Lonely Planet – “Guatemala” – January 2004 edition - page 181

East down the coast from Monterrico near Las Lisas is the Guatemalan Pacific coast's Best-Kept Secret, Isleta de Gaia       (Tel: 788.500.44,  www.isleta-de-gaia.com; 2-/4-person bungalows US$64/148), a bungalow-hotel built on a long island of sand and named for the Greek earth goddess.

Overlooking the Pacific on one side and a romantic and silent lagoon with mangroves on the other, this small. friendly, ecological, French-owned resort is constructed from natural materials There are 12 bungalows: on one and two levels with seas lagoon or pool views. Each has good beds, fan, a bathroom, balcony and hammock, decorations are Mexican and Costa Rican.

The seafront restaurant offers Italian, Spanish and French cuisine with fresh fish naturally the star. It has boogie boards and kayaks for rent and a big boat for offshore fishing trips.

Reserve your stay in this little paradise by email four days in advance.

The staff run a shuttle service to Guatemala City and Antigua. From Monterrico there is no road east along the coast beyond Hawaii, so you have to backtrack to Taxisco and take Highway CA-2 for about 35km to reach the turnoff for Las Lisas. From the turnoff, it's 20km to Las Lisas where you take a boat to Isleta de Gaia.