El Remate, Guatemala is a small woodcarving village of approximately 370 families, located on the east end of Lake Petén Itzá, on the main road halfway between Tikal and Flores. A good base for your stay in the Petén area, El Remate is the closest accommodation to Tikal National Park. Many visitors consider it a pleasant option to the often crowded and noisy area of Flores or the expensive hotels in Tikal. (source)
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The first stop on our Guatemalan road trip was El Remate, a small village on the northeast corner of Lake Peten Itza.
I had made a reservation at a hotel online, and discovered once we arrived that they did not receive it, but could accommodate nevertheless. It was very small and rustic, which is ok but lacked an outside sitting area that Natasha and I have become fond of. So we set off on a walk around the lake into the “business district” of El Remate.
We strolled into La Casa de Don David and was offered a quick tour of the grounds and available rooms. This was the place we wanted to be! For just $15 USD more than our current lodging, it was well worth it.
The price included two meal/day and had spectacular amenities, including a viewing deck complete with hammocks and chairs perfect for my birding. We booked two nights and walked back to our current hotel to explain we wouldn’t be staying.
The National Tree of Guatemala, the Ceiba tree, is revered by the Maya for many reasons, including having roots said to go down into the underworld.
For more on travel photography, go to my post Travel Photography Tips and Planning.
