After Antigua, we wanted to see Semuc Champey and Lanquin Caves. We could've stayed right at these natural wonders, but opted instead to stay at the nearest small city. As I mentioned before, the kids really like coming back to the same hotel, and Coban was a good base, offering good day tours to Semuc Champey and Lanquin Caves, as well as hotels and restaurants. We stayed at an inexpensive hostel (down to $26/night for the 4 of us) that was attached to a very nice, upscale garden restaurant. It was a strange combination, but it was convenient to have all those services nearby. I came to really like Coban. It's not a place that attracts tourists. It's a functional, middle class, small city. Lots of families out in the streets shopping, very few hawkers trying to sell things to tourists.
