In the middle of Lake Petén Itzá, joined to the mainland by a causeway, sits Flores: a small island of cobbled streets, brightly painted houses and remarkable sunsets. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the Americas, was the last Maya capital to fall to the Spanish, and is now the natural base for Tikal.
The history
Before it was Flores, the island was Nojpetén — “great island” in Maya — capital of the Itzá people. When the Maya abandoned Chichén Itzá in Yucatán, many settled here, creating one of the last strongholds of Maya resistance.
While the rest of Central America fell under Spanish control in the sixteenth century, Nojpetén held out until 1697, more than 150 years later. It was literally the last independent Maya city to surrender.
What to do
Walk the island
Flores is small — you can walk round it in twenty minutes. The pleasure is in getting lost among the cobbled streets, looking at the painted façades, and climbing to the high point where the church of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios stands. It is said to sit on a mound concealing a Maya pyramid.
The malecón
The one-kilometre promenade around the island, best walked at sunset. There are docks, benches and a string of bars and restaurants on the water. The sunsets here are the reason a lot of people stay an extra night.
Swim in the lake
You can swim straight off the docks, and small boats will take you across to quieter spots. Jorge’s Rope Swing, on the far shore, is the classic: a rope swing into the lake with a bar attached.
San Miguel and El Mirador del Rey Canek
A short boat ride across to the village of San Miguel, then a twenty-minute walk up to a viewpoint over the island and the lake. Best in the late afternoon.
Using Flores as a base
- Tikal: about an hour and a half away. Shuttles run at every hour including the pre-dawn sunrise trip.
- Yaxhá: a superb second site overlooking two lagoons, with almost no visitors. Sunset from Structure 216 is better than Tikal’s.
- El Mirador: the vast, barely excavated site deep in the jungle, reached on a five-day trek or by helicopter.
- Uaxactún: beyond Tikal, with the oldest known Maya astronomical complex.
- Ixpanpajul for hanging bridges and canopy, if you want something lighter.
Flores, Santa Elena or El Remate
Flores island is the prettiest and has the restaurants. Santa Elena, on the mainland across the causeway, is where the bus terminal, the banks and the cheaper accommodation are. El Remate, halfway to Tikal, is quieter, on the lake, and closer to the ruins — the choice if you want calm and an early start.
Getting there
Flores has an airport with daily flights from Guatemala City, about an hour, which saves a very long drive. By road it is eight to ten hours from Guatemala City, usually overnight. There are also direct connections to Belize and to Palenque in Mexico.
Practical advice
- Petén is hot and humid all year. Light clothing and repellent.
- Two nights: one for Tikal, one for the island itself.
- Prices on the island are higher than on the mainland.
- Book the Tikal shuttle the day before through your accommodation.
