The Black Sands of Guate's Pacific Coast

(courtesy of Lorca Lechuga-Haeseler)

Although Monterrico has been touted as "the nicest place on the entire coast to spend a day or two," I was dissuaded from going there. Mike, owner of the famous Crossroads Cafe in Pana, advised me to go to the coastal town of Sipacate instead and stay at the resort Rancho Carillo. I decided to hire a private driver (un piloto privado) to drive Lorca and me down to Sipacate directly from Pana. The journey took roughly two and half hours. Our driver dropped us off at the area where the wooden lanchas taxi people over to the resort area for a mere 5 quetzales (less than a dollar) pro person. Lorca and I waited about 10 minutes until the boatman was ready to start the motor. But the motor didn't start due to lack of gasoline, so he called another boatman with his cell phone to come pick us up.

The lancha that ferries people over to Rancho Carillo

We found Rancho Carillo to be almost completely empty aside from a family of three. The surroundings were beautiful. There was a pristine beach with a surf that is supposedly "Guatemala's best" (The Rough Guide to Guatemala 246). Apparently, the waves can reach the height of six feet. The resort was also charming. We lucked out with a simple, clean bungalow which was directly on the beach. It also had an ocean-front balcony with a hammock. Lorca and I immediately changed into our bathing suits and stretched out on the black sand.

Tiled walkway at Rancho Carillo (courtesy of Lorca Lechuga-Haeseler)

Much to Lorca's disappointment, she couldn't swim far into the ocean since there is a deadly undertow which has reportedly claimed the lives of many unwary swimmers.

Lorca at the beach in front of our bungalow

We feasted on sopa de mariscos (seafood soup) which had an entire fish (head and tail) in it as well as a whole crab.

Sopa de Mariscos

We also took the lancha into the low key town of Sipacate to have dinner there. The children who were related to the boatmen accompanied us. They thoroughly enjoyed chatting with us and having their picture taken. The girl even offered to keep us company during our tour of the town but we politely rejected her offer.

The boatman's son

His niece

His nephew

On a Thursday evening in Sipacate, we were the only gringas around. The inhabitants are Ladinos; Lorca said she missed the Maya indigenous who lived in the Highlands. The morning before we left, we took a short boat tour through the mangrove coastal reserve. We were disappointed because the only birds we saw were pelicans and ducks. We probably set out too late in the morning. Though we only stayed two days and overnight, Sipacate was a welcome respite and change of scenery.

Pelicans in the mangrove reserve around Sipacate