Finca Ixobel Poptun

We left El Retiro Ranch and drove through the first rain we had since we were in Louisiana in December.  I was very sick, so we decided to stop at the famous Finca Ixobel and were welcomed by a great receptionist, a massachusetts native.  Finca Ixobel is a great place and I wish I had felt better to take advantage of the place.   They offer horseback riding excursions, spanish lessons, cave explorations, hiking and sailing expeditions.   The food is great, with an all you can eat dinner and f...

In brief, again: early start to walk up to Tikal temple 4 in the dark. Sat there as day broke (too misty for a proper sun rise) which was amazing - sitting on one temple, watching the others slowly appear through the mist was breathtaking. We then had a guided tour of the site - think 70m high Mayan pyramids - which was awesome. And having got up so early it meant we were the only ones there; incredible. More on that later. Half the group a bit unwell. Kate suffered, I was somehow fine. We th...

We'll stay here for Semana Santa, Holy week. The friendly guard says it'd be best to stay until the holiday week is over. Less danger on the highways from "distracted" drivers, he says. It's great here, great food, great people, a warm and friendly atmosphere for us to veg in for a while. Next is Honduras and Copan Ruins.

So, to begin where I left off.... Having left Los Amigos Hostel in Flores, I decided to head to a little establishment about 90km south called Finca Ixobel, which translates literally as Ixobel Farm. The name is a little misleading however, as it's not really a farm as such - more of a lodge, surrounded by acres of forest, hills, lakes, and other such nature-based delights. Although I could have stayed in the dirt cheap (and not unpleasant) mixed dorm, I decided to shell out the extra few que...

Walk across the causeway to Santa Elena and get chaperoned to the bus stop at the market by a local guy who speaks excellent English and no doubt gets a cut in our bus fare. The minibus takes us to Poptun via a few villages which is interesting to see for 35Q including dropping off at our new home just outside Poptun, Finca Ixobel. Finca Ixobel is a huge place in the middle of lots of greenery and is really nice. It is owned by an American women whose husband got assassinated here in the 90s ...

Happy Easter! I am staying at a finca(plantation) called Finca Ixobel just south of the small town of Poptun. Check out www.fincaixobel.com to see more. It is somewhat of a vacation resort for wealthier Guatemalans and a huge international backpacker hangout ... many come for a few days and stay for months. Today I went on a guided river cave tour(cueva del rio) which was just as amazing as snorkeling, only 10 times more dangerous. It started with a difficult 2 hour hike through the jungle to...

not much to add here, apart from it rained so much, that the locals got scared..there was pictures of all the countries around us flooding...and all the local roads between the borders and countries...closed! i find the tuc tuc ride to the hostel amusing and giggle the whole way...dodging puddles felt like an amusement ride! so matt and i hybernate at this wonderful hostel..if it had been sunny we would have stayed here for almost a wekk we think. it had lovely dorms, and the food was incredi...

Hola, We know it´s been awhile so going to try and get two new entries if we can. So much has happened in the last week not sure where to start... but I guess Tikal would be the best place. TIKAL, wow - one of my life goals and it lived up to everything that I hoped. We left for Tikal early in the morning, a better time to see and hear the animals of the forest. Tikal is a part of a national park and on the way in we drove past various animal crossing signs - snake, armadillo, and jaguar to n...

Nestled away, five kilometers south of Poptun, is a wonderful little place called Finca Ixobel. Or as I like to call, Summer Camp for Adults. I was dropped off on the side of the highway by rickety old pullman bus. I made the one kilometer trip down the dirt road in the blistering sun. As I stepped through the gates to the Finca, I discovered myself magically transported to the southeast US. It is surprisingly similar. The climate is the same. There´s pine trees. The grass looks the same, and...