The ruins at Quirigua are smaller than some of the better known ruins in the region, like Copan in Honduras and Tikal in Guatemala but still worth at least a couple of hours as stop over if you’re heading between the Rio Dulce/ Livingston area and Antigua or Guatemala City.

I enjoyed taking my time to walk through the site and explore on my own. Also if you’re lucky you might get to witness a traditional ceremony taking place.

There is a small gift shop on site as well as a shop for drinks and snacks. Located near the entrance is a museum which you shouldn’t forget to visit.

What to wear

Depending on the weather, I would strongly suggest wearing your hiking boots/sneakers or shoes you don’t mind getting dirty. There wasn’t a lot of rain at the time of my visit but the grounds were still inundated with mud. You should be fine if you stick to the gravel path but where’s the fun in that! 

Also remember:

• insect repellant
• sun screen
• hat
• long sleeve shirt and pants

How to get here

You can stop here on your way to or from the Rio Dulce/Livingston area. You should be able to buy a bus ticket and advise them that you want to get off at Las Ruinas de Quirigua.

Note: If you’re planning to stay in town, request to get off at PASARELA de QUIRIGUA. It’s just a little bit further down the road from the ruins stop but it saves you having to walk until you find a tuk tuk.

Where to stay

Besides the ruins there is really not much to do in town but if you’d like to take a night to recharge or take a break from bus trips, then I highly recommend staying at Posada de Quirigua. Check out their excellent reviews on Trip Advisor.

The Posada is run by the lovely, Japanese-born Masaki and you can tell instantly by the detailing of the posada that she has put a lot of herself into the rooms and the surrounding gardens.

The room comes with a delicious breakfast where you choose from a typical Guatemalan meal or if you've had enough local cuisine, you can try something new with a Japanese breakfast. Masaki also offers dinner for a reasonable cost and I can attest that every meal I had at Posada de Quirigua was delicious and creative. It was a real treat staying in a Japanese style posada and sampling Japanese fare while travelling through Central America.

This post is part of my Top 30 in Central America and Mexico. You can also check out some more of my favourite sites and activities in Guatemala here.