VUE

B y the time I arrived at the gates of Las Lagunas Boutique Hotel, it was nearing 8pm and I had just stepped off my third flight of the day. Aer 15 hours of travel split between four different cities, it was hard to have a sense of place. at, and because the sun had already set, I was surrounded by an eerie yet serene darkness. Around me I heard the rustling of leaves, which seemed to be amplified by the quiet of the night. e outside air felt thick, heavy and still. Every time I inhaled, it was as if I was taking in someone else's breath. What brought me to Guatemala in the first place was the oppor- tunity to explore the northernmost province of Petén, which, aside from the ruins of Tikal, is known for its large lagoons and abun- dance of indigenous wildlife. Petén is less developed than other parts of the country, but remains home to some of the most sacred and untamed land in all of Guatemala. It can be a dream destination for conservationists, a restorative retreat for anyone interested in ec- otourism, or in my experience, Central America's best-kept secret with countless ways to uncover the "Land of Eternal Spring." For people like Edgar Castillo Sinibaldi, the owner of Las Lagu- nas, true luxury means having access to parts of the world most people will never know. He's been coming to Petén since the 1950s when the forests were so thick, no light could penetrate through and paved roads were merely pebbled pathways. While he was imme- diately taken by the region's beauty, Sinibaldi was also outraged by the deforestation taking place due to the country's lack of legislation and the toll that took on local flora, fauna and animal species. Going Wild in GUATEMALA B Y A B B Y M O N TA N E Z —Clinging tightly to the border of Belize, I took a trip to the Petén jungle where I encountered en- dangered wildlife, archaeological treasures and ancient civilizations all in the same day. V U E N J . C O M 125

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