Panajachel

Panajachel is in the Western Highlands of Guatemala . Panajachel, or Pana as it is widely known is a small town on the North shore of Lake Atitlán . Pana is a small town with a booming tourist industry. Along with Antigua and Flores , Panajachel is one of the major tourist areas in Guatemala .

There is no bus station yet, but chicken buses, taxis and shuttle buses congregate at the intersection of Calle Principal and Calle Santander, or you can catch them along the highway near the gas stations at the northwest entrance of town.

"Chicken buses"

As of July 2024, there are no more frequent direct " chicken buses " from Guatemala City. The office they used to run from went out of business during the Covid pandemic. There may still be one that goes just once daily, leaving Pana for Guate early in the morning. What locals do instead is take a bus to Los Encuentros, a dusty crossroads on the Guate-Quetzaltenango route, and change there (2.5 hrs, Q40 from Guatemala City in July 2024). A bus from Los Encuentros to Sololá costs Q3.5 to Q5 ( quetzales ), and from Sololá you can take ano

Panajachel is quite small, and you can walk practically anywhere within 20 minutes. Small three-wheel taxis (or tuk-tuks) continually circle the few streets, and cost Q5 for any destination in Panajachel, Q10 if the ride requires going off the delta (uphill), for example to the Nature reserve (3 people negotiated a ride back for only Q20).

Other towns along the lakeshore can be easily reached by public speedboats. See the Lake Atitlán article or articles for specific towns for more details.

Casa Cakchiquel ,

Calle 14 Febrero

( Corner of Santander and 14 Febrero ),

☏

+502 7762 09 69 ,

[email protected] .

Built in 1948, Casa Cakchiquel was one of the first hotels on the lake and according to legend, Ernersto "Che" Guevara, Ingrid Bergman, and other intellectuals, artists, and writers enjoyed the house at its best. Today the house has been restored and features a fair trade store, rotating exhibits, and a vintage photo and postcard gallery. It is also home to organizations Thirteen Thread and Radio 5. WiFi

free .

Lake Atitlan Villages If you are staying in Panajachel it is quite possible to explore a number of the villages around the lake in one day with a combination of lanchas, tuk-tuks and walking as follows. Catch a lancha to San Pedro La Laguna and walk to S

Watch the sunset from the beach . You have a better angle to view it from here than in most of the other popular towns on the lake - and Lake Atitlán sunsets can be especially spectacular.

Volunteer

Robert Muller LIFE School ; LIFE's mission is to provide a top-notch, multicultural education to expat and indigenous children alike. LIFE School is the only English-speaking non-profit school in Guatemala. 44% of its current students receive some form of financial assistance.

You can also volunteer for free with Mayan Families . The organization provides support to Indigenous and Ladino Guatema

(Note: Before choosing a restaurant and/or hotel, it is recommended to stop by the Nature Reserve and pick up their list of hotels who have joined the recycling collective. The city has a huge pollution problem and those not on the list are considered to be exacerbating the issue. Choosing places on the list and avoiding those not on the list can help ensure your own stay doesn't contribute to the problem.)

Guajimbo's , Calle Santander. (Uruguayan) The menu notes that their vegetables are disinfected and they use purified water for drinking water and ice. They have the best steaks: huge, grilled to perfection with creative toppings. Live music most evenings at 19:00.

Las Chinitas ,

Plaza Los Patios, Calle Santander .

Serving Chinese, Japanese, and Malaysian food in a variety of combina

Local cafes and comedores in Panajachel serve coffee, soft drinks, and fruit juices throughout the day. Guatemala is renowned for its highland-grown coffee, and a cup of locally sourced brew is a must-try. Gallo is the most popular local beer. Fresh fruit licuados (blended drinks) are also widely available. Bottled water is recommended for visitors.

Accommodation options in Panajachel are limited but adequate for travellers passing through. Small hotels and hospedajes (guesthouses) may be available in or near the town centre. For a wider selection of lodging, the departmental capital or larger neighbouring towns offer more choices. Advance planning is recommended during local festivals and holiday periods.

Mayan boys, girls, women & men walk the streets of Pana from morning until night selling authentic Mayan good such as textiles, paintings, jewelry, clothing, accessories and even nuts. They can be quite hard sellers and will very often approach people dining inside of restaurants along the main roads (Calle Santander especially). It is common to be approached a dozen times while eating and sometimes a refusal will result in a begging appeal for money to buy food. Usually a very firm ' No thanks' will do the trick. Prices of the goods offered seem to compete fairly well with shops selling simil

Neighbouring towns and the Sololá departmental capital are reachable by bus or microbus. The region offers opportunities for further exploration of Guatemala's diverse landscape. Check local transport schedules for onward connections to other departments and major cities.