Crater Azul is a spring-fed pool on the Arroyo Pucte, a tributary of the Rio La Pasion in southern Peten, reached only by boat; day tours from Flores leave around 08:00 and cost from Q650 (craterazul.com, shared, 4 people minimum), US$75 per person (Crater Azul Peten, Turisteando, Guatetur) or $135 shown against 1 PAX (Tikal Go, groups of 2 to 12), with private quotes from Tour a Tikal at US$290 for one person down to US$90 each for six (read 10 November 2026). Crater Azul Peten puts the trip at about 2.5 hours each way by bus and boat, with the boat taken from the Pucte Creek pier in the municipality of Las Cruces.
In short: Road from Flores to the Arroyo Pucte, then a boat to the pools (Tikal Go’s itinerary boards at Sayaxche, while its description says Las Cruces). Every seller’s full tour includes the boat; life jackets and snorkel masks are listed by some sellers and not others (Turisteando lists life jackets, Tikal Go lists masks and snorkels), and none prints the entrance fee as a separate amount. There are no toilets or changing rooms at the site. Plan on a full day: back in Flores between about 16:00 and 17:00.
Where Crater Azul is
Crater Azul Peten, which sells tours from Flores, says the site “is located in the municipality of Las Cruces, in the department of Petén” and is “usually accessible from the Pucté Creek pier”. Guatetur describes it as a spring of the Rio La Pasion, in Las Cruces / Sayaxche, and says access is only by boat along the Arroyo Pucte. Tikal Go calls Crater Azul and the Arroyo Pucte aquatic gardens at the springs on the bank of the Rio La Pasion.
The boat stretch is short on the Pucte route: Tour a Tikal says the river ride lasts about 30 minutes. Tour a Tikal also stops at Laguna Imox and Poza Azul, two more springs, on the same day. Turisteando describes its boat ride as being on the Rio La Pasion.
Getting there from Flores on your own
Crater Azul Peten’s FAQ gives the road route, read 10 November 2026:
- From Flores Island, Route PET-11 toward Sayaxche, about 60 kilometers.
- At the Las Cruces turnoff, right onto PET-12, through the town and 10 more kilometers to the Los Josefinos intersection.
- From Los Josefinos, 4 kilometers on a dirt road to Pucte Creek. In the dry season any vehicle can make it; in the rainy season it recommends a high-clearance vehicle.
- At Arroyo Pucte, local boatmen take visitors to Crater Azul. It says the boat fare may vary depending on the number of people.
INGUAT’s official guide on visitguatemala.gt (dated 3 November 2026) places Crater Azul in the municipality of Sayaxche and describes access from there: by road to nearby communities such as El Subin or to local landings on the Rio La Pasion, then by boat, normally with local Sayaxche guides and operators who handle the river transport. It recommends always going with local Sayaxche guides and wearing a life jacket in the boat and in the swimming areas, and prints no price.
None of the six sellers prints the boatmen’s fare or an entrance fee for independent visitors (checked 10 November 2026). For the INAB-run park on the way, with its own entry fee and hours, see El Rosario National Park; Sayaxche’s own page is Sayaxche municipality.
Day tours from Flores: prices and timings
Each seller’s own page, read 10 November 2026.
| Seller | Price printed | Leaves Flores | Boat from | Back in Flores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| craterazul.com (Tikal Adventures), group tour | Q650 (GTQ), minimum 4 people | Pickup 7:30-8:00 AM, hotel or airport, toward Sayaxche | Not printed; boat 9:00-11:00 AM to the Arroyo Pucte | 3:00-5:00 PM return |
| Crater Azul Peten, shared tour | US$75 per person | Bus at 08:00 AM from the Yo Amo Peten sign; be there 7:50 AM | Arroyo Pucte, 09:45 AM | About 4:30 PM |
| Turisteando (WeTravel booking page) | $75, deposit $30 | Not printed | Rio La Pasion | Not printed |
| Guatetur, Todo Incluido | $75 USD per person | 08:00, your hotel or the Yo Amo Peten sign | Arroyo Pucte, 10:00 | 16:00 |
| Guatetur, Solo Transporte | $50 USD per person | Same | Road transport only: no boat, entrance or food | Same |
| Tikal Go, group tour from your hotel | $135 (1 PAX); 2 to 12 people | 08:00 | Sayaxche, 09:30 am | 05:00 pm |
| Tour a Tikal | US$290 for 1; US$150, 130, 110, 95 and 90 per person for 2 to 6 | 8:00 AM | Arroyo Pucte, 10:00 AM | Printed as 4:30 AM |
Guatetur calls its prices referential and says they vary with season and group size; craterazul.com also sells a private version from Q750 and a two-day Tikal and Crater Azul package from Q1,290 on the same page. Tour a Tikal’s itinerary prints the return to the Arroyo Pucte as 2:30 AM and the return to Flores as 4:30 AM; ask it to confirm the afternoon times. Tikal Go’s description says the boat waits at Las Cruces after about an hour by road, while its itinerary lists boarding at Sayaxche at 09:30.
What each tour includes
| Crater Azul Peten | Guatetur, Todo Incluido | Tour a Tikal | craterazul.com, group | Tikal Go | Turisteando | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Road transport | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, with A/C | Yes | Yes |
| Boat | Yes | Yes, sold as a boat tour of about 4 hours | Speedboat | Speedboat | Yes | Yes |
| Entrance | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Life jackets | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Yes |
| Snorkel mask | Mask | Masks | Masks | Snorkel equipment | Masks and snorkels | Not listed |
| Food | Lunch from a restaurant menu | Box lunch and lunch, each with a drink | Box lunch, drinks, cooler | Picnic lunch, 2 drinks per person | Box lunch, cooler | Lunch |
| Extras | Underwater photos and videos | Coordinated meeting point | Underwater photos | Towels, adventure guide | Tour guide | Photos and videos |
Not included, by the sellers’ own lists: tips (Guatetur, Tour a Tikal, craterazul.com, Turisteando), drinks and snacks beyond the set menu (Crater Azul Peten, Guatetur), and travel insurance and towels (Guatetur). Tikal Go says masks and snorkels are provided but fins are not allowed; craterazul.com also says it does not use swim fins.
Time in the water and the day’s timetable
Advertised swim time differs by seller, and one seller’s own figures disagree. Crater Azul Peten advertises 4 hours at Crater Azul on an 8-9 hour day, but its itinerary lists arrival at 10:30 AM and the return boat at 01:00 PM, followed by lunch at 02:00 PM on the way back. Turisteando advertises about 4 hours; Tikal Go about 3 hours; Guatetur’s itinerary gives 11:00 to 14:00 for swimming, snorkeling and lunch. Guatetur adds that all times depend on the weather, the river level and the road.
Facilities, rules and what to bring
- No facilities at the pools. Crater Azul Peten: no changing rooms, lockers or restaurants, and no chairs, loungers or umbrellas; use the restaurant restroom before the boat. craterazul.com: no services of any kind in the reserve, toilets included.
- Sunscreen. craterazul.com asks for biodegradable sunscreen only; Guatetur recommends biodegradable sunscreen and repellent; Crater Azul Peten asks you to avoid sunscreens with harmful chemicals or rinse off before entering the water.
- Water clarity. Crater Azul Peten says visibility drops during or after rain; Guatetur says the dry season, normally November to April, usually gives better visibility.
- Who it suits. Crater Azul Peten says there are shallow pools and that life jackets are provided for people who cannot swim. craterazul.com suggests a minimum age of 5 and does not recommend the tour for people with disabilities or allergies to insects; Guatetur does not recommend it for people with very reduced mobility, citing the boat access and uneven ground.
- Bring: swimsuit, towel, dry clothes, at least 1 liter of water per person, repellent and a bag to carry your trash back (Crater Azul Peten).
Cancellation terms
- Crater Azul Peten: free cancellation up to 48 hours before the tour time.
- craterazul.com: full refund 7 days before; 50% at 6 to 3 days; no refund within 48 hours.
- Tour a Tikal: full refund 10 days before; 50% at 9 to 6 days; no refund from 5 days before.
- Guatetur: in heavy rain or unsafe river conditions it may reschedule or apply its change policy case by case.
Combining with ruins: Guatetur and craterazul.com sell Crater Azul together with Tikal; for the sites themselves see Tikal sunrise tour and Yaxha ruins. Where to base yourself is on Flores.
Sources
- Crater Azul Peten, Blue Crater Tour from Flores, read 10 November 2026
- Guatetur, Tour al Crater Azul desde Flores, read 10 November 2026
- Tour a Tikal, Tour de Crater Azul desde Flores, read 10 November 2026
- craterazul.com (Tikal Adventures), Crater Azul Tour Grupal, read 10 November 2026
- Tikal Go, Excursion al Crater Azul desde Flores, read 10 November 2026
- Turisteando, Crater Azul Tour from Flores, read 10 November 2026
- INGUAT (Instituto Guatemalteco de Turismo), Crater Azul: guia para visitar este paraiso en Peten, dated 3 November 2026, read 10 November 2026
Prices, times and inclusions are each seller’s own published figures on 10 November 2026; shared tours depend on the group and the day.
Affiliate links — if you book, we earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Before you pay, check each plan's medical-evacuation limit and its rules for hiking and adventure activities. Three options, as each company describes them on its own site:
- Genki Traveler: a monthly subscription for up to 12 months that covers up to €1,000,000 for unexpected medical care while traveling abroad, at public and private doctors and hospitals.
- SafetyWing Nomad Insurance: the Essential plan is travel medical insurance paid every 4 weeks; the Complete plan is full health insurance with extra travel protections.
- Faye: single-trip plans sold to residents of U.S. states (not U.S. territories); its FAQ lists emergency medical cover of up to $250K and emergency medical evacuation of up to $500K, and adventure and extreme activities need a paid add-on for medical cover.
Limits, prices and the altitude rules side by side: travel insurance for Guatemala · insurance for volcano hikes
Affiliate links: we earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. Plan descriptions come from each insurer's own site, read September 22-25, 2026; Genki's limit is in euros, Faye's in U.S. dollars; this is not insurance advice. Disclosure
Frequently Asked Questions
Crater Azul in Peten: where is it, how do you get there from Flores, and what does a tour include?
Crater Azul Peten, a Flores tour seller, places it in the municipality of Las Cruces, Peten, reached by boat from the Pucte Creek pier; Guatetur says access is only by boat along the Arroyo Pucte. Day tours leave Flores around 08:00 and include road transport and the boat; what else is included (life jackets, snorkel masks, lunch) differs by seller. Shared tours read 10 November 2026 cost Q650 (craterazul.com, 4 people minimum) or US$75 per person (Crater Azul Peten, Turisteando, Guatetur), and Tikal Go shows $135 against 1 PAX for groups of 2 to 12; Tour a Tikal quotes US$290 for one person down to US$90 each for six.
Can I go to Crater Azul without a tour?
Crater Azul Peten gives the road: PET-11 toward Sayaxche for about 60 km, right onto PET-12 at the Las Cruces turnoff, 10 km to the Los Josefinos intersection, then 4 km of dirt road to Pucte Creek, where local boatmen take visitors across. It says the boat fare varies with the number of people and recommends a high vehicle in the rainy season.
Is there an entrance fee at Crater Azul?
None of the six sellers read on 10 November 2026 prints the entrance as a separate amount. Guatetur, Crater Azul Peten and Tour a Tikal list the entrance as included in their full tours; Guatetur’s US$50 transport-only plan excludes it: Guatetur says that plan covers only the round-trip road transport from Flores, with no entrance or food.
How long do you get in the water?
Sellers differ: Crater Azul Peten and Turisteando advertise about 4 hours, Tikal Go about 3 hours, and Guatetur’s itinerary gives 11:00 to 14:00. Crater Azul Peten’s own itinerary runs from arrival at 10:30 AM to the return boat at 01:00 PM, two and a half hours.
Are there toilets at Crater Azul?
No. Crater Azul Peten says there are no changing rooms, lockers or restaurants at the site and recommends the restaurant restroom before the boat; craterazul.com says there are no services of any kind at the reserve.
Can non-swimmers and children go?
Crater Azul Peten says there are shallow pools and life jackets for people who cannot swim. INGUAT’s guide recommends wearing a life jacket in the boat and in the swimming areas, and Guatetur says a life jacket is compulsory in the boat and recommended for swimming. craterazul.com suggests a minimum age of 5 and does not recommend the tour for people with disabilities; Guatetur does not recommend it for people with very reduced mobility.
