Why Lake Atitlan is for everyone

Lake Atitlan has something for everyone. You expect the nature bit of it, where the volcanoes and the lake become the focal point of your travel plan. But the experience goes much beyond that. The nature lover, the adventurous hiker, the yoga lover looking for serenity, the party-goer or the incessant traveller, whoever you are, this place has a lot to offer to you.

The setting of Lake Atitlan

Central America has always amazed us with its incredible assortment of volcanic mountains – misty actives, bruised skinned, lush greens, scary LOTR types and cloud-capped inactive ones with a so-what-I-will-never-show-you-my-nose-tip attitude.

Guatemala, the third largest Centro-American country, does not shy away from displaying its assortments. On our way to Lake Atitlan, The volcanoes start popping up, a few miles from the capital Guatemala City.

The last bit of winding roads holds the suspense for a while before opening up to the panoramic views of the 3 Volcanoes (Volcan Toliman, Volcan Atitlan and Volcan San Pedro) that surround Lake Atitlan. The volcanic crater lake, shimmering in the afternoon sun invites us to this wonderful world that plays host to several Mayan villages. [Yes, the Mayan civilisation still exists!]

Lake Atitlan, one of the most beautiful lakes on earth, is a vast place with immense possibilities, that makes it something more than just a pretty lake. Here is break down of activities you can choose to do in the area.

Things to do in and around Lake Atitlan

1. Relax

If you are a person who relishes watching amazing sunsets while sipping cocktails or lazing in your solitary space soaking in the blend of colors of the vegetation and turquoise water, then Lake Atitlan is for you. Choose your spot of solace from the innumerable options of restaurants by the lake or the piers, the decks and random paths that follows the bank – all offering a fantastic view of the lake.

While relaxing is the primary activity you will feel like doing in this place, there are few more bonuses you should not miss out!

2. Explore the towns

You might be wondering if it is just about a huge lake and three volcanoes. Do you really need more? Well, you got more! Everything is not just about the lake. The towns around the lake give you opportunities to view the local life and culture. Each village has its own character, laid-back or bustling, culture and activities, shopping stalls and last not the least, distinct views of the lake and the volcanoes.

Panajachel: The Gateway to Lake Atitlan

Panajachel is the primary town by the lake and the busiest one. This is where we were dropped off by the collective taxis from Antigua. This town also forms the center of the ferry service around the lake.

The main street of Panajachel is packed with street food stalls and loads of restaurants offering local, American and other Latin American cuisines. Dotted along both sides of the main street are small shops selling apparels, souvenirs, paintings and artworks. With the action all around, the evenings in Panajachel really come alive.

Panajachel has some of the best sunset views of Atitlan and the volcanoes right across the lake create a surreal atmosphere at the closing hours of the day. Couple it up with the drinks at one of the lakeside restaurants or just laze by the lake, and you have pretty much sealed one of the best experiences of the trip.

Santa Cruz la Laguna: The beauty

Santa Cruz boasts of stunning views of the lake, probably the best ones that we have seen, from almost all its corners. Whether you walk along the bank of the lake or you are up the hill couple of kilometers from the dock, you are rewarded with colorful vegetation, panoramic views of the lake and the volcanoes, which you are still not tired with.

Santa Cruz is lot quieter than Pana. There are just a couple of shops and small restaurants near the lake. We would highly recommend visiting the main town climbing the hill. Although it is a paved road, expect bit of a hike or the other option is to take a ride in a tuktuk. However, the hike was not too bad as we stopped number of times for the views at every corner. The beautiful trees along the slope of the hills and the colors of the dry season were worth the hike.

We stopped for coffee and snacks at Cafe Sabor Cruceno (close to the town’s church inside the CECAP building) and spent most of the time near their windows appreciating the tranquility that this heaven offers.

We strolled along the lake in Santa Cruz on the way towards Jaibalito until Hotel Isla Verde. We kept pausing every few steps along this path to appreciate the constantly changing scenery. The wooden docks, which are plenty on this path, with no one around just added to the ambiance.

Note: The diving shop in Santa Cruz seems to be the only one in Atitlan. Scuba Diving enthusiasts, go for it.

San Juan: The sleepy little town

We reached this town bit late in the afternoon and we were hungry. Most restaurants were closed at that hour. Remember, it is a sleepy laid-back town! So it took us some time to figure out a place to eat. At last, we were able to discover a restaurant with just 2 employees. Including the cook! But lucky enough, we were treated with great food and again, great views.

The main street of the town is lined up with colorful textile shops with beautiful selection of apparels. In these shops, you can also observe the careful craft of textile weaving, performed by the local women. And their finished products are what you see for sale on the shelves.

We also visited a colorful chocolate factory which was an opportunity to try some local home-made chocolate. The town’s church at the top of the hill, is also a quick stop to experience bit of local life. You can hire a tuktuk or you you can walk up the hilly but paved roads to explore these places.

San Pedro: The backpackers’ hub

The second busiest town after Pana is San Pedro. The Backpacker’s haven is swarming with hotels, cheap hostels, restaurants and shops. The town lies at the base of the San Pedro volcano. This is the perfect place to try hiking, if you are interested.

Other towns

Other interesting towns you can choose to visit are Santiago and San Marcos.

3. Shopping

Lake Atitlan is a great place to shop for textiles, handicrafts and artwork. Pana, San Pedro and even San Juan have numerous options to pick from. The items are available at decent prices and if you have bargaining skills then you know what to do.

If shopping forms a big part of your trip, try Chichicastenango market. We didn’t get a chance to visit, or wait! It was not one of our top priotities. However, the market is open on Thursdays and Sundays, only a boat ride away from Pana.

4. Eat and drink

We recommend the artesanal (home-made) ice cream from Dolce Gelato on Santander Street of Pana. They had an amazing collection of flavors, including Dark Chocolate (70% Cocoa)! The heavenly taste made us buy extra scoops, everyday!

Eateries are abundant in the busier towns like Pana and San Pedro. But you will find various cuisines in other towns as well, however, with limited restaurant options. The regulars like tacos, pizzas, burgers, steaks and sandwiches are easier to find. We recommend trying the typical Guatemalan food, comprising rice, beans, a meat or fish and tortillas and pair it with the national beer ‘Gallo’.

5. Learning something new

Pick up from several options to acquire a new skill or revisit your existing ones. Speaking of new skills, what about something from the local culture? The Mayan cooking or weaving classes are the perfect way to do just that. You may check out the CECAP building in Santa Cruz town for details. When you are in a Spanish speaking country, how about picking up the local language for at least conversational purpose? There are several Spanish classes in Pana and San Pedro with different options of courses and duration. Also, to complement the state of your mind in this serene locale, Yoga classes can be a good option too.

How to reach

The best way to reach Lake Atitlan is ‘collectivo’ taxi. These taxis or vans are shared services and they typically pick up 10-20 people. You can book it online or by mailing your itinerary dates to them or book them as you go. They will pick you up from your hotel/airport or a designated place depending on your preference and their reach. We used Adrenalina Tours and were happy with their service.

Quick tip: Don’t take a collectivo for an airport drop if you have the outbound flight on the same day. As these are shared taxis, there are always chances of delays due to waiting for people and pick-ups from different parts of the town.

Where to Stay

There are all types of accommodations for all types of budgets and moods. But it is more important to pick the type of town you want to be in. Pana and San Pedro are busier and have more options to stay than the other towns. If you are looking for a hostel just by the lake, La Iguana Perdida in Santa Cruz is a highly recommended one.

Getting around

Ferries are the most common transport to move from one town to another.

They are easily available and will charge between 10-25 quetzal per person, depending on the destination town, in a shared boat, locally called ‘lancha’. Private boats are available, of course at a higher price.

You will need to wait at the dock for a while for the boat to arrive. As these are public boats and include local town people, expect some additional waiting and commuting time. They stop at a number of piers for passengers.

The last pickups of the day are normally around 7 pm. That is why, plan the trip ahead of time, particularly if you are staying in different town.

Closing thoughts…

Lake Atitlan is a jewel on the map of Guatemala. We could easily mark it as one of the most beautiful places in Central America. So, whatever your style of travel is, we are sure Lake Atitlan will rank high on your favorites.

If you have already been to Lake Atitlan, what is your favorite part? If not, is this a wish list destination for you? Or did it just become one? Do let us know in the comments.

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