Thu 4th Dec 2008
- Monterrico Travel Guide & City Information
Monterrico is a black-sand beach on Guatemala's Pacific coast. It is considered by many to be Guatemala's best beach but, having said that, let it be known that Guatemala has not put much energy into developing beach-related tourism. If you're looking for luxurious, expansive beaches and fancy resorts with room service, you may wish to go down to El Salvador for the weekend.
In Monterrico, you'll meet backpackers from around the world. You can lie in a hammock, eat a veggie burger and drink a huge, inexpensive piña colada. You can play in the waves (a little too big for some people's taste). Walking down the street, you'll see the real local flavor, not a shiny facade put on for the tourists. You can visit the animal sanctuary and release a baby turtle into the wild.
You get to Monterrico by driving to La Avellana and taking a boat through mangrove swamps for half an hour. It's a gorgeous ride.