Exploring Flores Where to stay Where to eat How to get around
The tiny island town of Flores, set on Lake Petén Itza, is easily one of the most charming spots in Guatemala. Colourful colonial buildings. Great restaurants. Sunsets over the lake. It’s easy to fall in love with this place.
With a causeway connecting it to the mainland, Flores is also the perfect jumping-off point for nearby attractions like Tikal. Talk about the best of both worlds!
If you’re visiting Flores soon, you’ve come to the right place. After reading this guide, you’ll know which area to stay in, where to find the best restaurants and how to get around this charming island town in Guatemala.
Also, check out our list of the best activities in Flores!
How long should you spend in Flores?
Most people come for just one day as a base for visiting Tikal, but we recommend 2-3 days in Flores to fully enjoy it. Trust us, you don’t want to miss out on all the cool things to do!
If you’re also visiting Flores to go on the 5-day El Mirador trek, plan at least one full day in Flores after the trek. You’ll want a day to rest and take care of that muddy laundry you’ll inevitably bring back.
Where to stay in Flores
By far the best place to stay is on the island of Flores.
This is where most visitors stay and where you’ll find all the amenities that you need — restaurants, cafes, shops and tourist information centres. There’s even a little shopping mall just a short walk away on the mainland.
Where exactly you stay on the island doesn’t matter as it’s so small! You can walk around the entire island in 15 minutes.
Simply stay in the accommodation that you like the most, and that fits your budget.
Accommodation on Flores island
Flores is tiny, so accommodation options on the island are limited.
Prices can be a bit higher than elsewhere in Guatemala, starting at $25 per night for a private room.
Our favourite place to stay on Flores is Hotel Casazul. Its bright and modern design, coupled with a terrace overlooking the lake, is perfect for relaxing.
If you do find that all of the best accommodation on the island of Flores is fully booked, then consider a jungle retreat. Hidden amongst the trees, Zapote Tree Inn has a pool overlooking the lake. Life can’t get much better than that!
Best restaurants in Flores
For a little island, Flores has a lot of places to eat. There are lots of lake-side restaurants, street stalls and little cafes.
Although there are many choices, they’re not all great! To make sure that you only have delicious meals in Flores, here are our 3 favourites places to eat:
Maple & Tocino — the best place to eat in Flores
Maple & Tocino, in our opinion, is the best place to eat in Flores. They offer a variety of things to eat — waffles, crepes, traditional Guatemalan breakfasts, pizza and more. The juices and smoothies are a must-try!
Grab a table on the terrace and enjoy your food while taking in the beautiful lake view.
Restaurante Raices — a beautiful spot overlooking the water
You can’t get much closer to Lake Petén Itzá than at Restaurante Raices. The outdoor terrace literally sits on the water. This is one of the fancier restaurants on the island, offering tasty grilled meats, steak, fish, tacos and pizza.
You can’t beat the ambience here. It’s beautifully lit, next to the water and the waiters immediately make you feel welcome!
Cool beans — a fun place to hang out for a while
The food at Cool Beans is best described as authentic and simple. It’s a cheap place to grab a meal and a lovely spot to hang out.
The whole restaurant is surrounded by greenery, with hammocks hanging from trees. They also have board games available to keep you entertained for a couple of hours. The staff are also lovely!
How to get around Flores
The area of Flores includes both the island and part of the mainland. Most visitors stay on the island where a lot of the accommodations and restaurants are.
Pretty much everything you could need is on the island, so getting to where you want to go is easy!
Here are the best ways to get around Flores:
By foot
Your own two feet will be your main mode of transport. Walking around the whole island only takes around 15 minutes, and pretty much everything you need is there.
If you want to visit the big supermarket at the entrance of Flores island, your walk will be no longer than 15 minutes, no matter where you start on the island.
By taxi/tuk-tuk
If you need to venture a bit further or have a lot of luggage that you don’t want to carry, there are taxis and tuk-tuks available.
They’re easy to find as they’re often waiting in spots where tourists are dropped off, or will give you a honk as they’re driving past.
Tuk-tuks are often cheaper than taxis, with most journeys costing around Q5.
Heading to Tikal? Find out how to get there in our guide to things to do in Flores.
In summary
Now that you’ve finished reading this guide, you’re almost ready for your adventure in Flores. The next step is to create your personalised itinerary with our top picks of things to do in Flores. Simply choose your favourite activities and places to visit, and you’re all set to make lasting memories in Flores.
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