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Latest Panajachel hotel reviews
Pro
Great Place to Relax and Enjoy the Color of Guatemala
Con
Lots of tourists; not much to see really
In a nutshell
a bit of paradise
toonsarah Says: The hub of gringo life in Pana is Calle Santander. This long straight street links the older part of town with the lake and its whole length is lined with restaurants, bars, shops and handicrafts stalls, all aimed at parting the tourist from his/her money. But if that sounds...
Museum at Posada de Don Rodrigo
toonsarah Says: The Posada de Don Rodrigo has its own small museum, displaying Mayan ceramics and other artefacts found on the lake bottom. While the collection isn’t extensive it is attractively displayed and there is plenty of information in both Spanish and English. I learnt quite a lot...
toonsarah Says: Lake Atitlàn is beautiful at any time, but an early morning visit is a must, especially if you are a keen photographer. As the day wears on the wind picks up and the surface of the lake becomes rippled, but for the first few hours after day-break the water is still and the...
toonsarah Says: Along the lake shore near the jetties where the boats dock are a series of bars and cafés on wooden piles. They all appear to be similar although we only ate in one so I can’t really compare. I don’t know its name, but it was one of the first you come to if approaching from...
toonsarah Says: This is a casual restaurant opening onto Calle Santander and serving Italian dishes, chicken and seafood, as well as lighter meals such as salads. It also has a pizza oven, and pizza was what we fancied that evening. We shared a medium chicken pizza, which was ample for the...
toonsarah Says: Just opposite the top of Calle Santander on Calle Principal is this big barn-like space with a small counter serving excellent coffee, a few bookshelves selling second-hand books, and a scattering of furniture including some soft squishy sofas. It’s a great place to relax...
Sunset Bar & Cafe: Best views in Pana?
toonsarah Says: This is the third of Jorge’s recommendations that we tried. We came here for lunch and were very happy with it. We also intended to come back one evening to test its claim to be a prime sunset viewing spot, but somehow never got round to doing so. Certainly it has the right...
Dos Mundos: Time for a night-cap?
toonsarah Says: This little bar on Calle Santander became our favourite spot for a night-cap. It has great cakes if you feel the need for dessert (I can recommend the cheesecake!) and a good selection of drinks, both alcoholic and various coffee options. Be careful when choosing your drinks...
toonsarah Says: The pleasantest way to travel from village to village around the lake, and for most of them the best way too, is by boat. There are two types of boat available – the public ferries and those for private hire. Naturally the former are cheaper but they don’t go to every...
toonsarah Says: Pana is very walkable, especially if just sticking to the main tourist area, but if you fancy a change or feel the need of a lift, a tuk-tuk is the answer. These auto-rickshaws seem to be in almost constant motion through the streets of the town – down Calle Santander to the...
toonsarah Says: Panajachel and the surrounding villages are rightly considered among the best places to shop for handicrafts. The high proportion (90%) of Maya living here, and the high numbers of visitors, combine to create a shopping frenzy! Naturally the quality of goods on offer varies,...
Dina's Chocolates: Homemade Chocolates
Hopkid Says: Dina's makes their own chocolate bars and truffles. They have milk and dark varieties, some mixed with different fruit flavors. They also have a collection of souvenir items but the real attraction is the chocolate. We bought a dark chocolate orange bar and it was to die...
toonsarah Says: I don’t know if this is a regular local custom, but it’s certainly one that caught our eye! We were walking along Calle Santander quite early one morning when we spotted a young man ahead of us leading a couple of goats. Nothing too unusual there – but then he was hailed by...
Hopkid Says: Xocomil (sho-ko-MIL) is loosely translated as the "wind that carries away sin." Well sin must weigh quite a bit because this afternoon wind can get pretty strong. So strong that it can make traveling on Lake Atitlan rather treacherous. It's best to schedule your lake...
How not to rent a boat tour at Atitlan
cannabis.flower Says: I took a van to Panajachel from Antigua and when we arrived we were swarmed by a horde of young men offering to be our guide . One of the guys said he was the brother of our driver. He said for $75 dollars each (there were 3 of us) he would take us on a private boat all...
toonsarah Says: At its end furthest from the lake, Calle Santander meets Calle Principal, and there’s an invisible but noticeable divide here between “gringo Pana” and “local Pana”. Although you’ll probably spend most of your time in the tourist areas, especially on or around the lake, it’s...
toonsarah Says: If you only have time to visit one of the towns and villages on the shores of Lake Atitlàn, it should really be Santiago Atitlàn. Add to its beautiful setting nestled between two of the lake’s volcanoes, Toliman and Atitlàn; its selection of some of the best and most varied...
toonsarah Says: San Antonio Palopó is one of the smaller villages on Lake Atitlàn and a visit here will only occupy a couple of hours but it’s well worth doing. The people here are Cakchiquel Maya, and if you visit Tz'utujil villages such as Santiago Atitlàn you’ll soon spot the differences...
toonsarah Says: Lake Atitlàn was said by Aldous Huxley to be the most beautiful lake in the world. I doubt that he had seen all of them, any more than I have, but it certainly has to be in anyone’s Top Ten. Lying a mile above sea level and ringed by mountains and three perfect volcanoes...
Hopkid Says: Bargaining in many of the craft shops/stalls in Pana is totally expected. When asked the shop/stall keeper will give you a price that is more than they are expecting to get. Don't be afraid to counter with an offer that is less than 50% lower than the initial price....
Plan a Panajachel vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Panajachel locals
Pana is situated on Lake Atitlan directly opposite three large volcanoes. They are Volcan San Pedro is to the right while Volcan Toliman and Volcan Atitlan are...
3 members live in Panajachel
Q: After staying in antigua for three nights, we are traveling to panajachel for a couple days. If you know anything about hotels,...
A: I stayed at Hotel Dos Mundos in Panajachel and I am absolutely satisfied with the choice. Location is superb, my room was basic but decent, bathroom with a great shower,...
Read 2 Replies
1
Panajachel . . . Where it's okay to be a gringo
Panajachel was once a sleepy little Mayan town on the northeastern edge of Lake Atitlán. In the 1960s, it was discovered by the hippies and ever since it has been a magnet for Bohemian, easy-going...
2
Panajachel is the largest town on Lake Atitlàn, where most visitors base themselves. It’s a lively town with a main street (Calle Santander) lined with craft shops and restaurants, hotels to suit...
3
Tourist Central on Lake Atitlan
About a 3-hour drive from Guatemala City, Panajachel (or Pana for short) is the main destination on the shores of Lake Atitlan. As a result the tourist infrastructure is well established here with...
4
Panajachel, located in the Guatemala Highlands provides a spectacular place to view as Aldous Huxley claimed "Atitlan is the most beautiful lake in the world." Around the lake are three 10,000ft....
5
This magnificent caldera is ringed by three volcanoes and many tiny Mayan villages. The hub of the area is the village of Panajachel, mainly a village of Kaqchikel Maya whose ancestors were settled......
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