Panajachel is the largest city sitting on the shores of Lago de Atitlán. While the city is a bustling hub, you’ll also find that it has a very laid back vibe and is surrounded by natural beauty. We started our Atitlán adventure here, spending a couple nights in the city before moving on to another area of the lake. Here’s a basic guide for your visit to Panajachel.
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Why Stay in Panajachel?
There are quite a few great options to consider when deciding which city to stay in during your visit to Lago de Atitlán. If you have the time, we’d recommend staying a day or two in multiple cities. However, if you don’t have the time to switch cities or just want to stay in one accommodation, you can easily explore different areas around the lake on day trips.
Panajachel is a popular city to stay in among those visiting the lake. As the largest city, it has the most options for accommodation and dining. There are many things to do in Panajachel and various tour companies operating there if you’re looking for excursions in the area. Furthermore, it’s the most connected of the cities along the lake, making it the easiest to reach from Antigua, Guatemala City, etc.
Each city along the shores of Lago de Atitlán has a different vibe. With the massive growth in tourism to this area of Guatemala, each town has adapted, and accommodation, more lanchas to shuttle tourists around, restaurants and cafés, picturesque street art, and tour agencies have popped up. While Panajachel has grown in popularity among visitors, it is also still the main hub for those living in the various communities on the lake. In our opinion, this allowed a more authentic side of the city to shine through than in some of the other towns.
Getting There and Away
Shuttle Transfer
One of the most common ways among tourists to travel between cities is by van transport. There are many companies you can find online to book a transfer between Antigua, the airport or bus terminal in Guatemala City, various cities along the shores of Atitlán, and other destinations. Some popular options to book through include Guatemala Rides, Guate Driver, Simoon Tours, Transport Guatemala, and Quetzal Shuttle. You can also find options through Get Your Guide and Viator as well as various companies and drivers posting their contact information on travel forums.
Additionally, hotels are often willing to organize a ride for you. We’d recommend doing a little searching before organizing a ride through your hotel to make sure you aren’t being overcharged. Our hotel in Panajachel quoted us quite a bit higher than the various companies listed online. We used Transport Guatemala to travel from the airport in Guatemala City to Panajachel.
We’ve heard a lot of negative stories across companies regarding shuttles not showing up, terrible customer service, etc. So, come in with a little patience and flexibility in case issues arise. We encountered an issue on this leg of the journey where the shuttle showed up over 2 hours late. They claimed it was because of a strike near the airport, but we had been watching all of the other shuttles come and go and were the last group of gringos waiting outside.
Public Bus
There are colorful public buses (camionetas) that connect Panajachel to Guatemala City, Antigua, Quetzaltenango, and other cities in the area. These are definitely the most budget-friendly mode of transport. Buses will often have their destination indicated in the front and someone will sometimes be shouting the destination out the front door. One thing to note is that you’ll likely have to make a transfer or two to get to Panajachel by bus (including from Antigua and Guatemala City).
If you don’t know much Spanish, we wouldn’t recommend taking the public buses. We also wouldn’t recommend this if you have a lot of luggage. Furthermore, with traffic, transfers you may have to do, and stops the buses make, it will take longer than a shuttle.
Lanchas
Lanchas are the small boats that cruise around the lake, connecting the various towns along Lago de Atitlán. Just head to the embarcadero on the main beach in Panajachel and you’ll have people asking if you need a ride. When we were there, the guys running the boats were wearing white polos and had a little booth set up near the beach.
Lanchas cost between Q10 and Q30, depending where you’re headed. Note that locals do get a discounted rate, so don’t get confused if you’re being charged more as a foreigner.
Boats operate from Panajachel between 6:00am and 7:30pm. They generally leave every 30 minutes, but schedules aren’t really set and boats leave when full. Also note that boats stop running from other cities along the lake earlier than Panajachel (sometimes 5:30-6pm), so make sure to head back to Pana at a reasonable hour to avoid getting stuck in a town you aren’t planning to stay in.
Getting Around Panajachel
While Panajachel is the largest city on the shores of Lago de Atitlán, it is still fairly small and very walkable. Most of the accommodation, dining options, and shops sit around the shoreline fairly close to each other.
If you need to go a further distance or don’t feel like walking, there are tuk tuks around. Rides within the town should cost between Q5-Q10 with rides beyond the city costing more. Always agree on a price before taking a ride and have cash to pay for it.
Where to Stay
Panajachel has a range of accommodation to suit any traveler. Here are a handful of great options for your stay.
Budget:
- El Apartamento: Dorms and shared bathrooms
- Hotel Maya America: Double rooms with private bathrooms
- Casa Esperanza: Double rooms with shared bathrooms to private apartments
Mid-Range:
- Sociatel Atitlán: Dorms to double rooms with private bathrooms
- Villas Jabel Tinamit: Private apartments
- Hotel Utz Jay: Standard rooms to family rooms with private bathrooms
- Villa Santa Catarina: Standard rooms with private bathrooms to suites and included breakfast
High-End:
- Porta Hotel del Lago: Standard to premium rooms
- Villas Jucanya: Private villas
- Hotel Atitlán: Double and family rooms
Where to Eat
There are quite a few good options for dining in Panajachel, many of which are located along Calle Santander. If you walk down that street, you’ll come across many restaurants and some street stalls that set up, particularly in the evenings.
If you want affordable local dishes, head to the Mercado Municipal or visit one of the street vendors. We came across vendors selling elotes, fresh cut fruit and juices, cocktails, sandwiches, grilled meats, pupusas, and more.
Some great restaurants in town to visit include El Rincón del Chef for a variety of fusion dishes, Café y Restaurante Blue Lake for breakfast and some seafood dishes with a view, Delhi 6 for Indian, Comedor Mary and El Ultimo Refugio for local dishes, La Lanterna or Circus Bar for Italian, Chalí Café or Nativo Café for breakfast, Crossroads Café for coffee and desserts, Cheros Bar for Pupusas, or Restaurante Mexicano la Michoacana and Taquería el Charro for Mexican.
Azul Rosa is a popular traveler hangout spot that serves food and drinks throughout the day and converts to a club/beach party spot Thursday through Saturday nights. Other popular bars include Simoneta Mixology Cantina, Tipzy Goat, and Exotic Drinks.
Groceries
If you are looking for basic grocery items to cook a meal at your hostel, snacks, or water, there are many tiendas and a couple larger grocery stores in Panajachel. Despensa Familiar and La Torre will have the most variety of groceries in addition to basic toiletry items and beer/liquor.
Tours
There are many things to do in the area that don’t require a tour. However, if you want a guided excursion, there are many tour options, from kayak trips and visits to the Chichicastenango market to ATV adventures and tours of the multiple towns along the lake.
There are a few tour operators located in Panajachel that you can book through upon arrival or reach out to in advance. You can also find many different tours and excursions on sites like Get Your Guide and Viator. If you’re on a tight schedule or have exact tours and timings in mind, we’d recommend doing a little research and booking in advance of your visit.
Money
When visiting Panajachel, you’ll likely need cash. While the growth in tourism has expanded the acceptance of card at various establishments, many places still only accept cash. At market stalls, street food vendors, some restaurants, when taking tuk tuks and lanchas, etc., you may need cash. Some hotels, restaurants, and other spots will charge a fee for using a card as well.
There are a handful of ATMs in Panajachel. Wherever we travel, we always recommend going to one inside a bank or monitored business and to only pull out money during the day when possible. There are ATMs in other towns around the lake; however, they were only the 5B bank ATMs, which charged a higher fee. The Banco Industrial ATMs in Pana offered a lower fee, so we took out enough cash to last us until we went to Antigua.
If you have cash you want to exchange for Quetzales, you can do so at the bank. Note that they only accept pristine bills. Some of the tour agencies also have currency exchange services, but be sure to check the rates at the time of your visit to make sure you aren’t getting ripped off.
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