The first of these, Parque Acuático Xocomil (Km. 180.5 on the road to Quetzaltenango, tel. 7772-5780, www.irtra.org.gt, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Thurs.–Sun. Jan. 8–Oct. 31, Wed.–Sun. Nov. 1–Dec. 15, daily Dec. 15–Jan. 7, $10 adult, $7 children) is a wonderful water park on par with the world’s best and a must-see if you are traveling with children.

Among the attractions are 14 water slides, a wave pool, and a lazy river meandering through the complex of re-created Mayan ruins and monuments. The main restaurant showcases a Mayan pyramid painted in ochre, green, and yellow, as it would have looked in the Classic period. Additional food stands are scattered throughout the park.

The second phase of an eventual four-park plan is Parque de Diversiones Xetulul (tel. 7722-9450, www.irtra.org.gt, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Thurs.–Sun. Jan. 8–Oct. 31, Wed.–Sun. Nov. 1–Dec. 15, daily Dec. 15–Jan. 7, $27 adult, $13 children), where a variety of amusement park rides are spread out among seven plazas, each with its own restaurant and gift shop showcasing a variety of replicated world monuments. Among the highlights are Paris’s Moulin Rouge, Rome’s Trevi Fountain, and Guatemala’s own Gran Jaguar Temple from Tikal. The park is also home to Central America’s largest roller coaster.

A new convention center and 18-hole golf course were in the planning stages.

Hostales del IRTRA are the nearest accommodations.