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Things to do
- Go for a swim in Lake Petén Itzá
- Visit Cerro Cahui Nature Reserve
- Visit Tikal
- Go on a bird watching tour
- Explore the woodcarving shops
El Remate Travel Guide
El Remate 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.
Some of the tours and activities in or nearby El Remate include: Tours to Tikal and other Maya ruins, Canopy Tours (ziplines), the Sky Way swinging bridges and jungle hiking trails, boat tours, swimming, horseback riding, birding, Biotopo Cerro Cahui natural reserve, Petencito Zoo and Actun Can Caves.
El Remate is also close to a number of other important Maya ruins in addition to Tikal. Yaxhá, the second most visited ruins after Tikal, gained notoriety from being the filming location for the CBS reality show 'Survivor: Guatemala'. See tours. Ceibal, Nakum and Uaxactun are also nearby.
El Remate is rapidly growing into a tourism based economy. The local wood carving families are doing less slash-and-burn agriculture, preserving the precious and in some cases scarce hardwoods. The variety of woodcarvings is indescribable and there are numerous woodcarving shops in the village. Some of the largest and most intricate carvings can be found at La Casa De Don David.
Swimming is safe in the clear waters of Lake Petén Itzá, however you will not find nice, sandy beaches. When entering the water from the shore, you will find white mud and rocks. Swimming is best done from one of the many public docks in the village.
Transportation
Since all transportation in route to Tikal passes through El Remate, it is easy to travel to and from Flores and Tikal by taxi or one of the many microbuses which are in constant transit between both locations. Tourist buses in route to Flores from Chetumal, Mexico and Belize also arrive and depart from El Remate twice daily (see our travel information for how to get there). If you are arriving from Belize on the Linea Dorada bus, be sure that your ticket destination says 'La Casa De Don David' and the driver will bring you to the hotel entrance.
Tourist Information
There is a small tourist information center located near the woodcarving shops in the village which is usually open during daylight hours, but service can be variable. Information and maps of Guatemala, Tikal, Antigua, Belize, etc. can be found in the restaurant and hotel lobby of La Casa De Don David. The helpful and friendly staff can either make arrangements for tours, transportation, etc. from the hotel or put you in touch with someone who can.
Cerro Cahui Nature Reserve
Located in El Remate on the lakeshore road, just 2km from La Casa De Don David, is the Biotopo Cerro Cahui nature reserve. Established for scientific studies by CECON (Centro de Estudios Conservacionistas) of the Universidad de San Carlos, Guatemala, the tropical rainforest reserve covers 650 hectares.
Visitors often see howler and spider monkeys, many varieties of birds, exotic insects and butterflies. There are two lookout points or 'miradores' with spectacular views of Lake Petén Itzá and the neighboring lakes of Macanché and Sal Petén. The park has two well-maintained trails: the shorter is Sac o' ox, with a length of 4.4km (2.75 miles) and estimated walking time of 1 hr 30 min. The longer and better trail is Los Escobos, with a length of 6km (3.75miles) and walking time 2hrs 20 min. Los Escobos trail passes through pristine jungle, and it's best to take your time for a better chance of observing wildlife. Park hours are 6:30 am to 4:00 pm everyday. Entrance fee is $3.50 (correct at the time of writing). Professional birdwatching guides can be arranged for $40-75, just ask at the hotel.
The dock across from the park entrance is a popular swimming and picnic area. Park entrance fee is not charged for swimming and use of picnic area.
Keeping the rainforest of northern Guatemala protected and sustainable has been a difficult process over the years. Tikal National Park and the Biotopo Cerro Cahui are among some of the few successful efforts, along with other parks and reserves in various parts of Guatemala. The increase in tourism is providing an alternative to the ever-present slash-and-burn agriculture, with more and more tours and services operated by local residents, along with wood carving efforts in El Remate.
Cahuí means 'giant crocodile' in Maya language. When looking at it across the lake, the mountain (cerro) gives the appearance of a crocodile swimming into the lake.
Bird Watching
Most of the Petén jungle is a birdwatcher's paradise, especially Tikal. A good birding area near El Remate is along the road to Cerro Cahui or within the park.
The evening or early morning boat tour to the nearby small rivers of Ixlu and Ixpop are also great for birding.
