Lake Atítlan in Guatemala is one of those places that you visit and subsequently dream about returning for all of eternity. When I was there, it felt like the rest of the world fell away and I was exactly where I was meant to be. The lake has a special place in my heart and I hope this post helps explain why.
Lake Atítlan lies in a crater that was formed 84,000 years ago as a result of a volcanic eruption. It’s currently surrounded by three gorgeous volcanoes that give the lake its impressive panoramic vista. If that’s not reason enough to convince you, there are 12 villages that circle the lake; each with their own unique culture, indigenous population, and traditional clothing. The lake is rooted in deep Mayan culture so the languages most commonly spoken are Kaqckikel and Tz’utujil; not Spanish. Even though Spanish is the national language of Guatemala, it’s not natively spoken at the lake. Many of the locals who speak Spanish today only learned for tourism purposes.
I could drone on and on about how fascinating and intriguing this lake is, but for your convenience I have listed my top 5 reasons you should add Lake Atítlan to the top of your bucket list.
1. Village Hopping
As I previously mentioned, the lake has 12 distinct villages for your exploring pleasure. Out of those 12, there are 5 villages that most tourists frequent; they can be accessed by public taxi boat for a couple of dollars each way. Many people opt to stay in one village and do day trips to the rest, but personally I think a day trip does not suffice! I spent one month at the lake so I was really able to immerse myself in the distinctive nature of each village. There are beautiful subtleties and nuances that I only began to notice after spending a significant amount of time in each one. The lake has this magical way of opening up to you the more time you spend there. The Maya people believe the lake is a sacred place with ceremonial altars peppering the cliff sides. I know I sound coo-coo crazy but you will just have to go and experience it for yourself to truly understand the untouched beauty and energy of this lake. Below is a list within a list of the top 5 villages to visit.
1. San Marcos
San Marcos is often referred to as the hippie town due to its long-hair-flowing-crystal-selling nature. The main strip of shops and restaurants is aptly called “hippie highway”. At first it all seemed a bit spiritual escapism-y with flyers posted all around for meditation, yoga, reiki, ecstatic dance, tantric massages, shadow work, mushroom cultivation, relational alchemy, women circles, and breath-work classes (just to name a few). There are cute shops all along the “highway” selling essential oils, crystals, sage, jade rollers, and incense. A lot of people who visit San Marcos for the day only see this materialistic spiritual garb and assume there is no validity to it. But I stayed in San Marcos for quite a while and was able to see the village for what it really is: an amazing community of creatives, healers, and teachers who want to spread their love for the lake. If you indulge and take a meditation class or even venture into something new like ecstatic dance, you will begin to feel the magic the lake possesses; its authenticity and beauty is contagious. Below is a list within a list…within a list…to highlight the best of San Marcos.
- Cerro Tzankujil Nature Reserve (15m/45ft cliff jump and mayan altar viewpoint)
- Eagles Nest (yoga studio/cafe with insane view)
- Il Giardino (Great food with cute garden patio)
- Samsara (yummy Vegetarian food)
- Comedor Konojel (cheap/ delicious local food)
- El Buho (sit on the floor vibe with 10/10 spicy peanut noodles)
- La Paz Hotel (Free yoga and meditation classes)
- Hike from San Marcos to Santa Cruz (lake-side views that pass through Tzunana and Jaibalito)
- Sikh Kirtan (free community chanting with candle light and free dinner)
- On Wednesday We Meet (workshop about forming deep connections with others through prolonged eye contact)
- Hostel Del Lago, Hostel San Marcos, Kachiquel (cheap hostels)
2. San Pedro
- Indian Nose Sunrise Hike (cheaper to book at a tour agency than at hostels)
- Mr. Mullets Booze Cruise (sign up at Mr. Mullets hostel)
- Ha-Falafel (Best falafel outside Israel, they even have Israeli pickles, heart eyes emoji!)
- Sababa Cafe (yummy Israeli food with a view)
- Mr. Mullets, Zoola, and Mandala (cheap hostels)
3. Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz is a relaxing and tranquil village that boasts incredible views of the volcanoes. The two main hostels are located at the base of a very large hill that leads up to the main town. Due to the large nature of this hill, most people choose to stay at the hostels chilling and enjoying the view. There actually isn’t much to do in the town other than eat local food, but the hostels do offer some tours like cooking classes and scuba diving. La Iguana Perdida Hostel in Santa Cruz is the only place on the lake you can scuba dive from and explore the underwater volcanic formations.
- Scuba Dive (La Iguana Perdida)
- Hike other way from Santa Cruz to San Marcos
- Free Cerveza (hostel with free beer everyday for 2 hours and free paddle boards/kayak)
- La Iguana Perdida (chill hostel with great family meal every night)
4. San Juan
San Juan is referred to as the artsy village with plenty of colorful murals, art galleries, and women weaving collectives. San Juan’s specialty is the naturally dyed textiles that are used to make detailed fabrics and traditional clothing. It’s easy to spend the day here exploring the quaint galleries and textile shops with free loom demonstrations. I actually bought a painting from a local artist and shipped it home! There is also a gorgeous viewpoint that you can walk up to that I would not miss out on. Most people visit San Juan for a day trip as the accommodations are limited.
- Cerro de la Cruz (viewpoint)
- Eco Hotel Uxlabil (hotel with great view and breakfast included
5. Panajachel
Panajachel is the town you will most likely be entering/leaving the lake from. If you take the shuttle from Antigua it will drop you off in Panajachel (often referred to as Pana) and you can take a boat to the village of your choosing. Some people choose to stay here but I personally wouldn’t recommend it. The town is super busy and lacks charm. I think it used to be a hotspot back in the day which is why a lot of guidebooks recommend it; but let me save you the disappointment and choose any of the villages I mention above instead. The one good thing about Pana is that it’s a great jumping off point for tours and nature reserves.
- Chichicastenango Market (largest market in Central America, bus leaves from Pana)
- Paraglide (10/10 experience, highly recommend)
- Dreamboat or Selina (cheap hostels)
2. The Nature
- Indian Nose sunrise hike
- San Pedro Volcano hike
- Santa Cruz to San Marcos Hike
- Atitlan Nature Reserve
- Cliff Jumping
- Birdwatching tour
Indian Nose sunrise hike
3. So Much Room for Activities !!
*If you don’t get that reference, please kindly unsubscribe… just kiddingggg I need all I can get*
There is no shortage of exhilarating activities at the lake to keep you busy. I stayed one month at the lake and there were still activities I didn’t have time to do. One thing I made sure not to miss was paragliding. I’ve never done it before and now it’s all I ever want to do. If you don’t wanna break the bank, swimming in the lake is always free 🙂
- Paddle boarding and kayaking (free if staying at Free Cerveza in Santa Cruz)
- Paragliding (done out of Panajachel but any town offers the tour with transport)
- Scuba Diving (La Iguana Perdida in Santa Cruz)
- Cliff Jumping (San Marcos)
- ATV (Panajachel)
- Yoga/ spiritual classes (San Marcos)
- Mayan weaving class (San Juan)
- Cooking Class (any)
4. Nightlife
For such an idyllic and peaceful place, the lake sure knows how to throw down. The parties are endless with events and festivals popping up every few days. On the days with no specific event, the bars lining the streets in San Pedro are sure to keep you satisfied (shoutout Sublime). Every weekend Mr. Mullets hosts a booze cruise with a DJ and a ridiculous amount of Tequila and party favors. Amazing vibes with a view.
I was at the lake in December/January so I got to attend Christmas, New Years, and Winter Solstice fiestas. Wizards Collective and Wachalal are two event organizers that host amazing parties so if you want to be in the loop go follow their instas. I once went to a rave where we took a boat to an unknown location and walked a path solely lit by candles that led us to a whole stage setup, bar, and fire pit. The boat picked us up at 2am and dropped us off at an after party that went until the sunrise. Took me about 3 days to recover from that one…
If you want more of a calmer nightlife scene, San Marcos has open mic nights, live music, and silent discos depending on which day of the week it is. To stay up to date on that, join the San Marcos Facebook Page which is super helpful and informative.
5. Hippie Vibes
I know I spoke of San Marcos a lot before but this town really made an impact on me. I am innately very skeptical of all the spiritual hippie-dippie voodoo that San Marcos claims to offer; but I pushed myself to broaden my horizons and open my mind to what I don’t understand. That push I gave myself was highly rewarded with enlightening self discovery, deepening friendship bonds, and a sense of connection with my travel community. I took yoga classes, reiki, meditated, chanted with a communal Sikh Kirtan, and worked on my shadow self. I even got to do what I love and perform aerial silks at a festival overlooking the lake.
Lake Atítlan has a funny way of bringing you whatever it is that you need. My friends and I tried manifesting our desires and the signs that came after were just so crystal clear. I know a lot of people are probably thinking I’m a nutcase right about now… before my time at the lake I would have agreed with you. But to anyone who has experienced the magical vibrations this lake has to offer, you know I am coming from a place of truth. If you ever end up visiting Lake Atítlan, I highly encourage you to stay for a while and open your mind…then let the lake do the rest.
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