Arriving in Panajachel in the late afternoon from Chichi, I checked into Larry's Rooms for the night (150Q). The room was a decent size but a bit gloomy so the next day I moved into Mario's Rooms and negotiated 100Q per night as I stayed there for 8 nights. I got an upstairs room that was clean and bright, quiet and had plenty of hot water. The staff were very friendly and I highly recommend this hotel.
Pana lies among some really pretty scenery and located at 1,560 m above sea level, it offers an escape from the heat that I "enjoyed" so much throughout my travels through Central America - I was there in late August and found that it got chilly enough in the evening to warrant a sweater. Another thing I really liked about Pana was that it was easy to escape the tourist throng by simply going a few streets off the strip. Generally, I found people in Pana, both the locals and the tourists, to be very friendly and I felt at home there. I went on numerous day excursions to other villages that surround Lake Atitlan and also to a couple of other villages that lie around Solola. I also spent numerous days just walking the streets and practising and improving my Spanish.
Eating
- Marios rooms - tasty and great value for money breakfast
- The last cafe on the right on Santander as you head towards the lake - nice breakfast in a tranquil garden setting
- Maktub'ar Cafe Jardin on Santander - good wood-fired pizza and reasonably-priced meals
- Rolo's Pizza on Calle Real - cheap and good pizza either whole or by the slice
- Casa Blanca - good Italian fare, although a little pricey
- Guajimbos - if meat is your thing, here is the place
- Late night eating - the taco cart that is stationed across the street from Marios Rooms
Coffee
- Crossroads Cafe - simply the best coffee in Pana (and possibly Guatemala) and out of this world cakes and cookies - you gotta get some of that carrot cake, or the cheese cake for that matter!
- Cafe to the left of the dinosaur sculpture at the end of Santander - good coffee and croissants
Bars
- Maktub'ar Cafe Jardin - an inviting open-air, well-stocked bar and restaurant. 60s-90s rock and interesting mix of non-mainstream music played here and occasional live music. Friendly bar staff. Popular with both Guatemalans and travellers
- Circus Bar - Live Guatemalan combos play in this cozy bar/restaurant that also serves up decent pizza and pasta
- Pana Rock - popular with the younger gringo set, live music (often poorly played) and music videos on the big screen
Day Trips
- San Marcos - funky cottages and rooms in this quiet village. I would imagine a great place for couples wanting to get away from it all. A little more expensive than elsewhere on the lake for accommodation
- Santa Cruz - a good place to chill out. I met numerous tourists studying Spanish here. You gotta spend a bit of couch time on the front porch and soak up the magnificent view of the lake from this prime vantage point
- San Pedro - if getting high and partying is your thing, this is your place on the lake
- Santiago Atitlan - Tip some local kids to lead you to see Maximon... unique and bizarre
- San Jorge - Catch a chicken bus (if you are game) up to Solola and get off about half way at San Jorge to soak up a great ariel view of the lake
Travel & Day Trip Arrangements
Zonas Turisticas - on Santander next to the ice-cream parlour - English spoken, lake excursions organised. The friendly owner has great local knowledge and can organise a host of other day trip options. I booked a shuttle van with this agency for my return journey back to Antigua and was relived to ride in the comfort of a Mercedes van with plenty of leg room. The cautious driver took the route to Antigua that skirted the lake and this was a really pleasurable trip... for a change
Part 4 - Copan ruins, Honduras - to follow
Blurock - Thanks again for taking the time to share your insights. I had to laugh out loud at our differing takes on Pana and San Pedro. I always sort of bristle when I read quick, negative assessments of places I've spent a week or more and loved, knowing the writer or speaker simply didn't spend enough time to see the great bits of the place. I was guilty of that with Pana, staying just 1 night and glad to leave because of the throngs of tourists and hawkers. And your take on San Pedro is the same - I stayed for a week living up by the local market with a wonderful family and studying at the excellent Cooperativa school. My contact with the "get high and party" crowd was only in the surrounds of the Pana dock as I arrived and I was so pleased by how traditional the town is, by the friendly locals and miles and miles of winding foot paths and lovely gardens; in my part of town I hardly saw another gringo the whole week, except at the school. Lesson learned - again!
Hopefulist, thanks for sharing your experiences. I suppose when I return to Guatemala, I will have to revisit San Pedro and experience the village life that you write about. I did walk around San Pedro a bit when I visited there and travelled up some of those winding paths and, on reflection, I should have given the town more of a chance.
Blu Rock,
Thanks for the entry. I really like the format that you use, simple and to the point. Your view of these places are very similar to mine. Next trip you might try to visit Maximon in San Jorge.
Wow! An intelligent trip report (no offense CAgirlEuroSpring)! Although I agree and disagree with some of the posters opinions, that is what opinions are for. It would be a dull world if we all liked the same things. Good job.
Thanks for another interesting report and glad to hear someone else likes Pana as I do. I will be back in Pana in January.
Thanks for the reports. "San Pedro - if getting high and partying is your thing, this is your place on the lake" Being a 3 year resident of San Pedro, I agree with hopefulist's assessment. Once you get passed that unfortunately cluttered dock, San Pedro is definitely worth a deeper look. Even the New Lonely Planet Guatemala has finally given San Pedro a non-party/druggie description. Hopefully the new mayor will help us clean up San Pedro's entrance and welcoming point.
I'll have to give Pana another try one of these days too.
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