ARCAS

Continuing west, the road again connects to the larger Lake Petén Itzá [1] to ARCAS (tel. 7926-0946, www.arcasguatemala.com [2]), the Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Association, where an animal rehabilitation center harbors animals captured from poachers, including jaguars, macaws, monkeys, and coatis. Although the animal rehabilitation area is not open to outsiders, an Environmental Education and Interpretation Center caters to the casual visitor.

There is a nature trail showcasing a variety of medicinal plants, a beach, a bird observation platform, and an area for observing animals that cannot be reintroduced to the wild.

Although the site is perfectly accessible by road, most visitors come by boat. Tours leave Flores on weekdays at 8:30 a.m. (Spanish) and 3:30 p.m. (English) from the boat dock next to Restaurante La Guacamaya on the north end of the island. A tour costs $7 per person for a group of 1–2 people. Call ahead to confirm availability. You can also take a tour 9 a.m.–3 p.m. for $1.25 but you’ll have to arrange your own transportation. Confirmation is not required if you choose to go this route.