Guatemala Guide
East to the Caribbean
The ruins of Quiriguá
In 1841 John Stephens was so impressed with the ruins at Quiriguá (daily 7.30am–5pm; US$10.50) that he planned to take them home, using the Río Motagua to float the stones to the Caribbean so that "the city might be transported bodily and set up in New York". Fortunately the asking price was beyond his means and the ruins remained buried in the rainforest until 1909, when the land was bought by the United Fruit Company.
Today things are somewhat different: the ruins themselves are partially restored and reconstructed, and banana plantations stretch to the horizon in all directions. Few travellers visit Quiriguá, which is a shame because it has some of the finest of all Maya carving. Only nearby Copán can match the magnificent stelae, altars and zoomorphs that are covered in well-preserved and superbly intricate glyphs and portraits.
The ruins are situated 66km beyond the junction at Río Hondo, and 4km from the main road, reached down a side road that serves the banana industry. All buses running between Puerto Barrios and Guatemala City pass by. From the access road minibuses, motorbikes and pick-ups shuttle passengers back and forth to the entrance to the ruins, where there are a couple of mini-tiendas and a coconut vendor or two. A small site museum has informative displays about the site's historical significance and its geo-political role in Maya times as well as a diorama showing the extent of the ruins that remain unexcavated.
The village – also known as Quiriguá – is just off the highway, about 2km back towards Guatemala City. It's a run-down sort of place, strung out along the railway track, but in the past it was famous for its hospital specializing in the treatment of tropical diseases, run by the United Fruit Company. This imposing building, which still stands on the hill above the track, is now a state-run workers' medical centre; there's a statue of Scots doctor Neil Macphail (who ran the hospital here for forty years) in front of the structure. The two basic places to stay in the village are not great, but the Hotel y Restaurante Royal ( 
7947 3639; Price: $8–20), with old rooms downstairs (some are windowless) and better rooms on the upper floor, will do for a night or a meal.