I Left A Piece Of My Heart At Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
Guatemala is an affordable destination that blends adventure and a beautiful culture. You really have to visit to understand how special it is, and there’s no better place to settle in than at Lake Atitlan — about three hours west of Guatemala City. Our drive ended up taking over five hours (an accident blocked the road + an ill advised detour), but once you arrive you will not want to leave! Given the effort to get there, I recommend a minimum of four days to fully enjoy this magical lake area.
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Lake Atitlan Accommodations
Maya Moon Lodge (two nights)
The beautiful and peaceful Maya Moon Lodge has private cabins and shared dorm rooms. Our family enjoyed two nights in a two-story cabin with a private bathroom. I am not gonna lie, there were large spiders on the walls when we got there. Happy to say that they disappeared after we settled in — maybe they were as afraid of us as I was of them! I did move my bed away from the walls though.
It was pure bliss to sit on the patio or dock with sounds of birds, lancha boats, and erupting volcanos in the near distance — my happy place. The lodge has a restaurant and bar; however, exploring the areas is part of the fun and just a short boat ride or a walk to a nearby village. The staff can help arrange tours and make connections with local guides. I also highly suggest their morning yoga on the pier.
We loved this location and accommodation for our family since we mixed it with Panajachel + we met younger and solo travelers making it something for everyone. You may also want to consider staying in San Marcos since we really enjoyed our time there.
Panajachel Airbnb (two nights)
For the second part of our stay, we booked an Airbnb on the outskirts of Panajachel, the main town on the lake. Upon arrival, I was a bit nervous as it was somewhat isolated, and there were a lot of locks on the gate — but this uneasiness faded after a day.
I booked this place only because staying in Panajachel made it easier and more affordable to reach activities like zip-lining and the chicken bus to Solola. But we gained so much more as we enjoyed exploring a new area: stumbling upon Sunday mass on the beach and a celebration in a small village down the street. I planned this to save some money and time, but in retrospect, I totally suggest breaking up your say at Lake Atitlan this way.
Lake Atitlan Planning Tips
Getting to Lake Atitlan
You do not need a rental car and a driver is safer anyway. We booked the private transfers ahead of time through our lodging contacts. The vehicles were comfortable and in good condition. There is a less expensive bus however I do not recommend it because the transit time is longer. There are also shared shuttles, but it was about the same price to hire a private driver for a family of four (my oldest guy stayed home).
If you are not staying in the main town of Panajachel, you will likely take a lancha boat to get to your lodging. Make sure you arrive in time for the last boat — in our case this was 7:30 PM. You will need to get Guatemalan currency to pay for the boat so plan accordingly! I heard that the water can be rougher in the evening — we were fine but we are used to being on boats. We found it easy and inexpensive to take the public lanchas.
Very important money tips
Cash is king and they only take quetzal, not USD. I do not like to carry more than a couple of days of cash but in Guatemala you need to be extra prepared. The smaller villages around Lake Atitlan do NOT have cash machines. And, if they do the ATM may be closed or out of cash. This happened to us in San Marcos! There is also a daily withdrawal limit. BE AWARE. Plan ahead.
Note: Call your bank right away if your ATM transaction goes through and cash does not come out. Your account may still be debited — this is known to happen in Guatemala.
Safety in Guatemala
Guatemala trails nearby Costa Rica, Belize, and Panama in having an established tourism infrastructure. Take the usual precautions when traveling in a developing country: Travel during the day. Do not walk between the villages in the dark. Use a guide on hikes. Know some Spanish. Do not drink tap water. Be aware of your surroundings. Leave the flashy jewelry and clothes at home. Be street smart and take precautionary safety measures and you will have an awesome family adventure!
Traveling with kids
Surprisingly my guys were the only kids we saw when visiting Lake Atitlan. Maybe this was a fluke for our timing? Other tourists were all young backpackers or young seniors. We met the friendliest expats and folks from all over the world.
November weather
I have said it before, Central America is an awesome place to visit in November. This was true again for our travels to Guatemala. The weather was warm and it is the end of their rainy season — which means better prices and the beginning of their dry season!
Explore a Variety of Activities in Lake Atitlan
The serene Lake Atitlan is dotted with unique Mayan villages and surrounded by volcanic mountains. Here are some of the activities you can experience on your trip to this heavenly destination.
1 | Village hopping via public lanchas
Spend a full or half-day taking the public lanchas to the villages around the lake. You really do not need a guided tour and it is a bit more of an adventure on your own. The only little tricky thing is that from San Pedro you walk through the village to another boat dock to get to Santiago.
- Santiago: Hire a tuk-tuk to take you to Maximon and around the town. We brought a tie to offer to the Mayan deity. They also like cigarettes!
- San Juan: Known for their textiles. You can do a tour of the co-op but it was closing when we arrived.
- San Marcos. Explore this hippie village and bring a swimsuit so you can jump off the ledge into the lake.
2 | Hire a guide for the Indian Nose Hike
I am not a morning person but can report that it was worth getting up at 5 AM for the sunrise hike. Our lodge said to go with a guide for safety and I agree. They suggested Luis and he was great. He did not speak English but we still communicated pretty well. We saw some backpackers without guides but most had guides. The hike to the top was medium difficulty only because we moved at a quick pace and it is pretty vertical. Bonus: tuk-tuk transportation to the trailhead!
FITZ BITS TIP: Wear pants and bring a sweatshirt. Trust me, it is colder at this elevation and in the morning.
3 | Hire a guide for the Three Villages Hike
My research showed that we should use a guide and the staff at our lodge said the same. We hired Luis for this second outing. I rate this a moderate hike due to the ups and quick pace. Luis and his brother took us up and down the trail from San Marcos to Santa Cruz with breathtaking views at every turn. I noticed our guides were alert to noises along the way. We passed a couple of other small groups that had guides as well.
4 | Jump into Lake Atitlan from the "trampoline"
You will find the Cerro Tzankujil Nature Reserve along a path to your left just up from the San Marcos dock. The entrance fee was 15Q per person, a couple of dollars. While there is a nice hike to enjoy, our draw was “the trampoline.” This is a platform eight meters above the water and my guys had a blast taking several jumps into the lake. I was recovering from a waterskiing injury and was on photo duty. Sometimes it is nice to have an excuse, right?
5 | Explore the Atitlan Nature Preserve and Zip Lines
It is a quick tuk-tuk ride to the Atitlan Nature Preserve. There are trails, hanging bridges, and waterfalls to explore. My favorite zip line experience is still in La Fortuna, Costa Rica. We have passed up many zip line adventures because they pale in comparison. However, I would say that this one was totally worth it! The zip lines were long and fast — the best being the ones with jungle on one side and lake on the other.
6 | Take a chicken bus to the Solola Market
Many folks will visit the Chichicastenango Market from Lake Atitlan. However, if you do not have time or interest in the drive there is a closer market in Solola. The chicken bus ride there and back was half of the adventure.
7 | Stumble upon a local festival
You never know what you are going to find when exploring the villages.
8 | Rent a kayak in one of the villages
9 | Take all the different forms of transportation
Pickup truck. Tuk tuk. Chicken bus. Lancha water taxi.
10 | Do a yoga class with a lake view
Itinerary Note
Don’t miss incorporating Antigua to your itinerary. It offers a very different experience + staying there at the end of your trip puts you closer to the Guatemala City Airport for your flight home.
Visited in November 2019
