Isla de Flores was once a major hub of the Mayan Empire and was the last of the Mayan cities to hold off Spanish conquer. Today it remains a hub among those looking to visit the area to learn about the ancient civilization and Mayan culture. Not only are there amazing ruins to explore, but Flores is a vibrant and laid-back city with a pretty lake and jungle areas to enjoy. Here’s a basic Flores city guide.
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When to Visit Flores
Flores is a lovely place to visit year round with its consistent temperatures. Monthly average highs range between the low 80s to mid 90s Fahrenheit (around 27-34°C) over the course of the year.
The hottest months are March through June and the rainiest and most humid months are May through September. The weather isn’t always ideal during these months, so there are generally less tourists visiting. Avoiding the rainy season is especially something to consider if you plan to do a multi-day trek through the jungle. November through April are a bit sunnier, dryer, and slightly cooler, making this a more popular time to visit the area.
During our visit in May, we didn’t encounter any rain, but we were there during a heat wave when temperatures were around 105°F (41°C). Those temps with the humidity did feel a bit brutal in the afternoons!
Getting There and Away
Public Transport
There are various public buses and vans that connect Flores to Guatemala City, Melchor de Mencos on the Belize border, El Ciebo on the México border, and other cities around Guatemala.
The smaller public vans/microbuses to nearby towns cannot be booked in advance – just show up to the bus terminal in Santa Elena and look for a bus labeled with your desired destination. We did this upon departing Flores when we needed to get a ride to the Belize border. You’ll also arrive to this central bus station if coming from another nearby city. From the bus station, you can walk or take a tuk tuk over to Isla de Flores.
There are various routes in Guatemala covered by the larger pullman buses run by Fuentes del Norte (or Maya del Oro). From Flores, you can reach Guatemala City, Belize City and a few other hubs. These tickets can be bought on their website, upon arrival at the station, or organized through accommodation or other transport services. We took the overnight bus from Guatemala City to Santa Elena, which we booked through a shuttle company since we were coming from Antigua. More on that in the next section.
Private/Shared Transfer
One of the most common ways for travelers to get around Guatemala is by private or shared shuttle transfer. This is much more straightforward than the colorful public buses, especially for long distances that would require many transfers. Shuttle companies also run more extensive routes than the pullman bus companies.
There are many companies that can organize transport to destinations around Guatemala, including Los Amigos Hostel in Flores, Guate Driver, Transport Guatemala, and GuateGo. You can also find options through Get Your Guide and Viator as well as various companies and drivers posting their contact information on travel forums.
We organized our route from Antigua to Flores through Guatemala Transportation since there were no direct buses between the two. They provided a shuttle from Antigua to Guatemala City and booked our overnight Maya del Oro bus, sending us the tickets before departure.
Plane
We knew there was an airport near Flores, but didn’t realize how common it was for travelers to fly up to Mundo Maya Airport in the morning to visit Tikal before flying back to Guatemala City that same night. This usually requires skipping over Flores since there isn’t much time to visit the city along with Tikal in a day. We met a few travelers who did this during our time in Guatemala.
Whether you’re visiting for the day or want to stay in Flores for a couple days, flying into Mundo Maya Airport is a great option if you don’t want to take the long bus ride from another destination in Guatemala or Belize.
Outside the airport, there are taxis to take you to Flores. There are also tours that offer pickups at the airport to take visitors to Tikal or other attractions in the area.
Getting Around Flores
Many of the accommodation options, restaurants, and tour companies are located on Isla de Flores, which is very walkable. There are colorful alleyways, cobblestone streets, and a nice path winding around the island, so it’s a great place to explore on foot.
If you need to get over to Santa Elena or another nearby spot, you have a lot of bags, or you just don’t want to walk, there are quite a few tuk tuks around. Make sure you agree on a price before taking a ride and have cash to pay for it. We only ended up taking a tuk tuk to and from the bus station in Santa Elena during our time here.
If you’re trying to get to another town or beach on Lago Petén Itzá, there are plenty of lanchas (little boats) around Isla de Flores that can give you a ride. Again, agree on a price beforehand and have cash ready.
Where to Stay in Flores
There are various accommodation options on Isla de Flores, along with lodges and additional options elsewhere around the lake. As we mentioned above, it can get pretty hot in Flores. Not all accommodations have AC, so if that is something you want, take note of that when booking.
Here are some great options to consider in Flores:
Budget:
- Hostal Inn 2: Dorms to double rooms with private bathrooms.
- Hostal Los Girasoles: Double rooms with either shared or private bathrooms.
- Casa Maya Itza: Double rooms with either shared or private bathrooms. This is where we stayed during our visit! It was clean, air conditioned, and the staff were very helpful with organizing our excursion to Tikal and allowed us to keep our bags there before check in and after check out.
Mid-Range:
- Amina Inn: Double rooms with private bathrooms.
- Casa Ramona: Double rooms with private bathrooms to casitas and breakfast included for some bookings.
- Hotel Villa del Lago: Double to King rooms with private bathrooms and breakfast included.
- Villa Maya: Double rooms to bungalows and breakfast included for some bookings.
High-End:
- Hotel Isla de Flores: Suites and breakfast options available.
- Bolontiku Boutique Hotel: Queen and King rooms with breakfast included for some bookings.
- Las Lagunas Boutique Hotel: Queen and King rooms and suites with breakfast included.
Note that many of the higher-end accommodations and nice lodges aren’t located on Isla del Flores, but rather elsewhere on the lake.
Where to Eat on Isla de Flores
The streets and alleys of Isla de Flores are lined with a variety of eateries to choose from.
For coffee and breakfast/brunch, head to Casa Ramona, Maple & Tocino, Alioli Coffee Shop, or Flamingo Juice Bar. Delirio is another good option for coffee and a quick breakfast or sweet treat. We bought some pastries from there to eat the following morning since we would be going on our early Tikal tour long before anything was open for breakfast.
Great dining options for other meals include Bistro Puertas del Cielo for a unique custom dining experience, L’Idiot for a range of cocktails with some shared dishes and sandwiches, Restaurante Al Comal for a variety of dishes, Restaurante Big Fish for seafood, and Pizzería Mozza for pizza and salads. Maracuyá and Cool Beans are also great spots to visit for any meal if you’re looking for a good variety and a nice garden atmosphere.
You might find a couple tostada and taco stands, like Tacos los Peches or La Coqueta Express, on the island. But Isla de Flores is pretty small and touristy – if you’re looking for more street food and small local places, head across the bridge to Santa Elena for more of those options.
Groceries
There are a few smaller tiendas on Flores island where you can buy water, snacks, and other basic food items. If you need toiletries or want a wider selection, head across to Santa Elena where there are larger markets and grocery stores, like La Torre and Despensa Familiar.
Tours
Tours of various sorts are incredibly popular activity to do from Flores. In addition to Tikal, there are other ruins, cultural activities, and beautiful natural areas that are all accessible from Flores. With all that, there are quite a few tour companies operating in the area.
Some companies have their information listed online. If you’re on a super tight schedule or have a specific company you want to take a tour with, we’d recommend booking tours in advance, especially during peak visiting season. Otherwise, you can visit tour offices once in Flores. Many hotels and hostels in the area also offer their own tour experiences or are able to organize tours for you. We arrived in Flores and our hostel was able to organize a tour to Tikal for the following morning.
Looking for some great activities in the area? Read our post on things to do in Flores!
Money
Some accommodations, restaurants, tour companies, etc. in the area accept card payments. However, smaller establishments, tuk tuks and lanchas, street vendors, and even the entrance tickets to Tikal require cash. So we definitely recommend carrying some cash with you as you explore.
There are a few ATMs in Flores and quite a few more over in Santa Elena. If you need to exchange currencies, you may be able to do so at the banks in Santa Elena and certain hotels in the area. If possible, it’s better to avoid having to do this as accommodations often don’t offer favorable rates and banks require perfect bills. We had to exchange money at the border from Quetzales to Belize Dollars, which was actually pretty straightforward and the rates were okay.
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