Monterrico travel guide

Ins and outs

The landing stage is 10 minutes’ walk from the ocean front, where you’ll find the main restaurants and places to stay. When you step off the dock take the first left, and keep left, which heads directly to the main cluster of beach hotels. This road is known as Calle del Proyecto or Calle del Muelle. Walking straight on from the dock takes you to the main drag in town. When you get to the main drag and want to walk to the main group of hotels, take a left along the beach or take the sandy path to the left one block back from the beach where the sand is a tiny bit easier to walk on.

Monterrico

Bus and boat

There are 3 ways of getting to Monterrico, 2 by public transport, the 3rd by shuttle. The first route to Monterrico involves heading direct to the Pacific coast by taking a bus from the capital to Puerto San José, 1 hr, and changing for a bus to Iztapa. Or take a direct bus from Escuintla to Iztapa. Then cross river by the toll bridge to Pueblo Viejo for US$1.60 per vehicle (buses excluded), or US$0.80 per foot passengers, 5 mins. The buses now continue to Monterrico, about 25 km east, 1 hr. Buses run to and from Iztapa between 0600-1500, from the corner of main street and the road to Pueblo Viejo to the left, 3 blocks north of the beach, just past the Catholic church on the right.

The second route involves getting to Taxisco first and then La Avellana. There are also direct buses to La Avellana from Guatemala City. If you are coming from Antigua, take a bus to Escuintla 1-1½ hrs. From there, there are regular departures to Taxisco, 40 mins. From Taxisco to La Avellana, buses leave hourly until 1800, US$1, 20 mins. If you take an international bus from Escuintla (45 mins), it will drop you off just past the Taxisco town turnoff, just before a bridge with a slip road. Walk up the road (5 mins) and veer to the right where you’ll see the bus stop for La Avellana. At La Avellana take the motor boats through mangrove swamps, 20-30 mins, US$0.60 for foot passengers, from 0630 and then hourly until 1800. The journey via this route from Antigua to Monterrico takes about 3¼ hrs if your connections are good. Return boats to La Avellana leave at 0330, 0530, 0700, 0800, 0900, 1030, 1200, 1300, 1430, 1600. Buses leave La Avellana for Taxisco hourly until 1800. Buses pull up near the Banco Nor-Oriente where numerous buses heading to Guatemala and Escuintla pass.

Shuttles

Alternatively, numerous travel agencies in Antigua run shuttles, US$10-12 1 way. You can book a return shuttle journey in Monterrico by going to the language school on the road that leads to the dock. There are also mini buses operating from Monterrico to Iztapa and vice-versa.

Medical services

There is a clinic behind El Delfín open at weekends.

Post office

Near Hotel Las Margaritas on the Calle Principal.