Izabal Guatemala is the country’s only outlet to the Caribbean Sea. It is not very popular among travelers, and I wouldn’t recommend it to be your main destination in the country but if you have the extra time it is definitely worth visiting.
If you are taking a road trip in the country from somewhere like Antigua Guatemala or Atitlan Lake to Tikal, try to plan a night in it.
All About Our Family Getaway In Izabal Guatemala
I’ve been living in Guatemala for the last 10 years and I’d wanted to visit its Caribbean coast for quite some time. Finally, during a road trip to Tikal National Park where we also stopped by Semuch Champey and Lanquin Caves, I found the perfect time to do it.
There are many hotels that go from luxury, like Amatique Bay Resort, to budget ones. For my new family adventure, I decided I wanted to try something new and since I had never stayed in an eco-lodge I did some research and I found one that I liked. It is located in the middle of Mangorves.
The eco-lodge we chose is called Hacienda Tijax. It is a beautiful jungle lodge located in the middle of mangroves in Rio Dulce, (Izabal Department). This is a perfect place for all those nature lovers because you are right in the middle of the jungle. There’s no need to go out for a hike to find native animals and birds. It’s all right outside of your room.
Speaking about rooms Hacienda Tijax offers 3 lodging options: Bungalows, cabins, and deluxe cabins. We stayed in the deluxe cabin, which was rustic on the outside, but cement covered on the inside with a huge king size bed, air conditioning, and a gorgeous yet curious bathroom. To get to it we had to walk along some wooden mini bridges located over the water that take you everywhere in this eco-lodge.
These guys also offer some great tours in the area.
Family Friendly Tours in Izabal Guatemala
When we found out about the tours we decided to go on one just to try and we decided to take the Kayaking tour. But there are many other family-friendly things to do in Izabal that you can try.
This tour came as a surprise for us because let’s face it our 5-year-old boy’s concentration levels are only so long but it took him a whole hour to get bored with it. We all had a great time just paddling away in the middle of mangroves and surrounded by animals. We were so happy with this tour that we decided to go on another one.
This time we explored Castillo de San Felipe. This is a fortress that was once used by Spaniards to protect the port from attacks by pirates, the trend, and the British, who also wanted to take control of the region. It was interesting to learn about the attackers, see where soldiers lived, and pretend to fire the huge cannons.
The bottom line I really enjoyed the tours.
We were back at the hotel right on time for diner. so we headed straight to the restaurant. It specializes in Seafood but there are also more common things like burgers, pasta, sandwiches, and steak.
We have been to too many restaurants and it takes a lot to WOW us. The food was delicious, but we have just as good or better in other places.
In any case, I thoroughly enjoyed my tasty lobster and my sons were extremely happy with their sandwiches. My husband’s steak also looked amazing and he seemed to love it.
We went to bed early because we had to wake up early the next morning to do the final 4-hour drive to Flores Peten, our home base to visit Tikal.
Overall this was a great adventure that can be had as a family, as a couple, in a group, or however else you choose. So if you find yourself traveling in Guatemala and have a night to spare, definitely consider the area.
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