Xocomil and Xetulul Parks

Two large parks sit side by side on the Pacific piedmont near Retalhuleu, run by a workers' recreation institute. Xocomil is a water park of slides, wave pools and rivers laid out among landscaping that borrows Maya architectural motifs, with pyramids and masks built into the structures. Xetulul next door is a theme park arranged as a set of themed plazas: reproductions of Guatemalan colonial streets and of European ones, with rides, shows and restaurants in among them. They are aimed squarely at Guatemalan families and are among the busiest attractions in the country, particularly in the school holidays and at weekends.

What you actually see

• Water slides among Maya motifs - the landscaping of Xocomil.
• Themed plazas at Xetulul - Guatemalan and European streets reproduced.
• Wave pools and rivers - the main water attractions.
• A domestic day out - the parks as Guatemalan families use them.

When to go

November to April in the drier months; the parks are open year round. A day each. Avoid school holidays and Sundays unless you want them at full capacity.

Honest expectations

They are extremely crowded at weekends and in holidays, with long queues. Tickets for the two parks are separate. The piedmont is hot and humid. They are commercial family parks and offer nothing cultural despite the theming.

Nearby

Retalhuleu is south; Takalik Abaj lies west.