San Martín Zapotitlán: Parks and Weaving

For a trip to San Martín Zapotitlán, two themes can help you find your bearings: the Xejuyup and Xocomil parks, and woven goods made in San Martín Zapotitlán and San Andrés Villa Seca. When planning your hotel stay, you can first consider whether your interests lie more in the parks or in local production.

Adventure Park, Water Park, and Weaving

Xejuyup Adventure Park has walking trails. La Vereda is a forest for horseback riding; the park also includes La Granja del Peregrino, an interactive farm. This gives you a different focus for themed trip planning than Xocomil Water Park: at Xejuyup, trails, horseback riding, and an interactive farm can be considered as distinct activity themes.

The name Xocomil is described as a blend of words from the Tzutuhil and Cakchiquel languages, meaning “strong wind blowing over the water.” The water park has an attraction called Nido de serpientes with seven water slides. While the name’s meaning refers linguistically to wind and water, Nido de serpientes names a specific park attraction.

The baskets and woven goods made in San Martín Zapotitlán and San Andrés Villa Seca are made primarily from sugar cane, tule, and palm leaves. This craft production has a different focus from the parks: here, the emphasis is on materials and products. This gives your trip planning a distinct look at local crafts alongside the amusement parks.

Retalhuleu: More Park and Cultural Themes

The wider destination of Retalhuleu offers additional park themes. At Xocomil Water Park, the gentle Tumalá River runs through Pueblito Maya, Cañón Maya, and an events area. The Xibalbá slides consist of two open-air free-fall rapids. Xejuyup Adventure Park has three main areas: Plaza Guayacán, Plaza El Huerto, and Plaza Granada.

Xejuyup attractions include El Castillo Enredado, a mechanical ride with a water route. El Chapoteadero is an area with a slide, swimming pool, and interactive water fountains. Trepe-Monos is a large cube with a rope course; El Rugido del Jaguar is a roller coaster. La Laguna de Coco is a lagoon for fishing. These named attractions show the park’s varied offerings, from a water route and rope course to a roller coaster and fishing area.

Culture and Landscape in Retalhuleu

The Parque Arqueológico Nacional Tak’alik Ab’aj is located in the municipality of El Asintal, Retalhuleu Department, in the wider destination of Retalhuleu. Its architecture and urban layout adapt to the natural terraces. Its design is based on cosmology and astronomical alignment; its diverse sculptures document the transition from Olmec to early Maya culture. Cosmology refers to ideas about the order of the universe, while astronomical alignment refers to celestial references in the design.

Another cultural theme in Retalhuleu can be found in Xetulul: Plaza Francia is home to the Museo Trenópolis, which features model trains. Together with the archaeological site and its sculptural history, it adds a distinct perspective on culture and design to the park themes.

Discover more destinations: San Sebastián, Retalhuleu.

Go to the overview for the wider destination: Retalhuleu.