Guatemala
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Waves reaching a dark beach as the sun meets the horizon.

Guatemala · Retalhuleu, Escuintla and Santa Rosa

Pacific
coast.

Tak’alik Ab’aj, the Sipacate–Naranjo mangroves and the Monterrico turtles.

See what to do (2)Destination map

Photo: Arturo Rivera

Before you go,
understand the place.

In Retalhuleu, the Ministry of Culture opens the Tak’alik Ab’aj archaeological park every day.

Best time to go
According to the United Kingdom, the rainy season normally runs from May to November, with frequent flooding and landslides; poorly maintained roads and bridges have been known to collapse.
Getting there
This guide does not calculate road routes or travel times. The Ministry of Culture puts Tak’alik Ab’aj 199 km from the capital (about 4 h); CONAP puts Sipacate 140 km away (2.5 h) and Monterrico about 125 km (2.5 h).

One way to explore

Themed guides

Places grouped by theme, to plan your day.

  • 2 places

    Tak’alik Ab’aj and Sipacate–Naranjo

    The Tak’alik Ab’aj archaeological park, which publishes its hours and fees, and the mangroves of Sipacate–Naranjo National Park, with unconfirmed status.

    Open the full guide

The place, in context

Everything you can do

Closed or restricted places are included and flagged, so you know what to expect.

Showing 2 of 2 · 1 unconfirmed, flagged

Nature and jungle · 1

  • NatureStatus unconfirmed

    Sipacate–Naranjo National Park

    Sipacate, Escuintla; according to CONAP, Paredón Buena Vista is reached by boat from Sipacate or the «El Escondite» landing. The pin is the park in OpenStreetMap; it is not a landing.53.9 km in a straight line from the regional map centre

    Entry
    Not stated
    Hours
    Not confirmed
    Booking
    Not stated

    A mangrove national park run by CONAP next to Sipacate (Escuintla), with a turtle sanctuary, according to CONAP.

    Status not confirmed with CONAP: its listing, with no visible date, gives free access. Spain lists Escuintla department among the risk areas to avoid (update of 8 May 2026).

    Source: CONAP – Parque Nacional Sipacate–Naranjo · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Hours
    Free access, according to CONAP.

    Tip: At Poza del Nance, CONAP asks boats to go slowly so as not to hurt the turtles.

    Sources: CONAP – Parque Nacional Sipacate–Naranjo · Gobierno de España – Recomendaciones de viaje: Guatemala (8 may. 2026)

Living culture · 1

Pacific coast · Practical guide

The essentials

  1. Tak’alik Ab’aj, with hours and fees from the Ministry of Culture
  2. The mangroves and turtle sanctuary of Sipacate–Naranjo
  3. The CECON turtle releases in Monterrico

Pacific coast · Practical guide

Where to stay

Sipacate and El Paredón
Beach towns beside Sipacate–Naranjo National Park; according to CONAP, Paredón Buena Vista is reached by boat.
Monterrico
A Santa Rosa town where CECON releases turtles at 5 p.m. from August to the end of December, for Q10 each.

Pacific coast · Practical guide

Practical tips

  1. CECON says the turtle-release season depends on how many eggs the hatchery can buy; CONAP gives July to December.
  2. At Tak’alik Ab’aj payment is in local currency only (Ministry of Culture).
  3. At Sipacate–Naranjo, CONAP asks boats to go slowly at Poza del Nance so as not to hurt the turtles.

Safety and precautions

  • According to the United Kingdom (advice current on 3 October 2026), Guatemala has one of the highest violent crime rates in Latin America, and incidents can also happen in tourist areas.
  • Spain (update of 8 May 2026) lists among the risk areas to avoid zones 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12 and 18 of Guatemala City, Villa Nueva and Mixco, and the departments of San Marcos, Huehuetenango, Escuintla, Petén and Izabal; it rates the rest of the country as medium risk and warns that there are no completely safe areas.
  • The US Department of State lets its staff visit the Pacific coast areas in Santa Rosa and Escuintla, but asks them not to drive outside Guatemala City at night because of poor lighting and safety risks.
  • The US Department of State advises reconsidering travel to Guatemala because of crime and terrorism (level 3, advisory issued on 12 March 2026). It advises against travel to the departments of San Marcos and Huehuetenango, zone 18 of Guatemala City and Villa Nueva (level 4).
  • According to the Ministry of the Interior, a 15-day state of prevention came into force on 21 April 2026 in the departments of Guatemala, Escuintla, Izabal, San Marcos and Huehuetenango (Government Decree 6-2026). This guide does not confirm whether one is in force now: check the current situation before you travel.
  • INGUAT tourist assistance: 1500, free and 24 hours. National Civil Police: 110 and 120.

Frequently asked questions

When are turtles released in Monterrico?

According to CECON, from August to the end of December, at 5 p.m., for Q10 per turtle; CONAP gives July to December.

How much is Tak’alik Ab’aj?

Q50 for foreign visitors and Q5 for Guatemalans, in local currency; it opens Monday to Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Ministry of Culture).

How do you get to Paredón Buena Vista?

By boat from Sipacate or from the «El Escondite» landing, according to CONAP.

Pacific coast · Practical guide

Sources consulted

Information checked in . Prices, hours and rules change: confirm them with the official source before you travel.

  1. Ministerio de Cultura (CulturaGuate) – Tak’alik Ab’aj (consulta oct. 2026)2026
  2. CONAP – Parque Nacional Sipacate–Naranjo2026
  3. CECON (USAC) – Liberación de tortugas en Monterrico (consulta oct. 2026)2026
  4. CONAP – Área de Uso Múltiple Monterrico2026
  5. Gobierno de España – Recomendaciones de viaje: Guatemala (8 may. 2026)2026
  6. FCDO (Reino Unido) – Guatemala: safety and security (13 ago. 2026)2026
  7. U.S. Department of State – Guatemala Travel Advisory (12 mar. 2026)2026
  8. Ministerio de Gobernación – Nuevo estado de prevención (21 abr. 2026)2026
  9. INGUAT – Asistencia al Turista 15002026

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