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Bucketlist Bri

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An Epic Lake Atitlán Itinerary — How to Spend Your Days Lakeside in Guatemala

Last Updated: January 2, 2023 · Guatemala

Planning a trip to the famous Lake Atitlán (Lago de Atitlán) in Guatemala and not sure how to spend your days? No worries! In this Lake Atitlán itinerary, I’ll be sharing my best tips and recommendations for what to do with 1-3 days (or more!).

Lake Atitlán is home to about a dozen charming villages belonging to the Tzu’utujil, Kiche, and Kaqchikel Maya, three peaky volcanoes (Tolimán, Atitlán, and San Pedro), and an immense amount of colorful flora and fauna.

But did you know?

This giant crater lake formed tens of thousands of years ago after the then-existing mega volcanoes erupted (spreading ash from Ecuador to Florida) and collapsed, leaving a massive caldera 11 miles wide that eventually filled up with rainwater and sediment.

Today, Lake Atitlan is renowned for being both the deepest and highest-altitude lake in Central America.

So as you can imagine, Lake Atitlan is a sacred and popular Guatemala destination for both nationals and foreigners coming to explore its lakeside towns, trek on its volcano slopes, birdwatch in its tropical forests, or go scuba diving in its high-altitude, temperate waters.

Here is the ultimate Lake Atitlan itinerary!

Table of Contents show
The Complete Lake Atitlán Guatemala Itinerary
How Many Days Do You Need in Lake Atitlan?
Best Activities to Do With 2-3 Days in Lake Atitlan
Day 1: Arriving in Lake Atitlan
Day 2: Exploring the Maya Towns Around the Lake
Day 3: Sunrise Hike Over Lake Atitlan
If You Have More Time in Lake Atitlán…

The Complete Lake Atitlán Guatemala Itinerary

drone aerial view of mirador cerro de la cruz in san juan la laguna guatemala

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links that may earn me a small commission should you decide to click through and make a valid purchase (at no extra cost to you). Thanks so much for your support!

How Many Days Do You Need in Lake Atitlan?

I would recommend at least one week in Lake Atitlan, if not more. I understand most people visit the lake on a weekend trip or even a full-day trip from Antigua, but I would encourage you to slow it down even more.

I had the opportunity to live in Lake Atitlán as a digital nomad for two full months before moving on and spending another month in Antigua. Even with all that time, I didn’t get to fully check off my Lake Atitlan bucket list — but I got close!

That said, if you are coming to the lake for only one, two, or three days, know that you won’t get to see and do everything you may want to. Slow travel is the best way to discover the lake as well — rushing through it will take away from the experience.

Best Activities to Do With 2-3 Days in Lake Atitlan

demonstration with pot and organic cotton inside casa flor ixcaco in san juan la laguna, guatemala
aerial view of San Pedro La Laguna, a Tz'utujil Maya town around Lake Atitlan Guatemala
woman sitting at restaurant in san pedro la laguna in lake atitlan

In any case, whether you’re here for just a few days or several weeks, here are activity ideas for what to do! You can read all 20 things to do around Lake Atitlan here.

  • ☀️ Do a sunrise hike up to Indian Nose
  • 🥾 Hike the scenic Lower Mayan Trail (here are the best hikes around Lake Atitlan)
  • 🧘‍♀️ Meditate in the hippie town of San Marcos La Laguna
  • 👛 Shop on Calle Santander in the gateway town of Panajachel
  • 🛁 Sit in hot thermal bathtubs
  • 🎒 Explore the backpacker town of San Pedro La Laguna
  • ⛰ Climb up to the panoramic viewpoint of Cerro de la Cruz in San Juan La Laguna
  • ☁️ Paraglide over Lake Atitlan
  • 🎨 Visit the painted village of Santa Catarina Palopó
  • 🤿 Scuba dive at altitude (recommend only if you have one week or more here)
  • 🛶 Kayak or stand-up paddleboard in Santa Cruz La Laguna
  • 🚕 Take a tuk-tuk tour around the traditional town of Santiago Atitlán
digital nomad girl standing on wooden pier overlooking volcanoes and lake atitlan guatemala
woman walking down Avenida 5ta in San Juan La Laguna, Guatemala
red tuk-tuks parked nearby the main dock in San Pedro La Laguna Guatemala
maya woman backstrap weaving guatemala

Looking for the best places to stay around the lake? I would highly suggest basing yourself out of either San Pedro or San Marcos during your time here (if you are wanting to be in the more popular/developed towns with plenty of restaurants and hotels). Here are the coolest hotels in San Pedro and a fun San Pedro foodie guide. Otherwise, the super unique hotel near the town of Jaibalito called La Casa Del Mundo offers extremely impressive views of all three volcanoes and Lake Atitlán.

 

 

Day 1: Arriving in Lake Atitlan

Now let’s put all (or at least a few) of these fun things to do on a trip to Lake Atitlan together to create an adventure-packed itinerary!

boats at dock in panajachel lake atitlan

Main boat dock in Panajachel

The majority of people arriving in Lake Atitlán will arrive by shuttle, chicken bus, or car in Panajachel. Guatemala City is 2h 45m away and Antigua is 2 hours. You can even take private transport to Pana from Chiapas, Mexico! That’s how we traveled over the border into Guatemala — you can read all about that in this guide: San Cristobal de Las Casas to Panajachel.

Pana is the gateway town of Lake Atitlán — most travelers come through here. While this town isn’t the biggest around the lake (Santiago Atitlán is), there are plenty of things to do. Amenities — i.e. restaurants, hotels, cafes, etc — are aplenty, so there’s little you’ll be longing for.

handmade guatemala bag hanging in market on calle santander in panajachel
colorful blue buildings painted in santa catarina palopo town in lake atitlan

Once you’re in Pana, you can go paragliding (reserve ahead), sunrise kayaking, shopping for textiles on Calle Santander, and more. The butterfly reserve nearby is a beautiful place to visit. You should also try to squeeze in a day trip to Santa Catarina Palopó (exceptional for its painted houses) and San Antonio Palopó (renown for its pottery and ceramic artisans) — both are but a 10-15 minute tuk-tuk ride away.

I would recommend staying overnight and spending one full day in Panajachel exploring its environs.

Best Hotels by Budget:

  • Backpacker ($) — Hospedaje El Viajero (where we stayed!)
  • Boutique ($$) — Selina Atitlán, Regis Hotel Spa
  • Luxe ($$$) — Posada de Don Rodrigo, Porta Hotel del Lago
  • Unique ($-$$$) — Reserva Natural Atitlan, Villas Balam Ya

Day 2: Exploring the Maya Towns Around the Lake

mirador (viewpoint) overlooking San Pedro volcano and Santiago Atitlán in Guatemala
santiago atitlan boat dock

Arriving in Santiago Atitlán

In some cases, you may want to arrive and immediately head to the destination you came here for — bets are it’s either San Marcos or San Pedro La Laguna. At least 9/10 travelers visiting Lake Atitlán arrive in Panajachel wanting to take the boat ferry the same day to get there. We get it! We did the same thing when we moved here.

In any case, I highly recommend including more than one town in your Lake Atitlán itinerary — several, if possible! Here are the 10 best towns to visit around Lake Atitlan.

To take the boat across Lake Atitlan costs between Q5 and Q25 per one-way trip, depending on your origin and destination. The price goes up Q5 about every additional stop you make. For example, from San Pedro to San Juan it costs Q10 (Q5 for locals) because it’s right next door. From San Pedro to San Marcos (after San Juan) it costs around Q15.

Day 3: Sunrise Hike Over Lake Atitlan

sunset lake atitlan with view of indian nose summit from san pedro la laguna

Indian Nose mountain (view from San Pedro)

woman looking at san pedro volcano from atop indian nose mountain summit

Atop Indian Nose overlooking Volcán San Pedro and the towns of San Juan and San Pedro

One of the most popular activities to do on a short trip to Lake Atitlán is to do a sunrise hike up to Indian Nose summit, where you can watch the sunrise come up over Lake Atitlan and its wild volcanoes and cute lakeside towns.

Tours include transport from San Pedro La Laguna to Santa Clara La Laguna, where you’ll begin your hike early in the morning. The hike itself is only 30-45 minutes from the base of Santa Clara La Laguna. If you opt to do the long hike (like we did), you’ll begin your hike from the bottom of San Juan La Laguna.

Save time & the hassle of booking when you arrive — reserve your sunrise hike tour here!

 

Whether you do the sunrise tour and head back to San Pedro or cross San Juan, you’ll be nearby the artsy town of San Juan La Laguna at some point during your trip (it’s just a 5-10 minute tuk-tuk ride from San Pedro), and it’s worth exploring around. Grab lunch inside the cozy terrace at El Gato Negro and coffee at Maria’s. Don’t miss out on the panoramic views from Cerro de la Cruz and the natural-dye weaving cooperative at Casa Flor Ixcaco.

If You Have More Time in Lake Atitlán…

With more time in Lake Atitlán beyond a couple of days, you’ll have the opportunity to knock off quite a few of those bucket list items — plus more!

For those with their PADI certification, why not explore what lies below the lake surface with a scuba diving tour? Apparently, you can dive down to see submerged balconies at La Casa Del Mundo and cook a raw egg over the heat from thermal vents.

Cooking classes (try Mayan Kitchen in San Pedro), sacred fire ceremonies, and 8-hour weaving workshops learning how to make your own scarf using the traditional backstrap loom, are also unique and memorable experiences to include in your Lake Atitlan itinerary.

So tell me, how long are you planning to be in Lake Atitlán? Drop your thoughts below and feel free to reach out with questions or suggestions!

LIKE IT? PIN THIS LAKE ATITLAN GUATEMALA ITINERARY!

views of san pedro la laguna town in lake atitlan guatemala with text overlay
collage photos of san pedro volcano and san pedro la laguna town in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
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By: Bri · In: Guatemala

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I’m Bri, an adventurous digital nomad living abroad full-time since 2015. It is my hope to inspire you to live a life of adventure, seek out meaningful experiences, and travel slowly and mindfully!

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Tips from a long-time nomad ⬇️✨ 💻 WORKIN Tips from a long-time nomad ⬇️✨

💻 WORKING ONLINE
While not all nomads/remote workers have online-specific jobs, it’s the easiest way to sustain an income for full-time or long-term travel. Here are some jobs you can do as a digital nomad!

• Blogging (This is what I do full-time!)
• Content Creation / Brand Sponsorship
• Virtual Assisting
• Social Media Management
• YouTube or Podcasting
• Graphic / Web Design
• Coding / Development
• Photography / Videography
• Freelance Writing (How I started)
• Marketing / Amazon FBA / Ecommerce

📍PICKING YOUR DIGITAL NOMAD DESTINATION
There are many countries out there offering digital nomad visas, but you don’t even need one to just travel as a tourist and stay in-country for 30, 60, 90, or 180 days. Nomads go everywhere as long as there’s a Wi-Fi connection, some countries you may consider are Portugal, Mexico, Costa Rica, Thailand, Vietnam, Croatia, Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, Brazil, and beyond! Even lesser-known places such as Namibia are starting to offer nomad visas to entice long-term travelers to visit.

🏡 FINDING HOUSING ABROAD
Read my blog post for the full guide on this, but basically, check local Facebook groups for renting local housing for extended stays and then use Airbnbs for shorter stays or to negotiate longer contracts with the owner. There are even more “nomad rental websites” these days to make finding accommodation even easier. Don’t overlook co-living/working spaces too like Selina where the digital nomad community tends to congregate.

💛 EXPLORING LOCALLY/RESPONSIBLY
As always, be mindful and respectful when you visit these communities. Many small towns are struggling with rapid growth and overdevelopment so be mindful of your choices of where you stay, how you spend your money, and who you support.

My best advice + detailed guides are all on the blog, free for you to use! Let me know if you have any questions about digital nomad life! 

Lastly, don’t overthink it. Moving countries isn’t as intimidating as you may think! It’s become second nature for us now after several years! 🐈‍⬛💃🌎✨
I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to discover t I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to discover this incredible country beyond the resorts and beaches, having lived temporarily in 5 out of the 32 Mexican states (Nayarit, Quintana Roo, Chiapas, Oaxaca, and now Baja California Sur) as a digital nomad who’s been slow traveling/living in and out of Mexico since 2018. 

There is so, so much cultural and natural beauty in Mexico — I wish more people could experience this country for themselves and not through the eyes of the media.

***Please visit Mexico as a digital nomad (or tourist in general) responsibly and mindfully. Stay local, eat local, drink local, shop local, support local. Leave No Trace and be conscious of your choices and impact!*** 

Here are the cities/towns we’ve slow traveled/lived in for extended stays.

• Oaxaca City — a colorful, historic open museum rich in indigenous culture and gastronomy 
• San Cristóbal de las Casas — an endearing pueblo mágico in the Chiapas Highlands
• La Paz — the capital city of BCS teeming with marine life, diving, fish tacos, and desert vibes
• San Pancho — an eco-conscious town in Nayarit famous for its sunsets and community
• Tulum — no introduction needed (and I wouldn’t go back here as a nomad due to overdevelopment)

Other great cities/towns/destinations for digital nomads are:

• Guadalajara (state of Jalisco)
• Santiago de Querétaro (state of Querétaro)
• San Miguel de Allende or Guanajuato City (state of Guanajuato)
• Playa del Carmen (state of Quintana Roo)
• Valladolid or Mérida (state of Yucatán)
• México City/CDMX (state of México)
• Sayulita (state of Nayarit)
• Puerto Vallarta (state of Jalisco)
• Puerto Escondido (state of Oaxaca)

I’d love to know what you think about Mexico and where you’ve been in the comments! 🇲🇽💛

And for the detailed guide of 13 places to live/visit, read my blog @bucketlistbri .com (just type in “places to live mexico” in the quick search bar if you can’t find the post under my “Mexico” category).

#mexicomagico #digitalnomad #visitmexico #livingabroad #fulltimetravel #mexicotravel #mexicodestinations #nomadadigital #nomada #mexicomaravilloso #slowtravelling #mindfultravel
PSA: Your anxiety, problems or (bad) habits will f PSA: Your anxiety, problems or (bad) habits will follow you around the world until you face them no matter how much you travel or move countries 🙃 

I know I’m not the only one that feels restless at times and idolizes moving to a new region/country/continent to shake my feelings of anxiety or self-doubt or fear! (Also, I tend to think about moving to another country even when I just moved to a new one 😅)

I know because I have lived abroad for 8+ years. I used to try to drown out my icky feelings and past traumas with lots of alcohol but now I carry them with me like I do my mismatched socks — they add to the quirkiness and remind me I don’t have to be, and am not, perfect. 

And that life is more interesting that way, anyway. 

Anddd that most importantly, whenever I get lost, I can and will be found again — I just may look and think differently after new adventures but I am still loved and never lost forever 🧦 ✨💛 

In sum, whether you travel full-time or not, take care of yourself ✨💛

#nomadness #nomadlife #lifeofadventure #livingabroad #fulltimetravel #offbeattravel #remoteworklife #homeawayfromhome #slowtravelstories #mentalhealthawarness
The 4 core ingredients to a recharged Bri: 💛 P The 4 core ingredients to a recharged Bri:

💛 Paul
😻 Yoda
🌍 Traveling & adventuring
👩🏼‍💻 Blogging & writing

Among other things like nature, photography, reading, animals, journaling, art, playing Zelda/games, dancing/music, culture/languages, enjoying rly good food and drinks! 😋 

What about you? What recharges you?? 

#rechargemysoul #blogging #adventures #writing #soulfulliving #mindfulliving #mindfultravel #nomadcouple #creativeliving
1 WEEK COSTA RICA ITINERARY👇🦋✨ 🌋 ARENA 1 WEEK COSTA RICA ITINERARY👇🦋✨

🌋 ARENAL // LA FORTUNA (2 days)
- Hike in the Arenal Volcano National Park
- Indulge in a local chocolate/coffee tour (s/o to @northfieldscafe)
- Go on a wildlife safari float (s/o to Raúl for pura vida vibes!)
- Lounge in natural hot springs (highly recommend the budget-friendly Relax Termalitas in Fortuna)
- Visit La Fortuna waterfall
- Check out the Butterfly Conservatory

🦥 QUEPOS // MANUEL ANTONIO (2-3 days)
- Take a guided or DIY tour of Manuel Antonio National Park
- Chill out on the Espadilla beach
- Explore the cute towns
- Watch for wildlife in the trees!

🌿 MONTEVERDE // SANTA ELENA (2 days)
- Visit/hike in the Monteverde Cloud Forest
- Go ziplining
- Birdwatching on a canopy tour
- Monteverde coffee tour
- Do a nature night walk

My sister and I surprised our mom with this bucket list trip on her birthday, and we had a blast! 🥹

Send this itinerary to someone you know who has always wanted to go to Costa Rica 🦋💛✨🌿🦜🐒

#costarica #bucketlisttrip #puravida #costaricaitinerary #lafortuna #manuelantonio #monteverde #ecotourism
Swimming with the biggest fish in the world is a q Swimming with the biggest fish in the world is a quite a humbling experience, and one that’s been at the top of my bucket list for ages! 🥺

Right now is prime whale shark season in La Paz in Baja California Sur, Mexico, so Paul and I made sure to go before we jetted off to see family for the holidays! I’m still in awe of these gentle giants and the fact that we got to swim alongside them!

Read all about the best whale shake tours in La Paz + ethical whale shark tourism in my latest blog post! Link in bio 💛

Send this to a friend who loves whale sharks! 🐳🦈

#whalesharks #lapaz #bajacaliforniasur #ethicaltravel #responsibletravel #ecotourism #golapaz #mexicotravel #bucketlist #seaofcortez
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