Where the River Hides Under the Earth


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Published: March 31st 2014
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Guatemala to Mexico

Cobán, Lanquín, Semuc Champey, Sayaxché, border crossing by boat at La Técnica to Frontera Corozal, Mexico then Palenque

One of the last places I visited in Guatemala was just about right in the center of the country and far from everything - the limestone pools at Semuc Champey. This would have been a great place to have a waterproof camera...

US$ ≈ 7.7 Guatemalan quetzales (Q) ≈ 13 Mexican pesos (M$)


Cobán




Like most travelers, I merely passed through Cobán on the way from Guate to Lanquín and had to spend the night after a late arrival. Not much to see in town but nice vibe and friendly people. Very different from Antigua where I had left in the morning.

Accommodation and food First looked at Hotel Central as it was on the way from the Monja Blanca bus stop to the center. Q80 for a single but it was full. Then looked at a dorm bed at Casa Luna which was poor quality/price ratio at Q50. Nearby was Hotel Cobán Imperial where I scored a basic single with a common bathroom and Guatemala's iciest cold water shower for Q50 and there was spotty WiFi. The hotel's cafeteria serves nice breakfasts for Q15. Around the park at night are mobile asaderos where a small plate of carne asada with sides goes for Q10. Best one is where the cops congregate. Across from the cathedral is Café Doña Lucia serving espresso and delicious Q4 eclairs.

Transport Transportes Martinez departs from their central office (i.e., parking lot) for Lanquín hourly on the :30 for Q30. Trip takes 2:20. Monja Blanca runs hourly between Cobán and Guate for Q50 on old, refurbished Greyhound buses which was very comfortable even though the driver would not turn on the AC as it was normal service. Can't complain at that price as Q50 normally gets you a 5-6 hour chicken bus ride. The trip takes 4½-5½ hours depending on the final stop. They still use their city office in Guate Zona 1 but it's quicker to board or alight at Centra Norte mall as there is a 30-40 minute layover there. There is a decent food court at the mall if needed.


Lanquín




More accommodation and dining options in this small town close to Semuc Champey.

Accommodation and food I was met at the bus by Victor who led me the 10 minute back way to Hostal Oasis where I took a bed in
MiradorMiradorMirador

Short but steep and sweaty hike to the lookout, Semuc Champey.
a clean, new 5 person dorm with its own cold water bathroom for Q35/night. I had the room to myself for the first night and shared it with an Italian dude the second so it was a good deal. The weather was very hot there during the day but surprisingly chilly at night and I needed my sleeping bag in the middle of the night. Reliable WiFi but only during designated times. Their onsite restaurant is good but be prepared for sticker shock if coming from the highlands. In town are cheaper places to eat - Rancho Semuc is so-so serving Q20 almuerzos (Q18 without the fake juice or soda) but heaps better is Comedor Shalom (not Israeli run) serving a Q30 huge plato of chicken breast filet, rice, beans, tortillas, and horchata and Q20 breakfast with eggs, beans, plantains, tortillas, soft cheese (much different, and in my opinion better, than the hard, insanely salty cheese in the highlands), also with the omnipresent horchata.

Transport Small trucks are used as local transport to Semuc Champey and back a few times a day for Q10 (last departure back to Lanquín at 17:00). Leaving Lanquín for Sayaxché proved to be a
Río CahabónRío CahabónRío Cahabón

Semuc Champey
bit of a challenge as most locals told me I had to go back via Cobán because of the road construction (only open to northbound traffic between 12:00 and 14:00, as best as I could decipher). Even though I did abide by that advice with the intention of taking the indirect route via Cobán, I was fortunate on two counts that the minivan suffered a mechanical breakdown 5 minutes before we reached the highway junction at El Pajal for which passengers were only charged Q5. It was actually a relief getting off the minivan because I had to sit on the roof for the 30 minute ride from Lanquín using my feet hooked under the luggage rack for stability while frying in the unrelenting Petén sun.

In El Pajal I found out with as much certainty as possible in Guatemala that a bus to Sayaxché was going to pass sometime between 11:00 and 12:00. Seeing as it was 10:30 and there was no imminent transport to Cobán, I figured I'd wait it out. Lo and behold a bus did pass ~11:30 and I boarded with several other backpackers who were bound for Flores. The bus was already packed, the road awful, at least one squawking chicken was on board, and the trip to Sayaxché via Fray and Raxruhá took 6½ hours for Q50, definitely much cheaper than going back to Cobán but I'm almost positive it would have been quicker via that indirect route.

Most passengers got off in Fray so there was finally a place to sit. The bus seemed to be the mode of transport for a mariachi band, their roadies, and groupies playing in Fray over the weekend. There was also a 20 minute stop in Fray during which time I got an order of bean tacos (3 for Q5) from a local who used to live in Chelsea, MA. Also a nice licuado stand nearby, Q5 in a plastic bag, Q6 in a to go cup. After Fray the landscape quickly changed from jungle to miles and miles of palm plantations making for a long, sweaty, and exceedingly monotonous ride.

Semuc Champey Several places to stay including El Portal where I had lunch halfway through the tour. The entry into the pools is Q50 and Q60 for a mandatory guided tour of the Kan'Ba Cave (not to be missed). I did the complete
Uppermost PoolUppermost PoolUppermost Pool

Semuc Champey
tour from my hostel for Q150 and if going on your own it's going to be Q130 and you won't have a guide for the pools as there are a couple places difficult to find without one. However, it would still be enjoyable without a guide and many people do just that. Some places in Lanquín charge Q175 for the same tour. Shop around and also check a few places if needing a shuttle as those prices also vary quite a bit.


Sayaxché




After the long trip from Lanquín, this was a good place for a 2 night/1 day stopover on the way to Mexico although it was boiling hot compared to the highlands. First order of business was a buzz cut for Q10. There are ruins nearby but public transport to them is non-existent and I was not about to shell out for a taxi or solo boat trip since I was conserving my last few quetzales for getting outta there.

Accommodation and food I checked out nearly every hotel in town: first was full, second a bit pricey, third disgusting but only Q35, but the fourth - Hotel Casa Grande - was perfect. I had to bargain from Q100 to Q80 for a super clean single with private hot water bathroom, cable TV (although Animal Planet's "Turtleman" seemed to be the only English program before I passed out after the mini epic bus ride; second night was a bit better with "Ghost Rider" although certainly not Nicolas Cage's finest 2 hours), drinking water, and WiFi/PCs. I was able to get the owner/manager to prepare hot water for my coffee too. Many stalls selling Q5 fruit salad and sidewalk BBQs where a small plate of chicken or steak runs Q10. I liked Comedor Karen who also serves Q8 licuados in a proper glass.

Transport Buses to Cobán run ~Q70. Cross the river and catch a frequent minivan to Santa Elena (for Tikal) for Q23.

Sayaxché to Frontera Corazal, Mexico via the border crossing at La Técnica I first had to get across the Río De La Pasion on the 24-7 public ferry (Q15 cars & small trucks, Q5 motorcycles, free for pedestrians & bicycles, goes about every 10 minutes) as there is no bridge nor purportedly ever will be. On the other side are minivans or coaster buses heading to El Subín
Standing in Front of Where the River Hides Under the EarthStanding in Front of Where the River Hides Under the EarthStanding in Front of Where the River Hides Under the Earth

One of the guides wasn't overjoyed with nearly everyone going past the rope barrier, Semuc Champey.
(departing every 15 minutes for Q7, 15 minute ride) but I caught a lift with one of the cars on the ferry. From El Subín there was a minivan to Las Cruces (Q5) where I absolutely roasted from ~11:00 til 11:40 waiting for a bus coming from Santa Elena (same bus that would have passed El Subín, not sure why people told me to go to Las Cruces). The fare to the border was Q35 and we first briefly stopped at Bethel at ~14:30 to get our passports stamped out of Guatemala. Can change quetzales into Mexican pesos at immigration but the rate is poor.

There are supposedly lanchas to Mexico from Bethel but it is quite a bit more expensive (depends on passenger numbers) than from La Técnica, 30 minutes further down the road where everyone got off the bus ~15:00. As I had already changed my queltzales into pesos with a fellow passenger, I paid 30 Mexican pesos, which was about Q20, a bit overcharged I think, for the short boat ride to Frontera Corazal arriving at 15:30. Took a while to rally the immigration official from his siesta (can't blame him as it was murderously hot
Río CahabónRío CahabónRío Cahabón

Semuc Champey
and I might have been the only foreigner entering the entire day) and by the time I got stamped in I had missed the last direct minivan to Palenque. I debated staying in Frontera Corazal for the night to try to latch onto a group to tour the Mayan ruins at Yaxchilán in the morning but there was no bank and I didn't have much US$ to exchange. I headed to Palenque instead where there are a couple of banks with ATMs. After missing the last minivan from the border at 16:00 I had to take a share taxi to the main highway at El Crucero for M$20 then wait for a minivan (~2½ hours, M$70). Tours to Yaxchilán and nearby Bonampak can be arranged in Palenque but leave at 6:00, returning at 19:00. I'll pass as there are plenty of ruins to see in Southern Mexico.

I'm pretty sure I was on a busload of people illegally headed to the U.S. Only a few passengers got their passports stamped and one of them told me that he lives in the U.S. but was from Honduras along with the rest of the passengers. Later he told me he was a "coyote" taking everyone al Norte.


Additional photos below
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On the Road from Sayaxché to La TécnicaOn the Road from Sayaxché to La Técnica
On the Road from Sayaxché to La Técnica

Was much worse than it looks, average speed was probably less than 30 km/hr, El Petén.


Tot: 0.103s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 12; qc: 33; dbt: 0.037s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1; ; mem: 1.1mb