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Crater lake in Guatemala
Photo: via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Lago de Atitlán (English: Lake Atitlán) is a beautiful volcanic lake in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, renowned as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, and is one of Guatemala's most important national and international tourist attractions. It is ringed by small towns, many of which are favourites among backpackers. The region encompasses the lake and the towns around them. Panajachel is the most accessible, but further afield are the backpacker hangout San Pedro La Laguna, the "less party, more meditation" village of San Marcos, or, not just geographically in the middle, San Juan la Laguna. Because of the region's popularity, tourism is growing in other towns along the lake, such as Santa Cruz la Laguna and San Juan.
A place perched on the hillside between Santa Cruz la Laguna and San Marcos. Facing the volcanos, with amazing views, friendly staff. Only accessible by boat.
A high-end resort, a few kilometers to the west of Panajachel on the bay of San Buenaventura.
Most travelers arrive in Panajachel. Bus and other transportation instructions are in that town's article.
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Most of the towns on the lake are accessible by road, but in most cases this involves taking a very long way around, up over the mountains rimming the lake and then back over them again in a…
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Articles and travel topics about Lake Atitlán and Guatemala.
Nature & adventureVolcanoes come in many shapes and sizes, and their eruptions vary hugely in both frequency and intensity. Many volcanoes are tourist attractions and are worth a visit provided you take due care, in particular keeping a…
Wikivoyage
Nature & adventureGuatemala has more than 30 national parks preserving many types of ecosystems including dense lowland tropical jungle, mountainous forests, volcanic peaks, and the subterranean wonders of natural caverns.
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Culture & historyThe indigenous peoples of North America are the tribes and nations whose ancestors were already on the continent when European explorers and colonizers arrived.
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Culture & historyThe Maya civilization was one of the great Mesoamerican and Pre-Columbian civilizations. The Maya were renowned for having the most sophisticated and developed writing system in the Western Hemisphere as well as their…
Wikivoyage
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