Beach Getaway Pacific Coast

This beach getaway is a hidden gem on a remote island on Guatemala’s south coast, Isleta de Gaia is a rustic yet chic resort that attracts curious travelers looking to de-stress and disconnect in a secluded, oceanfront setting.

Isleta de Gaia, which opened in 2000 and was completed renovated in 2010, has nine charming, thatch-roof bungalows (six simple dwellings, 3 guests maximum, and three doubles, six-person maximum, each with private bath) situated on a pristine beach near Las Lisas.

Home to about 100 families, the area is so remote it didn’t have electricity until hotel owner Frederic, originally from France, managed to bring it to the island.

 

Named after the Mother Earth goddess in Greek mythology, Isleta de Gaia has built an eclectic following of artists, writers, honeymooners and others looking for an alternative to the usual tourist destinations.

The secluded beach getaway resort is sandwiched between the rolling Pacific Ocean and the tranquil Laguna de Chiquimulilla, which guests cross by boat after arriving at Las Lisas.

The menu, not surprisingly, features seafood, such as rum-flamed shrimp and sole a la plancha, as well as refreshing salads. The restaurant also offers a complete choice of drinks.

By design, there’s not much to do except to take long walks along a beautiful beach, sway in waterfront hammocks or swim in the resort’s large, freshwater pool.

Visitors will most likely see fishermen skillfully casting their bulky nets into the water while pelicans, egrets, herons and an occasional flamingo explore the shore.

The hotel provides kayaks and boogie boards and can make arrangements for bird-watching tours in the dense mangrove forest. Free wi-fi is also available.

Given its remote setting, accessible only by boat, guests are asked to make reservations two to three days before arriving to give hotel staff time to get sufficiently supplied.

For more information, visit isleta-de-gaia.com  email: hotel@isleta-de-gaia.com or call (502) 7885-0044    facebook.com/hotel.isleta.de.gaia/