Panajachel

The highlights of Panajachel are noticeable immediately on arrival. Four or five different Mayan cultures mix around the town. The lake that Panajachel is situated on the edge of is Lago Atitlan. The lake has been referred to as one of the most beatuiful in the world. This you also notice very quickly as you descend the road towards Panajachel , or when you take a stroll alongs the lakes edge. The volcanoes of Toliman, Atitlan and San Pedro surround the lakes edge. The volcanoes make an amazing site , especially at sunset. Panajachel has always been a tourist town even during the civil war tourists still managed to find there way here. Due to this very good tourist facilities have been developed. In all price ranges. This is not only true for Panajachel but in recent years other smaller villages on the lakes edge have begun to develop tourist facilities as well. So there is basically something for everyone.

Quick Tips:

A few tips- - Visit a local market - Visit the suuounding villages on the lakes edge - See a sunset - Interact with the locals - Take your time - And of course relax and enjoy

Best Way To Get Around:

Marios is a great place to stay. For the price we paid, $8US for a double, I hadn’t expected such quality rooms. All rooms face a central garden which is nothing spectacular but it does create a nice atmosphere. Also, if you are lucky, you will have a window that faces the lake. You can''t see the lake but the volcanoes are clearly visible. The staff is friendly but their English isn’t that good. Don’t worry they have patience. It is a great chance to practice your Spanish. There is a small restaurant in front of the hotel. Good for breakfast. There is better value and quality food to be found. Panajachel is full of cheap places to stay, so if Marios isn''t your thing just have a look and you will find something you like. Most hotels are on or just off Calle Santander.

Circus Bar has been rated as one of the best bars/restaurants in Guatemala. The food is amazing. It may be a little high for the average backpacker, but take my word, it is worth lashing out. Most mains are under $10US. The bar has a circus theme décor. Old photos, posters and memorabilia. There is great free live music most nights. Also, when ordering drinks the bar attendants may offer you a set of dice. If you roll them and get doubles, the drinks are free. Trust me the dice can be fun and addictive. This is probably the best place to go out in Pana but check around as places open and close often. If you would like a quieter evening, there is a small cinema in town just up from the circus bar. It is a tourist cinema with couches, big screen TV, western movies, but it is an easy way to spend a night.

A good way to spend a day is to hire a bike and visit the nearby villages. You can see the local Mayan people in their fantastic clothing, living their daily life. The road is really only rideable in one direction. So that means you will have to return the same way. If you don’t feel like riding back though or the constant slight inclines are becoming too much (which they do), it is worth trying to find a pick-up that is going from village to village. This shouldn’t be that hard as pick-ups shuttle people from village to village all day long. This will save you having to ride back. A few places rent bikes in Pana just check that the bike is in good condition before leaving. Make sure you take your camera as well. You will get heaps of chances for great photos of the lake and the villages.

Probably one of the best things to do in town is to stroll along the lake's shore. The volcanoes and the lake create quite a sight with the local people and their colorful clothes. And you have something special. Sunset here is great. As the sun sets behind the volcanoes, the sky will come alive as the colors of the lake's water, constantly changes shades of blue green.

A walk along here at night is quite nice as well. The reflecting moon and stars on the water and the outline of the volcanoes in the dark is quite impressive. For a swim the lake is perfect. It is best in the mornings, as by afternoon the lake becomes quite rough. Also beware that the lake gets deep very quickly.

Pana is a good place to use as a base for exploring the nearby area. Chichicastenango, a nearby town, is home to Guatemalas most colorful and well-known market. Thursday and Sunday are the main days. The market was just once a normal rural market selling daily goods. But now the market has become a tourist shopper’s dream or nightmare. The market has become as much a tourist market as a local market now. All the souvenirs you could want can be purchased here. Tourist shuttle buses line the streets on Thursdays and Sundays, as do the tourists. The market is still worth a visit even if you aren’t a tourist attraction person. As the local color is impressive.

An alternative to the market at Chici is the market at Solola on Fridays. It is as impressive for local color. The main difference is that the market at Solola remains to sell locally needed goods. There isn't much tourist orientated stuff. Chichicastenango is an 11/2 hours from Pana. It is easy enough to visit Chici by public transport or you can organize mini bus transport in Pana for about $8US return which is good value, if you don’t want to deal with the local buses. Solola is only a 30 min ride from Pana. Taking the public bus is best. If you have time, both markets are worth visiting. It gives you a chance to see both good and bad aspects of what tourism brings to a town.

The water of the lake is still relatively clear and clean, good for swimming. The lake is a large collapsed volcanic crater and is more than 500 meters deep. Several rivers enter the lake but none leave. The theory is that cracks in the bottom of the lake release water. After the earthquake in 1976 the lake dropped nearly a meter in a few days. The villages around the lake are home to the Cakchiquel and Tzutuhil Maya people. They still live a traditional lifestyle and wear their traditional clothes. Even the men do here, which is becoming rare. The villages on the lake are all worth exploring.

A visit to either Santiago Atitlan or San Pedro la Laguna is also a good day trip. Boats to both these villages leave constantly all day long. It is best to go early in the day though because if the lake gets rough the ride can be quite hair raising as the boats' captains still only go one speed, flat out.

Santiago is a nice place to stroll around and see. The village is quiet but enjoyable. Santiago’s main sight is Maximon, a local deity who is a blend of Maya god and conquistador. The whole Maximon thing is a little strange there is an effigy of a wooden-headed Spanish looking man, it is basically a mannequin. Maximon is usually well-dressed and usually has a cigar burning in his mouth. Maximon is usually housed in a local house where people bring candles, beer and rum as offerings for him. Ask around in town you may be able to track him down. Other than that Santiago has nice church and market days are Friday and Saturday. Both days are good.

San Pedro la Laguna is also a nice quiet village as well. It is similarly to Santiago. No big sites, but it is nice to stroll around or to take lunch or a few drinks in one of the lakeside restaurants. San Pedro has quite an Ex-Pat community, mainly alternative lifestyle people ( hippies ). If the towns do not sound that exciting, it is worth visiting one just so you have a chance to see the lake by boat.