Over the last thirty years I have stayed at the Hotel Guayacan when I am in Sayaxche. The advantages of the hotel are that it is centrally located and is family owned. In other words, the owners are honest, respected citizens of this town and area. Julio Godoy Mendez is the owner and lives on the premises.

Rooms are clean and basic, which is what you would expect in any frontier town in Central America. You can have with, or without, air-conditioning. At least some rooms have private shower/toilet room.

No meals are served but there is a restaurant about 5 blocks away (but again, no credit cards accepted in frontier towns).

From the top patio you can see the entire curve of the Rio de la Pasion.

Sunrise at Río de la Pasión Sayaxché Petén, Guatemala July 2011.

Just this week we were entertained by a palm oil tanker truck which fell into the river while backing up to raise the front of the ferry so the ferry could dock better. The ferry was out of service for about 12 hours while someone tried to figure out how to get the half-submerged part of the truck out of the river without further wrecking the back of the ferry. This is the only major highway crossing in Guatemala that has no bridge!

Palm oil is not very popular since it involves bulldozing the jungle and thus decimating all the helpless animals.

Terrace Hotel Guayacán Sayaxché Petén, Guatemala July 2011.

Sayaxche is the town nearest Aguateca, Dos Pilas, Ceibal

The turnoff to Seibal (locally spelled Ceibal, place of the Ceiba tree) is about 10 minutes from Sayaxche.

The water route to Aguateca and Dos Pilas is in front, to the left, of Sayaxche. So Sayaxche is the place you pass through en route to the Mayan archaeological ruins of Lake Petex Batun.

Río de la Pasión Sayaxché Petén, Guatemala July 2011.

Sayaxche is a central location from which to study flora and fauna

If you are interested in eco-tourism, you can go up the Rio de la Pasion or Arroyo Petex Batun.

Sunrise Río de la Pasión Sayaxché Petén, Guatemala July 2011.

Hotel Guayacan Contact information to make reservations

Contact info to ask information or make reservations:
Hotel Guayacan, Sayaxche, Peten, Guatemala Reservations (502) 7928-6111, e-mail hotelguayacan1@hotmail.com

As with most local hotels, they do not accept credit cards. The BanRural can change US dollars several blocks away. There is a faster exchange place (no line to wait in) on the same main street as the hotel, but exchange is less than if you wait in line in the bank.

Boats at Río de la Pasión, Sayaxché Petén, Guatemala July 2011.

Río de la Pasión, Sayaxché Petén, Guatemala July 2011.

Most recently updated August 12, 2011.

First posted August 11, 2011