News from Panajachel at Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
Panajachel news, local events, weather and things to do at Lake Atitlan are the topic of the news page, which also covers news about tourism, weather and related news about tourism, travel and vacation deals.
June, 2010
Tropical storm Agatha wrecked many homes around Lake Atitlan eariler this month. Panajachel saw significant property damage due to overflowing rivers, The main streets, caked with dried mud, made the town look like something out of the Wild West. To contribute donations for the Maya and others left homeless by Agatha, see Donations for Atitlan.
However, the tourism sector is alive and well. Hotels and restaurants are open and there are plenty of fun things to do in Panajachel, San Marcos, San Pedro and Santiago.
May, 2010
Pana Super moved to a new location betweem Bar Rumba/Pana Meats and Cafe Atlantis. Restaurante Rosticeria shut down. So did the karaoke bar that opened next door a few months back. Lots of streets are under repair on the north side of town, so expect the tuk tuk driver to take shortcuts.
April, 2010
After years of neglect, the drain pipe below the wooden staircase to the San Pedro boat docks was pulled out and the area covered, so there is now a road (unpaved) all the way down the hill. Even better, the horrible smell is gone. Restauarante Cordon Bleu, a great place for budget breakfast and lunch, reopened just up the street from Circus Bar on Calle Arboles.
March, 2010
The docks for boats from Panajachel to San Pedro and towns in-between has been rebuilt and is in much better shape.
February, 2010
Pana Super is now open on Sundays in Panajachel. The top place to shop for imported and local groceries and fresh produce is now open from 9 AM-2 PM on Sundays.
January, 2010
As high season kicks in, the chilly weather continues into the new year, along with a little rain.
December, 2009
Cafe Atlantis introduced Q5 coffee and Q13.5 Gallos. Rumba Disco/Pana Meats offers the only white sand beach in the zona viva, complete with bonfire. Which is great, because it's been cold and windy around the lake this month (where is global warming when you need it?).
September, 2009
Happy Birthday, Circus Bar!
The Circus Bar on Arboles celebrates its 26th birthday the first week of September with special offers on pizza and drinks.
Hold on Tight!
For the first time in years, there is a hand rail on the wooden causeway that leads to the San Pedro dock.
August, 2009
Custom Health Food
Pana Health Food now takes custom orders from their new in-house catalog.
Dog of the Month
Panajachel’s Dog of the Month for August is Pita from Rumba Discoteque.
July 2009
Across from Last Resort, Pana Rep is a new business that repairs, sells and buys all sorts of items.
The new Dispensa Familia supermarket is open for business on Principal, near Rancho Grande.
May-June 2009: After Pana Meats vanished from sight in mid-May, an eyewitness claimed to have seen it carried away by a UFO. But by following a trail of pepperoni across Calle Principal, our intrepid reporter, Max Nomad, found the store had moved directly across the street from Banco G&T, next to Palapa en Rumba.
April 2009: McDonald’s and Pollo Campero are coming to Pana. Construction of a new comercio is underway near Rancho Grande. It will also be home to a chain supermarket, Dispensa Familia..
March, 2009: Long-time resident and one of Pana’s best friends to everyone, Tom Finkelstein, died in February. Sylvia says she’ll keep Cordon Bleu open, so drop by for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Rumba is the new name for Socrates Disco and La Palapa, the place to party in Panajachel.
January, 2009: The new restaurant/bar in Panajachel is La Palapa en Socrates. Across the street from Pana Meats, La Palapa is the perfect spot for people-watching from the outdoor bar in Panajachel.
The ATM beside Comercio Rafael in Panajachel was replaced with a new one. Hopefully this one won’t rob people.
Where to Stay in Panajachel
Budget: Villa Lupita, Q35; Shofar, Q70; Mario's Rooms, Q100. High-end: Dos Mundos.
Where to Eat in Panajachel
Best rotisserie chicken: Chero's Bar. Cordon Bleu recently started serving robalo and dorado (mahi mahi). Buy and cook your own fish with fresh seafood from Pana Super and Pana Meats.
Where to Party
La Palapa en Socrates is next to the town's liveliest disco, Socrates. Live bands are featured at Circus Bar every night. Best drink special in Panajachel: Cordon Bleu's Triple White Russian.
Tours and Shuttles
AtiTrans has good service and a 1 PM van to Antigua for Q50. Universal has been known to leave people behind and leave late.
Money
See map for bank and ATMs. Banks will cash traveler’s checks and handle Western Union and MoneyGrams.
Internet
Best deal in town: GuateNet on Calle Arboles.
Movies in Panajachel
Solomon's Porch , Thursdays, 7:30
