Flores is situated on an island on Lake Petén Itzá and connected by a causeway to it's sister town of Santa Elena; 45 minutes by road from Parque National Tikal and 2 hours from Cayo District in Belize.

Flores is the natural starting point for a visit to Petén’s wild interior, as it is the region’s transportation and services hub.

View from "El Mirador"

Explore cobble-stone streets flanked by handicraft stores and charming houses, many of which are small hotels, guesthouses and restaurants.

Good places to eat are easy to find
in Flores. Order up your favorite international cuisine or go Guatemalan if you're looking for a taste adventure.

The shops stay open well into the evening and you can purchase colorful hand-made garments, fabrics and other take-home items, including T-shirts and local hard-wood carvings fashioned after indigenous wildlife.

Things to Do
Lake Petén Itzá - Going anywhere on Lake Petén Itzá is a very pleasant affair. You can hire a "launcha" (wooden motorboat) to visit the zoo on the small island of Petencito. The "Museo" offers a personal collection of Maya and other artifacts. The museum is located on a small island, a short distance from Flores.
ARCAS - The nearby Asociación de Rescate y Consevación de Vida Silvestre (ARCAS) is a wildlife rescue center. Animals being cared for include - macaws, green and yellow parrots, jaguars, howler and spider monkeys, kinkajous and coatimundis that have been rescued from smugglers in the illegal pet trade. At the center, the animals are rehabilitated for their hopeful release back into the wild.
El Mirador - Motor to San Miguel and hike up the steps to "El Mirador" (The View) for an unforgettable panoramic view of Lake Petén Itzá. On the other side of the island there is a secluded beach area, "la playa", for swimming.
Santa Elena - Walk or take a 3 wheel taxi (Tuc-Tuc) for less then a dollar and cross the island causeway into Santa Elena and experience the bustling streets of Santa Elena and it's sprawling market areas. Here you can try your hand at bartering for locally produced fabrics, phone accessories, sunglasses, watches, bootleg cd's and other local and regionally produced items.

Cuevas de Actun Kan - At the edge of Santa Elena town, there is an easily accessible (by taxi) cave attraction, which is maintained by INGUAT. It is quite large and takes around 45 minutes to have a good look around and complete the well-lit, circular route. A flashlight is provided to explore unlit areas. Well-marked trail system highlight some interesting formations that resemble animals and people, plus plenty of stalactites and stalagmites.

Canopy Tour -There are two places that offer adventure rides, such as hanging from a harness and sliding down wires attached between trees. Canopy Tour Tikal is located judy outside the Tikal main gate. In addition to Zip-Line Tours, they also have Hanging Bridges which is excellent for Wildlife Spotting. The second is Ixpanpajul - a 5 minutes drive from Flores, which has a canopy tour and suspension bridges. In addition, they offer horseback riding.

Mayan Ruins - Tikal & Yaxhá are the most frequented
archeological sites from Flores.

Where to Stay in Flores ....

Santa Elena

Flores - Tikal by-Air

Visit Tikal by day from Belize and still be on-time for your same day, return-air-transport .... or dine and spend the evening in Flores/with overnight and enjoy the ambience of Flores. See Tikal-By-Air Options from San Pedro-Belize & Guatemala City.

Flores - Tikal by road from Belize

See overnight Tikal-Flores Package from San Ignacio, Belize

WATCH FLORES VIDEO

Spend a day in and around Flores ...

Video Highlights - Ride a 3 wheel tuc-tuc to Santa Elena and visit the always bustling market place. It was the day before, Christmas Eve and like many places, the town was jam packed with shoppers.

Return to Flores, take a short lake tour to include the "Museo" a personal collection of Maya and other artifacts; Then on to "El Mirador" for impressive panoramic views of Lake Petén Itzá.

 

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