Guatemala Guide
The Pacific coast
A chain of volcanoes divides the cool air of the mountains from a sweltering strip of low-lying, tropical, ladino-populated land, some 300km long and 50km wide. Usually known simply as La Costa, this fairly featureless yet supremely fertile coastal plain – once swamp, forest and savannah – is now a land of vast fincas, dull commerce-driven towns and ramshackle seaside resorts scattered along an unrelentingly straight, black-sand shoreline.
Several ancient Mesoamerican cultures once flourished in the region, leaving some important archeological remains. Today it's large-scale agriculture – sugarcane, palm oil, cotton and rubber plantations – that dominates and accounts for a substantial proportion of the country's exports. Only in some isolated sections, particularly in the extensive mangrove swamps, can you still get a sense of the maze of tropical vegetation that once covered this area.
Little of the region's archeological heritage remains, though you can glimpse the fine art of the Pipil around the town of Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa. The one site in the area that comes close to ranking with those elsewhere in the country is Takalik Abaj, outside Retalhuleu, which displays both Maya and Olmec heritage.
It's certainly not a resort, but the little seaside settlement of Monterrico has a certain unspoilt charm and is worth a visit. Here you'll find one of the country's finest beaches, with a superb stretch of clear, clean sand and a coastal nature reserve to explore.
Highlights
1 Takalik Abaj This small but rewarding archeological site features well-executed Olmec and Maya carvings.
2 La Democracia A startling collection of pot-bellied carved-stone sculptures, or "fat boys", inhabit this village's main plaza.
3 Monterrico This oceanside village boasts Guatemala's most enjoyable beach, famous for its nesting sea turtles, plus an extensive network of mangrove swamps to explore.
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