Lake Atitlán, nestled in the Guatemalan Highlands, is renowned for its stunning beauty, surrounded by three towering volcanoes and vibrant Mayan culture. The lake is dotted with unique towns, each with its own character. Panajachel is the main gateway, bustling with markets and tourist amenities. San Pedro is popular with backpackers for its lively vibe, while San Marcos is a hub for spirituality and wellness. Other towns like Santiago Atitlán and Santa Cruz offer traditional culture and serene escapes.
From Antigua to Panajachel
In Antigua, you can find shuttles to almost anywhere in Guatemala and even neighboring countries. Lake Atitlán is easy to reach – the trip takes about 3 hours.
Panajachel
Panajachel, often shortened to “Pana,” is the main hub located on the northern shores of the lake. From here, you can take ferries to the other lake towns. It’s a great base for day trips across the lake or tourist activities like ATV rides to viewpoints, paragliding, and more. Many Spanish language schools can be found in these towns, especially in San Pedro, where you can stay with a local family for a week or two and get private lessons to immediately practice with your hosts. I was tempted by this, but my time has begun to run awfully short and there is still so much more I want to see, so I decided to move on after two days.
Here are some picture of Lake Atitlán and its surrounding towns :
