Lago de Atitlán has many great swimming spots and pretty places to chill along its beautiful shores. After a lancha ride over from Panajachel to San Pedro La Laguna and dropping our stuff at our hotel, we set out to find one of these pretty spots. Playa La Finca is a black sand beach that sits a little ways south of San Pedro and can be reached by water or on foot. It’s a lovely spot to hang out on the shores of the lake and take in the views.
Getting to Playa La Finca
Kayaking to Playa La Finca
We spend a lot of our summer kayaking and really enjoy this water activity. So, we were really excited for the opportunity to head out on the gorgeous Lago de Atitlán. Kayaking to Playa La Finca is a great option for those looking to get out on the lake because the beach is not too far from town and you kayak along the shore the whole way, making the beach fairly easy to find and avoiding having to cross large sections of lake amongst lancha traffic.
It took us about an hour to make it out to Playa La Finca. This day, the wind was a bit strong, so we were fighting the headwinds and waves the whole way out. The way back was a bit quicker with the wind at our backs, even with us just taking it easy and floating more to enjoy the views along the shore.
There are multiple places to rent kayaks in San Pedro La Laguna, such as Kayaks & Adventures Hito and Jet Skis & Kayaks Diego. You can reach out online or via WhatsApp or visit in advance to inquire about reserving a kayak or paddle board. Some accommodations also have equipment available for guests. We just showed up the afternoon we arrived in San Pedro, looked for kayak rental signs near the public beach, and rented one right then. We opted for a two-person kayak, which cost Q40 per hour, and took it out for a few hours. You can sometimes get a discount if you book for multiple hours.
Taking the Trail to Playa La Finca
If you’re not up for kayaking to Playa La Finca, you can also reach the beach on foot. It takes about an hour to reach it from the heart of San Pedro. Follow the road that leads south from the town until it ends near a basketball court. Follow the trail that continues from here towards an abandoned coffee mill. Just down the hill from there is Playa La Finca.
There are quite a few properties in the area and we have read of people having some trouble finding the right path to the beach. We’d recommend downloading Google Maps for the area in advance and asking locals in town to confirm the route if you have any doubts.
Private Lancha
While the regular lanchas don’t run routes to Playa La Finca, you could hire a private boat and driver for the day to take you to various spots around the lake. Prices for private lanchas generally start at Q400, but vary depending on the number of stops, distance, amount of time you want to hire a boat for, your negotiation skills, etc.
Visiting Playa La Finca
After the kayak from San Pedro, we arrived to Playa La Finca. We pulled our kayak up onto the shore and unloaded our bag. We found a nice spot to lay out our towels and relax. Despite the smoky skies that plagued our entire visit to Guatemala, we still found the views to be beautiful.
Playa La Finca’s black sand comes from the volcanic activity in the area. Volcán San Pedro actually towers behind the beach. While it is pretty sandy along the water’s edge, some of the beach and area in the water is rocky, so bring sandals/water shoes.
This beach is somewhat remote and completely undeveloped, making it a perfect little escape into nature. There are no amenities, like restrooms, and no vendors around. Please make sure you pack out all of your trash. There was only one other couple there and a few stray dogs trotting up and down the beach. Coming from the heart of winter in Montana, we were enjoying being surrounded by forest and basking in the sun.
Notes on Kayaking on Lago de Atitlán
Kayaking on Lago de Atitlán is a very popular activity and offers a great way to see more of the lake. Most kayak rental agencies will provide life vests and some will have the option to choose between one or two-person kayaks.
Before heading out on the water, we’d recommend checking the weather forecast for the day, not only for thunderstorms, but for the winds as well. There have been instances of people drowning or getting swept out far into the lake. Winds tend to pick up in the afternoon. This, along with increased lancha activity in the afternoons can make the water pretty choppy and more difficult to navigate. We went out on the lake in the early afternoon and the wind made the kayak to Playa La Finca a bit tiring.
The wind also churned up some waves that were sizeable enough to slosh into our kayak. So, if you have your camera, phone, snacks, or other items you don’t want getting wet, consider leaving them behind or bringing a waterproof bag. Some kayak rental companies also have these available to use.
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