Ceibal

Ceibal is an archaeological site in the Peten department of the Northern Lowlands of Guatemala.

Understand
Ceibal is a small Mayan ruin. The site contains one temple and a lot of Stelaes (relief sculptures carved on stone tablets).

History
Mayan ruins

Landscape
Jungle, river, hills.

Flora and fauna
Palms, lots of mosquitoes, turtles, monkeys, ant-eaters.

Climate
Hot

Get in
From Guatemala City take a bus to Coban then from Coban take a bus to Sayaxche.

If your coming from Flores take a bus to Libertad and then another bus to Sayaxche.

Once you're at Sayaxche, head down to the river and ask the guys with the boats. The trip takes about an hour each way and is overpriced (US$50 for one person, $70 for 3 people - May 2008).

You can take a boat from Sayaxche to Aguateca also, it's on the same river but in the opposite direction to Ceibal.

If you're in Flores you could do a day trip to Ceibal, many tour agents in Flores will take you by bus direct to Sayaxche and arrange the boat for you as well as providing lunch and return transport to Flores, the advertised price (May 2008) is US$80 per person. Tours are available to Aguateca and Dos Pilas also.

Fees and permits
None

Get around
Walk

See
Animals, statues, one temple.

Do
Take photos, swat mosquitos.

Buy
Souvenirs

Eat
What you bring with you.

Drink
What you bring with you.

Sleep
In Sayaxche or just come for the day and head on to Flores.

Lodging
None.

Camping
Probably not.

Stay safe
Come to Sayaxche with a tour company rather than the local buses or your backpack might mysteriously fall off the roof, mine did, that rope tying it down must have broken and those guys travelling on the roof must have been looking the other way. If you must come by the local microbus be prepared to be crammed in with 29 people, a box of chickens and 6 blokes on the roof.

Go next
Take the boat back to Sayaxche then a bus to Coban or Flores.