Panajachel is a popular tourist town on the shores of Lake Atitlán, in the department of Sololá in Guatemala. It sits in the Central America highlands of North America, and many visitors know it simply as Pana.
The town is best known for its views. From the lakeside, travellers look out over the water toward the volcanoes that rise around Lake Atitlán, and the changing light across the lake is a large part of the appeal of a stay here.
What a visit offers
Panajachel works well as a base. Its main attraction is the lake itself, and the town serves as a gateway for exploring the shoreline and the traditional communities that surround it. Many of these are indigenous Maya villages, each with its own character, so a day trip across the water can bring a visitor into a very different pace of life from the town's busier streets.
Planning your trip
- Stay on the lake: the town's position on the shore makes the water and the volcano views part of everyday life here.
- Explore beyond the town: the surrounding villages are the reason many travellers come, so allow time to go further afield.
- Go with respect: these are living communities, and visitors are guests in them.
If you are drawn to lakes, volcanic scenery and the presence of Maya communities, Panajachel is a natural place to begin, and a good one to return to at the end of each day's exploring.
