Located an hour south of Flores is the town of Poptun, an uneventful stop if not for the Finca Ixobel located on the outskirts of town. If you’ve been on the road for months or have just started traveling the Finca Ixobel is a great place to relax for a few days or even a few weeks. There are plenty of activities to keep you busy or you can just hang out by the pond. There are accommodations for every price range, from slinging a hammock in a palapa to renting a self contained house or you can volunteer and have your food and shelter covered for a few weeks. The Finca really does have it all for the budget traveler and it has to be my favorite place to wind down and get off the road.

I first stayed at the Finca Ixobel in 1994 when I was traveling through Central America with Lisa, my ex wife, and after a few days there I vowed I would come back. My second trip to the Finca was in 2004. I had only planned to stay a few days but I hurt my foot pretty badly on a caving trip and had to stay put for a few weeks while it healed. I could think of no better place to recover than the Finca.

To get to the Finca ask the bus driver to let you off at the turn off for the farm which is just south of Poptun. From there you can walk into the grounds which is about 15 minutes. Another option is to get off the bus in Poptun and locate La Fonda Ixobel and ask for a cab which should be no more than a few dollars. Make sure you buy some of their home baked bread before you go. If you’re arriving at night then definitely take a cab for safety reasons.

Carol, the owner, first moved to this part of Guatemala in the 70’s with her husband who, unfortunately, is no longer with us. What had started out as a farm has turned into a haven for backpackers as well as an organic farm, restaurant and a place to take tours of the local area. The Finca Ixobel employs locals to work on the farm but it also hires out locals to handle the tours as well providing a source of income for many Guatemalans. They also do conservation work as well, rehabilitating monkeys and birds to be reintroduced into the wild.

Your choice of accommodation here is varied and meets every backpackers budget. Check out their website for more information here.

• Camping or slinging a hammock in a thatched covered palapa – $3
• Simple Tree Houses with 1 room and a bed/2 beds or one double – $7 (single)/$10 (double)
• More elaborate tree houses with balcony’s and hammocks – $13(single)/$24 (double)
• Dormitory with shared bathroom – $4
• Private rooms with shared bathroom – $7/$9/$12 (single) or $11/$13/$21 (double)
• Private room with 2 beds and 2 sofa beds with private bathroom – $15 (single) $30 (double) $36 (triple) or $42 (quadruple)
• Bungalow with 2 beds and private bath as well as a veranda with hammocks – $18 (single) $33 (double)
• Large private bungalow with many beds, private bathroom and veranda – $21 (single) $36 (double)

You’ll find the majority of backpackers opting for either the dorm rooms, the palapas or the campground.

When you arrive at the Finca Ixobel you’ll be asked to lock your valuables in a safe. This deters any local bandits who might be thinking that they can make a score because no one is carrying anything of value. That’s not to say your digital camera might not get ripped off if you’re away from the farm hiking a trail so make sure you check with staff before heading out. With your valuables tucked away how are you going to pay for anything? Well, the Finca Ixobel is one of the only places I have stayed at where everything is on the honour system. You’ll be given a page in the ledger and every time you grab a beer, order some food, take a tour or snag a pack of smokes you’re required to write it down. When you’re finished your stay you just tally up and you’re off. Keep an eye on what you’re spending as your tab can add up pretty fast.

Another aspect of the Finca Ixobel that really stands out is the food. The breakfast bagels are outstanding, the pastries are always freshly baked and there’s always a pot of coffee on. The highlight of the day is when everyone comes together for the buffet dinner. Most people seem to snack on small things throughout the day and then gorge themselves at the buffet in the evening. The cost is $3.50 vegetarian and $7.00 for the carnivores and includes fresh baked bread, salads, vegetables from their garden, a meat dish and a vegatarian dish as well as coffee, tea and fresh juice. For an extra $1.50 you can top it all off with a slice of fresh baked pie or cake. You’ll fatten up here and appreciate having something more to choose from other than chicken, rice and beans.

There are plenty of activities available at the Finca Ixobel to help you burn off the excess calories you’ll get from the food. There are two caving trips available. One, the Ixobel cave, is a quiet hike into a cavernous cave close to the Finca where you can sit and marvel at the spacious interior in the glow of candles. The other hike is for the more adventurous where a guide will lead you down an underground river, swimming and scampering over rocks until you reach a huge waterfall deep underground that you can jump off of. The second hike is the one I hurt myself on so make sure you wear appropriate footwear, those rocks are sharp. The horseback riding trip is interesting and fun but if you haven’t ridden a horse before prepare for a sore butt afterward. Another trip that I didn’t personally take but does come highly recommend is the river tubing trip. It’s an all day event that includes lunch and you’ll have a riot splashing your way down the river. The Finca even offers overnight jungle treks on horseback for a very affordable $30 per day with everything included.

Personally I like the people that you meet at the Finca Ixobel. Travelers from all walks of life usually pop in with the average stay lasting a few days. You’ll meet other people to travel with or get recommendations from. The Finca has a bar located away from the dorms at a man made pond where you can enjoy a cool dip. The bar doesn’t open until 9PM and the first person there gets a free drink.

I spent 6 weeks here on my second trip and really had a great time getting to know the staff, Carol the owner and the travelers who were coming and going. Some complaints I heard about the Finca was that it was expensive but I didn’t think so. Where else are you going to get a healthy, organic, all you can eat buffet with drinks for $7 or an all day river tubing adventure with lunch included for $20. If you were on a tight budget you could easily get by here on $10 per day. If the road is getting to you and you want to get away from it all for a few days then I highly recommend a day or two at the Finca Ixobel.

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