Transportation: Getting to Lake Atitlan by Shuttle or Bus

Shuttles that hold 8-10 people pick up at the Guatemala airport and Guatemala City hotels for a 30-minute trip to Antigua.

There are also direct shuttles to San Pedro from Panajachel for about $10. This trip takes five hours and currently arrives after dark, so it's a good idea to have already reserved a room.

If arriving in the capital after the last shuttle, usually not long after dark, you can spend the night in Antigua and head out for the lake the next day.

A shuttle from the airport or capital to Panajachel by way costs $20. From Antigua to Panajachel, a shuttle will cost $5-10 per person.

Local buses to Santiago, San Pedro and Panajachel are much cheaper, but crowded and cramped.

Driving to the Lake in a Rental Car

If renting a car for your Guatemala vacation, you will find the road to Antigua in very good condition. From there to Panajachel, the roads narrow but are still in decent shape. You can reach Santiago by rental car on good roads that connect with the Inter-American Highway, but the paved road to San Pedro is one switchback after another, which can be unnerving for first-timers.

Driving after dark is not recommended, especially in the capital and across the countryside.

Boats Around the Lake

From Panajachel, you can get to San Pedro and other villages around the lake on a small lancha. The colectivo (public boat) costs about $3 for a direct, 20-minute ride to San Pedro or Santiago. The local boats connect other towns and are the only way to reach Santa Cruz. Private boats cost Q200, about $30.

Avoid the Panajachel street hustlers who will charge as much as three times the going rate for boats. (They are the ones with the laminated maps.)

Taxis, or Tuk Tuks

The Bangkok-style tuk tuk is the basic taxi in the towns around Lake Atitlan. It will hold two people without a lot of luggage, because there is only one seat for passengers. Standard fare to any point within Panajachel or San Pedro is Q5, about 65 cents (Q10 for two people).To San Juan from San Pedro, the fare is Q10, but two can ride at that rate. Tuk tuks now serve San Marcos from San Pedro for Q20.

For the most up-to-date information on local transportation around and to Lake Atitlan, see the current issue of Atitlan Sol, the only English-language travel magazine about the lake. It delivers a feature article on activities around the lake. Updated monthly, the magazine may be viewed online or downloaded to read at your convenience.