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With its colorful Indigenous Tz’utujil Maya community, challenging volcano hikes, international backpacker vibes, and fun water activities, there are so many things to do in San Pedro La Laguna, Guatemala!
As one of the more understated towns perched on the shores of Lake Atitlán, San Pedro buzzes with life – both local and foreign. For years, it has been a popular pitstop on many backpacker’s itineraries when traveling in Guatemala and Central America.
While it has a reputation as a hostel party town, San Pedro has managed to maintain its authenticity despite international influence. Wander the streets, hearing the Maya language echoing through the streets and exploring more of the Tz’utujil Maya culture.
After living in San Pedro La Laguna for two months as a digital nomad, I explored the city and discovered its popular and off-the-beaten-track activities.
Here’s what you must see and do in San Pedro La Laguna, Guatemala!
20 Things to Do in San Pedro La Laguna
1. Visit the Tzunun’Ya Museum
The Tzunun’Ya Museum is one of the first things you should do in San Pedro La Laguna. It provides a brief yet thorough overview of the town and its Maya history, culture, and symbolism.
Here, you can also get your Maya symbol, or Nahual, explained and printed out according to your birthdate on the Maya calendar.
The museum only takes 15-20 minutes to explore. Its three showrooms focus on geology, history, and culture.
There are plaques you can read, or, you can opt to have the museum operator give you a spoken tour in Spanish. Lola was very helpful and easy to understand as she spoke slowly and clearly for us! There’s also a sweet little video film at the beginning of the tour that shows what local life in San Pedro La Laguna looked like in 1943.
The cost to enter the Tzunun’Ya museum is only Q35 per person. It’s open from 9-5 pm, Monday through Friday, and is located on 6a Av across from Zoola.
Overall, it’s a quick and underrated way to understand the geology of Lake Atitlán as well as the history and culture of the Tz’utujil Maya.
Fun fact! The towns around Lake Atitlán were all converted into Saint names after the Spanish conquest. Before, Lake Atitlán was called Tzunun, which means hummingbird in the Mayan language (colíbri in Spanish).
2. Visit the Teixchel Women’s Weaving Association
The women at Teixchel Weaving Association radiate the beauty and culture of the Tz’utujil Maya people.
Understanding a bit of Spanish will make your time in San Pedro all the richer, and you’ll understand why if you stop here.
Speak with Mama Bertha, who runs the association with her family (her daughter is pictured above sewing a blouse). She took her time to explain the association to us as well as Mayan beliefs, the Maya calendar, and the Maya goddess Ixhcel.
Mama Bertha also looked up our birthdates and showed us the corresponding Nahual Maya symbols. I bought a handmade little purse with my “future” symbol on it – Kej – for Q25.
At Teixchel, you can learn about how they create their Maya textiles, shop their little store, try on kimonos, and take a weaving workshop to make your own eco-dyed scarf using the backstrap loom (the workshop lasts 6 hours, but you can spread it out across several days).
You’ll find Teixchel, located just up the road from the main dock (right across from Café Cristalinas).
3. Tour a Guatemalan Coffee Plantation
The forested hills surrounding Lake Atitlán are covered in coffee plants and fields. Coffee is one of Guatemala’s main exports, thanks to the rich volcanic soil that allows it to flourish.
For coffee tours, check out Café Cristalinas. You can walk in and reserve a tour in the morning either on foot (2-3 hours) or on horseback (1-2 hours). You can find this great little cafe just up the road from the main dock in San Pedro. They have delicious coffee and chocolate!
There are plenty of opportunities to try the rich and flavored coffee with a tour around the Maya towns beyond San Pedro. San Juan La Laguna is, in particular, a colorful and tranquil municipality beside San Pedro, where you can take local coffee tours as well.
4. Sunrise Hike to Indian Nose Summit
Hiking up to the Indian Nose summit is one of the most popular things to do in San Pedro La Laguna.
The Indian Nose is a mountain summit that resembles the face of a sleeping Mayan man and looks out over the lake, volcanoes, and towns. It juts out above the city, so you can’t miss it as you’re walking through town. In many ways, this hike is a rite of passage for those who visit Lake Atítlan.
Several tour agencies offer sunrise hikes up to Indian Nose from San Pedro. These typically start with taking a chicken bus to the town of Santa Clara La Laguna in the early hours of the morning and then hiking up the back of the mountain for 35-45 minutes to reach the summit overlooking Lake Atítlan and the surrounding volcanoes.
Alternatively, you can opt to do the long version of the Indian Nose hike, which departs from the base of San Juan La Laguna. If you’re interested I talk about this option more in-depth in my guide to the Indian Nose hike.
5. Swim at a Black Sand Beach
Swimming in San Pedro La Laguna isn’t the best, especially right near the main boat dock, where many locals wash their clothes, bodies, and dishes.
However, there are a few secluded beaches further away from town where locals and tourists can escape on weekends to spend a day splashing in (somewhat) cleaner water.
To get to the beautiful black sand beach that I prefer, known as Playa La Finca, ask a tuk-tuk to take you to the end of La Finca, near the basketball court. You can also say after Refugio del Volcan, which is a well-known AirBNB.
Once at the trailhead, you will follow the natural path around the base of the San Pedro volcano. The trail leading down to the beach forks from the main path to the left. Despite the lack of signage, you can’t really miss it.
You’ll pass by an abandoned coffee farm (with a large slab of concrete where they used to dry the beans), before passing a local’s home and descending down a semi-steep slope until you reach the beach.
Once at the beach, there is plenty of swimming space and spots to lounge on a towel while enjoying amazing views of Volcan Tolimán and Volcán Atítlan.
6. Learn Spanish at a Spanish Language School
San Pedro La Laguna and Lake Atítlan, in general, are famous for their top-quality Spanish Language Schools. Because many Guatemalans speak relatively slowly and don’t have thick accents, people from all over the world come to Guatemala to learn Spanish.
The schools here are renowned for their classes and family homestays, where you can pay to live with a local family while learning Spanish.
The cost to take a Spanish class at one of the schools varies. Prices may also depend on how many classes you want to take. As a rule of thumb, the more classes you take in a week, the less expensive each one will be.
Since I couldn’t attend class in a normal setting during my time in San Pedro, I opted for a private Spanish tutor through the Semilla Spanish School. My instructor was a young 20-year-old woman named Billie. Every day for a week, she came to my temporary home to teach me B1-level Spanish for two hours.
I absolutely loved working with Billie, who happily spoke with me about life in Guatemala, her family, and the unique customs and traditions of the various Mayan towns surrounding Lake Atítlan.
Should you like to learn Spanish with Billie or stay with her family for a homestay, feel free to reach out for her contact info or get in touch with the school.
What better thing to do in San Pedro than pick up a bit of Spanish? I can say from firsthand experience that having a little Spanish under your belt will truly enrich your trip!
7. Take a Painting Class at an Art Gallery
Acrylic and oil paintings hang in art galleries in many of the Maya towns around the lake. Each town seems to have its own style and an array of local artists.
What you see in San Pedro La Laguna will be different from what you see in Santiago Atitlán or even San Juan La Laguna, which is just next door.
Painting classes are a fun and affordable way to get familiar with the landscapes, towns, and communities around the lake. Classes cost approximately Q65 per 1-1.5 hours.
The price also depends on the materials you choose to use (i.e. canvas size, paint, brushes, etc).
8. Go Kayaking or Paddleboarding
Lake Atítlan is the perfect place to rent a kayak or paddleboard.
The lake’s calm water makes for the perfect sunrise or sunset adventure! Luckily, there are many places around the lake where you can rent both. You’ll find a few local kayaking and SUP shops around San Pedro La Laguna.
For paddleboarding, check out our friends at San Pedro Paddle. They offer certified SUP lessons, fitness classes, and tours! You can find them on the outskirts of town, on the road to La Finca (about 10 minutes away by tuk-tuk).
This is a great place to paddle because there are no boats (like near the embarcaderos – boat docks) and you can paddle out just far enough to see the magnificent San Pedro volcano, the Tolimán Volcano, and its Cerro del Oro cone.
For kayaking, head down the steps below the popular Sababa Restaurant and speak with the elderly man sporting a traditional hat there. He rents out kayaks for as little as Q20/hour. He has both single and double kayaks.
They’re certainly nothing fancy, and are even a bit bulky, but what more do you need to spend a few hours enjoying the lake? Be wary of incoming and departing boats as you begin paddling just left of the Pana dock.
You can also book a kayaking tour online with Salvador.
I recommend avoiding going around mid-day as it gets windy and the water is choppy.
9. Relax in Heated Hot Springs
San Pedro La Laguna has hot springs, similar to thermal pools or outdoor hot tubs, where you can sit and relax.
Before you get too excited, these are not naturally heated by the nearby volcanoes. For that, check out the naturally heated aguas termales in Santa Catarina Palopó over by Panajachel.
In any case, soaking in the “Los Termales” was a fun thing to do in San Pedro La Laguna and was a weekly activity for us and our friends.
We’d go every Wednesday night after work at 6:30 PM sharp. It was a great way to split our workweek in half as we were living in San Pedro as digital nomads.
To reserve your hot tub, you must contact the owners (who are very sweet) no sooner than 30 minutes—1 hour before your arrival. The price is Q50 per person (about 6.50 USD or 5 EUR).
The path to Los Termales is located near the El Barrio restaurant in the little backstreets of San Pedro.
There are 5 pools in total, with an outdoor shower and a rustic toilet. The owners live on-site in case you need anything. For now, they don’t offer beverages or snacks, but you are welcome to bring your own from the local minimarkets up on the main street.
I’d highly recommend going mid-week to have the place to yourself.
On weekends, it can get busy and can turn unpleasant, especially when people play their music loudly, smoke right next to you, or in some instances, strip down and get butt naked (lol).
10. Hike Up Volcán San Pedro
San Pedro volcano calls adventure enthusiasts, beckoning them to hike up its steep slopes to reach its staggering peak. However, hikers beware!
🚨 Unfortunately, there have been reports of armed robberies at the top of the hike, near the summit camp. Please be cautious as it seems this is fairly common.
You can read testimonials on Tripadvisor and AllTrails for this hike. There are accounts of successful trips, where no robberies or assaults took place, and also first-hand accounts of such incidents. It would be wise to go with a hired armed guide or a large group of hikers, but not alone.
Luckily, there are other hikes around Lake Atitlán you can do. If it’s a volcano summit you wish to conquer, then consider hiking up Tolimán or Atitlán volcanoes.
11. Taste Pupusas (Guatemalan Street Food)
San Pedro La Laguna comes alive during festivals, holidays, birthdays, and a variety of other events. During these times, you can catch street food vendors selling their goodies on the main avenue.
If you do get the chance to eat street food in San Pedro, make sure to eat where the locals go, an indicator that it’s clean and trustworthy.
We got lucky one evening while strolling around town and saw a lady whipping up veggie pupusas and mini tostadas (forgot the name) and decided to try it out. Filled with zucchini, beans, cheese, cream, and onions, it was delicious and super cheap at only Q10.
12. Ziplining at Canopy San Pedro
San Pedro has its own ziplining canopy park! While small, with only 3-5 lines, it is still a fun thing to do in San Pedro if you enjoy adrenaline-packed outdoor activities.
There is also a really cool tire swing with a viewpoint from up here! Book this experience on Viator.
13. Take a Cooking Class
Learn to cook traditional Mayan dishes with Anita, a local woman who puts her heart and soul into the culinary arts.
Located near San Pedro’s dock, this cooking class is easy to get to and makes for a wonderful way to remember your time in Guatemala, and transport friends and family through their tastebuds once you’re back at home.
Classes are offered Monday through Saturday. You’ll choose which recipes you want to cook ahead of time, and each class is three to four hours long. These recipes can also accommodate vegetarians!
14. Take in the Views of San Pedro at Mirador Bella Vista
There is a unique and relatively unknown café above town called Mirador y Café Bella Vista. It has arguably the BEST panoramic view of San Pedro La Laguna and the entire southwestern shores of Lake Atitlán.
You can find it by hopping in a tuk-tuk and asking for “Mirador café bella vista,” showing the GPS, or by hiking up the hill to get there yourself. The road is paved and steep, but not difficult to find.
Follow the road all the way up to the top (the road on the GPS seems to disappear, but know that it’s indeed there). Keep following the small roads around local houses. Eventually, you’ll get to a 3-story building with a sign on it that says Café Mirador Bella Vista.
They serve specialty drinks and snacks that you can enjoy with one of the best views of San Pedro. We ordered a chilled lemonade, which was super good!
15. Explore San Pedro’s Street Art
One thing that you’ll quickly notice when visiting San Pedro La Laguna is its colorful street art.
The town isn’t as colorful as neighboring San Juan La Laguna, and certainly no match for Santa Catarina Palopó across the lake, but it still has at least a dozen or more elaborate street art murals depicting local life and Maya textiles and motifs.
One of my favorites is near the Santiago Atitlán dock and the other is down a tiny street near the church up the hill from the main dock.
You’ll notice a lot of small murals with religious quotes and symbols as well. I think I counted at least two dozen the last time we crossed town.
16. Shop at the Local Market
Exploring local markets is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the daily lives of the local culture and community. In San Pedro La Laguna, it’s no different.
Here, the Tz’utujil Mayas sell their fruits, veggies, beans, textiles, shoes, etc., on the street. It all comes together to create a bustling market scene.
If you live in San Pedro or are planning to stay awhile, you’ll find the best prices here compared to the produce stalls in town.
Market days are typically every day from morning to lunch, but they’re especially a sight to see on weekends.
I highly recommend walking around this part of town on foot to discover a few hidden treasures, including art murals, mini plazas, cute streets, and scenes of authentic local life. To reach them, follow the road all the way up from the main dock or ask a tuk-tuk to take you to the market.
17. Go Horse Riding
Horse riding is affordable and fun in San Pedro. Even if you don’t end up riding yourself, you will no doubt see horses during your time here. Only a handful of locals own the horses, and you’ll likely see the same guides riding through town.
Several horse riding tours can take you around San Pedro and the surrounding area, including the coffee and maize plantations, viewpoints, and beaches. The cost varies per group size, but as a couple, we paid Q60 per person for a two-hour ride.
We took the path to the viewpoint at the base of the San Pedro volcano, which overlooks the town of Santiago Atitlan and the Tolimán and Atítlan volcanoes.
You can also combine coffee tours with a horse riding excursion, in case you want to knock out both activities in one go. For that, inquire at Café Cristalinas, just up the road from the main dock in San Pedro (the Pana dock).
18. Hang Out in Parque Puerta Hermosa
Right in the heart of San Pedro sits a beautiful garden and park — the Parque La Puerta Hermosa.
Whether you want to take photographs or just escape the tuk-tuk crazy streets, the park is the perfect place to escape to. You can find it by meandering off the market road. It’s hard to miss as it’s the only bit of vivid greenery in the town.
The plaza is decorated with trimmed bushes, plants, a statue and fountain, and a small white church. Locals play traditional music, making the experience all the more whimsical.
19. Eat Lava Cake at Sababa
The Sababa Cafe and Restaurant is one of the best places to eat in San Pedro La Laguna. Its airy ambiance and simple yet delicious food—especially the lava cake—make it one of my favorite spots.
The atmosphere is welcoming and inspiring, and the awesome view of the lake and the Indian Nose summit is the cherry on top.
There’s a ground floor with sofa benches and a swing bar and an upstairs loft with more tables and an even better (and breezier) view.
20. Day Trip to Other Lakeside Maya Towns
Last but not least, you can’t visit San Pedro without also sharing your love for some of the other towns around Lake Atitlan!
Did you know that there are at least a dozen or more municipalities that surround the lake?
Some of my favorites to visit are:
- San Juan La Laguna — San Pedro’s neighbor and full of weaving associations, murals, and hidden cafés.
- Santa Cruz La Laguna — Ideal for a lakeside lunch or SUP session with views of all three volcanoes.
- Jaibalito & Tzununa — Two small towns with an awesome hiking trail that connects them.
- Santa Catarina Palopó and San Antonio Palopó — Two Kaqchikel Maya towns near Panajachel. The first is colorful, while the second is famous for its ceramics and pottery.
- San Marcos La Laguna — Perhaps the most well-known of the towns on Lake Atitlan with an active meditation and New Age community.
- Santiago Atitlán — The largest of the towns and one that offers a glimpse into the more traditional Tz’utujil Maya way of life.
Among all the towns, I think San Pedro has the coolest hotels, restaurants, and things to do. It has both local treasures and foreign pleasures, like international-style cafes, good WiFi, and a decent range of hostels and hotels.
What Backpackers Should Know Before Visiting San Pedro La Laguna
Where to Stay in San Pedro La Laguna
It isn’t difficult to find cool hotels in San Pedro La Laguna. As one of the largest backpacker hubs along the lake, San Pedro offers everything under the sun in terms of accommodation, from fun and funky hostels to seriously stunning resorts.
Where to Eat in San Pedro La Laguna
The global community in San Pedro means you’ll find cuisine from every corner of the world. Everything from authentic Japanese to Israeli is on the menu! You won’t have any trouble discovering delicious restaurants in San Pedro La Laguna, but you might have some difficulty choosing between them.
How Many Days Do You Need in San Pedro La Laguna?
While you could easily spend a month in San Pedro, using it as a base to explore the lake and cafe and restaurant hopping, a few days to a week is the perfect sweet spot for how much time to spend in San Pedro La Laguna.
How Walkable is San Pedro La Laguna?
San Pedro La Laguna is a very walkable town. You can easily walk across San Pedro La Laguna in 15 to 20 minutes. If you need to get around faster, tuktuk are also a great option!
Avoid walking between towns in Lake Atitlan as there have been reports of crimes occurring on the roads that connect some of the villages in the past.
Is San Pedro La Laguna Safe?
Yes, San Pedro La Laguna is a safe town to visit in Lake Atitlan. When crimes do occur, they often revolve around petty theft and pickpocketing. Violent crime is rare.
That being said, crime can occur anywhere. Follow general safety precautions, like avoiding walking alone at night, to be on the extra safe side.
Basing yourself out of San Pedro is not only great because of the number of things to do here but also because it is well-connected to the other towns.
I hope this guide helps you get inspired for what to do in San Pedro La Laguna including both popular and off-the-beaten-track activities!
If you have any questions about this bucket list, feel free to reach out and drop a comment below!
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Hello, thank you so much for the information! Do you happen to know how to make a reservation at Cafe Las Cristalinas for a coffee tour? The link to their website so does not, so we are not sure how to contact them to make a reservation. Thank you!
Hey Ami! It looks like they have an email on their contact + facebook page! If sure you could also book for the next day/days when you arrive and go visit in person — I doubt they would be fully booked but a quick email couldn’t hurt 🙂
Hii! We really enjoyed reading your post! We have a question for you!
We we’re wondering where you booked your horseback riding tour! Everywhere we asked so far, we get at least double the price. Hope you can help us!
Lots of love,
Danniëlle
Hi Danniëlle! I used to have her number in my phone but then I swapped phones and lost her contact 😭 she used to just ride around town! Prices may have increased as tourism in the area becomes more popular.
Thank you so much for this article, it really helped us planning our time here! ❗️ However, we would like to warn other travelers about the black sand beach “playa la finca”. Although it is beautiful and secluded and you can enjoy the lake alone there, it is dangerous. I was there with a friend and we were robbed by a scary and ugly man who even threatened us. So in any case do not go there alone! ❗️
I just arrived for two weeks of Spanish immersion in San Pedro. From the various travel essays including this one, I was imagine something a little less hectic. My first impression is that it is a noisy little concrete jungle. I start Spanish lessons tomorrow, and hopefully I’ll get a chance to get past my initial disappointment. I considered waiting for a few days before sharing this sentiment, but even if the place grows on me and I end up loving it, I think it won’t hurt to put out a “warning” that if one is expecting an enchanting lakeside village, the mood of the place can be initially jarring. All that aside, thank you for all your awesome suggestions – I will be taking some of them to heart, I’m sure!
There are definitely hidden gems to be found inside the little concrete jungle! The first drone shot I shared shows the buildings pretty accurately, I think. If you’re wanting a quaint place to eat, go to the Japanese place I mention in my food guide. The owners are the sweetest and have lived in Guate for about 13 years.
curious how you ended up liking it Jon? were there other slightly quieter villages that still had enough food/drink and places to have a food coffee or a little “shop” for local goods?
This is such a lovely and well-informed article, I love it!
The only thing I could add to this is that pupusas are not Guatemalan street food, It’s from El Salvador. The lady who has the stand there is also Salvadoran, it doesn’t really matter as Salvadoran and Guatemalan food are both Yummy 🙂
And I also love how you added information about the Mayan community and which type of tribe they belong to, thank you!
San Padro is a must for sure if visiting Guatemala, it steals a little corner of your heart.
Thank you, Irene! 💛 xx
This was an awesome read and inspiring. I’m headed there next week. Can you tell me how to get in contact with someone to make a reservation at Los Termales? Do you think it’s safe to go there alone in the evening?
Hey Alexis! Thank you so much for reading — I so appreciate that! And yes, I can send you the WhatsApp number later. Can you shoot me an email? As for safety, I would say it’s pretty safe but I’m not there now and can’t “feel out” the situation. The pathway down there is a bit dark, so use your phone light. You could probably ask the owner to meet you up at the street if you don’t feel safe?
I would love if you could whatsapp or email me info about the thermal pools and also horseback riding please! We are here now 🙂
Great to hear! I’m just now seeing this, but I can send you those details! If ever you can’t reach me through a comment, just shoot me a quick DM or comment on Instagram : ) I’m faster there
Would also love contact for this! 🙂
Hi, great article! I’m just wondering if you could point me in the direction of one of the painting classes, I’ve searched online but there doesn’t seem to be much information available
Thanks!
Hey Max! You just have to visit in person to inquire. The painting gallery I mention is located to the left of the pier (when facing San Pedro from the water) and is unmissable if you’re walking down the street. It’ll be on your right-hand side and look exactly like the photo I snapped.
This looks like a great destination, I‘ll definitely keep this in mind! I love that these are not only the typical touristy things to do 😊
Happy to hear that! Thanks for reading Pauline! x