Puerto San Jose is a Pacific coast town 55 mi/90 km south of Guatemala City, and it was Guatemala's principal seaport before Puerto Quetzal was built just down the coast. It's now a rather run-down place, but the beach fills up with Guatemalans on weekends and holidays. There are better, more easily accessed beaches nearby at Balneario, Chulamar and the upscale Balneario Likin. The Radisson Villas del Pacifico is one of a few places to stay on or near the black-sand beaches of Chulamar. The area is hot and humid most of the year, and sand fleas can be a problem on the beach. Swimming in the ocean is often dangerous because of riptides.
If you travel to the Puerto San Jose area from Guatemala City, you will pass through Escuintla. It sits in a rich farming and cattle-raising area. There's not much to do in this industrial hub except enjoy the lush tropical vegetation that surrounds the town proper.
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