Set to one side of the broad San José river valley is the town of CHIQUIMULA , an unattractive, bustling ladino stronghold - if you've just arrived from Honduras, things only get better from here. Most travellers who come here are on their way to or from the Maya ruins of Copán, just over the border in Honduras, and though the town has long been an important transport terminal, there's little else of note save a massive ruined colonial church on the edge of town beside the highway.

Everything you're likely to need in Chiquimula is east of the plaza, and close to the bus terminal on 3 Calle, which leads towards the main highway. Of the town's hotels , Pensión Hernández at 3 C 7-41 (tel & fax 942 0708, hotelh@guate.net ; US$5-15) is the first place to try, with plenty of very clean, simple rooms, all with fan and some with television and private shower. It also has safe parking, a small pool and the owner speaks good English. A little further down the road, at 3 C 8-30, Hotel Central (tel 942 6352; US$10-15) has five pleasant rooms all with private bath and cable TV, while Pensión España , also on 3 Calle at 3 C 7-81 (up to US$5), is very cheap and basic. A couple of blocks south from here, Hotel Posada Don Adán at 8 Av 4-30 (tel 942 0549; US$10-15) is comfortable, if old-fashioned; most of its eighteen large rooms have a/c and cable TV, and there's parking too.

When it comes to eating , there are plenty of good, inexpensive comedores in and around the market , which is centred on 3 C and 8 Av, as well as Magic Burger and Cafe Paíz , both on 3 Calle, for predictable fast food and good fruit juices. For something a little more ambitious, try Bella Roma , 7 Av 5-31, which specializes in pizza and pasta. Las Vegas , on 7 Avenida off the plaza, with fairly high prices and garish decor, is where the town's upwardly mobile gather - you can forget the cocktails here, but the food's reasonable. Otherwise the only evening entertainment in Chiquimula is at the Cine Liv on the plaza.

For changing money there's a branch of the Banco G & T Continental at 7 Av 4-75 (Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 10am-2pm) and a Bancafé on the north side of the plaza with a cashpoint that accepts Visa cards. There's Internet access at Email Center at 6 Av 4-51 (daily 9am-9pm); the Telgua office (daily 7am-midnight) is on the corner of the plaza.

The bus terminal is at 1A C, between 10 and 11 avenidas, midway between the plaza and the highway. There are frequent buses from here to Guatemala City (every 30min 3.30am-6pm; 3hr 30min), Esquipulas (every 15min 5am-7pm; 1hr), Jalapa via Ipala (hourly 6am-4pm, 3hr) and Puerto Barrios (hourly; 3hr). For Copán, there are hourly buses to the border at El Florido (1hr 30min).