Lake Atitlán: Best Towns, Things to Do, Where to Eat & Where to Stay

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After exploring different cities and areas around Lake Atitlán I’ve put together this guide to help you plan your epic adventure. It includes the best towns to visit, the best places to stay, where to eat and the things I recommend doing while you’re here.

Top things to do around Lake Atitlán

If you’re like me you probably want the fun part first, so let’s jump right into the top things to do. If you also need some more practical help with which towns to visit, where to stay and where to eat just scroll further down and you’ll find everything you need.

Do nothing and relax in a hammock

Lake Atitlán really is one of those places where you shouldn’t have too much planned. It’s a place for relaxing and just enjoying life in a hammock by the lake or jumping into the nice (but pretty cold) water. However, there are also a lot of fun things to do here, so if you‘re staying for a while here’s a list of things I recommend doing in Lake Atitlán.

Kayak or Paddle board on the lake

This isn’t really my cup of tea, but I know that most people love it so I’m adding it to the list. If this is something you’re into, you will definitely love doing it around this lake. As far as my research goes your can easily rent both paddle boards or kayaks in all the bigger cities like Santa Cruz, San Pedro and San Marcos. Most of the smaller lakeside hotels also have free rental included for a nice sunrise session.

Guided Kayak Tour from Panajachel

If you’re new to Kayaking you can start out with this guided tour around the lake.

Wander through the colorful streets of San Juan

San Juan is without a doubt my favorite town around Lake Atitlán. From the moment you step of the boat you find charming streets, colorful murals and cozy restaurants. My favorite streets were Calle de las Sombrillas and Calle de los Sombreros, translated to the Umbrella and the Hat street. If you don’t have much time in Lake Atitlán or if you want to spend most of your time relaxing, I still think this is the one place you should prioritize visiting. San Juan also has a popular lookout point you can climb to called Mirador Kaqasiiwaan. It takes about 20-30 minutes to climb up so it’s not a challenging hike.

Hike Indian Nose at sunrise

After hiking Acatenango in Antigua I didn’t feel like doing much more hiking for a while so I ended up skipping this one. Something I still regret because the pictures look amazing! So learn from my mistake and do the hike. It’s usually done as a guided tour to watch the sunrise and you will be able to do it from either San Pedro, San Juan or San Marcos.

You can book tour in advance here or book one when your arrive.

Guided sunrise hike to Indian Nose

Explore and swim at Cerro Tzankujil Natural Reserve

You could probably spend a whole day just exploring or relaxing here if you wanted to. The reserve is located on the shores of San Marcos and has lots of different trails to wander, you can rent kayaks, paddle boards, jump from different rocks or a plattform, or do as me and just find a beautiful spot to swim and relax.

Take a Class at San Marcos

I didn’t personally do this, but I have to admit that it does sound pretty fun. If I’d chosen to stay there for a night I probably would’ve tried one. San Marcos is famous for its spiritual scene and lots of people come here specifically to attend different kinds of retreats. If that sounds a bit too much you could also have a more relaxing Yoga class. You will find lots of places to yoga around here, but the most famous place is the Eagles Nest. I’ve heard this one gets booked up so if you’d dont have that much time here you can book it in advance here.

Yoga class at Eagle’s Nest

Prebook your spot for a Yoga class at Eagle’s Nest here to make sure you get one.

Get a day pass to Casa Del Mundo

I honestly wish I’d stayed here for a night or two, but I ended up buying a day pass for 5US$ instead. With a daypass you get to enjoy the facilities for a full day, and trust me when I say I didn’t want to leave! The area is pretty huge and you’ll find different spots with chairs or hammocks to settle down in. You can hang out and relax with a book in the beautiful surroundings or take a nice swim. Personally I think the water was the clearest here. You don’t need to reserve or book anything in advance. Just catch a boat either straight to Casa Del Mundo or to the nearby town of Jaibalito if you want to explore there first. You buy the day pass in the reception at the top of the hotel facilities. There’s a restaurant and bathrooms you can use during the day.

Take a local class in cooking, weaving, painting or pottery

When you walk around the different towns you’ll quickly realize that there is so much history and pride around handcraft and art everywhere. The people who live here still use traditional Mayan clothes and each town has it’s different patterns and styles. They’re also very proud of their weaving, pottery and painting skills, so you will definitely see lots of different handcraft being sold everywhere.

There are tons of different classes you can take if you’re interested in learning more about a specific topic. This is also a great way of supporting the locals living here.

Cultural activities around Lake Atitlán

Mayan cooking class

Mayan Ceremony at sacred caves

Coffee Tur

Spot wildlife at the Atitlán Nature Reserve

Slightly outside of the Lake, but only a Tuk-Tuk ride, you will find the Atitlán nature Reserve. It’s an interesting place if you want to switch up the scenery and if you dont feel like you’ve seen enough animals on your trip yet. You’ll most likely be able to see some spider monkeys and coatis. There are also different trails to wander and a butterfly preserve. It’s a privately owned reserve who takes care of animals that used to be pets, but are now allowed to live freely in the reserve.

Best Towns to stay in at Lake Atitlán

One of the things I found hardest to figure out before my trip to Lake Atitlán was where to stay. There are so mange villages dotted around the lake and they all looked so different. Something I came to realize was very true. I’ve never been to a place where each neighboring village is so uniquely different from the next. I will try to describe the different ones I visited so you can decide what suits you the best.

Panajachel

This is what’s usually called the hub of Lake Atitlán and a place many people choose so stay, at least in the beginning or end of their trip. It’s the biggest town and it definitely has the most hotels and restaurants. It’s also very easy to access all the different towns with boat from here. I stayed here for two nights when we arrived and I honestly didn’t love it. My first thought was «Oh no! This is not what I thought Lake Atitlán would be like». Don’t get me wrong, it definitely has its charm with bustling streets, vendors selling their goods and lots of great places to eat. But it’s not a place to stay if you just want to relax around the Lake. It has much more of a city feel than the other towns.

I would not use this as a base for my entire time at Lake Atitlan, but because many shuttles start or end from here you might need a night in the beginning or end of your trip before you explore the different towns. If you arrive early enough I would head straight in a boat and settle down in one of the other towns.

I stayed two nights in Panajachel, but can’t honestly recommend the place we stayed at so here are some other options I researched and would book if I went back.

If you choose to stay in Panajachel, here are some great options to stay at:

Socialtel Atitlán

Digital-nomad friendly with coworking, pool and social vibes. One of the most popular Hostels in Pana.

Hotel Atitlán

The most elegant option with a beautiful botanical garden and a lakefront terrace to enjoy the views.

Porta Hotel del Lago

Comfortable hotel for a mid-range budget traveler. It has an amazing spa and stunning views of the volcano.

Dreamboat Hostel

One of the most popular Hostels in Pana. It’s famous for it’s themed party nights and social rooftop bar.

San Pedro La Laguna

This is the other town I chose to stay overnight in and where I spent most of my time at Lake Atitlán. I had mixed feelings about this before I left because I’d read about the crazy backpacker party scene, which really isn’t my thing. However, I found it surprisingly chill. There was loud music a couple of hours on Saturday night, other than that I never noticed anything, and I stayed in the middle of the Main Street. So if that’s a concern, based on my experience it shouldn’t be. The town had lots of cozy restaurants with great food, nice areas to enjoy the lake view and a beach you can swim from. This is also one of the two towns it’s easy to get shuttles to and from. We took a shuttle directly from here to Santa Ana in El Salvador.

We stayed at this apartment for our time in San Pedro. It had a perfect location in the midle of the city, lots of space and a cute little balcony to sit in the evenings. It was really nice to have this place to ourselves

If you choose to stay in San Pedro La Laguna, here are some other great options to stay at:

Mr.Mullets Hostel

A popular Hostel famous for their boat parties and pub crawls.

Zoola Hotel

This feels like a boho hangout, and it also has a pool, restaurant, and great energy.

Sababa Resort

A more luxurious option. Here you can enjoy stunning lake views, poolside drinks, and stylish private rooms.

San Marcos La Laguna

I didn’t stay overnight in San Marcos, but you dont need a lot of time there to understand the vibe. You almost feel it before you exit the boat. This is the hippe, free spirited village around the lake. This is where most of the restaurants are vegan and eco-friendly, they have tarot card reading and yoga retreats everywhere. If that’s your vibe you‘ll love it here! This is also one of the only towns with great swimming opportunities. The Cerro Tzankujil Natural Reserve has beautiful trails to wander around and places to jump into the sea from. I spent a day swimming here and loved it. The town is very small so other than doing yoga, swimming or exploring the Main Street, there isn’t that much to do.

If you choose to stay in San Marcos La Laguna, here are some great options to stay at:

Lush Atitlán

A beautiful boutique hotel surrounded by nature and yoga studios.

Eagle’s Nest

Spectacular mountaintop hotel with yoga, dance, and community meals. This is one of the most popular places ro stay in San Marcos.

Kula Maya Boutique Hotel & Spa

This is a place to truly pamper yourself. The rooms, the pool, the views of the volcano, this place has it all and looks absolutely stunning!

Santa Cruz La Laguna

Santa Cruz might be the most underrated village on Lake Atitlán. There are no tuk-tuks, no crowds — just steep paths, stunning views, and a vibe that makes you want to slow it down.

This is the spot for those looking to disconnect and recharge. Santa Cruz is not as popular as the other towns mentioned so you will most likely have it almost to yourself. So if you crave some peace and quit, this is the place. On the other side there are also less restaurants to choose from for mealtimes. The boats usually stop running at around 6:00PM so you will eat dinner in the town you choose to stay in even if it looks close on the map.

If you choose to stay in Santa Cruz La Laguna, here are some great options to stay at:

La Iguana Perdida

This is a rustic and social Hostel which offers dive classes and communal dinners. It’s a popular budget friendly choice, and the views are amazing!

Free Cerveza

One of the more popular Hostels around Lake Atitlan. The main reason being that they actually offer free beer every day before dinner.

Casa Prana

A more luxurious Hotel option. It has an amazing pool and garden overlooking the lake and volcanoes. Think private villas, yoga decks, and luxury.

Atitlán Sunset Lodge

A midrange hotel with amazing value for money. Stunning views of the volcano and a place to truly relax and enjoy the peace and quiet.

San Juan La Laguna

San Juan is definitely the prettiest town around Lake Atitlán, so even if you don’t stay here you can’t miss this place. It’s clear that they’re trying their best to create a cozy and colorful town which will attract more tourists. It’s a bit smaller than San Pedro and it doesn’t have quite the same feeling as Santa Cruz so it’s a less popular place to choose as a base. However, I think it would be a great place to spend a night or two if you have the time. It’s a beautiful town with a couple of great restaurants, and I’m sure its super nice once the daytrippers leave. I didn’t stay overnight here myself, but it‘s one of the places I would consider if I went back. However, I need to stress that I’d only choose to stay overnight here if I had ample time to spend around the lake and had already stayed at a couple other places.

If you choose to stay in San Juan, here are some great options to stay at:

Eco Hotel MayaChik

This is a solar-powered eco-lodge with bungalows and vegetarian food.

Posada Mana Kai

Locally-run, clean, and cozy with colorful murals and hammocks.

Other places to stay around Lake Atilán

There are so many great places to stay at around Lake Atitlán that aren’t directly connected to a town. If I’d known more before my trip I probably would’ve booked one of these places to just relax for a night or two instead of just visiting during the day. Even if they aren’t connected to a town you’ll have no problem hailing down a water taxi to get back and forth. The water taxis run on demand, so as long as they see someone on the shores waiving them in they will come and pick you up.

Cozy places to stay not connected to a town:

Casa del Mundo

This is a place you need to book way in advance to be bale to stay at. It was fully booked when I looked at it, but I went there for a day instead. The place is absolute stunning with different areas located around the hills overlooking the lake and surrounded by a beautiful garden. If I go back to Lake Atitlán this is a place I would definitely book!

Anzan House

If you want something more isolated and to yourself this is the place. It’s a more modern choice, but it’s also located directly on the waterfront for those amazing views.

Best Places to Eat Around Lake Atitlán

I don‘t think I actually had a bad meal anywhere around lake Atitlán, which is pretty rare for me to experience. There are so many cute garden cafes and cozy restaurants overlooking the water. The different towns definitely have their own vibe and different cuisines, for instance is there a lot of middle eastern restaurants in San Pedro, and an amazing Cheese and Wine restaurant in San Juan. I promise you wont get disappointed with the food around Lake Atitlán.

Here are my personal favorites from each town:

Panajachel

Deli Jasmin

Beloved for a reason. Great coffee, smoothies, and garden seating. Incredibly cozy place I kept coming back to for breakfast or lunch

Nilas Bakery

It’s really just a food truck, but the smoothies and coffee is amazing! You can also get them to grind up some special coffee to take back home.

Circus Bar

Wood-fired pizza, live music, and candlelit vibes. This is a very popular and cozy restaurant, and the food was really good. The only downside is that the music actually was too loud at times.

San Juan

El Artesano Queso y Vino

Super cozy Italian restaurant. It felt like being transported to Italy for a while. They only have cheese boards and wine, but it was all delicious! It’s on the pricier side, but worth it in my opinion.

Comedor Elenita

I didn’t try this one, but I’ve only heard great things and it looked very cozy! They have mostly local Guatemalan food.

San Marcos

Il Giardino

Homemade pasta in a green garden oasis. Need I say more?

Samsara’s Garden

Another cozy restaurant tucked in a beautiful garden. This is a vegan only restaurant.

Moonfish Café

I didn’t try this one, but its on my «Want to try list» and looks amazing.

San Pedro

Cafe Bakery & Restaurant Idea Connection

Fata Morgana - Slightly on the outskirts of the city, but well worth the walk. Incredibly cozy place with delicious breakfast.

Sababa Restaurant

Best middle eastern food I’ve had outside the Midle East. It doesn’t hurt that the setting and view over the lake is stunning too.

Pita Sabij

Another Midle eastern restaurant and equally good! The pita was to die for! They also have a bakery connected to it with the most delicious pastries!

Forbidden Fruit

I didn’t try this one, but it looked amazing. The view over the lake was stunning and the bowls looked delicious. Definitely a spot I would test out for breakfast.

Santa Cruz

Café Sabor Cruceño

Part of a local culinary school with rotating Guatemalan fusion dishes so you never really know what you’re going to get.

Isla Verde Café

Organic meals, smoothies, and incredible lake views from the deck. Perfect spot for brunch!

How to get to Lake Atitlán

To get to or from Lake Atitlán your best bet is to book a shuttle or private car. Yes, there are local buses, but I personally think there are to many accidents with the local buses, also called chicken buses, to justify it. A lot of people want to do it for the experience, I just don’t personally care for it. There are two main hubs for Lake Atitlán, they are Panajachel and San Pedro. You will find more shuttles going to Panajachel, but there’s no problem booking something directly from San Pedro on your way home.

From Antigua or Guatemala City

Most travelers arrive from Antigua or Guatemala City, and it’s super easy. Book a shared shuttle from where you are, they usually run multiple times per day and takes about 4-5 hours depending on traffic. If Lake Atitlan is your first stop in Guatemala you can prebook shuttles here.

From Flores / Northern Guatemala

It’s possible to catch an overnight bus/ shuttle from Flores to Antigua and then switch there for one to Lake Atitlán. However, I rather recommend a flight for this one since it‘s such a long trip and the flights aren’t that expensive. There are two operators with domestic flights in Guatemala, TAG and Avianca. TAG is slightly cheaper, but they have pretty strict rules regarding checked luggage, so if you’re bringing checked luggage I recommend Avianca which typically has two flights per day.

Between Lake Atitlán and El Salvador or Honduras

I was pretty surprised when I saw that they actually had shuttles directly from Lake Atiitlán to Copan Ruinas in Honduras, but you can literally go almost anywhere. Some popular routes from Lake Atitlán is to Santa Ana or San Salvador in El Salvador, or Copan Ruinas or La Ceiba in Honduras. You will most likely have a pit stop in Antigua for all of these destinations.

This was a long post, but hopefully you have all the info you need to plan an amazing trip to lake Atitlán. If you need any more info dont hesitate to reach out to me on social media. I would love to connect and help you out!