Lake Atitlan
Lake Atitlan is touted as one of the world’s most beautiful lakes and is situated in the highlands of the Sierra Madre mountain range. The lake is a big tourist destination but also home to many expats and Mayan communities.
Lake Atitlan has an average depth of 154 meters and a surface area of 50 square miles. Over thousands of years, entire townships have been swallowed by the fluctuating water line. Archaeologists are piecing together the stories of past civilizations, lost over time beneath the lake.
Panajachel
Panajachel is the main town on the shore of the lake and serves as a hub for the various Mayan communities in the region. It’s situated on the northeast shore and has a population of around 15,000 people.
It is brimming with restaurants, craft shops filled with pottery, textiles, jewelry, and accommodation. Some of the villages around the lake are only accessible by boat. Each village has it’s own unique craft and vibe so there is lot’s to explore!
The People of Lake Atitlan
Mayans are beautiful people. The women are impeccably dressed and proudly wear textile designs that denote a particular village. Like a complex form of tartan, Mayan textiles are uniquely stunning.
Places to Eat
The Pizza!
As soon as we arrived in Panajachel (after navigating the car down the alleyway that was the access with about a centimeter to spare on each side) we went in search of some “western” food.
After consulting Tripadvisor we headed to the Circus Bar for some seriously good pizza! It is a cool place with great service and a groovy ambience. It was Adam’s birthday as well so it ended up being the perfect celebration.
Lake Atitlan and Panajachel are well worth the visit, but to really experience the Lake and it’s different villages you would need to put aside a week or more.
Where We Stayed
We found a great place to stay Hotel Posada Don Carlos. It has safe & secure parking available out the front of the hotel which is a bonus. It is down an narrow alleyway though (which was a bit of a challenge with the Landcruiser) but any normal sized car would be fine. The owners were lovely, the room was big enough for all of us, very clean, tidy and well maintained. It was a short walk to Calle Santander and down to Lake Atitlan.
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