mp413

Hi there, I have about 5-6 days during which time I was thinking of making my way from GC to the Caribbean coast and back (overland). I would ideally like to see Livingston and do a trip down the Rio Dulce to Izabal lake (which seems to be highly recommended).

Is 5-6 days enough time for this? Could I fit in a detour at Copan on the way? WHat about Quirigua?

Is there any other must-see on the way between GC and the Carib. coast?

Thanks!

mp413

hopefulist

Everything you mention is doable in that time frame but it doesn't sound like fun to me - too much racing around. Guatemala city to Copán is easily arranged; you could stay 2 nights, though imo it's worth much more. From there you can arrange a tour to Quirigua ending in Rio Dulce town (Las Fronteras). If you stay there 2 nights you can do a day boat trip down the Rio Dulce to Livingston and back. Then head back to GC from there.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/staceyholeman/collections

mp413

Thanks - so doable, but a rush. I may have to choose between Copan and the coast! Ouch

Vttraveler

Our family took a week long trip to Guatemala last year. We rented a car so were able to set our own schedule more easily. I am not sure about the public transit options for the areas you are interested in other than shuttles from GCity or Antigua to Copan. In general the roads are bad and it takes longer to get from one spot to another than you might think.

I think seeing Copan and the coast or at least Copan and the Rio Dulce would be possible but probably not very relaxing. We visited Tikal rather than Copan so did more driving than you would have to. But at Tikal we really wanted at least a day and a half (2 overnights) to see the ruins. I would assume the same would be true for Copan.

We left Guatemala City in the morning and stopped in Quiriguá on the way to our first night stop at Rio Dulce. It is an important Mayan site known mostly for the carved stelae and zoomorphs (altars with interlocking animal and human figures) which are in excellent condition. It is about 4 km from the main road, and the short drive there takes you through a banana plantation.
There are buses that stop on the main road according to our Rough Guide.

After Quiriguá we headed on to the Rio Dulce to the north. We stayed at a “Fodor’s Choice” listing, the Catamaran Hotel. This is a simple resort on small private island on the north shore of the Rio, reached via free launch. We really didn't explore the river but our overnight stop was a nice glimpse of the area and we would like to go back some time.

hopefulist

I've spent more than a month total in Copán over the last 5 years and will head back in the next year or 2. The ruins themselves are much smaller and more easily explored than Tikal's. Tikal is massive with incredible tall temples and set in the jungle. From the tops of the pyramids all you can see in every direction is jungle with the tops of a few other pyramids peeking through. Copán has a grassy/wooded setting. The buildings are smaller but very atmospheric - lots of gorgeous sculptures including fascinating stone faces and faguars and detailed stelae and the incredible hieroglyphic stairway with thousands of glyphs. It's easy to make your way around it unguided in a few hours, though a great tour guide like Jorge Barraza makes it spring to life. There's also a nature trail through the woods (best in early morning) and a gorgeous archaeological museum.

Why Copán deserves more time than Tikal, imo, is the lovely town of Copán Ruinas. There are excellent hiking opportunities in the surrounding mountains, interesting villages, an exotic bird park, and a nice butterfly place.

The town of Rio Dulce is just a wide spot on the highway - not much to see there. There are some nice lodging options in/along the river and the boat trip to Livingston is beautiful. Livingston itself is sort of interesting but I wouldn't place it in my top 100 spots in Guatemala. It's not a beach destination, really.

You're right, if you want to move move move, spend lots of time on buses, and get little peeks of places, try to do everything. If you're interested in feeling the places, and like time to explore more than time sitting in a bus, you'll have to prioritize. I just figure anything I miss one trip is an excuse to go back!

Have a great trip, whatever you decide, and be sure to post a trip report for us.

Vttraveler

I also thought I would mention that the archeological museum in Guatemala is definitely worth a visit for anyone interested in Mayan history/art. It is in the zone of the city near the airport