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City and municipality in Sololá, Guatemala
Photo: User: (WT-shared) Velorian at wts wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 1.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Panajachel is in the Western Highlands of Guatemala. Panajachel, or Pana as it is widely known is a small town on the North shore of Lake Atitlán. Pana is a small town with a booming tourist industry. Along with Antigua and Flores, Panajachel is one of the major tourist areas in Guatemala.
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Built in 1948, Casa Cakchiquel was one of the first hotels on the lake and according to legend, Ernersto "Che" Guevara, Ingrid Bergman, and other intellectuals, artists, and writers enjoyed the house at its best. Today the house has been restored and features a fair trade store, rotating exhibits, and a vintage photo and postcard gallery. It is also home to organizations Thirteen Thread and Radio 5. WiFi
In the nearby village of Santa Cruz La Laguna is ATI Divers. Diving in the lake is interesting as this is high altitude diving into a fresh water lake. Also, due to the fact the volcanic activity is present there are hot spots under the bed of the lake. At various points it is possible to feel the heat with your hands by digging them into the floor of the lake. The life in the lake consists of crabs, fish, snails and plants. ATI Divers do the PADI open water course for US$220 over four days. PADI advanced is $200. Fun dives are $30/$50. They also do an altitude dive course for $80. Located on the same site and run by the same people is La Iguana Perdida.
Offers quality bike rentals for village around the lake also offers boat tours, trekking around the lake, climbing volcanoes, coffee tour, and other adventures ideal for adventure tourism can be organizing in Panajachel.
Reserva Natural Atitlán
for Q55 the nearby Reserva Natural Atitlán, or Atitlan Nature Reserve and butterfly sanctuary is part of an old coffee finca. You can see monkeys, coatimundis and many species of birds, walk on hanging bridges towards the waterfall or the private beach. Stay in their "green" Hotel Atitlan. The oldest house in the area (~1700 AD) and a stone, German-built mill (~1880s AD) are on the property. You can ride eight zip lines across the valley with a great view of the property, the lake and the volcanoes and then ride into the forest for Q220 (which also includes the normal Q55 admission to the Reserva). The equipment and gear is very secure and you always have two guides.
Private boat tours to explore the more remote areas of the lake, or for private transportation to any area of the lake. Ideal for birdwatching, visiting the geothermal hot springs, or just for a swim in the middle of the lake. Also
Serving Chinese, Japanese, and Malaysian food in a variety of combinations. On one night the crowd was almost entirely foreigners, with a folk band of gringos playing 1960s and 70s American hits. They use purified water for vegetables and drinking.
Good pizza. Typically features live bands at night on weekends. Well known place, now with another branch in Antigua.
The tables are in an open room with gorgeous views over the lake. Cuisine includes Mexican and international dishes. Come for the view, not for the food - it's not that good. Prices are mid-range, with entrees at Q30-40. Enjoy an exotic cocktail or a variety of beers from the bar. The menu notes that their vegetables are disinfected and they use purified water for drinking water and ice. Live Music every night of the week.
Cuisine: Italian/traditional Guatemalan. Provides a delicious typical breakfast plate.
Serves traditional Japanese dining in a beautiful, authentic Japanese restaurant.
Provides wi-fi to customers. 2-for-1 Cuba Libres (rum, coke & lime wedge) for Q25 & Black Russians (blanco y negro) for Q30.
Buy a cubetazo of your favorite beer (or peruse the extensive drink menu), meet some locals and listen to Latin Rock or a live band with an ambiance unrivaled by any bar in the country.
Q75 per person per night for room with shower, private room, WiFi, and they arrange tour around the Atitlan lake.
(Feb 2011) Q80 per person/night for room with no shower (shared, not ensuite, and located at the ground floors—might be problematic if you ate at street stalls!), including breakfast, and drinking water. So friendly and helpful. A beautiful courtyard, nice rooms. Free WiFi, albeit a slow but adequate connection.
If you do not mind shared bathrooms, then this is an excellent place. It is clean, quiet, and comfortable. Cost is about US$5 per night. It is particularly nice to have an upstairs room, where the window on the back wall lets in gentle breezes from the lake. Great lake views from the roof. Convenient to the main road, but you will feel that you are deeply in Guatemala. The Sanchez family are very sweet people, who respect your privacy, but are willing to help you with anything.
Can get busy at weekends due to an influx of visitors from Guatemala City, this hotel has comfortable rooms, a beautiful garden, free WiFi, swimming pool, and restaurant.
A mid-scale hotel right in the middle of Panajachel. Renovated in 2000, most of the rooms are on the second floor. Around US$40 per night.
Quiet, nicely decorated rooms with Guate fabrics, artwork, set around a beautiful courtyard with birds and hammocks. Honor system for beers and sodas. Private baths with hot water, and a sauna on the grounds. Continental breakfast included with the room. You can also book boat and other tours here. The owner (Marie Lissette) is very helpful and aims to please.
Very clean, quiet and comfortable hotel. It's a bit of a walk from the centre of the town, but well worth it for the free WiFi, (small) hot tub, kitchen and sushi restaurant.
Nice, clean and friendly place. Not very social but fabulous hosts. Water from shower head was hot & bathroom reasonably clean. Garden in centre court was lush & gorgeous.
Nice, clean and friendly place with guest kitchen, good showers, Wi-Fi. 14.739929, -91.158463.
Surrounded by an old coffee plantation. 10 houses offer double rooms, or units with double rooms, living and dining rooms plus a fully equipped kitchen. It is flanked by two rivers, has a private beach and it is only a 4 min walk to the Atitlán Nature Reserve.
62-room lakeside hotel with extensive, beautifully-designed gardens leading right up to the lake, an aviary with macaws, parrots, hummingbirds. The hotel lobby has a theme of antique Catholic wood carvings. The outdoor unheated pool offers a great view of the volcanoes. It's located about a five min walk from the Atitlan Nature Reserve and the butterfly sanctuary.
12 min walk from Panajachel proper, the Nature Reserve has units surrounded by nature with private deck and a campground with bathrooms.
A protected area with tourism and lodging. It goes nearly to the top of Volvan Atitlan. You can see an old coffee "benefacio", where freshly picked coffee is still processed. Many very rare birds have been spotted on the property, as well as a giant local species of bamboo that grows as big as telephone poles, with its feet in hot volcano water. Various lodging options, from doubles and triples to dorm rooms to camping.
By boat
If you have arrived at other parts of the lake without passing through Pana already, you can get to the town by public speedboat from San Pedro, Santiago Atitlán, and most other towns in between.
By pickup truck
Fletes (Toyota pickups) can be found near the market. They are the cheapest way to get to nearby towns - if there's a direct road to them.
Panajachel is quite small, and you can walk practically anywhere within 20 minutes.
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