This is just one of the many villages located on the scenic Pacific coast of Guatemala. If peace and quiet ranks high on your destination requisites, head for Monterrico. It’s far away from anything that might resemble city-life.  The sole road of the village that is often confused with a dirt track, leads to the beach and is lined with restaurants, hotels and cafés.

Besides the beach, the village does not offer any archaeological or architectural sights. The most attractive feature of the village is the Mangrove Reserve that is worth an exploration. This is one of the best reserves along the Pacific coast and is home to many species of birds and is also a nesting place for sea turtles. You can tour the reserve that includes a number of villages including the village of Monterrico by the canals that bisect through the reserve.

The rough, potholed roads and smutty beach strips of the pacific coast ensure a lack of tourist interest in the area. But for those who can overlook these drawbacks, there are some beautiful villages and hamlets where you relax and enjoy your holiday. Iztapa and Retalhuleu are worth a stopover. Retalhuleu or Reu, though the capital of the pacific coast is a laid back little town – the perfect place to relax.

 To get to Monterrico, you have to first get to La Avellana that is located across the Chiquimulilla canal. A number of buses connect La Avellana and Guatemala City. You can also get to La Avellana from Taxisco and Antigua though the bus service is not very reliable. From La Avellana, it’s easy getting to the little village as many motor launches cross the canal. You can also get to Monterrico through Iztapa. There are a number of buses that run between Guatemala City and Iztapa. From Iztapa, you need to get to the town of Puerto Viejo, a journey that can only be done by boat. From Puerto Viejo you can reach Monterrico by bus. The latter may be a more complicated way to get to Monterrico but it gives you full opportunity to enjoy the beauty of Guatemala.

The rainy season is long and experiences heavy showers especially during the afternoons. The best season to go therefore is the sometime between mid – December to mid – April This is also the busiest season. To get a taste of the cultural vibrancy of the country, try to plan your visit around a week before Easter so that you can attend the Semana Santa when the country brims with activity. If you can’t co-ordinate your trip with the Semana Santa, worry not as Guatemalans have a festive calendar full of red crosses and you are sure have a great time whenever you go!

There are several places along the beach and along the road leading to the beach where you can park your luggage. Don’t expect any luxury – its all pretty basic. Accommodation is not likely to be one of your heavy expenses. Festivals witness a hike in the prices especially during the Semana Santa. Seafood ranks high on the menu. Especially fish specialties. There are a number of places to eat. Try out the smaller establishments along the beach and along the road. Monterrico happily fits into the category of a sleepy little village. Not much happens after the sun sets. There are a couple of places where you can relax with a drink.

With barely any seasonal changes, light clothing would form a major part of your luggage no matter what time of the year you plan your visit. The temperatures drop a few degrees in winter and you may need a sweater for the evenings.

For more detailed country and visitor information, see Guatemala.