3 Unique Things to Do in Panajachel, Lake Atitlan
When planning a trip to Guatemala, you are likely to spend a good portion of your time on the majestic Lake Atitlan. During our stay in Panajachel, the majority of the time the lake was covered in clouds except for the early morning, but the magnitude and almost spiritual nature of this place will fill your senses regardless of the weather.
When looking into transportation from Guatemala City’s airport, the fastest and most direct route to the lake is to head to Panajachel, which is on the eastern side of the lake and the primary transportation hub.
After having been there, I think the other towns on the lake would be worth spending more time in. Panajachel is the transportation hub of the lake, and it feels like it. The streets are far busier with cars, and there are fewer cutesy areas to walk around when compared to the other towns on the lake we visited.
However, the town is still charming and overflowing with street food vendors once dinner time rolls around. And of course, not to mention my favorite hostel company, Selina Lake Atitlan, where we stayed, is located in Panajachel.
But without further digression, here were some of my favorite unique discoveries for you to participate in during your stay in Panajachel.
1. Get a Massage at Spa Lirios for $25
One of my favorite things to do while traveling is finding local spas in the areas I am in. Often run by women in the community and not major hotels, it’s a great opportunity to support the local area, and the massages often come at a much lower price, and the quality of the massage is insane.
We stumbled on this little spa off one of the side streets close to the water (street Calle Monte Rey on the map). Just walk along this street and you should come upon the sign for the spa shown below. Their basic massage (which was far from basic, one of the best massages I’ve had!) for a 1 hour ran us $25 each. I went with my boyfriend and we were able to be in the same room for a “couples massage” for $50. An unheard-of price in the United States. Just make sure you bring cash to pay as there is no card accepted, (around 200 quetzals, Guatemala’s currency).
2. Club Azul Rosa on the Lakefront
A beautiful club right on the water by the docks in Panajachel, this place gets lively at night on the weekends with unique EDM DJs that provide the night’s entertainment. While we were not there on the weekend to make one of their parties, we heard from many travelers around the lake that they put on great weekend events and the music was awesome for House EDM lovers. Definitely the only club besides Selina’s club (which is right next door) in Panajachel. So if you’re looking to party on the weekends, definitely check out Club Azul Rosa.
In a fortuitous meeting, on our bus ride to Panajachel, we met the owner of the club Alan, which is how we learned about Azul Rosa. An absolutely great dude that started the club and also a small “capsule hostel” right on the beach called Macá Hotel. While we did not stay here during our time in Panajachel, we got to see the location, which is also right on the water within walking distance of the club. The modules were built for two people and would be a perfect stop for a couple to check out.
You can check out Club Azul Rosa’s Facebook, which serves as their website, or their Instagram for updates on the DJs they have come, as well as when the boat parties are running that they host.
3. Visit Chichicastenango Market from Panajachel
One of the major reasons to base yourself in Panajachel for a few days is because of its proximity to the market in Chichicastenango. However, the details of this incredible market and our trip there is something I will dive into in another post because this excursion deserves one.
Panajachel is one of the more major cities within a decent driving distance to ChiChi (how the locals refer to the market), being only an hour and a half to 2 hours away.
There are a number of ways to get to the market from Panajachel, ranging from fancier private options to cheap local chicken buses. However, the option I would recommend, and the one we ultimately ended up choosing, was the tour through our hostel Selina.
The transportation to and from ChiChi, roughly a four-hour round trip, left at 8 in the morning and brought you back from the market at 2 PM. The four hours there was more than enough time to explore the vast areas of the market as well as see the colorful cemetery in ChiChi. The tour only cost us $25 per person, being highly reasonable for an all-day trip in my opinion.
There were definitely cheaper options, but this tour was the best in terms of safety, reliability, price, and ease of booking. Also, it is to my knowledge that even if you are not staying at the Selina in Panajachel, you can still book the tour through their front desk for ChiChi.
