Lake Atitlán
Lake Atitlán is a lake in a massive volcanic crater. It’s best known for its old Mayan villages and volcanoes surrounding the lake. The biggest town around is called Panajachel. This town is the perfect place to stay and to get you around the lake.
There’s nothing much to do but relax with the stunning view. Leaving from Panajachel, there’s a lot of hikes available.
The lake is located 2 to 3 hours from Antigua by minibus.
What to do
The town has a small center where you can find hand made crafts, a market, bars and restaurants. The path next to the lake is a perfect spot for a walk and some time to relax.
Make sure you catch the sunrise at the lake! The colours and visibility will be at their best!
To catch the sunset, go have a drink at Sunset Café. They have drinks and great food and an amazing view over the lake!
In the small port of Panajachel you will find a lot of small boats who take you around the lake. Santa Catarina Palopó is one of the small, authentic villages. While most tourists go to Santa Cruz la Laguna, on the other side, Santa Catarina is way calmer and super pretty!
Make sure to bring enough cash, there is no ATM at the village.
Tip: Negotiate about the price for the boat tour. Most of the time they don’t want to leave the port until the boat is fully occupied. This can take forever. So negotiate so you don’t overpay, but also don’t lose time waiting for people who might not come. It’s best to check prices at two or three different boats before you choose, they will drop their price to win you.
There are a lot of beautiful hostels around, but I can really recommend Selina Atitlan. New and clean hostel, nice pool, fun bar and seating area!