Places to Visit in Panajachel, Guatemala, America

Places to Visit in Panajachel, Guatemala, America

Panajachel is a town located in the Guatemalan Highlands belonging to Solola department, about 110 km away from Guatemala City. Its position on the northeast shore of one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, Lake Atitlan, makes it as one of the popular tourist destinations in the country. Also it is the major gateway for Lake Atitlan.

There are many non-profit organizations registered in Panajachel such as Maya Traditions Foundation, Mayan Families, Friendship Bridge and Mercado Global.

Geography of Panajachel:

Panajachel is located between 14°44′26″ N latitude and91°9′33″ W longitude at an altitude of 1,597 meters.

Etymology of Panajachel:

The literal meaning Panajachel in Kaqchikel language is ‘place of the Matasanos’. Matasano is a native fruit tree.

History of Panajachel:

The shore of Lake Atitla was the site of the war which was happened between Spanish and Tz’utujils. After the war, Spanish built a church and monastery in Panajachel to convert indigenous people to the Roman Catholic faith. The church is still good in condition.

How to reach Panajachel?

Panajachel is well connected with almost all of the cities of the country through roadways by buses. It is located around 50 km and 110 km from Quiche Airport and La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City respectively.

There are regular Chicken buses available from Guatemala City every hour from 6AM to 4PM to Panajachel and also tourists can come from Antigua to Panajachel which costs around USD $15. Tuks-tuks are useful for local travel costing around 5-10Q and also there are boats available to reach nearby towns in Panajachel through Lake Atitla.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Panajachel:

The Maya Traditions Medicine Garden is the major cultural centre of the Panajachel and is also the best place to know on herbal medicine.

Most of the shopping centres of Panajachel located at Calle Santander. The prominent food corners in Panajachel are:

La Terrazza
Anubis Grille
Solomon’s Porch
Ricassoli Pizza Steak House

Things to do in Panajachel:

Scuba diving
Kayaking
Los Elementos Adventure Center
Bike rental
Nature Reserve
Boat Tours

Places to see in Panajachel:

Lake Atitlan:

Lake Atitlan is a tourist paradise and one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, liked by many explorers and tourists. This stunning natural attraction is the deepest lake in Central America with a highest depth of 340 meters. Lake Atitlan is visited by millions of tourists throughout the year for its striking beauty.

Casa Cakchiquel:

Casa Cakchiquel was one of the 1^st hotels on Lake Atitlan and it now houses fair trade store, postcard gallery and traditional photos as well.

La Galeria:

La Galeria is one of the ancient galleries in Central America featuring many traditional artifacts and objects related to the history and culture of Panajachel.

Other places of interest in Panajachel include:

Atitlan Nature Reserve
Hotel Atitlan Gardens
Thirteen Threads Fair Trade Store
Iximche
Casa Cakchiquel
The Maya Traditions Herbal Medicine Garden
Hotel Posada de Don Rodrigo Museum
Atitlan Butterfly Sanctuary
Circus Bar
La Palapa

Best time to visit Panajachel:

The best time to travel Panajachel is during the months between June and September.

Accommodation Options in Panajachel:

Panajachel is one of the famous tourist centres in Guatemala located on the shore of very popular ‘Lake Atitlan’. It is home to plenty of accommodation centres with world class facilities to serve tourists who come from the different regions of the world throughout the year. Booking hotels in advance will be better otherwise tourists may find difficulty in availing hotel room as per their requirement. The major hotels in and around Panajachel are listed below: