Monterrico, Guatemala

The town of Monterrico is situated on the Pacific coast of Guatemala in the departament of Santa Rosa. Known for its volcanic black sand beaches and annual influx of sea turtles, the town also serves as a major weekend beach resort for citizens of Guatemala City. The town is growing more popular with foreign tourists largely because of the local sea turtle conservation efforts as well as the laid-back atmosphere of the area.

Sea turtle conservation

A few turtle conservation organizations operate in the Monterrico area because the long stretch of beach serves as a breeding ground for 4 species of sea turtles. Although some locals who hunt for sea turtle eggs during the August-November season do donate a percentage of their catch to the "tortugarios" (sea turtle hatcheries), the majority of eggs laid on the beach are harvested and eaten.

Crime

Women should be especially careful around men, even if the men present themselves as local hotel employees. Over the last year, several tourists have been the victims of brutal sexual assaults in Monterrico. In one case, a local man pretended to be a hotel employee before torturing, raping, and attempting to kill a young woman staying in the area. Other local men witnessed the attack, but did not intervene or assist with the police investigation.

References

http://guatemala.usembassy.gov/recent_incidents.html