Lake Atitlán is a gorgeous lake in southwestern Guatemala in the highlands of the Sierra Madre mountains. It has been described as “the most beautiful lake in the world”, and honestly, it is totally stunning. Dan and I spent 4 days and 4 nights in Lake Atitlán in early July this year (2024). This post discusses what we did, where we stayed and what we ate, in addition to practical information. Our itinerary is good for those looking for a luxury stay with a bit of adventure and a lot of relaxing.
Lake Atitlán on a map.
LAKE ATITLÁN – GENERAL INFORMATION
Located pretty high in the Guatemalan mountains, Lake Atitlán is actually an ancient valley situated between three volcanos, Atitlán volcano, Tolimán volcano, and San Pedro volcano. The valley was long ago dammed by volcanic ash from said volcanoes, which resulted in the modern day lake with fantastic volcano views.
San Pedro Volcano overlooking Lake Atitlán.
Around eleven small (some tiny) villages dotted around the lake make up the Lake Atitlán community, most connected only via boat and old trails that are somewhat difficult to hike. Mayan people make up much of the local population, and one can pretty easily experience relatively authentic Mayan culture in Lake Atitlán. Some of Lake Atitlán’s most popular villages are Panajachel, San Pedro, San Marcos, San Juan, and Santa Cruz. Pro tip: if you are someone enjoying night life or wanting to walk to shops, cafes, etc. in the evening, be sure to stay in one of these towns as other locations shutter after dark.
Arriving in Lake Atitlán! It rained a little bit on arrival day, but nothing too crazy (especially for “rainy season”).
HOW WE GOT TO LAKE ATITLÁN
As Lake Atitlán is kind of in the middle of nowhere, it, not surprisingly, lacks a proper airport. Most visitors fly into Guatemala City’s airport and drive from there, which is what we did. The drive from Guatemala City is a little over 3 hours (slightly shorter from Antigua) and consists of mostly well-paved highway, although the roads get twistier and smaller when you get to the mountains. We booked a private transfer, but there are plenty of shared buses/vans and Uber also goes between Guatemala City and Lake Atitlán (and I have heard this is the cheapest option). I also understand helicopters fly between Guatemala City and Lake Atitlán, but that seems wholly unnecessary.
The lancha dock in Panajachel – where we arrived via car from Guatemala City.