gringotenango

One of my favorite things to do in Pana is watch people. There are a lot of local Maya people, many selling weavings and other tourist wares on the streets. A lot of expats, especially hippies both old and young who ended up in Pana. And of course, there are tourists from all over the world.

Quick Tips:

There are a lot of tours offered out of Pana, and you can get buses to the major crossroads and thus to anywhere in the highlands. Definitely take a trip on Lake Atitlan, which is brilliant blue and ringed with volcanoes.

Best Way To Get Around:

Pana's small - you can walk anywhere you need to. Buses stop at the end of the main street and will take you a lot of the main highlands destinations.

Despite the interesting name, this hotel was pretty normal. The room was fine, and the shared bathroom was pretty much what we had expected. There was hot water, but you had to ring a bell and then wait for it to be turned on. However, if you look around Panajachel, you can find similar quality rooms for a lot less than we were paying (which was about $5/person, but still, you can go cheaper).

Lake Atitlan is INCREDIBLY GORGEOUS. That's all I can really say. It's intensely blue and there are volcanoes all around it. If you go down to the beach, you'll get offered tickets to a boat ride across the lake. You can choose to go to one of the many communities around the lake or a full-day tour that includes several. You can also swim in the lake or walk along the beach. The beach itself is narrow and not very nice, but the views, especially at sunset, are fabulous.

There's one main road in Pana that leads to the lake, and all along it are shops and stalls where you can buy typical Guatemalan handicrafts and other souvenirs. A lot of this stuff is cheaper in Chichicastenango, though decent deals can be had here. Especially look for weaving and embroidery in the local style - a lot of blues and greens in honor of Lake Atitlan - and jewelry made and sold by the town's resident bohemians.

Santiago Atitlan is one of the bigger towns around Lake Atitlan. You can take a boat over to the island from docks in Pana. Once there, there's enough to do to fill up a couple hours. The town is famous for its embroidery, mostly of birds. You can walk up the street toward the market shopping in little shops. You can also find a guide to take you to Maximon. Maximon is the local deity or patron saint - depending on who you talk to he's a Catholic saint or a much older folk belief. We followed an old man up the twisty cobblestone streets to a little compound - Maximon's location changes every so often, as different families care for him. We ducked under a low doorway into a dim room where Maximon - a full sized statue clothed in men's clothes sat, flanked by two men and surrounded by offerings of money and cigarettes. According to the people there, if you bring a wish to Maximon three times, it will be granted. This was pretty cool to see.