This Lake Atitlan travel guide will cover all the best towns, the best things to do in each place, and basic travel tips.

Lake Atitlan is a must-see while traveling in Guatemala.

From the natural beauty, to the endless fun activities available, to the affordable and charming culture, Lake Atitlan really hits all the requirements for an amazing Central American travel destination.

Figuring out where to stay in Lake Atitlan is the most confusing part of planning a trip here.

There are 13 towns in Lake Atitlan, each with its own unique vibe. Most towns have a thriving indigenous Mayan culture, but there are special qualities that differentiate each place.

I hope this Lake Atitlan travel guide makes trip-planning easier!

For those unsure of where to go in Lake Atitlan, I’ll list the most noteworthy towns and the best attractions in each place.

I’ll be listing the towns of Lake Atitlan in clockwise direction starting on the north of the lake.

I will also include some general travel tips for Lake Atitlan at the end of the article.

Lake Atitlan Travel Guide: Towns

I’ll start this Lake Atitlan travel guide by listing each of the towns in the lake and what makes them unique.

For any towns where you are staying overnight, I recommend checking Hostelworld for the best budget accommodation.

Panajachel

Commonly known as Pana, this town is the most developed in all of Lake Atitlan.

It serves as a great starting point for a trip around Lake Atitlan because it directly connects to the main road and there are lots of public transport options.

Pana’s dock has frequent boats venturing to all other towns around the lake, so you can easily visit any other village from here.

So I recommend beginning your Lake Atitlan trip in Pana. If you only have a few days in the area, I recommend staying in Pana and doing day trips to the other towns of Lake Atitlan.

Calle Santander is the main tourist street in Pana, full of trendy cafes, local restaurants and stands selling colorful souvenirs.

The central market, located on Calle Principal, is massive and perfect for buying cheap local produce.

For a fun day out on the water check out GuateSUP, a local company offering stand up paddle boarding and yoga tours.

Santa Catarina Palopó

Heading clockwise around the lake, this tiny local town is just 4km from Pana.

There aren’t many tourists here so you can meet lots of locals. This village is known for its traditional artistic design that covers many of the buildings here.

Blue paint, colorful patterns and captivating designs are plastered across town walls, which makes for an incredibly scenic visit.

The paint is all eco-friendly and part of a community project known as Pintando Santa Catarina, which aims to empower the locals and attract tourists to the town.

San Antonio Palopó

Next to Santa Catarina Palopó is San Antonio Palopó, a small uncrowded village with an inspiring local charm.

The locals here are Kakchiquel, one of the many indigenous ethnic Mayan groups of Guatemala. Traditional clothing and lifestyles thrive in this town, and you’ll notice the locals are always decked out in colorful woven garments.

The shoreline bordering San Antonio is lined with beautiful swimming waters, big rocks for cliff jumping, and local kids bathing and playing around in the lake.

There are very few tourists here so you can have a more authentic and peaceful Lake Atitlan experience.

Hotel Terrazas Del Lago is a beautiful hotel and restaurant overlooking the lake. The empanadas they serve here are the best I’ve ever had!

San Pedro La Laguna

This is the most popular backpacker town in Lake Atitlan.

Full of backpacker lodges and hostels, cafes, restaurants, bars, yoga studios, massage studios, Spanish schools, traditional textile shops, and a local street market, San Pedro pretty much has everything a tourist could want in Lake Atitlán.

As soon as you step off the boat dock, you’ll find yourself in the midst of Gringo central with red tuk tuks lining the streets offering you rides and highly developed restaurants and shops everywhere.

As you head up the hill away from the water, you’ll find the more local side of town.

For a panoramic view of the town and the lake, hike up to El Mirador (Lookout point, most towns around Lake Atitlán have one).

Felipe is the friendly local who built the entire hilltop wooden structure and lives up there with his family. To enter the lookout, you have to pay Felipe’s family a small fee of 5Q.

You can also hike San Pedro Volcano, with or without a guide. This can be done in one day, you just have to pay the 100Q entrance fee.

Another hiking option is Indian’s Nose trail, a small mountain that is easily accessible from San Pedro and San Juan. The mountain is named “Indian’s Nose_ because its shape resembles a person’s face if they were laying on their back, nose facing upwards.

San Juan La Laguna

Just a 5 minute boat ride away from San Pedro, San Juan is one of the most beautiful towns in Lake Atitlán.

San Juan is known for its artistry and traditional handicrafts. The Tz’utujil Mayan people live here and sell their stunning artwork to tourists for fair prices.

From gorgeous paintings to beaded jewelry to patterned clothing and textiles to other typical souvenirs, San Juan is a lovely place to shop for memorable and unique gifts.

Some clothing cooperatives offer free demonstrations, showing how the locals make their dye using natural ingredients.

You can also pay 10Q to hike about 15 minutes uphill to the El Mirador. From here you have an incredible view of the bright blue lake, the surrounding volcanoes and villages, and the coffee plantations and maize fields below.

San Marcos La Laguna

With its reputation as the hippie mecca of Lake Atitlan, San Marcos is a lovely small town for backpackers who love to experiment and get in touch with spirituality.

Walking through the streets you’ll find yoga studios, massage centers, Reiki healing centers, vegan cafes, health food stores, Astrology readings, tarot card readings, chakra cleansings, herbal remedies, crystal healings, ecstatic dance centers and street art revealing mystical practices and fantasy creatures.

San Marcos is also full of backpackers hostels and luxury eco-lodges alike. Despite all the dreadlocked backpackers, locals still thrive in their Kaqchiquel Mayan culture.

You can find lots of local food as well, including handmade corn tortillas sold from stands in the street for extremely cheap.

My favorite part of San Marcos is the Reserva Natural del Cerro Tzankujil, A Nature Reserve where you can hike through the jungle and swim in the refreshing turquoise waters.

It costs 15Q to enter the Nature Reserve. Visit the “Trampoline”, a 12m high wooden platform where you can catapult yourself into the lake.

Santa Cruz La Laguna

Santa Cruz has two parts: the touristy part and the local part. As soon as you step off the boat, you’ll find yourself in tourist Santa Cruz. The nice backpacker hostel La Iguana Perdida sits right in front of the dock, and little tiendas and tuk tuks fill the road.

There is one road leading up to the local, hilltop village. Follow this road for about 15 minutes and you’ll find yourself wandering through a maze of traditional Mayan homes full of stray dogs and happy children running around.

The town center has a basketball court, a tiny church, and some amazing street art. As Santa Cruz is only accessible by boat, the village remains very isolated and free from tourism.

There isn’t much to do here, but I recommend stopping by just to walk around and see how the locals really live away from the tourists.

San Jorge La Laguna

Another small, non-touristy town of Lake Atitlan, San Jorge is located only 7km west of Pana.

Mirador San Jorge is a lovely lookout spot on the edge of the main road (Route 1 that leads from Sololá down to Pana) where you can enjoy a gorgeous aerial view of Pana on one side and San Jorge on the other.

The Mirador is the most noteworthy part of this residential town, so you don’t even really need to venture down the hill to the village.

But if you do, you’ll find the Church of San Jorge La Laguna to be the center of the town. Around the church is mainly homes and local tiendas.

Other Towns in Lake Atitlan:

There are a few towns in Lake Atitlan that I didn’t mention yet because I haven’t had the chance to visit them.

San Lucas La Laguna, Santiago Atitlan, San Pablo La Laguna, Tzununa, and Jaibalito are the five remaining towns around the lake that I didn’t go to. But, I wanted to mention them as they are part of the Lake Atitlan community.

These villages don’t have many tourist attractions so they are often overlooked by travelers.

I’d say out of these five towns, the most visited is Santiago Atitlan. As one of the largest and most traditional towns around the lake, the Mayan culture is very strong and untouched by tourism here. 

For more information about this town’s heritage and lifestyle, visit this website.

Lake Atitlan Travel Guide: How To Get Around

Known as a lanchas to the locals, boats are the easiest, quickest, safest way to travel between the towns of Lake Atitlan.

Here is a list of the standard boat prices between the towns of Lake Atitlan.  They all cost generally between 10Q and 25Q (between $1 and $3.25).

Also you may notice that locals pay less. Yes, us gringos are charged a tourist price for the boats in Lake Atitlan, but you just have to accept that. Locals take the boats more frequently than we do, so they don’t have to pay full price.

Don’t let any locals take you to the docks from inside the villages. They will charge you a higher price for their service of walking you there, which isn’t necessary. Just find the dock yourself and you shouldn’t be charged any more than 25Q.

Boat prices between the towns of Lake Atitlan:

• Panajachel to San Pedro: 25Q
• Panajachel to San Marcos: 25Q
• Panajachel to Santa Cruz: 15Q
• Panajachel to Santiago Atitlan: 25Q
• San Pedro to Santiago Atitlan: 10Q
• San Pedro to San Juan: 10Q
• San Pedro to San Marcos: 10Q
• Santa Cruz to San Juan: 20Q

Transport To and From Lake Atitlan from around Guatemala:

Bus is the most common form of transport around Guatemala.

You can take a public bus (chicken bus) for the cheapest, or a smaller shuttle bus for more comfort and. slightly higher price.

There are so many transport companies that I recommend just asking for recommendations in your hostel.

Bookaway is also a great resource. This website compares transport options around any given country.

Lake Atitlan is just 2 hours away from Antigua, and 3 hours from Guatemala City. It’s worth stopping in Antigua on the way from Guatemala City. It’s right on the way and it’s a stunning city!

Click here to view transport options to and from Lake Atitlan.

Lake Atitlan Travel Guide: Travel Tips

In this section of the Lake Atitlan travel guide, I’ll talk about some frequently asked questions and travel tips.

When To Visit Lake Atitlan

The climate in Lake Atitlan is very desirable, with average temperatures between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Its tropical location brings lots of warmth and rain. But its high elevation also brings cool breezes and drier air.

Though the temperature is pretty consistent, rainy season lasts from roughly May to October. During these months, the weather is usually beautiful all morning with a downpour in the afternoon. Occasionally there will be huge thunderstorms and maybe even hurricanes or monsoons.

Windy season starts in November and lasts until about February. The only effect this has on your trip to Lake Atitlan is that boat rides may get a little choppier.

You can experience nice weather in Lake Atitlan year-round, so there isn’t a bad time to go. People tend to avoid rainy season, but that is when you’ll find fewer crowds.

Lake Atitlan Travel Guide: Safety

Is Lake Atitlan Safe?

Generally speaking, Lake Atitlan is very safe for tourists. Travelers bring a lot of money into the communities, and the sheer number of travelers here means locals are used to foreigners.

Some say you shouldn’t walk on your own in between the towns, as muggings and theft have been reported in the remote roads outside the towns.

To avoid any unnecessary problems, just take boats in between the towns rather than going along the road. The boats are way faster and safer.

Try not to travel alone, especially at night, and don’t venture too far outside the touristy spots unless you have a trusted local with you. Just use common sense and you’ll be fine in Lake Atitlan.

Bargaining with the Locals

With so many local markets, shops, and street vendors, there are lots of opportunities for buying souvenirs and also negotiating the price.

Tourists are definitely overcharged for things in Guatemala. Sometimes just walking away from a vendor will cause them to lower the price by half. So try practicing your Spanish with locals by haggling the price and you’ll get amazing deals on souvenirs.

Just keep in mind, any money you pay will benefit a local family. So don’t ask for a price that is too low! Just aim for a slight discount, and always be respectful and fair.

Read next: 50 Budget Travel Tips

Stray Dogs in Guatemala

You’ll notice very quickly that Guatemala is full of stray dogs.

Many locals and ex-pats adopt stray dogs as pets because there are so many that don’t have homes. Some locals treat dogs very well and feed them, others don’t like them and kick them. But most people just don’t pay much attention to them.

Use your judgment and try to avoid petting stray dogs, especially if they look a bit off. But if a sad-looking dog approaches you and you want to help, just give it a bit of food. Don’t be surprised if it follows you after that.

Some stray dogs are aggressive and bark a lot to defend their territory, so just be safe and walk the other way if there are barking dogs in your path.

Travel Insurance for Guatemala

Don’t forget to buy travel insurance before you travel anywhere. It is 100% worth it and you’ll be so grateful you have it on the off-chance that you need it!

I love Squaremouth Insurance because you can search for custom plans that include exactly what coverage you need. They also have a really helpful live chat, and they reimbursed me 100% for my previous emergency medical expenses while traveling. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Flights and Visas for Guatemala

If you’re traveling to Guatemala, you may need a visa depending on your nationality. Visit iVisa.com to check visa requirements!

I also recommend using Skyscanner to find the cheapest flights to Guatemala.

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Thanks for reading my Lake Atitlan travel guide!

To read about more of my travels in Guatemala, check out these articles:

Hiking Volcán Acatenango In Guatemala

7 Best Things To Do In Antigua, Guatemala

How To Visit Semuc Champey On A Budget