The best way to get to Monterrico is via the coastal highway at Taxisco . From here, trucks and buses run along the 17km of paved road to LA AVELLANA , a couple of kilometres from Monterrico on the opposite side of the mangrove swamp, where boats shuttle passengers and cars back and forth. There's a steady flow of traffic between Taxisco and La Avellana, the last bus leaving Taxisco at 6pm and La Avellana at 4.30pm - you'll find the latest schedules posted in several hotels, including the Baule Beach . Several direct buses run between La Avellana and the Zona 4 bus terminal in Guatemala City, taking around three and a half hours; alternatively, get on any bus heading for Taxisco and change there. An altogther easier, though pricey (US$25 return), option if you're staying in Antigua is to use one of the shuttle-bus services, which leave every Friday afternoon and return on Sundays around 3pm.

Hourly buses also continue from Taxisco along the Carretera al Pacífico to the border with El Salvador at Ciudad Pedro de Alvarado, just over an hour away. The border is a fairly quiet one, as most traffic uses the Valle Nuevo post to the north, but there are a couple of basic hospedajes (up to US$10) and some comedores if you get stuck