour is a nature trail. It is a magnificent trail at the base of an... 

 calcaf38 Says:  The national tree of Guatemala has an unusual buttressed lower trunk, and an umbrella top high above the canopy. It is also known as a kapok tree, I believe. 

 calcaf38 Says:  This is quite a spectacle, and it goes on all day. No need to go in detail: the photos will speak for themselves. The truck line was protected by young men with big weapons. 

 atufft Says:  As has been said before, a favorite activity in this lazy town is to sit on the balcony and watch the river traffic come and go. I watched pedestrian traffic fill-up the launches on the opposite shore and then power their way across. Once, I witnessed a motorcycle loaded... 

 atufft Says:  The Mayan will tie a hook and weight to a piece of fishing line and toss it into the river waiting for a fool fish to grab it. I saw a woman do just this right near the place were the oil leaking launches came and went. After awhile though, she had a bite. The fish pulled... 

 atufft Says:  Recommended as an afternoon day trip from Sayaxche to El Ciebal, the river journey to the ruins is itself worth an adventure. The wildlife along this section of La Pasion is considerable as the rainforest borders the river in many places. I saw aligators and birdlife of all... 

 atufft Says:  At the riverfront in Sayaxche, I hired a boat and guide for the trip up river. The trip took between 30 minutes to an hour. The river was slow moving and the boat cut the still water like glass. There's a dock at the entrance to the ruins themselves where one pays a nominal... 

 atufft Says:  I know I'll get low ratings for this post, but I have to at least inform you about the opportunity to eat wild game in Sayaxche. Apparently, the restaurant buys meat from local hunters who capture their game in the wild lands around Sayaxche. I can't even remember what meat... 

 calcaf38 Says:  As I explained, the minibus dropped us on the "wrong" side of the Rio De La Pasion. To reach Sayaxché, it is but a short boat ride across the river (cost: 28 cents).I wonder how many people who read this tip have crossed from Chiang Khong to Houayxai. It was exactly the same... 

 calcaf38 Says:  All bus from Flores actually depart from lively Santa Elena, across the causeway.I took a tuktuk from the hotel to the bus station. There, I found the minibus to Sayaxché easily. I was alone when the bus started, but we made a first stop in the rowdy market and then stopped... 

 atufft Says:  The Combis from Coban and Flores/Santa Elena arrive at La Pasion River and stop. Although a vehicular ferry could transport them across, the practice is to drop passengers off at the river, and allow them to bargin for another combi on the opposite shore. The pedestrian...