Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

Lake Atitlan and the towns of San Pedro, San Marcos, Panajachel and Santa Cruz are the vacation secret of the tropics. "Costa Rica fifteen years ago," is what people with years of travel and vacation experience in Central America call Lake Atitlan, Guatemala.

Fun things to do on vacation at Lake Atitlan include hiking nature trails and volcanoes, kayaking, guided tours and cruises around the lake, massages, meditation, fishing, Spanish language schools, snorkeling and scuba diving.

Lake Atitlan, hidden by a ring of mountains and volcanoes in the picturesque highlands of Guatemala, has a variety of hotels, hostels and other lodging options, a wide variety of restaurants and more dining opportunities, and enough bars and clubs to make this lake the nightlife capital of Guatemala.

San Pedro, San Marcos, Santa Cruz...

At Lake Atitlan, Panajachel, San Pedro la Laguna, San Marcos, Santa Cruz, Jaibalito, Santiago, Tzununa and other Maya villages and towns ring this fifty-square mile lake in the same fashion planets circle the sun, each with its own personality, charm and activities. Some villages and tourism areas can be reached only by boat or on foot, and have the feel of a tropical island.

After dark, the lively nightlife scene in San Pedro and Panajachel features everything from disco and rock to trance and techno. Travel to the lake is by way of Antigua, which also has an array of restaurants, hotels and nightlife.

Spanish schools around the lake are among the least expensive on the planet. Most offer budget rooms and meals as well.

Just plain relaxing is also popular. Choose from a Maya-style massage, thermals springs that spill into the lake, saunas, yoga and meditation. A vacation at Lake Atitlan is often more than just getting away from it all. It can also be about forgetting it all for awhile.

Planning your Lake Atitlan Vacation

This site provides a detailed look at the key villages around the lake, where Maya garbed in traditional huipiles share cobblestone streets and shaded trails with visitors from around the world.

You will also discover travel tips and information on lodging, from budget hostels to boutique hotel rooms and luxury resort villas in San Pedro la Laguna and Panajachel. And the best restaurants. Many restaurants at the lake serve international cuisine in addition to Central American meals.

We offer travel tips on transportation, shuttles, buses and boats around Guatemala, a country rich with cultural and history in the form of Tikal's Maya pyramids and the colonial ruins of Antigua, as well as tropical scenery such as cloud forests and rain forests, rivers and black sand beaches. A new section provides guides to day trips around the lake, Antigua and Monterrico on the Pacific coast.