Cobán

The heart of this misty alpine land and the capital of the department is COBÁN , where the paved highway comes to an end. Cobán is not a large place: suburbs fuse gently with nearby meadows and pine forests, giving the town the air of an overgrown mountain village. When the rain settles in, Cobán can have something of a subdued atmosphere, and in the evenings the air is usually damp and cool. That said, the sun does put in an appearance most days and the town makes a useful base to recharge, eat well and sleep soundly - and also has some genteel cafés in which to sample some of the finest coffee in the world. In addition, Cobán is a hub for all kinds of ecotourism possibilities in the spectacular mountains and rivers nearby.