Located at the junction of the two principal coastal roads from the capital, ESCUINTLA is the largest and most important of the Pacific towns. There's nothing to do here, but you do get a good sense of life on the coast, its pace and energy, and the frenetic commercial activity that drives it. Escuintla lies at the heart of the country's most productive region, both industrially and agriculturally, and the department's resources include cattle, sugar, cotton, light industry and even a small Texaco oil refinery.

Below the plaza a huge, chaotic market sprawls across several blocks, spilling out into 4 Av, the main commercial thoroughfare, which is also notable for a lurid blue mock-castle that functions as the town's police station.

There are plenty of cheap hotels near 4 Av, most of them sharing in the general air of dilapidation. The Hospedaje Oriente , 4 Av 11-30 (up to US$5), is cheap and pretty clean; for a/c and secure parking, head for Hotel Costa Sur , 4 Av and 12 C (tel 888 1819; US$10-15). As for banks , there's a Banco Industrial at 4 Av and 6 C, and a Lloyds at 7 C 3-07. Among the places to eat , the best deal is at Pizzería al Macarone , 4 Av 6-103, which has lunch specials for US$1.50. There are also two consulates in town, Honduras, at 6 Av 8-24, and El Salvador at 16 C 3-20.

Buses to Escuintla leave from the Treból junction in Guatemala City frequently until 7pm, returning from 8 C and 2 Av in Escuintla. For other destinations, there are two terminals: for places en route to the Mexican border, buses run through the north of town and stop by the Esso station opposite the Banco Uno (take a local bus up 3 Av); buses for the coast road and inland route to El Salvador are best caught at the main terminal on the south side of town, at the bottom of 4 Av (local bus down 4 Av). Buses leave every thirty minutes for Puerto San José, hourly for the eastern border, and six times daily for Antigua via El Rodeo.