|
Copan...
A Great Mayan Site
Not as spectacular as Tikal but rather more intimate with a quaint
nearby town. The architects of Copan compensated for the lack of scale of
Tikal by capturing the likeness of their rulers on a series of stelae....carved
monuments to the rulers...containing all sorts of info about their accomplishments
and dynastic position. You can easily cover the whole site in less than a
day.
Getting There
From the interior
of Honduras buses service Copan several times a day. But it seems that the majority
of visitors come over from Guatemala and then return. Since so many come from
Antigua I'm going to give some directions from there...this also applies if you
are in Guat. City. I'm also putting in some basics of
moving back to Guat. and doing a Livingston/Flores/Tikal run. Used to be a
company called Monarcas that ran mainly vans out of Antigua. Monarcas recently
folded. Another company has taken their route but whether they maintain isn't
certain at this writing. Hedman Alas has nice pullman buses but Hedman quoted
us a rate three times what Monarcas charged. Both left the same time but we beat
Hedman by about 45 minutes. Anyway...just about any agency in Antigua will sell
you the ticket for what ever company is doing the run. Make sure you also get
the phone # for the morning. They start picking you up at 4am...but it can take
up to an hour depending on # of passengers. They stop for breakfast just before
Rio Hondo. Big barn of a place with OK food and bathrooms. At the border they
wait while you check out of Guat. and into Honduras. If Copan is as far as you
are going tell the border folks....they just stamp in a transit visa or such
for about 72 hrs. Bit simpler. Money changers at the border. Rate for Quetz to
Lem is as good as bank. Dollar to Lem...tad better than the bank...not enough
to sweat it. If on a Sunday don't count on the ATMs in the village to be working.
Only bad thing about the whole trip...and the only bad thing about Copan...are
the numerous touts at the border trying to sell you hotels, tours and dope. They
are all independents...don't believe otherwise..even with ID. What ever they
sell will be higher by about 20% for their commission. Some of
them ride into Copan village on the van. They will even run ahead of you into
the hotel claiming to be bringing you. Last trip we stopped at Classico Copan...good
deal when they weren't in LP. They tried to jack the prices when the tout ran
in. Pissed me off. I chased the tout away and told them they had lost my business.
Went down the street. Copan is small. You can walk the whole town in minutes.
Find the hotel that suits you. Quite a few on the same street as Classico.
Just in case you need to do it the public bus way. Get chicken bus into GC
from Antigua...but they don't start as early as the shuttle. Taxi in GC to
the bus station. Bus to Chiquimula. At the bus station in Chiquimula get a
chicken bus to the border..El Florido. Cross over. There will be vans or pickups
to take you the short distance into town. Doing it this way and odds are you
don't have time to go to the ruins that day and with the taxi you only save
a couple dollars.
When you get into town, grab a room and then walk out to the ruins. You can
see all of them except for a few poorly restored ones out a ways in an afternoon.
Take water and some crackers for the macaws at the gate. That's those guys
at the top of this page.
The Ruins
Ruins...easy walk out there. Totally safe to walk. You see a few stelae on
the way. Official guides on site. I've been doing this 30 years and did my
first masters in Latin American Studies so I never use them. But listening
to their spiels they are better than at many sites. Tikal can be hit or miss
on the guide. Worst guides are at Macchu Picchu. I gather the museum is still
closed. I first went in it shortly after opening...could tell it was structurally
unsound from the get go. Photos of most of the exhibits on my website. the
museum has been closed for a long time. Given the structural defects and the
fact that it is earthquake country...they should rebuild the whole thing. The
tunnels...they keep saying they are going to back fill and close them. If your
interest in anthropology isn't pretty hard core they probably aren't worth
it. The main thing about the tunnel was to see Santa Rosalia..the temple that
was ritualistically buried intact. A reproduction of it is in the museum. See
my website. When you get into town, grab a room and then walk out to the ruins
you can see all of them except for a few poorly restored ones out a ways in
an afternoon. Take water and some crackers for the macaws at the gate. That's
those guys at the top of this page.
The Town
The town is pleasant and not overrun by the tourist trade. Easy to stroll
and see the whole place in a short time. Couple of internet spots, markets
for snacks and laundries. There are also language schools if you want to hang
around. Restaurants...a nice, inexpensive selection. My favorites...Tunkul
Bar...they do a nice
grill. Vamos a Ver has nice outside dining. I've never eaten dinner at
Carnitas Nia Lola but they have a nice breakfast. Sit up stairs. There is horseback
riding in the area as well as some minor ruins set off from the rest. The agencies
in town can fill you in on what is available. Couple of reports over the years
of some robberies on excursions. Seems sporadic but ask around about current
conditions.
Heading Back to Guatemala
Now say you are going on to Tikal via Rio Dulce. Get the first pickup to the
border in the morning. Bus will be on the other side to Chiquimula. In Chiquimula
grab first bus at the station heading at least to Rio Hondo...this means even
a Guat. City bus. At Rio Hondo you can wave down a bus in a few minutes.
I'm also putting much of this on the respective pages of those areas.
If you have an extra day you may want to stop at Quiriqua. This set of ruins...of
a city that eventually conquered Copan...can be seen in a couple hours. It
has the biggest of all stelaes. It's on the way to Rio Dulce/Tikal. Tell the
driver you want to get off there. The village is a short walk from the highway.
One street so you will see the Hotel Royal...which has a restaurant. The ruins
are in the middle of a huge banana plantation. Chicken buses make the few minutes
run transporting the workers. Next morning just go out to the highway and wave
down a bus...shouldn't have to wait more than a few minutes.
If
going to Rio Dulce I presume Livingston as well. If so do the following...if
not just keep going. You want to get to Puerto Barrios. From here you can
get to Livingston. Short walk from bus to docks. Public ferry or small launches.
Launches cost more but are faster and more frequent...only a couple dollars
different. In Livingston only two streets to deal with. When you get off
at the dock you can take the first left to a series of hotels. Forget the
name but the three story place is good if you get a room up top. Only one row
of rooms so the ocean breezes blow in one window and out the other. Elsewise
go straight from the dock up hill to the center. Several cheap hotels. When
ready to move on go down to the dock in the morning...no tours needed. Launches
run up the Rio Dulce to the town of Rio Dulce. They all do a mini tour. Start
at the first launch....ask when at the dock..this gets you to Flores early.
At the dock in Rio Dulce someone from the bus company will lead you to the
office at the foot of the bridge. If you skip Livingston this is where the
bus line catches up. No buses originate here so you may have to wait one or
two for a seat...still not long. Couple things to do in Rio Dulce if you want
to break your trip. All of this...including Copan is in LP Guat.
Buses arrive
in Santa Elena...it is on the shore...Flores is on the island..connected
by causeway to mainland. Most folks stay in Flores..though I've used the place
about 2 blocks from the causeway with a pool. Cabs go to Flores. Your LP
has options on staying at the park or a couple spots halfway there. In Flores
arrange for a shuttle pickup to Tikal. Get the first one in the morning. San
Juan has a virtual monopoly here. Book through your hotel...most reliable method
|
