Here are the Best Towns in Lake Atitlan and What to Know About Each

It may be overwhelming at first to figure out the best towns in Lake Atitlan while planning a trip there. More than 12 small towns dot the entire lake, which is likely a lot bigger than you may think.

Lago de Atitlán is one of the most magical destinations in Guatemala, or I dare say all of Central America (or the world – seriously). Three massive volcanoes provide a fairytale-like backdrop to the sparkling blue lake, complimented by the bright colors of Guatemala.

See, Lake Atitlan is actually fifty square miles. Two opposite sides of the lake are essentially entirely different places that may have a different microclimate, vibe, and offerings. So, it’s important to figure out which towns are the best to stay in and explore.

We spent a month in Lake Atitlan and explored all of the small towns. We even spent a few days in multiple towns, and drove around the lake on a motorcycle! We stayed in Panajachel and traveled across the lake to experience the different areas and activities.

Below, I’ll share the top towns you need to know about and their pros and cons in terms of staying or visiting them (and my TRUE opinions about each one)!

What to Know Before Visiting Lake Atitlán

Here are a couple of top tips before you go.

Where is Lake Atitlan?

Lake Atitlan is nestled between three gorgeous volcanoes, more-or-less in the center of Guatemala. It’s about a 3-4 hour car ride from the airport in Guatemala City.

Lake Atitlan is relatively high elevation at 1500m above sea level, with the peaks of the surrounding volcanoes surpassing 3000m.

Is Lake Atitlan Safe?

Lake Atitlan is the safest place in Guatemala! It is widely known to be a very safe destination for locals and tourists alike. You will encounter a lot of friendly locals and only occasionally pushy salespeople on the street. I always fest safe walking alone, even at night.

Lake Atitlan is full of peaceful villages and people. The area is historically Mayan, has been inhabited by Mayans for centuries. You’ll find beautiful Mayan handicrafts, patterns, clothes, and souvenirs.

What’s the Weather Like in Lake Atitlan?

Lake Atitlan is known as the Land of Eternal Spring for a reason! The area sits around a balmy 27C on average all year, cooling down to between 10 and 15C at night (yes, cool enough to need a jacket at night). You really don’t need air conditioning here, and I rarely say that! an open window and a fan are plenty to keep cool.

Lago de Atitlán has two seasons – a rainy and a dry season. Dry season is an ideal time to visit, between November/December and April. The wet season comes from May/June to October and will often rain daily.

How Do You Get Around Lake Atitlan?

So, can you drive around Lake Atitlan? While the answer is technically yes, this is NOT the preferred method!

We rented a motorcycle one weekend and did a lap around the Lake (and hiked one of the volcanoes), and it was QUITE the adventure – see the video here. But the normal (and fast) way to get around is by lanchas – or small boat taxis.

There are lanchas traveling between the towns of Lake Atitlan all day, every day (until sunset – there are NO BOATS after sunset, which is important to know). Each town has its pier where the lanchas come and go. They cost a few bucks to get across the lake – make sure to bring cash!

To get around different towns, simply hail a tuktuk and agree on a price before you go.

What’s the Best City to Stay in Lake Atitlan?

If you ask me after my experience in all of the towns, I would decidedly say Panajachel. I will outline why below!

Best Town in Lake Atitlan to Live, Stay, and Visit

Below I will share what makes each town on Lake Atitlan different, and which are the best for which kinds of people – starting with the top 3 you are most likely to stay in.

I have ranked these in the order I would be most likely to stay in each town but each has pros and cons specific to what kind of traveler you are.

Panajachel – The Tourist Hub

Panajachel, or “Pana,” is the main tourist town on Lake Atitlan. It’s the main hub because it is the easiest/only town to reach by road from Antigua or Guatemala City. This is where taxis/busses will drop you off and where you will board a small boat to your final destination should you be moving to one.

While Pana is known as the tourist town, it’s actually very local as well. There are both local and international tourists, and many people simply visiting the Lake on a day trip will crowd Panajachel in the day but filter out at night.

I have a few guides to Panajachel – read about things to do in Panajachel here and a guide to where to eat in Panajachel here.

Pros of Panajachel

To me, it’s the perfect mix of local and foreign, with an incredible selection of restaurants/food, accommodation, accessibility to transport, good prices, fantastic shopping on Calle Santander, and many things to do. It’s the perfect base for livability with better infrastructure and also lots of Spanish schools. It also has a wonderful angle to view the volcanoes from and the BEST sunset on the Lake.

Cons of Panajachel

Panajachel is farther away from the popular hikes on the Lake and also farther from party hubs in San Marcos/San Pedro if you;re into that kind of thing. There really aren’t many cons to staying here.

Must-Do’s in Panajachel

• Wander down Calle Santander and do some shopping for Guatemalan souvenirs
• Get some delicious proper coffee (my favorites are Crossroads Cafe, Cafeina, and Cafe Loco)
• Head to the beach! If you take the main street to the lake and turn left, just keep going until you see clearer water and people swimming in it.
• Morning yoga at the Selina Beach Bar
• Eat amazing food! My favorite restaurants are Humaya Restaurante (creative twists on Mayan-inspired dishes), Tuscani (Italian), The Little Spoon (healthy/brunch), Circus (everything), Restaurante Mexicano la Michoacana (Mexican), and Delhi 6 ( Indian)
• If you have less time, do a Lake Atitlan 3 Villages Tour to get a taste of the Lake – this tour goes from Antigua but I signed up for it from Panajachel for a discount.
• People love to do the sunset ATV tour from Panajachel to get great views over the lake.
• Visit the Museo Lacustre for geographical and cultural history of the area and fascinating information about a lost Mayan City under the lake.
• Take Spanish Classes – we studied 3h/day for 2 weeks at Jabel Tinamit Spanish School
• Read my full article on Panajachel

Where to Stay in Panajachel

If you ask me, I would say 100% to stay at Selina Lake Atitlan. Although we stayed at an airbnb for the month and loved it, we were regulars at Selina, taking part in some of their organized hikes, walking tours, yoga mornings, coworking space, and music nights. It’s in a great location with a variety of room types and schedules of activities organized daily.

However, if you prefer staying in a vacation rental, we absolutely loved our little loft apartment. The host was super helpful and we loved the reclining couch, huge smart TV, well-equipped kitchen, and beautiful rooftop for sunset views and a nice breeze.

San Pedro La Laguna – the Backpacker Paradise

San Pedro La Laguna sits at the base of Volcan San Pedro, which is the “easiest” of the three volcanoes to hike (I put “easy” in quotations because it’s still SUPER HARD). San Pedro has an enirey different vibe than Panajachel. The main drag of San Pedro looks out over the lake, lined with relaxed cafes, shops, and restaurants that turn into party bars as soon as the sun goes down.

San Pedro is known to be a bit more affordable than the other towns on the Lake, which draws more backpackers. The parties draw backpackers, too – don’t be surprised to see signboards advertising happy hours or even flyers for ‘secret location’ parties somewhere on the lake. San Pedro really does its own thing!

Pros of San Pedro

San Pedro is cheap, casual, and has a buzz about town. It’s the base for multiple of the best hikes in the area and has great accommodation options as well as the best parties on the lake.

Cons of San Pedro

San Pedro is more affordable but also more cheap – the accommodation options are often on the cheaper/lower quality side with more hostels than nicer hotels/airbnbs (so it depends what you’re after). You don’t really get a volcano view here, and sometimes it can be loud at night if there are parties going on near your accom (we couldn’t go to bed before our hike for this reason).

Must-Do’s in San Pedro La Laguna

• Hike Volcan San Pedro! Despite what travel agencies will tell you in town, it is possible to do this without a guide as there is basically just one straight path and it is hard to get lost. Make sure to sign in at the beginning of the trail and go with a couple of people. It’s decently safe – although there have been reports of robberies on the trail in the past, there are police patrolling it daily until the last person gets back down.
• Sunrise Hike to Indian’s Nose – for this one I recommend signing up for the tour online because it’s hard to navigate in the dark (and harder to get to the starting point) and worth seeing sunrise from here!
• Party! Some fun bars after dark are Sublime and Forbidden Fruit
• Drink coffee at many cute cafes
• Take affordable Spanish classes

Where to Stay in San Pedro La Laguna

For a party hostel, there are no other options than Mr Mullet’s! This hostel is right on the main street, super social, and even organize their own boat party.

For an affordable hotel room that is in a much quieter area but still walkable to the main street, stay at Hotel Mikaso.

For a splurge, stay in any of the Luxury Atitlan rooms. There are one and two-bedroom villas here with lake-view terraces and a pool. Check this one out.

San Marcos La Laguna – Spiritual Center of Lake Atitlan

Another small village with another entirely different vibe, we have San Marcos. San Marcos is to Lake Atitlan as Ubud is to Bali. Lake Atitlan is inherently a spiritual place, from its Mayan roots to the incredible energies of the volcanoes, and lots of the Lake’s spirituality is channeled into San Marcos (for foreigners, anyway).

As soon as you arrive in San Marcos, you’ll be greeted with flyers all over the walls advertising ecstatic dances, cacao ceremonies, tarot readings, yoga retreats, and more. A lot of the classic ‘hippie’ type have set up a home here, or at least come to visit for portions of the year.

The streets of San Marcos have a higher percentage of crystal shops, tattoo studios, and vegetarian/vegan restaurants than the other towns, and there are some famous yoga/dance venues around San Marcos that hold spiritual/conscious events.

Pros of San Marcos

San Marcos is absolutely perfect for a certain type of person. If you are the type of person who loves yoga, ecstatic dance, breath work, ceremonies, healthy food, and a conscious lifestyle, you may love to stay here.

Cons of San Marcos

If you are not fully this kind of spiritual person, you may be a bit overwhelmed by San Marcos – it’s full-on hippie dippy for someone who is not used to that kind of thing. Personally I love it, and think it’s possible to dip your toes in during a visit here, but it’s not for everyone.

Must-Do’s in San Marcos

• Do some Yoga! Visit the Eagle’s Nest for yoga classes with an amazing view – they also have ecstatic dances, cacao dances, and even an annual festival, Solstice. Check out Kawoq/Yoga Forest for another amazing yoga spot and Gaia Dance Temple for ecstatic dances.
• Attend a ceremony, do some breathwork, get a tattoo, and more! Check the flyers on the walls for current events.
• Go cliff jumping! The Cerro Tzankujil Nature Reserve is home to “The Trampoline” which has a 12m cliff jump into a lovely and clean part of the lake. There are smaller jumps from 2-3m also.
• Eat some delicious food – my favorites are Samsara’s Garden, French my Tacos (great for late night), Zen Eats, and Moonfish Cafe.

Where to Stay in San Marcos

There are really not all that many places to stay in San Marcos, but the few options are good. For the best budget option, we stayed at Hotel del Lago for a weekend trip and it ticked all the boxes – affordable, well-located, and decent accommodations. They have hostel rooms as well as private rooms and a lovely rooftop and restaurant.

For mid-range boutique hotel vibes in a central location, stay at Lush Atitlan. Or, for full immersion into yoga and other workshops popular there, stay at the Eagle’s Nest itself – staying here includes all classes and full board (3 meals a day).

San Juan La Laguna

San Juan is simply a delightful and colorful village on the Lake. As soon as you get off the boat, you will be greeted by La Calle de las Sombrillas, a street covered entirely in colorful umbrellas. There may be a live marimba band playing tunes as you walk up, and you will quickly encounter dozens of colorful street murals and perfectly instagrammable places.

San Juan is quite touristy as it’s a day trip location for many people; I would say most people only visit here for a few hours. It’s the first stop on the Lake Atitlan 3 villages tour and has different factories you can visit to buy locally made goods.

Pros of San Juan – Colorful + Instagrammable Local Village

San Juan is perfectly instagrammable and great for photos, and a great place to learn about preserved Mayan traditions like chocolate making from cacao and weaving. It would be a more relaxed place to stay, and it’s super accessible from San Marcos and San Pedro (in fact, is is sandwiched between the two).

Cons of San Juan

Since many people come to visit chocolate or weaving factories, prices can inflate a little bit here. There’s not too much going on in San Juan, and it lacks the amount of tourism infrastructure as Panajachel, so it may be easier to stay elsewhere and visit here it on a day trip or 3 towns tour.

Must-Do’s in San Juan La Laguna

• Walk down the Calle de los Sombreros (sombrero street) and la calle de las sombrillas (umbrella street)
• Drink some coffee! There are dozens of cafes.
• Visit a Chocolate Factory – I visited Xocolatl San Juan on my 3 villages tour (they actually have some locations in other towns too) to see how they make chocolate from cacao. I recommend getting some melting hot chocolate spheres – delicious!
• Visit some art galleries along the main streets – there are lots
• Learn about Mayan weaving at Casa Flor Ixcaco and buy souvenirs (here or elsewhere in the town)
• Visit The Catholic Church of San Juan La Laguna
• Hike up to Mirador Kaqasiiwan for a great view

Where to Stay in San Juan La Laguna

I don’t think it’s popular to stay in San Juan, but I believe it would be a ver low-key and quiet place to stay (unless you want to take a tutuk over to San Pedro). We almost stayed at Eco Hotel Uxlabil once, and I think this is the best option – albeit a bit removed from town, its gorgeous and secluded.

Santa Cruz – The Relaxed/Chill Local Town Popular with Expats

Santa Cruz is a tiny village spread from the waterfront (where there are some hotels and businesses) up a giant hill to a more local area. I met a few older expats who had been living here for years, and also quite a few backpackers working shifts at the local hostel (link below).

Santa Cruz is less touristy and more local, and popular for people staying longer term or those who want a more relaxed experience not as specifically catered to tourists. It’s a slower pace here with a bit of everything, from hostels to beautiful private villas.

Pros of Santa Cruz

This is a very chill area with a slower pace where you won’t see too many people. It’s great for getting a place on the lake and going kayaking or sunbathing – perfect for a vacation where you just want to chill.

Cons of Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is the quietest village yet on this list of the best towns in Lake Atitlan. There’s not much going on and it’s more far from other villages, so it won’t be buzzing and exciting like other places.

Santa Cruz Must-Do’s

• Kayak, SUP, or swim here – there are places to rent along the waterfront
• Visit Cafe Sabor Cruceño, one of the most popular restaurants on the whole Lake, which is run by a local nonprofit and culinary school too!
• Freedive or Scuba Dive – Freedive Atitlan and Ati Divers are both based here – whether you like to dive with or without a tank, Santa Cruz is your spot on Lago de Atitlán.
• Go Hiking – if hiking to the top of the village isn’t enough, you can hike to even more overlooks here.

Where to Stay in Santa Cruz

La Iguana Perdida has quite a reputation on the Lake as a really cool destination hotel/hostel. They have social events and activities here and all kinds of from styles.

Santa Catarina Palopó

Santa Catarina Palopó is like Panajachel’s baby sister. It’s only about a 30-45 minute walk (or faster run) from Panajachel, and makes a fun activity for the day to go explore Santa Catarina from Panajachel. The views along this road are simply breathtaking, and there are some great views of Santa Catarina itself before you descend into the town.

Pros and Cons of Santa Catarina

Since it’s not really a popular place to stay, I won’t say too much about Santa Catarina. Like other smaller villages, this is a place to stay for people who want to be in a more quiet and remote place without too much going on around you or tourism infrastructure.

Santa Catarina Palopó Must-Do’s

• Walk along the road to get here – it’s not as hilly as many things around here! You can take a lancha or pickup back to Pana.
• The water is not the cleanest in town, but many people like to visit the Aguas Termales natural hot springs
• Wander down the main street and see Mayan ladies weaving right in front of you
• Have a drink or a meal with a view – Cafe Mirador is a great spot for a drink when you arrive in town.

Where to Stay in Santa Catarina Palopó

If you do stay in this area, the best bet would be to stay at a beautiful villa or resort that you won’t really need to leave, like Tzampoc Resort or Hotel Casa Palopo (just cruise right up to their helipad 😛 )!

Santiago Atitlán

Santiago Atitlán is one of the biggest towns on the lake, but it’s not very touristy. This is a sprawling local town with a few famous tourist spots that people tend to visit while on the 3 towns tour, but rarely stay for more.

Pros and Cons of Santiago Atitlán

This town is worth seeing on a day trip for the beautiful volcano views and the famous church, but that’s really all. I would go as far as to say it’s got a nice and bustling main street with lots of shops and galleries, but feels almost sketchy when you stray from it. It’s far from the most welcoming or tourist-friendly town on Lake Atitlán.

Santiago Atitlán Must-Do’s

• There are some great spots for shopping and some great art galleries where you can pick up local paintings to take home.
• Saint James the Apostle Church (Iglesia de Santiago Apóstol) is a famous colonial church dating back to the 1500’s and a significant point of interest on the whole Lake.
• The central market is very local and sells everything you can imagine!

Other Towns to Note on Lake Atitlan

The seven towns above are absolutely PLENTY to visit on your trip to Lake Atitlan. Remember, I listed them in order of how likely I would be to stay in them, so if you choose the top few, you’ll still get a good feel for the Lake. But here are a couple more towns to take note of.

San Antonio Palopó

Just farther around the bend from Santa Catarina Palopó. This tiny village is popular for secluded villas/resorts and pottery studios.

Jaibalito

This is another tiny yet picturesque village. There are a couple of restaurants and hotels with epic views, where you can hang out and pass the days relaxing.

Tzununa

Another tiny village with dirt roads which is slowly becoming an extension or San Marcos. There’s a growing amount of cute cafes and spiritual places such as the Gaia Dance Temple and Los Trece Cielos Art Cafe. It’s easily reached by tuk tuk from San Marcos and also a stop for the lanchas.

San Pablo La Laguna

This is a drive-through town we may not have seen had we not driven around the whole Lake. It’s a very local village between San Juan and San Marcos without much to do and some little local restaurants.

San Lucas Tolimán

This medium-sized town on the lake is another extremely local village without much for tourists to do. It’s also quite far from all the other towns, so you’re unlikely to see it unless you’re crazy enough to drive a motorbike around the lake.

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That’s it for the best towns in Lake Atitlan – I think I have given you my true opinions on every single one! I hope it was enough to help you make some decisions for your trip. Let me know where you stayed in the comments below or DM me on Instagram!