Please forgive the length of this question. I have searched and read many posts on this branch, and it seems clear to me that quite a few people are interested in going from Tikal to Copán, Honduras, or the other way, yet there don't seem to be good bus connections. We will be in Copán first and would like to go from there to Tikal. The option exists of going back to GC and taking a direct bus, of course, but we would like to visit Quiriguá on the way, and of course we will each have a bag of some sort with us.
I have read that there are good bus connections from Morales to Flores, so I have two questions.
1. How can we get from Copán to Morales with a couple of hours at Quiriguá on the way?
2. What can we do with our bags at Quiriguá other than haul them around with us?
3. Can we do this and get to Flores the same day?
We have limited time so we would not be going to Rio Dulce or other places along the way. On the other hand, we do want to travel during daylight to at least see the countryside.
When we leave Flores heading for Antigua and Atitlan, we were thinking it would be more interesting to go the other way through Coban, but that is not the way the direct busses go, is it? Again, we want to see the countryside but not stop anywhere unless necessary. What is the most reasonable way to go?
Thanks for your patience with this rambling post.
I have never had any problem leaving my bag in a nearby cafe or restaurant, especially if I'm planning on having lunch there. Haven't been to Quirigua (or Guatemala, yet), but I've done this frequently in Mexico and elsewhere without problems.
It is going to take some time to do the trip you're planning to do without stopping and some towns and rest for a day or two. There are no direct buses to and from the places you're planning to visit.
From Copan take a combi or pick up truck to the border (el florido) from the border take a bus to Chiquimula, from Chiquimula take a bus to Morales or Bananera is the same town. When you board this bus tell the driver that you're going to get off at Quirigua ruinas, because there is town name the same(Quirigua). When you get off at the intersection ask some one to tell you where the buses to the ruins are parked, the bags you gonna have to carry them or an less you trust one of the vendors and leave your bags with them.
When you come back from the ruins, just stand on the side of the road that leads to Morales and take the first bus that comes along. Moarales is a dead town I suggest you to stay in Rio Dulce better.
On this trip along you'll spend the whole day, from copan to el florido is going to take 30 minutes, from el florido to Chiquimula about 2 or 3 hours I'm not sure, from Chiquimula to entrada a las ruinas de quirigua an other 3 or 4 hours, to tour the site 30 or 45 minutes, to get to Morales is gonna take more than an hour; so you can have an idea.
There are some buses from Morales direct to Flores, but those buses pass by rio dulce too, so you can catch them in rio dulce.
Good luck!
The bus trip from Rio Dulce to Flores took us 5 or 6 hours last summer, add another hour or so to the ruins by shuttle or cab. Basically every trip on public transit takes 3 or 4 times longer than the map makes it look.
Also, the "direct bus" from GC passes through Rio Dulce - that's the main road route though it looks awkward on the map.
I think Rozul is a bit overestimating the times involved. And I wouldn't go near Morales , there's no need.
To save time you could pay for a shuttle bus ticket to GCity, but jump off at junction on Carib highway known as Rio Hondo (about 2 hours in total from Copan). Catch first bus to Quirigua (around 90mins) , where there are pick-ups waiting for the 4km to ruins. Leave you bag at ticket desk/museum. One hour will do the site easy, it's small. Then back to highway and flag down a bus for Flores, they pass every 30mins, the journey time sd be about 4-5 hours). Certainly very possible in one day, if you can get an early-ish start from Copan.
Maybe add on 90mins-2 hours if you decide to go into Chiquimula.
It's actually nowhere as difficult as it sounds, I did it myself this way as far as Rio Dulce a year or two back.
I want to do the same trip in the opposite directions but without the stop at Quirigua; i.e. Flores to Copan. I'm guessing going via Rio Dulce and down to Chiquimula and then across the border is the best option.
My questions are: Are there any direct buses from Flores to Chiquimula (better still to Copan!), or do I have to take a bus heading to Guatemala City and get off at Rio Dulce?
From Rio Dulce, are there any direct connections to Chiquimula or do I have to get a bus that passes through Rio Hondo (are these Guatemala City-bound buses) and then another to Chiquimula?
How do I know which ones are going to Chiquimula.
Finally, do you think that if I start at 6am from Flores I will make it to Copan in time to spend a couple of hours at the ruins?
It doesn't sound like this would be possible in a day if I also want to use that day to visit the ruins. Hence, I was thinking of leaving Flores around 2pm/3pm and heading down to Rio Dulce where I can stay for the night. Then leaving Rio Dulce early morning and heading over to Copan.
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