ESCUINTLA, MUNICIPALITY OF LA GOMERA, ALDEA EL PAREDÓN

Descripción: Created in 1969 to preserve the coastal-marine ecosystem of the Pacific Coast of Guatemala, it has an area of 4942 acres; inside the Park there are communities dedicated to fishing, manual salt collection and agriculture. The beach and mangrove area known as El Paredón is where most of birdwatching activities take place. “La Poza del Nance” is a place where the Parlama Turtle breeds. The mangroves have been very well preserved and you will be able to observe several aquatic birds.

Services: Lodging and small restaurants can be found in El Paredón and Sipacate.

Access: From Guatemala City, take the CA-9 highway to Escuintla and then get on the CA-2 highway to Siquinalá, which will lead you to the towns of La Democracia and La Gomera. When you get to Sipacate, look for El Escondite dock, where you need to rent a boat that will take you to El Paredón Buena Vista inside the National Park.

Tourist facilities: Aquatic trails by boat through the canals and mangroves. There are some terrestrial trails for birdwatching.

Fees and schedule: No entrance fee.

Other features: On the beach of Sipacate you can practice surfing; from Siquinalá you can drive to the Atitlán Volcano, Lake Atitlán and other birdwatching destinations.

Some Species: Boat-billed Heron, Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Stork, Mangrove Vireo, Mangrove Warbler, Osprey, Royal Tern, Caspian Tern, Black-necked Stilt, Blue Grosbeak.

| Blue-tailed Hummingbird
(Amazilia cyanura guatemalae)

Contact: Consejo Nacional de Áreas Protegidas (CONAP, National Council for Protected Areas). Telephone in Sipacate: (502) 7771 3181.
conap_cs@concyt.gob.gt.