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San Juan is known for its street art, but also has a truly beautiful viewpoint overlooking Lago Atitlán and San Juan itself. I followed it’s reputation and made my way to San Juan. I first wanted to hike up the viewpoint as I didn't know how much time I would need. Plus I had hiked Volcán San Pedro the day before and wanted more views of Lago Atitlán from a mountain. The hike or path up viewpoint Kaqasiiwaan isn't difficult in itself, but perhaps I shouldn't have gone the day after hiking up Volcán San Pedro. :D A walk through the streets of San Juan was fine, but my legs were still tired from hiking up a mountain. Well, some lessons you just learn the hard way :D At the top of the viewpoint there is a statue of Mary next to a cross and you have a really beautiful view of the lake, the surrounding mountains, San Juan and you can also admire the Nariz del Indio in daylight at the back of the viewpoint 😊 Go or not? Yes, definitely. San Juan, with its very quaint flair, beautiful street art and cool viewpoint, is really worth a day trip 😊

Small, very pretty and known for its street art. Plus San Juan also has a very beautiful viewpoint. But more about that in another post 😉 San Juan is a village on Lago Atitlán, but I don't think many tourists stay here. It's more of a day trip from another village on Lago Atitlán. That's how I did and perceived it at least. During my visit, I was particularly excited about all the street art, because I had heard that there is significantly more street art in San Juan than in the other villages. Turns out that's true. Plus I personally think the majority of the murals are also much more beautiful. So I strolled through San Juan, let myself be lulled by the peace and quiet, and finally found the street that is probably the reason for San Juan's reputation. Really beautiful street art, quite a lot of it and above all very artistically and culturally inspired. Go or not? San Juan is a very cute little place, perfect for a day trip thanks to its street art and the viewpoint. Really worth a visit 😊

The most breathtaking and spectacular view after the most strenuous hike of my life. That, in a nutshell, is my memory of Volcán San Pedro :D 😊 For the ascent you usually hire a guide who will lead you up the volcano with – in the best case – a few other fellow hikers. With that I'm not saying that you can't theoretically make it up on your own, but I personally would have definitely gotten lost on my own- especially at the beginning. On top of that the guide was very nice and charged a fair price. The meeting point was at the foot or ‘entrance’ of the path up the volcano relatively early in the morning. The path up is... steep as hell. Honestly. And that for the whole way. Like you really walk non-stop up a really steep and sometimes winding path through a variety of vegetation. Meaning you need plenty of water, good footwear that won't slip on dry or muddy ground, some energy snacks for in between and breath. Because the climb and the different environments are not easy. You - among other things - walk past cornfields, coniferous trees and trees covered with moss. Beautiful, no question, and very interesting and incredibly diverse. But also really exhausting :D And yes of course you take breaks along the way – but neither too many, because the way up is simply long and you usually get into a rhythm at some point. One of the breaks though is taken at a super cool ‘swing’, where a tyre hangs from a rope on a tree and you can swing towards the view while sitting or standing on it. Very, very cool 😊 When we reached the top, I personally was completely exhausted because we had been walking steep uphill for over three hours, which is really tiring. :D However, before we got rewarded with the incredible view from Volcán San Pedro, we had to walk through a very enchanted-looking piece of forest with lots of moss-covered trees and climb a small, short staircase. Then I finally saw the view from Volcán San Pedro of Lago Atitlán and I was frankly instantly speechless. I don't think I've ever stared at a view for so long without taking a single photo. Simply because it is absolutely fantastic and incredibly beautiful. To the left and right are mountains/volcanoes, some with small villages directly on the waterfront, and straight ahead is the huge lake, shimmering in all kinds of different shades of blue. And above it all is a bright sun that illuminates the entire scene. It's just unbelievably beautiful. It's a view I'll never forget and where I immediately knew “Yes, it was worth it climbing up this steep volcano for 3 and a half fucking hours.” :D 😊 Up or not? For smokers or people a little less athletic it’s definitely gonna be a challenge. But... Honestly? It's simply worth it. The view is truly spectacular. And Volcán San Pedro is my personal number one of all the things you can do at Lago Atitlán.

Small, quiet and cute. San Marcos is one of the villages on Lago Atitlán and cool because you can jump into the lake from a high platform. There also is a small viewpoint with a nice view and apart from that San Marcos itself is also quite charming. The view from the lookout point isn't the most spectacular, but if you're already in San Marcos, why not? And when you come down from the viewpoint, you have to walk through San Marcos to get back to the boat. Since San Marcos is very quiet and really cute, the short walk through the village is very pleasant 😊 Go or not? I think a day trip to San Marcos is definitely worth it, yes. 😊

To avoid any misunderstandings, the ‘trampoline’ in reality is a platform from which you jump into the water. Basically like cliff jumping without a cliff. Very, very nice and at a height that is definitely still generally acceptable 😊 And as an adrenaline junkie, I obviously immediately was on board :D This platform, or ‘trampoline’, is located in a small village called San Marcos on Lago Atitlán and can be reached by boat or on foot, depending on whether you are staying in a hostel in San Marcos or not. You will also find signs guiding the way and the locals will know what you are looking for. Plus the short walk connected to the trampoline takes you past a rope that you can swing on into the water :D Apart from that, the walk is really pretty, because it leads through mostly shady nature to a lookout point that overlooks Lake Atitlán – even though with a few trees shielding the view. On the way down, I took the route through San Marcos and saw a little bit of the small village. Very simple and cute, very rural and basically not much going on except where the hotels and hostels are – which, to be honest, also determine the vibe. Apart from that, I also passed a few graffitis 😊 Go or not? For the trampoline and the fun of jumping into Lago Atitlán in front of a mountain, one hundred percent. And San Marcos itself is also worth a quick explore. So absolutely 😊

Panajachel is a small, very charming village on Lago Atitlán, which offers an incredible number of beautiful views of the lake itself. The two views that I refer to in this post are pretty much the first ones I knew existed. When I arrived to Panajachel, I had come from Lanquín – I had been to Semuc Champey – all the way down to Lago Atitlán and Panajachel. So, I set off before sunrise and arrived in Panajachel at sunset. And honestly, the first thing I saw on the way to my hostel was a café with a truly beautiful view of the lake. As it was already getting dark at that point and my camera was tucked away in the depths of my backpack I moved on, but because of that moment, this view became the first on top thing on my mental Panajachel to-do list. And yes, the view during the day with sunshine is... top notch :D 😊 The next day, inspired, I walked along the road that circles Panajachel along the water and discovered Hotel Mikaso. I admit, I had imagined the view a bit nicer. Nevertheless, I stopped by on my view-capturing trip and gained access. 😊 Go or not? The view from the café is really beautiful! You could skip the one from Hotel Mikaso though. It was nice, but there are other similar ones that are better :D 😊

Panajachel is full of special, truly beautiful and unique views. I realised that shortly after arriving to this small village on Lago Atitlán. Meaning I grabbed my camera and set off. I saw several views of Lago Atitlán, but this one is my absolute favourite – at least of those that are neither an official mirador nor look down on the lake from a volcano or mountain. It was the tranquillity and seclusion of the place, the imperfection and simultaneous beauty of the view, and the fact that it was so different from all the others. To be honest, the view has a slightly mystical atmosphere and the whole place seems a little mysterious and dark. And I honestly admit that I didn't manage to capture the beauty of the place. At least not really. This view basically consists of three access points, which all offer a similar perspective, but are still so different that each one is worth seeing. At least to my mind. You can get there via a kind of garden path at the back of the properties. The first two places are hostels (the first has a jetty with sun loungers from where you can see the view and the second is right next to it and has a tree house at the waterfront). The third viewpoint is reached via a footpath that leads to a deserted beach where a few wooden boats bob in the water, there's a bit of rubbish and stuff lying around, and when I was there, someone was doing laundry or collecting something. It not necessarily is a beautiful place in the classic sense, but it still had me immediately. Go or not? Personally, I found these views really beautiful, but I don't know if everyone would be captivated by the magic of this place. Photographers definitely would, but otherwise... I don't know. Up to you 😉

Panajachel is a charming little village on Lago Atitlán that has one very special feature making it really unique: a ton of beautiful and very different views of the lake. Panajachel actually is one of the reasons why I at some point started to ask myself if there are any not beautiful views of Lago Atitlán. Because even if you can't see much, or if it's theoretically the local washing place, the view simply is beautiful and the atmosphere so magical that you can't help but recognise the beauty of the place. Therefore, here's the first post about the first two views I discovered completely by coincidentally. The first view is actually where, among other things, laundry is done in Panajachel. It's also a great place to start paddle boat tours, etc. 😊 Just a little further up the road, you come to a so-called ‘Propiedad Privada’, translated meaning private property. Since literally no one in Latin America cares about a sign saying that, I just walked down the path, saw a few locals sitting somewhere on the left and went searching for views. I admit that view number two is rather unspectacular, but it led me to discover others, which I will talk about in other posts 😉 😊 Oh, and I actually mean it when I say that no one cares about signs saying ‘Propiedad Privada’. I've entered this type of property more than once and no one has ever cared. Plus I've encountered other people on the same property. So... at some point, I almost had to laugh when I saw a sign like that. Especially when you consider what entering such a property can mean in my home country - not to mention in the United States :D Go or not? I would absolutely recommend looking for views of the lake in Panajachel. Sometimes you have to go a bit cross-country (don't worry, there's always a path), but it's worth it 😊

Very peaceful, very quiet and surprisingly large. Panajachel doesn't seem that big when you first arrive. The centre, or tourist area, is quite compact, full of hotels, hostels, shops, souvenir stalls, bars, restaurants and beautiful views of the lake. But when you really get away from it all, you get to see the real Panajachel which actually is very quiet and peaceful. I found a whole wall of graffiti next to a dried-up riverbed, offering a beautiful view of two of the mountains on Lago Atitlán in the background. As I got deeper into the streets, it became super quiet and I hardly ran into anyone. On my the way through the streets I also stumbled upon a kind of cemetery in form of a house with graves and urns. And when I reached one very end of Panajachel, I found a few old houses with cool graffiti on them. Towards the centre the streets became lively and a bit chaotic again and I could see the difference between the tourist centre and the centre of Panajachel. All in all very worthwhile 😊 Go on a discovery tour or not? Personally I loved my walk through Panajachel. And getting to know a place a little better and realising that it can also be cool off the beaten track is always really nice 😊

As in any other town or village, the locals in Panajachel mainly get their food or other stuff from the market. The local market in Panajachel is located near the backpacker “centre” up a steep road, where it stops being touristy and starts to become a little more local. I discovered the market myself on an excursion tour through Panajachel and ate delicious tacos al pastor fresh off the grill on my way back – very tasty! 😊 Go or not? The market is a normal Latin American market. So, it's not a must-see, but depending on what you've already seen or if you just want to pick up some groceries or tasty street food, it's a place I'd recommend checking out 😊