A popular spot in San Juan is the beautiful viewpoint of Mirador KiaqAiswaan. Lake Atitln and its villages are a winning combination of scenic beauty, a relaxed atmosphere, easily accessible Mayan culture, and a good tourist infrastructure. 1. In some villages you will find an indigenous population that still lives according to ancient Mayan traditions and customs. This town offers culture andcolorful town life. Ah, Lake Atitlan! This page is not available in other languages. Maybe it was still too early. Aside from checking out the shops and sampling local coffee, you can also go on a beautiful coastal walk in Cerro Tzankujil Nature Reserve, where youll also find a diving platform, in case youre interested. Lake Atitln guards many other fascinating stories and secrets, but Ill let you discover them on your own. So spend some time wandering around and checking out the colorful houses. The cookies collect this data and are reported anonymously. Copyright 2023 Goats On The Road | GOTR Media LLC. You can find a sign stating the main routes in San Pedro, but if you dont know the prices, theyll probably try to rip you off. I only went out one night with a friend, and we didnt find the town to be particularly lively. For eating in San Marcos, I recommend Samsaras Garden for delicious vegetarian dishes. Let them know where youre going and see how they respond. Generally each village is safe during the day, but the paths between them are notorious for robberies and muggings. They will be happy to share some cool stories. This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. But in this village, you get some of thebest views over the lake, so its definitely worth to spend a few nights in Santa Cruz. Youll also find locals offering private lanchas, but they charge way more. And of course, we also talk about the bestLake Atitlan hostelsand the other options forwhere to stay in Lake Atitlan! And, after living on the lake for two months in early 2015, we can definitely see why! Just avoid walking there at night. If you know a little about coffee, then you know that the best coffee grows at higher elevations. San Marcos Lake Atitlan is alaid-back townby the water where a lot of hippies reside. Slow travelers seem to have trouble leaving the lake behind and a lot of peoplespend weeks or even monthsin the Atitlan region. Most travelers arrive in Panajachel. The villages that surround the lake are unique and fascinating. If you want to commute there, the easiest would be boat to Santiago, and pickup to San Lucas, this will if you carry luggage though incur a lot of hassle (from people), so better get a cheap hotel room somewhere and leave as much as you can there before you go. Via de la Plata Stages: From Sevilla to Plitvice Lakes or Krka? Forbackpackersandbudget travelers,Mikaso Hotel and Restaurantis the most popular San Pedro Hostel by far. Coordinates: 1442N 9112W Lake Atitln (Spanish: Lago de Atitln, [atitlan]) is a lake in the Guatemalan Highlands of the Sierra Madre mountain range. is a beautiful domain just outside the village and it is our favorite lodging at the lake. Use the price guide above and dont pay any more. If you want to experiencerural Guatemalawith fewer tourists and more local culture, San Antonio is a good place to start! Panajachel is the place where you probably arrive in the area. Theres an ATM. What I can tell you about the capital city is that its chaotic. Photo: Hannah Stombler-Levine. To be honest, the whole world is on my bucket list. The swimming in Paxanax is good, the CECAP program is very impressive and theres a Spanish school as well. TRIBAL VILLAGE - Hostel Reviews, Photos (Lake Atitlan, Guatemala) Before getting on the first plane to Central America, read up on these interesting facts about Guatemala! Travelers often come here to hike the volcano, ride horses, or party. For decades there have been reports of sightings of strange animals emerging from the lake, though none were ever confirmed. Top Travel Sights. Preference cookies are used to store user preferences to provide them with content that is customized accordingly. Theres a direct road out of the lake from here and the vibe is great. Instead, as I started walking around town, I realized how far out it spread. Updated May 2, 2014. From the towns of San Pedro and Panajachel, its very easy tobook a seatfor aLake Atitlan Boat tour. San Pedro - Santiago: 25Q Villages around Lake Atitlan, Guatemala Which of Lake Atitlan village is for you? Have you been to one or moreLago Atitlan townsor do you plan on going there? Go scuba diving (the only dive shop on the lake is located here). Lake Atitln Sightseeing Cruise with Transport from Antigua. This tour takes you to three such villagesSan Juan La Laguna, Santiago Atitln, and San Pedro La Laguna. Panajachel Panajachel is known as a tourist town, and many travelers stay here. Lake Atitlan is a place tofind peace and connect with nature. For me, Lake Atitln is one of those places that makes you never want to leave. Maximn is a Mayan deity and saint, likely the result of a blend of religious figures. per adult (price varies by group size) Bicycle Tour Around Lake Atitlan with Weaving Coops and Coffee Plantations. This accommodation isgreat value for couples, as well asfamilies with kidswho travel to Lake Atitlan. It was a random house, and I could see a colorful shrine with lit candles through the open door. Chuitinamit. Lake Atitln - Wikitravel The seven best villages at Lake Atitlan Panajachel - Buy souvenirs and eat Gringo food San Pedro - Chill out, learn Spanish and eat gringo food San Marcos - Meditate, do yoga, eat gringo food Santiago - visit Maximon, buy souvenirs Santa Cruz - SUP, kayak, hang out under the radar Jaibalito - find solitude My family loves to travel and this was one of the best trips weve ta Lake Atitln is one of the most beautiful places in Guatemala. San Marcos la Laguna: 2023 Guide to Lake Atitlan's Most Spiritual Village checking out everything this beautiful country has to offer, How to Visit Ancient Olympia Everything You Have to Know, 4 Days in Santorini Itinerary How to Spend the Perfect Santorini Vacation, One Day in Helsinki Itinerary The Perfect Day in Helsinki, Travel Blog Income Report Q4 2022 Our Travel Blogging Income from Q4, 10 Day Panama Itinerary From the Jungle to the Beach. How to Visit the 10 Colorful Maya Towns of Lake Atitln - Bucketlist Bri Views of all three volcanoes. Theres a fee to access the park from the official entrance, but you can also access from the other side. Lake Atitln, Guatemala has long been a popular hangout for hippies, backpackers, expats and travellers. You can find 11 villages and towns around Lake Atitlan, but only 6 stand out a lot from the rest, including Panajachel, Santiago, San Pedro, Santa Cruz, Jaibalito, and San Marcos. $107.00. Basically, no matter which village you decide to travel to on Lake Atitln,youll be impressed. Its actually large and lively. Taking pictures will cost a little more. I think that should cover it. Just follow the road to San Pablo, and youll find a narrow path to the left, right before the turn to Eagles Nest. Swim in the beautiful water anytime you need to cool off. The swimming here isnt good, head to San Marcos. Power Boats. It does not store any personal data. Many of our tours and activities offer transportation pick up & drop off options from several locations and destinations. You can find docks just about everywhere and there will always be other people waiting to catch a boat ride. Lake Atitlan Towns - Guide to the best Lake Atitlan villages This is one of the few places where you can take out money from an ATM on the lake, stock up in Pana! Travel Atitlan [1][dead link] provides different adventure: tours boat departure morning visiting towns that there are around the lake visiting weavers working women with natural dyes, crafts of towns, painters men, local vegetables, coffee plantations, or if you like adventure they organize tours to volcanoes, visit the towns on bicycle, hiking around the lake you can contact them directly. According to one of them, a monster lives in the depths of the lake, much like the Loch Ness monster. Calle de los Sombreros is particularly beautiful, but many streets are decorated with incredible art. Whats the best VPN for Europe right now? Lake Atitln and its villages are a winning combination of scenic beauty, a relaxed atmosphere, easily accessible Mayan culture, and a good tourist infrastructure, at 1562 m of altitude, and the Tolimn volcano at its extreme southern end (3158 m). Yoga is just one of thethings to do in San Marcos La Laguna. If you fly to Guatemala, youll likely land at the countrys main airport, near Guatemala City. See the individual town articles (under Cities above) for details. Most people reach LakeAtitln from Antigua, but you can get there from many places across Guatemala. However, in recent years, locals have been trying to attract more tourists. 3. Anyway, Im pretty sure I passed by Maximns home during my wandering around Santiago. In fact, you can actually walk there on a high mountain trail, or, its a quick boat ride. Lake Atitlan Guatemala Guide: Best Towns & Things to Do - Adventurous Kate To help you decide which town to visit, below you'll find a brief overview of Lake Atitlan's most popular towns and what makes each of them unique. We were coming from San Cristbal de las Casas, Mexico, through a winding road riddled with steep cliffs and pale clouds. You can walk from San Marcos to the village of Tzununa in about 15 minutes as well. Leonel Azurdia gave us an excellent tour. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages viisted in an anonymous form. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Non Necessary". Its the most fun ride youll have around Lake Atitln. Surrounded by dozens ofrural villages and guesthouses, Lake Atitlan has something for every budget. Adventures Await at Lake Atitlan, Guatemala: A Guide A trip to Lake Atitlan can easily be combined with a trip toSemuc ChampeyandRio Dulce. 20 UNIQUE Things to Do in Lake Atitlan [in 2023] - The Broke Backpacker The ruins of Samabaj lay untouched under Lake Atitln since sometime around 300 CE. Anything less than that is just a hassle. Watch local life at the market 11. The Iguana Perdida is a great place to have aparty and socializewith other backpackers. Visiting the art galleries and women textiles cooperative in San Juan was a unique experience. During theseLake Atitlan tours, you usuallyhop from village to villageand learn tons offacts about the lake. The Mystery Behind How Guatemala's Lake Atitlan Keeps Rising - Culture Trip Yoga, meditation, massage or reiki. crater lake in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, https://en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?title=Lake_Atitln&oldid=4662216, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Licensed, Pana to/from Santa Cruz & Jaibalito - Q10-15. Lake Atitln is heralded as one of the most mystical and memorable lakes on the planet. Most tourists stay in other villages andcome to San Juan on a day trip. Share your bucketlist to get inspiration and local connections. The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. This is where the biggest grocery store is, as well as Sandys supermarket, which sells a plethora of Western goodies. Their expert advice has been featured on the Lonely Planet, CNN Money, Business Insider, WiseBreadand Forbes and they also spoke at the World Tourism Forum in Istanbul about the business of travel blogging.