"Lake Atitlan" a Lago de Atitlán Travel Page by easterntrekker

When we first saw the lake as we drove into Panajachel, we couldn't get our cameras out fast enough. The lake is surrounded by three dormant volcanoes and could be the most beautiful lake we've ever seen.

The best way to see it is by taking one of the many boat tours leaving from town.
If you have time for a couple of dollars you can go to a different lakeside village everyday . It is a fabulous way to explore the region.

We spent our time based in Panajachel. It turned out to be the right choice for us , but we wish weplanned to stay longer. This was one of our favorite parts of Guatemala.

Even though it is a popular tourist spot in the area , it still retains its own character , so you end up with that plus the added bonus of having a few nice hotels and restuarants to visit.

The town closes down in early evening but everything is open quite early in the morning.

We enjoyed the cooler evenings , great for sleeping and the clear air!

The villages around the lake make the area a really interesting area to visit and explore . I read somewhere that there are over twenty different languages spoken by the various indigenous people.

We took a boat trip to a few of the villages and had lots of fun shopping for the wonderful textiles and were delighted by the colourful traditional dress of the people ...each village different.