Ixtobel

---

It was an easy two-hour drive from Santa Elena to Finca Ixtobel in Poptun. It's a funky place very similar to Barton Creek Outpost except that it's been around longer. They use a combination of local and "volunteer" labor to run the place and it seems to run quite smoothly. The bills are tabulated and paid on an honor system and that too seems to work out pretty well. I appreciated that I didn't need to carry around my wallet while I statyed there because everything went on my tab. It only cost about $3 per night to camp which is a very good deal for what you get. The bathrooms and showers were very nice and they even had hot water which I do not need in this land of mucho calor. The camping area was surrounded by cabins on set up on stilts like little tree houses where people without tents could stay. This place epitomizes "backpacker chic". A two-minute walk down a narrow path through the vegetable gardens led to a small bar beside a pond where guests can swim to escape the heat. This place was hopping in the evening after dinner was served and everyone adjourned to the bar. I think I'll crash here for a couple of days...

---