IRTRA Xocomil
Guatemala's premier water park and resort complex in Retalhuleu — themed attractions, wave pools and world-class facilities on Guatemala's Pacific slope.
RER · MGRT · Guatemala
Retalhuleu Airport
Retalhuleu — Pacific Slopes — Retalhuleu. 15 min to city center / 20 min to IRTRA.
Runway
1740m
Surface
Asphalt
Elevation
228m
Hours
6am-6pm
Book your private flight to Retalhuleu
Airport at a glance
Retalhuleu — Guatemala
Retalhuleu is the least touristic airport in this network, and its statistics say why in a single comparison: in 2022 the field recorded 19,668 aircraft operations against 9,737 passengers. That ratio is not a scheduled-service ratio. RER is Base Aérea del Sur — the Guatemalan Air Force's southern base — and most of what moves here is military and training traffic.
For civil purposes it serves Retalhuleu, capital of its department, on the fertile Pacific piedmont where the volcanic slope flattens into cacao, sugar and rubber plantations.
At 200 metres (656 ft) elevation. ICAO: MGRT. Coordinates: 14°31′16″N, 91°41′50″W. A joint military/public field. The Retalhuleu non-directional beacon (Ident: REU) is on the field. TAG Airlines operates to Guatemala City.
This is a medium-capacity runway, sized for military as well as civil operations.
As an active air force base, RER's operational status, slot availability and access conditions for civil charter should be confirmed in advance rather than assumed. This is a materially different proposition from a purely civil field.
Getting there
Retalhuleu Airport — Getting there
| Guatemala City | ~35 min | ~3 h |
| Quetzaltenango | ~15 min | ~1.5 h |
| Flores | ~75 min | ~11 h |
Nearby
Things to do near Retalhuleu
The archaeological reason to come here is genuinely important and almost entirely unvisited. Takalik Abaj, about 30 minutes northeast, is one of the few sites in Mesoamerica that documents the transition from Olmec to Maya civilisation — it holds monuments in both styles, on the same site, in stratigraphic sequence. The name means "standing stones" in K'iche'.
For anyone interested in where Maya civilisation came from rather than where it arrived, Takalik Abaj is more informative than Tikal. It sits on a working coffee and rubber estate, and the setting — monuments among plantation trees on a volcanic slope — is unusual and quiet.
The IRTRA parks. The commercial reason most Guatemalans come to Retalhuleu is entirely different. Xocomil and Xetulul, operated by IRTRA, are the largest water park and theme park in Central America, built for Guatemalan workers and their families, and they are far better than that description suggests — Xetulul reconstructs European and Guatemalan architectural quarters at full scale.
For a family itinerary in Guatemala, this is a genuine and under-known option, and the airport is 20 minutes away.
The coast and the slope. Champerico, 40 minutes southwest, is a working Pacific port with black sand and heavy surf — not a resort, and not safe for casual swimming.
The Pacific piedmont around Retalhuleu is Guatemala's cacao heartland, and several estates run visits. The volcanic chain rises immediately to the north: Santa María and its active Santiaguito dome are visible on a clear morning, and Quetzaltenango is 44 kilometres away — a short hop by air over the ridge against a winding mountain drive.
Retalhuleu itself is a surprise: a neoclassical plaza, a colonial church and a set of civic buildings that reflect the wealth the Pacific piedmont generated in the coffee and rubber era. Locals call the town Reu, and its self-declared nickname — "Capital of the World" — is a joke that has been running long enough to appear on the road signs.
The piedmont around it is the most productive farmland in Guatemala: cacao, sugar, rubber, oil palm and, on the slopes above, coffee. It is also the corridor along which most of the country's Pacific-side commerce moves.
Coffee & Agricultural Farm Tours
Private tours of Retalhuleu's coffee and sugarcane fincas on Guatemala's fertile Pacific slopes — harvest experiences, mill visits and exclusive farm-to-cup tasting sessions.
Helicopter — Pacific Coast Guatemala
Private helicopter excursions from Retalhuleu to Guatemala's Pacific coast — aerial views of the volcanic chain, black sand beaches and the Pacific shoreline.
Pacific Surf — Iztapa & Buena Vista
Guatemala's Pacific coast holds excellent surf — consistent beach breaks near Iztapa and the less-crowded Buena Vista point. Private boat access, early morning sessions and Pacific sailfish in the water offshore.
Offshore Fishing — Guatemala Pacific
Guatemala's Pacific coast is a world-class sailfish destination — the waters off Retalhuleu and Champerico hold extraordinary sail and marlin concentrations. Private 42ft sport fisher, IGFA captain.
Helicopter — Pacific Guatemala Aerial
Private helicopter circuit over Guatemala's Pacific coast — the Manchón-Guamuchal mangrove system, the Retalhuleu coffee highlands, Xocomil water park from above and the volcanic chain rising behind the Pacific slope.
Canopy & Coffee — Retalhuleu Highlands
Private zipline circuit through the coffee plantation canopy of the Retalhuleu foothills — 10 cables, a Tarzan swing over a river canyon, then a private cupping session at the estate.
Wetland Birding — Manchón Mangroves
Manchón-Guamuchal is Guatemala's most important Pacific wetland — extraordinary wading bird diversity with roseate spoonbills, jabiru storks and over 200 species in the mangrove channels.
Where to stay
Hotels near Retalhuleu
When to fly
When to fly
The Pacific piedmont is hot, humid and among the wettest parts of Guatemala's Pacific slope. Dry season roughly November to April; rainy season May to October, with heavy afternoon convection building off the volcanoes to the north. Morning operations are strongly preferred.
FAQ
Retalhuleu Airport — Frequently asked questions
Where is Retalhuleu Airport?
At Retalhuleu, on Guatemala's Pacific piedmont, at 200 m elevation. ICAO: MGRT. It is also the Guatemalan Air Force's Base Aérea del Sur.
Can civil charters use RER?
It is a joint military/public field with scheduled TAG service to Guatemala City, but access conditions and slot availability should be confirmed in advance given its air force role.
What is Takalik Abaj?
An archaeological site 30 minutes from Retalhuleu documenting the transition from Olmec to Maya civilisation, with monuments in both styles on the same site.
What are Xocomil and Xetulul?
The largest water park and theme park in Central America, operated by IRTRA, about 20 minutes from the airport.
How far is Quetzaltenango?
44 kilometres — about 15 minutes by air, or an hour and a half by mountain road.
Is Champerico worth visiting?
It is a working port with black sand and heavy surf rather than a resort beach, and the water is not safe for casual swimming.