Sayaxché

Sayaxché

Sayaxché is a city in the Peten department of the Northern Lowlands of Guatemala. Sayaxché is an excellent base of operations for visiting Maya ruins in western Petén, usually by river.

Get in

Most tourists visiting Sayaxche are simply changing microbuses while travelling between Coban and Flores. Microbuses from Coban drop you in the central part of the town at the ferry dock. Microbuses to Flores depart from the parking lot on the far shore. Small ferries (Q2 (quetzales)) shuttle people across the river.

Getting to Sayaxche is not particularly difficult. If coming from Guatemala City, catch a bus to Coban then change to a bus or a microbus to Sayaxche. You may need to change microbuses at Raxruja.

Get around

Walk, boat, bus.

By ferry

A ferry takes vehicles from one side of the river to the other.

See

• Aguateca. Maya ruin downriver from Sayaxché. Major Mayan city in the Classic period, it was considered a peer of Dos Pilas. Aguateca was abandoned around 800 AD. Negotiate with a motor launch to take you there. (updated Feb 2016)
• Ceibal. Maya ruin with some nice stelae. Negotiate a motor launch to take you upriver. (updated Feb 2016)
• Dos Pilas. Maya ruin. Most travel agencies wll offer you a multi-day trip using river and mules. If you don't have much time, ask around for transport in 4WD, and you can do the trip in a single day. (updated Feb 2016)
• Cancuén. Maya city with several noteworthy structures, especially an enormous palace built around 700 AD. The palace was 3 levels with 170 rooms and 11 courtyards. (updated Jul 2023)

Do

• canoe. Dugout canoes are available for hire to take travelers to the ruins of Aguateca 

Buy

Traditional Mayan Clothing

Eat

Frijoles, Huevos, Pollo

Sleep

• 1 Hotel Casa Grande, Sayaxche, ☏ +502 79286794. Cozy downtown location with pool and wifi and secured parking lot. Cafe Maya is across the street. (updated Aug 2020)

Go next

• Cobán
• Flores and Tikal.
• Mexico - by river to Chiapas