Flores is a place that sneaks into your heart and makes you want to stay longer than planned. I already know that I’m going back one day!
In this Flores, Guatemala travel guide I will cover everything you need to know before your visit: how to get there, the best hotels and hostels, top restaurants and cafes, and all the must-see things to do in and around the island.
How to Get to Flores, Guatemala
Flores is surprisingly easy to reach, despite feeling like a secret island hideaway.
By Air:
Fly into Mundo Maya International Airport (FRS), just 10 minutes from the island. There are daily flights from Guatemala City and occasional connections from Belize City. There are two airlines flying between Flores and Guatemala City, namely TAG and Avianca. It’s important to know that they have pretty different rules regarding checked luggage, so make sure to double check before you book your domestic flight. I recommend Avianca if you are flying with a normal sized checked luggage.
Usually hotels offer free transfer from the airport so make your arrangements with the place you are staying.
By Bus Or Shuttle:
If you’re traveling from Antigua or Guatemala City, you can take an overnight bus with Linea Dorada or Maya de Oro. VIP class is worth the upgrade — you’ll get reclining seats, air conditioning, and a smooth ride. You will also find lots of shuttle companies offering both shared and private transfers from most places in Guatemala.
From Belize:
Traveling between Belize and Guatemala is very popular and pretty easy. The closest place to take a shuttle from Belize is San Ignacio close to the border of Guatemala, which takes about 3 hours. However, you can also book shuttles directly from Belize city if you don’t want to visit San Ignacio.
Best Places to Stay in Flores, Guatemala
As a full time traveler I don’t always have the opportunity to book my stays long in advance, so sometimes I don’t get my first pick. I only recommend a hotel I’ve stayed at if I genuinely thought it was a good deal. Other options listed are hotels I’ve researched or gotten recommended and personally would have booked if they were available depending on my budget.
We stayed at Hotel Casona de La Isla and had an amazing stay. It’s perfectly located in the city with a nice view of the lake. They picked us up from the airport for free, had really nice breakfast and the pool was a nice bonus after days exploring. You can check prices and availability for it here.
Other popular Hotels in Flores
💰 Budget:
Legendary among backpackers for its jungle vibe, social atmosphere, and fantastic in-house restaurant.
💰💰 Mid-Range:
A boutique hotel with comfy rooms, a rooftop pool, and a perfect location for exploring the island. probably the most popular Hotels in the island.
Simple but clean rooms, but the biggest plus is a huge terrace to enjoy the views.
💰💰💰 Luxury:
An upscale eco-lodge tucked into the jungle on the edge of Lake Petén Itzá. Owned by Francis Ford Coppola, it’s a romantic, off-the-grid escape. This is not technically in Flores, so dont book this is you want to explore Flores. This is more an added bonus stay for a fun jungle getaway.
Best Restaurants and Cafes in Flores
I always do my very best to test as many different places as possible, but it’s impossible to try it all. I therefore have a mixed list of places I’ve tried and loved as well as places I’ve got reccomended or have saved in my maps and want to try. Occasionally I will stumble upon a popular place that’s just overhyped or falsely advertised. If so, I will let you know!
Maple & Tocino
Top-tier brunch spot with fluffy pancakes, crispy bacon, and strong coffee. Bright, cozy, and delicious. We came here multiple times even though we had breakfast included at our hotel. The food is amazing and the views are a perfect way to start your mornings.
Maracuya
This is a relaxed lakeside hangout with fresh juices, healthy bowls, and dreamy hammocks. We spent some time relaxing here with a really good smoothie and salad. They also have a pretty cute pier that is popular to reserve for a romantic dinner. In all honesty we were three of four who didn’t love the dinner food here, so I would maybe only have lunch here. It’s worth noting that they do have a lot of traditional Guatemalan food here for dinner, so if you want to try some local dishes this might be a place to test it.
Sky Bar
Rooftop cocktails with a 360° view of the island and lake — perfect for sunset. We came almost every evening to watch the sunset. Definitely the best place to do so! I didn’t eat anything other than the nachos here, but they were pretty good! But definitely come here for the sunset and cheap Happy Hour drinks.
Terrazzo, Restaurante E Bar
This place doesn’t look like much from the street, but once you get up to the actual restaurant you will find a stunning view of the lake. They also had some really good food! The tuna, the steak and the fish, it was all good!
Other places I wanted to check out that looks delicious:
- La Casa de Enrico
- Achiote
- Cool Beans Café
- Tacos Los Peces
- Bistro Puertas deli Cielo
Best Things to Do in Flores, Guatemala
Explore Tikal
Probably why most people come to Flores in the first place. One of the most impressive Mayan ruins in the world is not to be missed. You can choose between a sunrise tour, a guided daytour or just rent a car or get a driver for the day and explore the ruins yourself. We did the last thing and thought it was amazing to walk around as we liked. Yes, its a bit more planning, but you dont have to get there at the same time and walk the same route as everyone else.
I’ve heard so many mixed messages about the sunrise tour so I’m not sure I would recommend it. If however this is something you really want to do it might be an idea to look at staying closer to Tikal for a night instead of leaving at 4am.
Walk Around Flores Island
Wander the cobblestone streets, snap pics of the colorful houses, and watch local life unfold. Because Flores is such a common hub for visitors wanting to see Tikal or other nearby attractions, the city itself is almost empty during the day. So its the perfect place to just wander alone and enjoy. It probably wont take you long since the island is pretty small, but I would set aside a couple of hours. It’s also very interesting to see how the water is slowly getting higher and higher and you can now see that the roads around the island are fully submerged in water. Apparently this is something that happens every 30 years and all the locals are prepared for it. So I was told by a local at least.
Jump into the Lake at Jorge’s Rope Swing
This is a favorite local hangout across the lake. There’s a rope swing (obviously), hammocks, cold beers, and plenty of sunshine. I was a bit unsure it was worth it, but I ended up loving it and wanted to go back again. It’s a quiet and serene spot on the lake made to just relax in the sun, swim or be a bit more adventurous and swing into the water. You can easily get there by asking one of the locals in boats by the waterfront to take you there. They dont have fixed prices, but it didn’t vary that much between them. Expect to pay between 15-20$ per boat. You pay everything upfront and arrange a time they will come back and pick you up. We got the captains WhatsApp number so we could schedule a more precise time when we knew how long we wanted to stay there. You need to pay a small entry fee to get in (3$ when I was there in 2025). They also have food and drinks if you want to spend the whole day.
Visit Other Mayan Ruins than Tikal
The whole area around Flores is packed with history and you could easily spend weeks just exploring the different ruins. However, the two best ones after Tikal are Yaxhá and Uaxactún. The last one is a more astronomy focused ruin if that’s something you are interested in. They both require daytrips from Flores.
Rent a Kayak or SUP and explore the lake on your own
I saw so many people paddling around the lake, either just to paddle or to get to and from the beach or Jorge’s rope swing. Personally I think the trip to the rope swings might be a bit to far, but just paddling around the lake looks like so much fun. The lake is usually very still so it should be pretty easy to get around. I didn’t personally do this, but I saw that you could get some pretty decent deals at the Maracuya restaurant or from Los Amigos Hostel.
Sightsee on the lake with a Lancha
All over the island you will see these colorful wooden boats lined up along the waterfront. There are no fixed tours or set prices as far as I could understand, everyone we talked to were willing to make different routes based on what we wanted to see. The prices didn’t vary that much between the different boats, but if you want to save a few bucks I would talk to a couple and compare prices. They will know all the best places to go so unless you have something specific in mind just follow their tips. Some of the highlights are a lookout point you can walk up to called Mirador Del Rey Canek, a small sand beach and a small museum with different Mayan artifacts. Personally I wouldn’t use my time on this trip unless you have lots and lots of time in Flores.
Take a Sunset Boat Tour
Instead of exploring the lake on a Lancha during the day I would recommend doing so around sunset. The sunset over Lake Petén Itzá is absolutely incredible and something you should set aside time for no matter how long your stay in Flores is. We combined this with our trip back from Jorge’s rope swing which saved a bit of money and time.
Swim in the Crater Azul
Unfortunately this was one of the things I really wanted to do in Flores that I didn’t have time for. It’s a daytrip from Flores and it looks absolutely amazing! I talked to some people who did it and the reviews were mixed. Some people loved it, but some people thought it was a bit far away. So if you don’t mind a bit of driving I would definitely do this.
Visit ARCAS Wildlife Rescue Center
A boat-accessible animal sanctuary that’s doing incredible work rescuing and rehabilitating local wildlife. I personally didn’t visit here, but I’ve only heard and read good things about them. So if you are a big animal lover, this might be a place worth visiting while your are in Flores.
Final Thoughts
Flores, Guatemala is way more than just a base for visiting Tikal — it’s a destination worth lingering in. With its colorful streets, relaxing lake life, rich Mayan history, and cozy cafes, it’s one of those rare places that blends charm, culture, and adventure in the best possible way.
Whether you’re backpacking Guatemala or looking for a chill stop between Belize and the rest of Central America, Flores is the kind of place you’ll want to stay longer than planned.
I hope this guide helped you plan your trip to Flores. If you have any questions please dont hesitate to reach out to me on social media, I would love to connect and help you out!