My guidebook refers to the hot springs near Zunil – called Fuentes Georginas – as both "idyllic" and, with regard to the aftermath of a landslide in 1998, "hotter than ever." Needless to say, I found neither of these things to be absolutely accurate.

True, the site is pretty. It has not been totally deforested like most other areas, and there are nice views down the valley. But I wouldn’t call it idyllic.

Now, the hot springs were indeed hot. Unfortunately, the springs, at least when we were there, consisted of four or five trickles coming down a large rock wall. When the hot trickles reached the pond-size pool, the heat quickly dispersed. The resulting situation was a lukewarm swimming pool, with only the few people sitting directly at the trickles feeling any heat. Through the natural progression of comings and goings of visitors, we did eventually get a spot at a trickle. We then had hot backs and cold feet. It was not exactly what I expected at a hot springs.

One aspect that I did really enjoy at Fuentes Georginas was the relative lack of people. Plus, about half of the visitors that were there were local people. It was nice to be surrounded by local people, rather than all tourists.

How to get there:

The bus to Zunil leaves Quetzaltenango from the corner of 9a Avenida and 10a Calle (a couple block from the plaza). The trip takes 20 minutes and should cost two quetzales (25 cents) per person. From the bus stop at Zunil, you will need to hire a pickup truck to take you to Fuentes Georginas. The price will depend on your negotiating abilities but will likely be 20 to 30 quetzales. The price is per trip, not per person, so try to get a group together if you can. Arrange for your driver to pick you up at a designated time later in the day, or leave some time to walk back down to town.

I enjoyed the truck ride up to the hot springs because fresh vegetables were being harvested in the agricultural fields along the road. The aroma of freshly picked green onions and cilantro was sweet and pungent at the same time.

Price:

10 quetzales (US$1.25) per person.

Other stuff:

There are cabins on-site, if you would like to spend a night or two. I believe there are some trails to nearby volcanoes (round-trip is 6-8 hours for the volcano hikes). The on-site restaurant is a little expensive, but not outrageous.

Worth it?

I think that there are more worthwhile activities to do out of the Quetzaltenango area. Maybe check the status of the hot springs – maybe they become bigger than trickles at different times of year – before deciding to go up or not. It is a peaceful place, and with the hiking opportunities, it might be a good night-or-two trip if you want to get away from the bustle down below.