Chisec?

Has anyone been? And if so, what are the lakes about 10km away like (mentioned in RG)?

beautiful spot, emerald green colour, and very very peaceful. I had a great swim, but if you're heading for Atitlan, Semuc, Lago de Peten Itza etc you could miss...

Thanks - thought as much! This is my quest to get off the main gringo trail, seems to be frustrated at every turn :-(

Won't be going to Semuc for the above reasons. I'm wondering about going somewhere in the highlands nearer than Nebaj and then backtracking and going overnight GC-Flores to save some quality time and avoid so many stops. But then maybe it would be too much of a loss to miss the Sacapulas-Cobán route and Alta Verapaz? Would dearly like to program in some time in the less touristy places tho....

If you really want to get off the beaten track then I suggest the national park Laguna Lachua.
It is about 2 to 3 hours from Chisec, near Playa Grande. To reach it from the main road you have to walk 4 kilometers through the jungle over a trail. It's really beautiful, and if you go on weekdays, it's very rustic as well.

You can sleep in the park, but then you have to bring al your stuff with you, including food.
There are some good hotels in Playa Grande, we stayed in Hotel Espagnol 2.

Thanks for the suggestion!