OC75

From San Ignacio we want to see Tikal and spend a few days in Flores. Would it be better to go straight to Tikal visit the ruins and head onto Flores and relax there for 2 or 3 nights or head straight to Flores and check in somewhere for 2 or 3nights and take a day trip to see the ruins at Tikal?

Are there trips from San Ignacio to Tikal to Flores?

Are shuttle buses easy to get from Tikal to Flores or vice versa?

RAC

I would recommend heading straight to Tikal, spending a night there, get a tour in the morning before the daytrippers arrive, and then catch the 2:00 pm shuttle to Flores.

You can buy a ticket after 3:30 or 4:00 pm and use it to gain admission the following day.

Flores is really not worth more than an afternoon. It's cute, is very affordable, and has some decent restaurants. But, we're not talking Venice here.

hopefulist

I agree with RAC - head to Tikal and spend a night in the park. My favorite hotel is the Tikal Inn and I HIGHLY recommend archaeologist/naturalist Roxy Ortiz's early morning tours. A day trip from Flores wouldn't do it for me.

An overnight has always been plenty of time in Flores for me, too. My favorite hotel there is Casona de la Isla. There's a lot to do in the area if you'd like to spend more time - additional ruins, Ixpanpajul, boat trips on the lake, and visits to local villages, for example.
www.tikalinn.com
[email protected]
http://corpetur.com/hoteles-peten-ti...000000045.html

I'll let others advise about transportation - lots of options. Happy trails!

OC75

Sounds like you are saying Flores is nothing special, should we just pop over see Tikal from San Ignacio and save those few days for somewhere else?

hopefulist

I don't know the details of the rest of your trip so don't know how to advise you. It depends on how much time you have in other places and how you plan to get from place to place. If you have the extra days it would give you a little taste of (a touristy bit of) Guatemala. If you're planning a morning express bus or flight back from Flores to Belize City you may need to spend a night in Flores to access it. I think it's a cute town with some nice hotels but not my favorite spot in Guatemala.

RAC

First and foremost, my advice is to spend at least one night inside the park itself. There is more to see there than a day tour allows. Tikal saves its magical moments for early morning and early afternoon.

qwovadis

www.jaguatikal.com best for sunrise there awesome

but if upscale www.coppolaresorts.com/lalancha is best.

Private Driver/Guides from $25 per half day work bestupscale

for me otherwise bus ADN or Linea Dorada

cheap good but watch your stuff and who tries to befriend you.

www.thebusschedule.com

www.insuremytrip.com alwways cheap wise these days.

OC75

Anyone know if you can get to Tikal from San Ignacio early enough to enjoy it in early morning as described? is so we could just catch a bus to Flores after.

hopefulist

Nope - sorry. I don't know when the border opens but I wouldn't want to drive that route in the dark which means you'd be crossing the border, ~2 hours from Tikal, when the jungle is coming to life. If you got an early start you'd have an hour or 2 before the main crowds arrived, though.

RAC

No, definitely not possible. No one offers that as an option.

Slight correction to my above post.

It should read: "Tikal saves its magical moments for early morning and LATE afternoon."

Just spend a night inside the park. Totally worth it, we promise.