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 the Guatemala City Airport. Our drive ended up taking over five hours (our driver made an ill-advised detour after an accident blocked the road), but once you arrive at the lake you will not want to leave! Given the trade time to get there, I recommend staying a minimum of three nights to enjoy this magical area.
These are my honest opinions and recommendations — I do not receive any compensation or discounts during our travel. This story does include some affiliate links for which I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please click the links to support my blog.
Planning Tips: Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
Getting to Lake Atitlan
There’s no need to rent a car because you won’t need one once you get to Lake Atitlan. Plus, a tourist shuttle or driver is safer anyway. We booked private transfers ahead of time through our lodging contacts: Guatemala City Airport to Panajachel (“Pana”) and then to Antigua four nights later. Both vehicles were comfortable and in good condition. The tourist shuttle is a less expensive option for single or couples travelers, however it was about the same price for us to hire a private driver for our family of four (my oldest guy stayed home because of college). Super budget travelers may want to take the public bus, but the transit time is a lot longer so save money elsewhere in your budget.
If you are not staying in the main town of Panajachel, you will likely take a public taxi boat (lancha) 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 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. It was easy to take the public lanchas around.
Very important money tips
Cash is king and they only take the Guatemalan 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 and plan ahead:
- The smaller villages around Lake Atitlan do NOT have ATM cash machines.
- The ATM may be closed or out of cash. This happened to us in San Marcos!
- There is likely a daily withdrawal limit.
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 is well behind nearby Costa Rica, Belize, and Panama in having an established tourism infrastructure. Being street-smart and taking precautionary safety measures will help you have an awesome, healthy, and safe family adventure.
We felt very safe on this tip because we took the usual precautions that one must when visiting a developing country:
- Do not drink tap water.
- Be aware of your surroundings.
- Arrange your transportation during the daylight hours.
- Do not walk between the villages in the dark.
- Use a guide on hikes.
- Leave the flashy jewelry and clothes at home.
It also really helps to know some Spanish!
Traveling with kids
We met the friendliest expats and folks from all over the world. Surprisingly my young teenage sons were the only kids we saw when visiting Lake Atitlan. Maybe this was a fluke or our timing — we traveled over Thanksgiving week. The other tourists that I saw were all young-adult backpackers or young seniors.
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: Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
The serene Lake Atitlan is dotted with unique Mayan villages and surrounded by volcanic mountains. Here are some activities you can experience on your trip to this heavenly destination.
Village hopping via the lanchas
Spend a full or half-day taking the public taxi boats, “lanchas,” to the villages around the lake. You really do not need a guided tour and it is a bit more of a choose-your-own-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. Instead of cigarettes, we brought a tie for my sons to offer to the Mayan deity.
- San Juan: This village is known for their textiles and arts. 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.
Sunrise Indian Nose Hike
I am not a morning person at all, but I 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 a few backpackers without guides, but most groups had guides. The hike to the top was medium difficulty only because we moved at a quick pace and it is pretty vertical. Bonus: Fun tuk-tuk transportation to and from the trailhead!
FITZ BITS TIP: Wear pants and bring a sweatshirt. Trust me, it is colder at this elevation and in the morning.
Three Villages Hike
My research showed that we should hire a guide for safety and the staff at our lodge, Maya Moon, 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.
Jump into Lake Atitlan from the "trampoline" in San Marcos
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?
Zip line at the Atitlan Nature Preserve
It is a quick tuk-tuk ride to the Atitlan Nature Preserve. There are trails, ZIP LINES, hanging bridges, waterfalls, and a butterfly house 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 beautiful Lake Atitlan on the other.
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.
Shopping is less expensive than Antigua
What did we buy? I bought a dozen beautiful little beaded ornaments in San Juan — birds, a snowman, Santa, and angels — equal to about $1 USD each. We also bought a colorful painting and some souvenir t-shirts in Panajachel.
Take a yoga class
You won’t have to look far to find a yoga class. But if in doubt, you’ll find plenty of yoga options in and around the village of San Marcos.
Check off all the different forms of transportation
It’s so much fun to get around!
- Water taxi: lancha
- Local taxi: the back of a pickup truck
- Public chicken bus
- Tuk tuk
Walk around and explore
You never know what you are going to find when exploring the villages.
Itinerary Note
Don’t miss incorporating colonial 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
