Lake Atitlan and the surrounding villages of San Marcos, San Juan and San Pedro rank high on any must-see list for Guatemala. Lonely Planet once called it ‘the closest thing to Eden on earth’ and everybody that ever visited will tell you about its magical tranquility and mesmerising beauty. Was I mesmerised during my visit? Not quite. But with 3 volcanoes dramatically lining its shores plus a few more in the distance it certainly isn’t your average joe lake. The reason why I feel you should include lake Atitlan in your Guatemala itinerary is a close relative to the well known activity of island hopping. At lake Atitlan you go town hopping.

What to do in Lago Atitlan

Lake Atitlan (or Lago Atitlan in Spanish) is the most visited lake in Guatemala and for good reason. It is a pretty sight and easily accessible being located only a few hours drive from Antigua, the tourist capital of Guatemala. The lake is surrounded by little villages that all have their own vibe. Consequently they all attract their own type of traveller. A ferry network connects them all making it possible to visit most in only a day or 2. This is the main reason why you want to visit Atitlan. The villages are truly distinct and taking short boat rides over the lake not only gives you the best views of the surroundings but is a pretty adventurous as well. It feels like island hopping except now your hopping towns.

Panajachel

Panajachel is the biggest town around and most visitors make it their home during their visit at the lake. Not a bad choice considering it is the spot with the most restaurants & bars and the biggest (souvenir) market of all lakeside towns. It also has the best (mini) bus connections. Panajachel itself is nothing special but it does host one of the best attractions the lake has got to offer: Reserva Natural Atitlán. If you’re just visiting Panajachel for a few hours: don’t stay lingering along its lakeshores: the best part of town is the Calle Santander a bit deeper into town.

Reserva Natural Atitlán

Entrance fee: Q50
I was pleasantly surprised when I visited this natural reserve. The former coffee plantation promotes itself pretty much as a zip-lining mecca – no clue if it is any good – but as soon as you start venturing out into the reserve you’ll hardly notice people zip-lining. You can explore the reserve by walking an hour-long trail that takes you high up in the canopies, alongside waterfalls and through brushes of rainforest and cloud forest. Seeing monkeys and coatis is almost a guarantee. There’s also a small butterfly reserve. Try the sandwiches they sell at the restaurant.

Hard to miss: coatis in the treetops in the Reserva

San Marcos la Laguna

San Marcos la Laguna draws crowds of hippies from all around the world because it is claimed to have magnetic earth forces that are good for holistic healing. This remains an important spot for the Mayas. But if you’re visiting for a short while your spiritual journey will be limited to smoking pot with European rastafari’s. To walk around in San Marcos is pleasant. People are laid back and friendly. You’re constantly surrounded by spiritual live music. On top of that: all food that is served is organic and tastes really good. Many people looking for spiritual healing plan only a few days here but never leave. Awesome spot for a late breakfast, coffee break or lunch (try the organic banana bread which is awesome).

San Juan la Laguna

Coffee is laid to try in the sun in San Juan

San Juan is the most authentic of the better visited Mayan villages. Except for the street that leads to the dock, most of the village has seen little influence from tourism. San Juan is a good spot to learn a bit about Guatemalan coffee culture as there are a few roasteries, a coffee museum and you’ll see the coffee beans drying out in the sun right from the streets. Quieter than its neighbour San Pedro but still only a 10 minute tuktuk drive away from its restaurants & bars it makes for a good base to explore the lake if you’re looking for a bit of peace and quiet.

San Pedro la Laguna

These tiny tuktuks take you from San Pedro to San Juan & San Marcos. Faster than the boat but way less fun.

San Pedro is the backpacker hotspot of lake Atitlan. Known for cheap hostels, eateries and boozefueled nights it attracts young travellers that are looking to party. Don’t let that scare you though. San Pedro is still a nice enough spot to stay.

Catering to budget travellers San Pedro offers the widest variety of tours, activities, Spanish classes and budget eats. And compared to backpacker party hotspots such as Koh Phangan, Thailand, San Pedro will feel like a tranquil countryside town. San Pedro is a nice enough place to wander around in but it doesn’t host any mayor highlights.

Where to eat & sleep

Sleeping

We found out that Booking.com will consistently give you the best rates on hotels. To make finding the perfect spot a little easier we made a selection for lake Atitlan. Click the link below to find the best places to stay around the lake. While booking make sure you pick a place within walking distance to one of the villages docks or that is connected by road to San Pedro or Panajachel. This way you enable yourself to go town hopping without too much hassle and can pop our for a bite in the evening.

Best places to stay around Atitlan

Eco Hotel Uxlabil

Booking rate: 8.6 | Privates from EUR 65

On my visit to Atitlan I stayed in Eco Hotel Uxlabil. This hotel operates in a sustainable way without hampering on comfort. Comfortable rooms & good beds. Add to that killer lake views and a good breakfast included in the roomrate. Uxlabil is uniquely located between San Juan & San Pedro which means you can easily visit both villages by foot and still sleep in the middle of nature. A unpaved path takes you to San Juan in 10 minutes and a (steep) rocky trail takes you up to the main road going to San Pedro (15 – 20 min walk to the docks). If you don’t feel like walking on the main road after nightfall you can easily find a tuktuk – they pass by every few minutes.

Click here to book Eco Hotel Uxlabil

Eating

To be honest: there wasn’t a place in Atitlan that blew my socks off on the culinary scale. A nice quiet spot for a bite in San Pedro is El Gato Perdito. Shanti Shanti is recommended in many guidebooks but while it serves huge portions the quality is subpar. Try Café El Artesano in San Juan for fine cheese platters (they only open from noon to 4PM) or Il Giardino in San Marco’s to sample great organic food in a lush secluded garden.

Drinking

San Pedro has the best offer of bars in Atitlan and a good pick is Bar Sublime which offers cheap beers on a large terrace with killer lakeside views. A good selection of beers can be found in El Barrio which caters mainly to expats but serves very food burgers. If you’re planning to party until dawn you’ll be limited to private parties in hostels as at 1 AM, everything in Guatemala shuts down.

Practical information

When

Guatemala is located in the tropics which means hot days year round, Atitlan is no different. But because the lake is located about 1500 meters above sea level the day temperature hovers around a comfortable 25-27 degrees Celcius, dropping to 10 -15 at night. From November – May you can expect dry sunny weather. Visiting in December/January is best because the area will still be lush and green from the autumn rains.

Budget

Exchange rate: 8Q = €1/$1 (incl. fees)
Guatemala is a cheap country to travel and Atitlan is no exception. It might be hard to find cheap local eateries as tourism has found most bars & restaurants around town, but except for some high-end luxury resorts prices are still fairly reasonable.

Daily Budget (p.p.)	300 Q
Street food	5 – 15 Q
Meal in a restaurant	30 – 80 Q
Dorm	50 – 100 Q
Double in a 3-star hotel	300 – 700 Q

In, Out & around

The closest airport to the lake is Guatemala City Airport which is still a 2.5 hour drive by minivan or taxi/Uber. As Guatemala also lacks a railway network your only options are to travel by road.

While chicken busses are the cheapest, and undoubtedly the most local experience, tourist mini busses bring more comfort and save a lot of time. San Juan, San Marcos, San Pedro and Panajachel are all well connected to Antigua with several mini-busses leaving daily. Going to other places means going multi-modal. You’ll probably switch from minibus to private car, to bus to another minibus all without a ticket or voucher. Don’t worry too much – this is just how things work in Guatemala. Ask your previous driver for the name of the next driver and make sure to book through an agency that has a direct line that you can always call/ Whatsapp. Also expect to have a stop over in Antigua regardless of what you’re told. Yes, that includes your ‘direct shuttle bus to the airport’.