Lake Atitlan in Guatemala is one of the most beaufiul lakes in the world, surrounded by mountains, volcanoes and lush vegetation. We spent a day touring the lake by boat, visiting three of the eleven towns and villages along its lakeshore.
We were booked on a boat tour of Lake Atitlan for our second day in the area, where we would stop at three of the eleven villages and towns along the lakeshore. This time of the year the weather is clearer in the morning, so we got our first good at the volcanoes that rise above the lake.
The lake and its surroundings are beautiful. It is a volcanic caldera formed by the eruption of a supervolcano that occurred around 84,000 years ago. The surface area of Lake Atitlan is 130.1 km2 (50.2 sq mi) and is approximately 18 km by 8 km (11.2 mi by 5.0 mi).
There were about 20 people on the tour, and we boarded our boat for the first stop, the small village of San Antonio Palopó.
San Antonio Palopó
The journey only took 15 minutes, and we were soon back on shore and walking up the steep roads towards a local pottery.
Over the millennia the volcanic activity in the area exposed clay in the riverbeds. It turned out that this clay was perfect for creating ceramics and was used by the Maya for hundreds of years to make pots and bowls for domestic use and in their religious ceremonies.
In the 1990s, a man named Ken Edward arrived in Guatemala with his wife. After decades of living in Mexico and producing pottery there, they looked for a new place to settle. Their journey brought them to Guatemala and the village of San Antonio Palopó.
The Edwards stayed for many years and set up a workshop. And when he left, his apprentices continued making pottery using the same techniques. Among them is the use of moulds to create pottery more consistently and efficiently. Ken Edwards also introduced modern high-firing techniques that burn the lead out of the glazes. Thus, the San Antonio pottery is lead-free and is microwave-safe. The pottery produced here is hand-painted, and no two pieces are alike.
When we arrived at the pottery, we were given a demonstration of how the ceramics are decorated. The basic designs are based on a teardrop and primarily use blue an
d black glazes, with a few other accent colours.
After the demonstration was over, we shuffled into the shop. We spent a short time looking around the shop and then headed out for a short walk around the village, which took us up some more steep paths to the church. Everyone in the village seemed to be here, seemingly preparing for the upcoming holy week. We then returned to the boat to continue the tour.
Santiago Atitlán
Our next destination was Santiago Atitlán, also known as Santiago la Laguna or just Santiago, which took us about 20 minutes to get to after leaving San Antonio Palopó. After leaving the boat we headed to a restaurant to pre-book our lunch.
From the lakeshore, we walked deeper into Santiago Atitlán. It is the largest of the towns on the lake, with over 70,000 inhabitants of predominantly Tz’utujil Maya. Of all the towns, Santiago Atitlán is perhaps among the more traditional.
However, that is slowly changing. Over 95% of women can be seen wearing traditional trajes (clothes) such as huipiles, blouses, skirts and headdresses, while only 5% or less of the men can be spotted wearing traditional slacks with stripes and handwoven belts.
Santiago Atitlán is also where you can witness the mixing of Mayan-Catholic syncretistic beliefs. Locals worship the town’s deity, Maximón (El Gran Abuelo), who takes residence in a family’s home each year.
Our guide led us to the town’s main church, Iglesia Parroquial Santiago Apóstol, which sits high on a hill above the lake. The parish church was built by the Franciscans in the mid-16th century on top of a Maya temple. A memorial plaque inside the entrance on your right commemorates Father Stanley Francis Rother, a missionary priest from Oklahoma. Beloved by the local people, Rother was murdered by ultra-right supporters in the parish rectory next door in 1981; the bedroom where he slept remains open to visitors.
Along the church’s walls are wooden statues of the saints, each of which has new clothes made by local women every year. At the front stand three colonial altarpieces that were renovated between 1976 and 1981 by brothers Diego Chávez Petzey and Nicolás Chávez Sojuel. These symbolise the three volcanoes around Santiago, which are believed to protect the town. The central one was subtly changed from a traditional European vision of heaven to a more Maya representation of a sacred mountain with two cofradía members climbing toward a sacred cave.
From the Iglesia Parroquial Santiago Apóstol, we followed our guide back through the narrow, cobbled streets of Santiago Atitlán back to the restaurant, stopping only briefly at a gallery, owned by a friend of the guide. It was one of those stops you often find yourself taking on a tour where the guide or tour company has an arrangement with the business owner. It was only a short stay, and we were soon at the restaurant.
San Juan La Laguna
Leaving Santiago Atitlán we took the boat to our final stop of the day San Juan La Laguna, the most touristy of our three stops on this tour.
From the jetty, we headed through the narrow street that leads into the centre of the town. Along the way, we stopped at Xunah Kaab’, a centre focused on preserving the native bees. In the local Maya dialect Xunah Kaab’ translates to ‘Flower Honey’.
We were given a short introductory talk on their work in preserving preserve stingless bees, honey apis, solitary bees and other pollinators. These bees are tiny, much smaller than a house fly and as the name suggests they do not sting.
After our brief introduction, we were given time to roam through the shop, where there was a wide variety of products from honey to wine to cosmetics. We ended up trying one of the alcoholic drinks and I bought some beard wax.
The street leading from the lake through San Juan La Laguna is one of the most picturesque. Above they have suspended brightly coloured umbrellas and on the pavement itself there are equally colourful paintings. On a bright sunny day, it is quite a sight. As we climbed the hill and looked back you have all the man-made beauty plus a view down to the lake and the surrounding mountains. It was stunning!
Next, we headed to Tinte Maya, a textiles workshop run by local women, where they produce textiles using all-natural dyes and backstrap weaving. Here they produce woven products and also run textile classes, but we did not have time for the classes – so we had a short introductory explanation of their craft and mission. After the introduction, we left to look around their shop, which had some beautiful items on sale.
It was nearly time for our tour to end and return to Panajachel, but we still had a few minutes to call into a café on the way back for a delicious cup of coffee.
The best time to visit Panajachel
The best time to visit Panajachel
Considering the weather parameters, the optimal times to visit Panajachel are either between the months of December and February or March and April. During these periods, average high temperatures range from 21.5°C (70.7°F) to 23.1°C (73.6°F) with lower humidity readings of 70% to 72%. Moreover, rainfall indicates drier conditions with a drop to 14mm (0.55″) from December to February and an acceptable 15mm (0.59″) – 37mm (1.46″) from March to April. These periods also offer extended daylight hours and increased sunshine duration, providing favourable conditions for outdoor activities.
The worst time to visit Panajachel
The least ideal time for a visit to Panajachel would be from May to November. During this period, a significant upsurge in rainfall is documented, reaching up to 372mm (14.65″) and 371mm (14.61″) respectively in May and June. Combined with high humidity levels, ranging between 81% to 87%, these months encompass a monsoon-like weather pattern, making outdoor excursions less enjoyable and limiting sight-seeing opportunities. Sunshine is considerably diminished during this period as well, reducing the pleasantness of a visit.
Where to stay in Panajachel
1. Luxury – Hotel Atitlan
Hotel Atitlan, located in front of Lake Atitlán, is a rustic-style property offering extensive gardens and panoramic views of Atitlan Lake. It has an outdoor pool, hot tub, and a botanical garden.
2. Mid-Range – Posada De Los Volcanes
Situated 47 km from Volcano Atitlan, Posada De Los Volcanes offers 3-star accommodation in Panajachel and has a garden. The accommodation features a 24-hour front desk, airport transfers, a concierge service and free WiFithroughout the property.
3. Budget – Hotel Encuentro del Viajero
