Guatemala is one of the countries in the
planet with more future in the kind of travel qualified as ecotourism.
If your idea of traveling includes a camping
cabin in the middle of the jungle, the noise of animals at night
and a delicious candlelight cup of tea, then you are an ideal
candidate for ecotourism. This is a traveling option that has
increased over the last years, against the organized packages
of mass tourism. Guatemala has all the potential to be one of
the world centers of this kind of tourism.
Although deforestation and animal devastation
is sometimes alarming, the income from this type of tourist might
help renew zones that still maintain autochthonous natural resources.
There are special critic areas with an impressive
biological reserve, which are protected by country laws, like
the region of Petén. The so called Maya Biosphere is the
ideal destination if you want to take a look at this site, with
an infrastructure that is improving every day, so you can enjoy
your visit.
However, Tikal and its surroundings are not
the only ecological wonders of the country. Guatemala has seven
national parks, five biosphere reserves and seven wildlife reserves;
besides its volcanoes and fauna refugees, like the Polochic or
Cerro San Gil.
Even though a few years ago the services in
these zones did not had a good infrastructure, thanks to self
motivated businessmen and adventuring travelers, high quality
lodging facilities have been opened and routes have been established,
keeping the balance with its ecological surrounding.
In the Pacific acoasts you can visit the mangrove
swamps of Monterrico-Hawaii, in the hidden Atlantic we found the
ecological hotel of Punta de Manabique, and in search of el quetzal
(national bird) we found several
excellent places to meet the greener Baja Verapaz.