The Best Things to do in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

Lake Atitlan is a beautiful lake surrounded by picturesque Mayan villages. It is located in the mountains of Guatemala, about a 3 hour drive from Guatemala City, the county’s capital. Lake Atitlan is such an amazing place to visit for a few days. It’s relaxing, beautiful and full of fun things to do. In this post I will be sharing all of the best things to do in Lake Atitlan and the surrounding areas! Welcome to your go-to Lake Atitlan guide and itinerary!

For many reasons, Lake Atitlan is one of my absolute favorite destinations. The lake, and the surrounding towns, are incredibly safe, budget friendly, and an overall amazing place to take a trip as a solo traveler or with friends and family.

Whether you’re visiting Lake Atitlan for the hiking, the water activities, a yoga retreat or just to explore the area, there is truly something to do for every type of traveler. Let’s get right into the best things to do in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala!

Fun Things to do in Lake Atitlan

Hike Indian Nose

One of my absolute favorite parts of my trip was taking a sunrise hike up Indian Nose mountain. This is one of the best things to do in Lake Atitlan, without a doubt, and it’s certainly something you’ll remember forever.

While you could hike Indian Nose any time of day, sunrise is the most popular. It’s so magical to watch the sunrise over the lake and surrounding volcanos.

The hike is only about 30 minutes each way (but it’s pretty steep). Once at the top you will have the most incredible views of the lake. In total, this excursion lasts around 5 hours, you’re picked up around 3:45/4am, and you’ll return to your hotel around 9am – just in time to have breakfast and enjoy a day of exploring!

There are tons of guided hikes up Indian Nose, but these are a few options with the best reviews:

• Indian Nose Hiking Adventure (Custom and Private Tour)
• Sunrise Hike Tour on Indian’s Nose Mountain
• Indian Nose Peak and Lake Atitlan Sunrise Tour from Panajachel

Lake Atitlan is a truly incredible place to hike. There are a plethora of great hiking options available. Some you can do on your own, like hiking from Santa Cruz to Jaibalito, and for others, a guide is highly recommended. If you’re interested in other guided hikes, check these out!

• Santiago Atitlán: Volcano Atitlán Hike
• Lake Atitlán Mountain
  • ATV and hiking combination
• Lower Mayan Trail: San Marcos to Santa Cruz 4-Hour Hike

NOTE: For those who want to experience seeing the sunrise over the lake, but would prefer not to hike, this “Lake Atitlan: Santa Cruz Ridge Sunrise Tour” is a great option! No hiking necessary and you’ll get amazing sunrise views over the lake.

Take a Private Boat Tour of the Lake

One of the best things to do in Lake Atitlan is to take a boat tour around the lake and visit the towns. There are 11 towns on the lake and each is beautiful and unique.

While you don’t need to visit every town on your boat tour, there are some you’ll definitely want to check out. San Juan la Laguna is my favorite town. It’s beautiful, colorful and filled with fun things to do and interesting places to check out.

Santa Catarina, in my opinion, is another must visit. While this town is smaller, and there is less to do, it’s so colorful and beautiful. Sitting and having a coffee in the main square while enjoying the town is such a fun thing to do in Lake Atitlan.

Of course, San Pedro and Panajachel should definitely be on your list! These are two of the larger towns and very popular with tourists. There’s definitely a lot going on in both of them and you’ll be able to shop, eat and visit museums/exhibits.

Lastly, many tours will also go to the town of Santiago. While this town isn’t as cute and colorful as some of the other villages, it’s well known for its Mayan traditions. It’s a great place to go to learn more about Mayan history and culture. Of course, with a local Mayan guide, you’ll be able to learn and see a ton!

Lake Atitlan Town Tours:

• Lake Atitlan Walking/Boat Tour in 4 Different Towns
  • In addition to visiting the popular town of San Juan la Laguna, this tour also visits some of the adorable smaller towns: Santa Cruz, Jaibalito and Tzununá
• Visit Three Mayan Villages
• Lake Atitlan Village Tour
• From Panajachel: Lake Atitlan Tour by Boat with a Guide

Go Kayaking or Paddleboarding

Lake Atitlan is an amazing place for water activities! Two of the most popular activities on the lake are kayaking and paddleboarding.

There are rental locations in towns around the lake (Santa Cruz, Panajachel, San Juan, San Pedro, etc). You can book in advance, or you can usually just show up at one of the locations and rent a kayak or paddleboard for a few hours.

Kayaking around the lake and taking in the views of the volcanos is really so beautiful. While it can get windy, if you stay close to shore it’s usually not too bad.

Kayaking and Paddleboard Rentals:

• Los Elementos Adventure Center: Kayak, Swim, and Relax
  • Kayaking, hiking, swimming, cliff jumping and lunch
• Santa Cruz La Laguna 6-Hour Adventure Activities Tour
  • Kayaking, hiking and sightseeing tour

Visit a Women’s Weaving Cooperative

Weaving is a tradition passed down from Mayan women generation to generation. Mayan culture is a huge part of life on Lake Atitlan and it’s incredible to see these traditions and support local, female artisans.

There are several weaving cooperatives on the lake that are entirely women-run. We were able to tour one in San Juan la Laguna and learn how many women weave at home, so they can take care of their young children, and then bring their products to the cooperative to be sold. We were told that these women invented “work from home,” and it was wonderful to be able to learn about the art of weaving and purchase some of the beautiful products.

As I mentioned, there are several weaving cooperatives on the lake, notably in San Juan la Laguna and San Pedro. Some of these cooperatives also offer weaving classes, which I would love to do on my next trip to the lake!

Weaving Classes:

• Teixchel Weaving Workshop (San Pedro)
• Lunch, weaving (or bracelet making) with local women
• Tour a NGO Vocational Training Center and explore Santa Cruz
  • This is my favorite place in Santa Cruz – a small town but worth the visit for this!
  • They also offer this beading class!

Take an ATV Tour

Another great way to explore the towns around Lake Atitlan is on an ATV tour! There are a variety of tours offered, ranging from sunset tours to tours of lesser explored towns.

Any type of tour you’d like to go on is definitely worth it! Driving an ATV around the lake is a lot of fun.

• Lake Atitlan Villages ATV Tour
  • This tour visits the beautiful, colorful village of Santa Catarina Palopo as well as San Antonio Palopo, a town known for its amazing pottery.
  • This would be great to do in addition to a boat tour, as these two towns are often skipped, but are two of the best!
• Lake Atitlán Sunset Tour

Check out the Amazing Art Galleries

Lake Atitlan is one of my favorite places to shop for art. There are art galleries all over the lake, in most all of the towns. My favorite town to shop for art is definitely San Juan la Laguna. Throughout the town you’ll find several art galleries filled with beautiful art painted by talented artists.

The art in these galleries ranges in price, but you can often find very affordable pieces to bring home! Some of my favorite art I have is from my travels in Guatemala.

In addition to San Juan la Laguna, you can find great art in Panajachel.

Take Classes or Tours

There is so much to do on Lake Atitlan. With such rich Mayan culture, it’s so fun to take part in activities and experiences with locals where you can learn more about their life, customs and history. Like with the weaving classes, you can also take cooking classes and partake in other activities offered by locals.

In addition to the Mayan activities, there are a variety of other fun things to do, like yoga, hiking and ATVing.

Fun activities on Lake Atitlan:

• Maya Kitchen: 3-Hour Cooking Class
• Coffee Tour in Lake Atitlán
• Yoga Class in San Marcos
  • San Marcos is known for its wellness classes and spiritual retreats

Take a Day Trip to Chichicastenango Market

From Lake Atitlan, taking a day trip to Chichicastenango Market is an absolute must!

This is a full day excursion, as the market is a 2.5 hour drive each way. I know it’s a long trip, but it’s so worth it!

At Chichi you will be able to find incredible artisan goods while wandering through the crowded streets of the market. The market is packed, but it’s so much fun and such a great way to find handmade items and art to bring back home. I bought beautiful handmade pillowcases and they are definitely some of my all time favorite souvenirs.

Although there are local, public buses that go from Lake Atitlan (mostly from the town of San Pedro) to Chichi, I recommend hiring a private driver/guide. As a young, female traveler I was urged not to take the public bus (chicken bus), as it may not have been the safest option.

Hiring a private driver allows for flexibility in your arrival and departure times. Additionally, these drivers/guides will often accompany you through the market and show you around.

The market is open on Thursdays and Sundays, so be sure to plan accordingly.

Private tour to Chichicastenango market:

• Full Day Tour to Chichicastenango from Panajachel

If you’re looking for a cheaper option, there are also shuttles that will take you to and from the market for a reasonable price. However, if you’re traveling with a small group, a private driver usually works about to be a similar/less expensive option.

Visit Antigua

Either before or after visiting Lake Atitlan, be sure to spend a couple days in the stunning colonial city of Antigua.

Antigua is located (more or less) in between Guatemala City and Lake Atitlan. It’s about one hour from the airport in Guatemala City (with no traffic) and about 2.5 hours from the lake.

Definitely visit Antigua either on your way to the lake or on your way back before flying home. There are day trips offered from the lake, but five hours round trip driving doesn’t allow you enough time to explore Antigua.

I can say this from experience because on my first trip to Lake Atitlan, I took a day trip to Antigua. It’s not that it was a horrible experience, but instead of spending time in Antigua, we spent most of the day in the car. The next time I went back to Guatemala, I had learned from my mistake and spent a few days in Antigua before heading up to the lake.

Antigua is probably one of the prettiest cities I’ve ever visited and it’s somewhere I will keep going back to! I recommend spending at least two days here and an additional day if you plan to hike Acatenango volcano.

Antigua is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and there are tons and tons of beautiful churches, parks, shops and restaurants to visit. You can spend hours simply taking photos of the beautiful buildings. There are also great chocolate shops (a local specialty) as well as delicious coffee available in tons of adorable cafes all around the small city.

Antigua is very safe and it is an incredible option for travelers of any age. It is a very small and walkable city, and there is also tons to do and see.

Hotels in Antigua:

• Ojala ($)
• Socialtel Antigua ($$)
• Naif Boutique Hotel ($$)
• Hotel Museo Spa Casa Santo Domingo ($$$)

Fun things to do in Antigua:

• Walking Tour of the Wonders of La Antigua Guatemala
• Adventure in Pacaya Volcano
  • This sunset, luxury volcano dinner experience looks INCREDIBLE!
• Street Food Tour Around Antigua
• Guatemalan Cooking Class and Market Tour
• Experience: Organic Coffee, Avocados, Honey & More!

Transfers to/from Antigua:

• Private transfer
• Shared transfer

Where to stay in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala?

Each town around Lake Atitlan is beautiful, but some are better to stay in than others. Where you should stay entirely depends on the type of experience you’d like to have on the lake, however, there are some towns that offer more options for tourists than others.

Panajachel: Panajachel is one of the most well-known towns on the Lake and where most travelers will be dropped off before taking boats to the other towns. While Panajachel isn’t the cutest town on the Lake, it has a wide range of hotels, restaurants, cafes and things to do. It’s certainly a convenient place to base yourself on your trip.

Hotels in Panajachel:

• Porta Hotel del Lago ($$)
• Regis Hotel Spa ($$)
• Selina Atitlan ($ – $$ Shared and Private Rooms)
• Dreamboat Hostal ($ Shared and Private Rooms)

San Pedro: San Pedro is another major town on the Lake and it’s also easily accessible by car. It’s known as a party town by some and there is definitely a lot going on. However, it’s absolutely possible to stay in San Pedro even if you’re not a huge partier. There’s a wide variety of restaurants, shops and things to do. San Pedro is a lot of fun and I do recommend spending at least one night there.

Hotels in San Pedro:

• Mikaso Hotel ($)
• Sababa Resort ($$ Shared and Private Rooms)
• Luxury Atitlan Suites ($$)
• Amigos ($ Shared and Private Rooms)

San Juan la Laguna: San Juan is my favorite town on the Lake to visit and spend time in. It’s colorful, cute and filled with art galleries, restaurants and unique places to check out. While I love San Juan, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend staying there as there are fewer accommodation options. It’s a great place to spend the day, but there are other towns that I would recommend more to stay in.

Hotels in San Juan la Laguna:

• Eco Hotel Uxlabil Atitlan ($$)
• Posada Woochooch ($)

San Marcos: San Marcos is a very popular town for US travelers, especially those who are looking for spiritual or wellness retreats. While San Marcos is a small town, its popularity with tourists has created a great selection of hotels. Also due to its popularity with tourists, these hotels are often priced higher than accommodations in other towns, but it is still absolutely possible to find affordable places to stay!

Hotels in San Marcos:

• Lush Atitlan ($$)
• El Dragon Hotel ($-$$)
• Kula Maya Boutique Hotel and Spa ($$$$)

FAQ: Things to do in Lake Atitlan

• How many days do you need in Lake Atitlan?
  • I would recommend four days and four nights in Lake Atitlan. This will give you enough time to partake in some of the most popular activities, explore the towns, go hiking and really get a feel for all the Lake has to offer. If you really love it, like I did, you’ll definitely be planning another trip back.
• Is Lake Atitlan safe for solo female travellers?
  • Absolutely! Lake Atitlan is a very popular destination among solo-travelers, female solo-travelers included. If you’re traveling alone, I recommend booking a hotel or hostel in a town that has a lot going on, like Panajachel or San Pedro. This way, you can easily walk to restaurants and shops once the sun has set, as the main areas will still be busy. If you stay in a smaller town, it can be more difficult to get around, especially alone. Always remember to not walk alone at night in unpopulated areas (take a tuk tuk) and try to go out in a group in the later evening hours.
• Is Lake Atitlan expensive?
  • Although Lake Atitlan is a very popular tourist destination, it is still very affordable. While you can book more luxurious accommodations and have more high-end experiences on the Lake, it’s absolutely possible to visit on a budget. With such a large variety of affordable hotels/hostels, restaurants and activities, Lake Atitlan is a budget traveler’s paradise!
• What to wear to Lake Atitlan, Guatemala?
  • Lake Atitlan is a very casual destination and you’ll likely be spending a lot of time outside hiking, exploring and on boats around the lake. I recommend cute, but casual outfits as well as layers. Once the sun goes down, it gets chilly. This is especially true if the wind picks up, which it often does in the afternoon. Rain showers are also common, so a raincoat or an umbrella is a good idea!

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That’s a wrap on the best things to do in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala! If you have any questions, or anything you’d like to add to this post, let me know in the comments below.

For more mini guides and photo inspiration, be sure to follow us on Instagram, @twosistersabroad.

More posts for planning your trip:

• Lake Atitlan, Guatemala Tips and Advice for Your Trip
• Where to Stay in Lake Atitlan for the Best Experience!

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♡Kate

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