Monterrico

Population - 2,900

On the face of it, Monterrico appears to be your typical sultry, tropical beach town, but dig a little deeper and contrasts soon start to emerge. From its humble beginnings as a fishing village, Monterrico is re-inventing itself as the premier destination on the Pacific Coast. Guatemala City day-trippers mix with European vacationers, older back-to-basics hotels mingle with new resorts and among the numerous comedores are a handful of truly great restaurants.

However, Monterrico is much more than just a beach town. A barrier island, Monterrico is surrounded by water; the Pacific Ocean on one side, the Canal de Chiquimulilla on the other. This creates a unique environment allowing species which have died out in the rest of the world to survive here, amid the mangroves and lagoons of the protected Bioptopo de Monterrico..

The beach itself is a 22km long, straight strip of black volcanic sand bordered by the white foam of crashing waves. During the midday heat, the black sand is unbearably hot but it cools down quickly in the late afternoon when sun-seekers come out to lie on towels, stroll along the waters edge or fit in a game of volleyball.

At night a different visitor appears. For six months of the year, Monterrico is the nesting site of three types of turtle: an amazing claim to fame and one that is essential to preserve. The commercialization of beaches usually means turtles become scared off. However, the development in Monterrico is low-key so tourists still have a chance, in season, to see a nesting turtle near their hotel.

The streets of Monterrico are simply laid out in the form of a cross. Calle Principal is the long paved road that leads from the canal docks and through the center of town to the beach. Just before it reaches the pedestrianised zone near the beach, one sandy street, called Calle des Hoteles, goes to the left and another sandy street, Calle Cementario (after the cemetery) heads to the right. At the crossroads there is a helpful signpost listing many of the hotels and their distances from that point.

There are two paved roads that lead off Calle Principal. One travels west, past Hotel Utz-Tzapa on a scenic route to the towns of Itztapa and San José, eventually finishing at Escuintla on the Pacific Highway. The abundant zucchini-type vegetable that can be seen growing along this road is actually a loofah, also often left drying out under the sun in long rows. The other road goes east towards Hotel Dos Mundos and Parque Hawaii.

Neighborhoods in Monterrico: Parque Hawaii,

Other places nearby Monterrico: El Tulate, Chiquimulilla, Coatepeque, La Democracia, Las Lisas, Chulamar, Escuintla, Iztapa, Guatemala's Pacific Coast and Retalhuleu.