Set in a bay across the lake from Flores is the sleepy little town of San José. There are a couple of Spanish schools here, one even teaches the pre-conquest Maya language of Itza. You can get involved with the schools projects while you’re here. There is a women’s cooperative that teaches about the use of medicinal plants in their botanical garden. There is also a forest reserve just north of the village that is an excellent place to spot wildlife, there are some Maya ruins there too.

Getting there
There are regular buses from Santa Elena and you may be able to catch a boat over from Flores, although they don’t run on a regular schedule.