After my epic volcano hike, it was time to relax and Guatemala's beautiful Lake Atitlán region was the perfect place for it! I spent three days exploring the small lakeside towns by foot, shopping for handwoven textiles, admiring the street art and enjoying volcano-fringed sunsets. Here's my guide for making the most of your time in Lake Atitlán.
Lago de Atitlán — AKA Lake Atitlán or just 'the lake' — is Central America's deepest lake, with a maximum depth of 340 metres. Formed 80,000 years ago by a volcanic explosion, the lake is about 11 miles long, surrounded by Atitlán, San Pedro and Tolimán volcanoes.
As well as the dramatic volcanic landscapes, Lake Atitlán is characterised by the dozen small towns perched around its shores. Each town has its own history, geography, Mayan culture and traditions. Boating between them reminded me a little of Italy's Cinque Terre, which also have their own distinct personalities!
Three days is enough to get a taste of Lake Atitlán (well, I wouldn't drink the lake water!) and visit a few towns, although if you have more time, that's even better. If you're only staying for a few days, it makes sense to base yourself in one town and then take lanchas (water taxis) to other destinations.
I spent two full days and two half- days in Panajachel, one of the larger and better connected towns. On my first day, I visited San Juan and San Pedro, following with a trip to Santiago Atitlán the next day and Santa Catarina Palopó on my last morning. It was a great introduction to the region!
LAKE ATITLÁN AT A GLANCE
Biggest lake towns: Santiago Atitlán (44,000), Panajachel (15,000), San Pedro La Laguna (13,000).
Languages: Spanish is Guatemala's official language, and 22 Mayan languages, including Tz'utujil and Kaqchikel, are also spoken. Many people in hospitality and tourism understand some English, but it's always appreciated if you can learn a few basic Spanish words and phrases.
When to go: The best time to visit Lake Atitlán is during the dry season, from November to April. I was there in late November and it was warm, dry and sunny, with temperatures peaking around 24C. The sun feels strong at the high elevations, but it gets a little cooler after dark.
Money: Guatemalan Quetzal (GTQ). At the time of writing, there are 10 GTQ to the British pound and 7.6 GTQ to the US dollar. Many hotels, higher end restaurants and bars and other tourists spots take credit cards. Luckily, so did most of the artisan cooperatives I visited! You'll need cash for most other things, like lanchas, market purchases and street food. Panajachel has the best ATM availability.
Electricity: Guatemala uses type A (two flat parallel pins) and type B (two flat pins with a grounding pin) plug sockets, also used in the US.
Wifi/mobile data: Wifi was a little slow but readily available at hotels, restaurants and cafes. I used a Nomad eSIM to access mobile data throughout time and found it reliable and convenient. Sign up using my referral code — using my referral code — REBEXSAXQK — and we both get $5 Nomad credit.
HOW TO GET TO LAKE ATITLÁN
Lake Atitlán is 70 miles west of Guatemala City, 50 miles from Antigua. From Guatemala City, it's a 3 to 5 hour journey by road, depending on the traffic. Most shuttle services drop off and pick up in Panajachel, so if you're staying in another town, you'll also need to factor in onward travel.
I took a shuttle from Panajachel back to Guatemala City and the journey took over 5 hours. I paid Q200 (£20), booking through my hotel. If you prefer the convenience of online booking and payment, check out GuateGo, although it's more expensive (~£30).
From Antigua, you should allow 2.5 to 3 hours to get to Panajachel by road. I travelled to Atitlán straight from my Acatenango Volcano hike, and my tour company organised a direct shuttle to Panajachel, without needing to go back to Antigua first. This took about 2 hours and cost Q200 (£200). GuateGo's prices between Antigua and Atilán are about £20, but you can probably find a cheaper fare locally.
Booking a private transfer is often faster and more comfortable — and may not cost much more if there are three or more in your group. You can book through GuateGo, your hotel or many of the local firms in Antigua and Panajachel.
HOW TO TRAVEL AROUND LAKE ATITLÁN
Once you've reached your base in Lake Atitlán, you definitely don't want to stay put! One of the main draws of the region is being able to explore many different villages and towns, each with its own distinct character, culture and attractions.
The best way to get between them all is by boat. Local water taxis called lanchas run regularly between the main destinations during daylight hours. Just make sure you check the time of the last bus home and don't miss it!
The boats don't have timetables: they simply leave when they're full. I never needed to wait long for a lancha from Panajachel to San Pedro or vice-versa. But it took over hour for the boat to Santiago Atilán to depart — a route less frequented by tourists.
Journey times vary depending on your start and end points, and whether it's a direct boat. Lancha tickets cost Q25 (£2.50) for tourist: pay the captain or boat staff in cash when getting on or off the boat.
The boats can get cramped inside so try to travel light. There is separate luggage storage, but you'll have to help the crew haul your bag on and off the boat. The ride can also be very bumpy, especially in the afternoons, so hold on tight and don't count on being able to take nice photos of the journey!
I used tuk tuks to get from San Juan to San Pedro (Q15), which are only 2 miles apart, and from Panajachel to Santa Catarina (Q40). There were no tuk tuks on the way back from Santa Catarina, so I joined the locals on a colectivo (shared pick-up truck), which was only Q5.
For safety reasons, it isn't recommended that you walk or drive between most villages, especially if you're by yourself or it's after dark.
WHERE TO STAY AT LAKE ATITLÁN
With only three nights at Lake Atitlán, I decided to stay in Panajachel. It might not be the prettiest town but it is the best connected, which made it a lot easier to get there by shuttle bus and to all the other towns by lancha.
Even six weeks in advance, a lot of Panajachel accommodation was already booked up, including my top choice, Regis Hotel (a centrally located mid-range hotel with thermal pools). Friends I met on various tours loved Hotel Atitlán, which is right on the lake, with a pool and lovely gardens, but it was a little out of my budget. Private rooms at Socialtel Atitlán were also expensive (~£150 per night).
In the end I went for a budget option, Hospedaje El Viajero, which couldn't be any more centrally located. The rooms are set around leafy shared gardens with kitchen access. There's even a parrot! At £25 per night, it was exceptional value. The only slight downside was that my room wasn't well soundproofed, so bring earplugs if you're sensitive to neighbourhood dogs and roosters.
If you're in the area for four or more days, I would split your time between Panajachel and another town like San Marcos or San Pedro, to get a different experience. For a longer stay, I'd book somewhere with a pool like Kula Maya Boutique Hotel & Spa, where my friends stayed, or Hotel Casa Palopó, which looks gorgeous.
BEST THINGS TO DO IN LAKE ATITLÁN
Whether you're into art and culture, nature, kayaking or simply soaking in the volcano-fringed lakeside landscapes, you'll find your perfect activity in the Atitlán region. Here's a taste of what you can get up to in the main towns (starting with Panajachel and moving clockwise around the lake). Spoiler alert: San Juan La Laguna was my favourite.
Panajachel
I arrived in Panajachel on a shuttle from Acatenango around 2:30 pm. It was a gloriously sunny afternoon and after sloughing off all the volcano from my hike in the shower, I headed straight to the lakefront.
Watching the sunset over the trio of volcanoes across the lake was my favourite thing to do in Panajachel. There are lots of spots to sit and relax, watch the lanchas, pose on colourful jetties and paddle in the cool waters. I decided not to swim as I'd read that water isn't always very clean, but I did dip my toes in.
After the sun has set, browse the artisan goods in the market stalls of Calle Santander. Although I found the products more unique in San Juan, Panajachel's market was a great place to stock up on gifts and souvenirs, particularly Centro Comercial Tinamit Maya.
I also ate excellent street food at the night market, including empanadas, tostadas, pupusas and tacos, and the umbrella-shaped ice creams at Sombrilandia!
Speaking of food, I had a great dinner at Humaya, a Mayan restaurant inside Casa Cakchiquel cultural centre. The food and drinks were really tasty and I loved looking at the historic photos on display. On my last day, I fuelled up for a long shuttle ride with a delicious brunch at
The Little Spoon's rooftop cafe.
And if you have a little more time than me, visit the nearby Reserva Natural Atitlán, where you can spot birds, butterflies and other wildlife, hike and even go zip-lining!
San Marcos
Six miles west of Panajachel as the crow flies, San Marcos is the place to go to get in touch with your spiritual side. From crystal readings and cacao ceremonies to yoga retreats, San Marcos is Atitlán's home of wellness tourism.
I didn't visit on this trip, but some of my fellow volcano hikers stayed there and said it was the perfect, relaxing antidote to the intensity of the hard hike.
And if you're looking for more activity while in San Marcos, Cerro Tzankujil Nature Reserve is a beautiful place to hike and one of the best and cleanest places to swim in Lake Atitlán.
San Juan La Laguna
San Juan soon became my favourite town on Lake Atitlán. The lancha ride from Panajachel took about an hour and before I knew it, I was strolling under the colourful umbrellas of Calle de las Sombrillas.
The small town is perhaps the most colourful of all of Atitlán: almost every street has stunning murals and street art, featuring the culture of the local Mayan people. One pavement wasn't quite bright enough so workers were repainting it during my visit! I took so many photos; looking back at them makes me smile.
The main reason I wanted to go to Juan was to visit some of the town's incredible women-led weaving cooperatives. Each town has its own weaving traditions and designs and creates vibrant dyes from local plants and animals, like hibiscus, beetroot and cochineal.
I wanted buy something in every shop I went into, but my favourites were Lema Association, Textil Arcoiris and Casa Flor Ixcaco, where you can find gorgeous textiles in every colour of the rainbow. At Lema Association, Doña Rosalinda (pictured below) demonstrated the weaving process for me — I'd love to come back for a workshop!
I bought two scarves (left), a table runner (top right) and a few small items. Most of the hand-crafted items I bought cost £30 to £60: each one had a tag displaying the name of the artisan who created it and the length of time it took to produce.
I also stopped by
Alma de Colores, a women's cooperative and social enterprise that sells handmade products and serves delicious food in the café, where I had desayuno típico.
After my brunch, I hiked up to Mirador Kaqasiiwaan. My legs were still aching from the volcano hike I'd taken the day before but it only took about 15 minutes. At the top, there are stunning panoramic views over Lake Atitlán, the volcanoes and nearby towns.
There are also detailed murals painted on the deck, including one featuring coffee plants that's
now my profile picture! Speaking of which, I'm writing a separate post about specialty coffee spots in Atitlán, but don't miss the
hole-in-the-wall coffee stall near the top of the mirador at 1,620m! I wasn't even sure of its name (Brew?) but it has an incredible range of high-quality coffees from Guatemalan roasters.
After my climb, I paid a visit to
Casa Cultural K'ojajaay, a small museum where I learned more about the history and culture of the Tz'utujil Mayan people. One of the guides gave me a tour in Spanish about the archaeological finds. He helped me discovered my Nahual, or energy, based on my date of birth. I am Tz'i', and it turns out my spirit animal is a wolf.
Wolves ay I.
San Pedro La Laguna
I'd planned to spend half a day in San Pedro, Atitlán's main backpacker hub, but ended up spending so long in San Juan that I didn't have much time before the last lancha back to Panajachel at 5:30 pm.
I went straight to
Los Termales, geothermal pools you can rent right on the lakefront. It takes about 20 minutes for them to prepare the pool for you (there's only one hose) so it's not ideal if you have an impending date with the last
lancha like me
.
But I enjoyed soaking my aching legs in the hot waters, even taking a quick dip in the plunge pool before drying off and heading back to catch my boat (I caught the 5 pm ferry in the end). It costs from Q150 (£15; cash only) for a one-hour thermal pool session; you can also book massages. BYOB!
There was still more that I wanted to see in San Pedro, including visiting some of the town's speciality coffee shops, so, I went back the following afternoon. I tried to visit
Museo Tz'unun 'Ya but it's closed at weekends.
Instead, I had lunch overlooking the lake on the terrace at Sababa. There's a great range of brunch and fusion fare — my chicken tacos were very tasty — and the views were beautiful. I also scoped out the nearby Sababa Resort, which looks like a wonderful place to stay with a swimming pool.
Later, I strolled along San Pedro's lakefront, watching paddleboarders and kayakers dwarfed by the dramatic volcanoes in the background. I preferred the textiles shopping in San Juan, but Teixchel Weaving Association, which is right by the lake, had some nice bags and scarves.
Santiago Atitlán
Santiago Atitlán is the biggest town on the lake, with a population of 44,000. It offers a more authentic experience than some of the other towns but as it's less visited by tourists, you may have to wait a while for your lancha to fill up and depart — I was waiting for about an hour in Panajachel!
While in Santiago, try to track down Maximón (also known as San Simón), the hard-drinking, chain-smoking folk saint. Maximón's effigy is hosted in a different house each year. Ask the locals to find out his latest place of residence; once there, you can watch a spiritual Mayan ceremony (you'll need to pay a small fee to take photos).
In the town centre, you can visit the colonial-style 16th century Santiago Apóstol church, and then drop by the Mercado Municipal for a more local market experience. Santiago also has many striking, colourful murals.
2 December 1990 was a terrible day in the history of Lake Atitlán when the Guatemalan opened fire on Tzutujil Maya community members, killing 13. Today, you can visit the
Parque de la Paz memorial on the site of the massacre just south of the town centre.
The main road (SOL-4) in Santiago has some lovely artisan stores with a particular focus on unique embroidery. There is a great range of jewellery, homewares and gifts at
La Tienda de Juanita, and I also enjoyed shopping at
Cojolya.
When I arrived on the dock in Santiago, several local tour guides offered to take me on a 1.5-hour guided tour on foot and by tuk tuk of the main points of interest in the town. The quoted cost was Q250 (£25) for a solo tour — I probably could have haggled if I was interested, but I wanted to explore the town by myself in any case.
Santa Catarina Palopó
Tiny Santa Catarina Palopó is about three miles southeast of Panajachel. It's a winding, hilly road, so the best way to get there is by tuk tuk (about Q40) or riding with locals on a shared pick-up truck (Q5), which took about 15 minutes.
I got off the tuk tuk near the steps to Mirador La Gran Piedra, just outside the village. Sadly, the path wasn't clearly marked and I ended up heading straight down into Santa Catarina but I did get some great views of the colourful buildings, the lake and the volcanoes.
Santa Catarina has being taking part in an urban regeneration project since 2016 called Pintando El Cambio. There's a small museum where you can learn more, including the Mayan colours, designs and traditions used to paint many of the town's houses and other buildings. I even bought a tiny house for my Christmas tree!
I loved walking around the town photographing the blue-hued buildings. I watched a weaving demonstration in the cultural centre and browsed at
Katy Jay, a gorgeous concept store. It was very quiet on a Sunday morning: most people were at church and there were few other tourists.
Afterwards, I walked to the lakefront to dip my feet into the Aguas Termales. Follow the signs along the lake path and follow the locals' lead to find the right part. The water was cool where I first stepped in, but just a few metres over, it was hot and steamy!
Lake Atitlán Day Trips
If you have more than three days in Lake Atitlán, you'll probably be able to fit a day trip or half-day trip into your itinerary.
With more time, my top add-on would be a weaving workshop with one of the wonderful women's collectives in San Juan, like Lema Association or Casa Flor Ixcaco. Three-hour classes, where you'll learn basic techniques and finish off a scarf, are a popular choice, although you can also do a multi-day course, involving a homestay.
If you didn't get your fill of hiking in Antigua, you could join one of the popular sunrise tours to the Rostro Maya viewpoint or to Volcán de San Pedro. And if you have your heart set of spotting a quetzal — and won't make it to Coban — you might like to try a birdwatching walk.
Chichicastenango Market, 25 miles away, is quite the spectacle: a feast for the eyes (and a workout for the wallet, especially if you like artisan goods). Unfortunately, I missed market days (Thursdays and Sundays) when I was in the area, but it's well worth the half-day trip if you time your stay better than I did.
As a Brit, it will never not amaze me to see coffee just growing randomly by the side of the road even in the middle of towns and villages. And as Atitlán is one of Guatemala's main growing regions, it's a great place to take a
coffee farm tour to learn more about the production process.
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