Location: San Marcos La Laguna
Top Things to do in San Marcos La Laguna
Top 10 Things to do in San Marcos La Laguna, Guatemala
San Marcos La Laguna is a village on the western shore of Lago Atitlán in the Sololá Department of Guatemala. The village is northwest of three volcanos Volcán San Pedro, Volcán Tolimán, and Volcán Atitlán. The village has an outdoor amphitheater and a few hostels. San Marcos connects to other lakeside communities by boat and a narrow road. The nearest city is Panajachel at the northern side of Lago Atitlán. The town sits at an elevation of 1,585 metres (5,200 ft); the lowest elevation is the lake shore at 1,562 metres (5,125 ft).
Restaurants in San Marcos La Laguna
1. Lake Atitlan Day Tours
Overall Ratings
5 based on 118 reviews
Adventure Atitlan Tours is operated by a Tzutujil Mayan man born and raised in San Juan La Laguna, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. I am a licensed and authorized tour guide in Guatemala. I have been a tour guide nearly 10 years so my experience in Tourism guarantees my clients a unique trip on the lake and my country. We offer custom day and multi-day trips for individuals, couples, families, students and groups all over Guatemala. We provide cultural immersion and special tours such as Village Tours, Hikes to volcanoes and Mountains, visit to archaeological sites, Horseback riding, etc. Give us an opportunity to customize your trip.
Reviewed By robertjniven - Sedona, Arizona
Luis is a very personable and knowledgable tour guide. We enjoyed a day of touring around the lake villages, purchased great art and while my wife was getting a massgae Luis and I escaped on horseback for a ride through the village of San Pedro and out to the end of the peninsular.
2. Cerro Tzankujil Nature Reserve
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 76 reviews
Reviewed By Yasser H
Best visited early in the morning before the crowds. Get ready for some amazing views, tons of song birds, wild flowers etc.
Don't forget to go for a swim in the lake, the water may feel a bit cold a first but then you get use to.
3. Los Elementos Adventure Center
Overall Ratings
5 based on 334 reviews
Your base camp for exploring Lake Atitlan Guatemala. Choose from kayak excursions, hiking the Mountains surrounding the lake, or by private tour boat. You can find an adventure that suits your interest and level of activity. We are family friendly and ready to help you have a unique holiday experience.We specialize in offering experiences that will let you learn about the Mayan culture and meet many of the locals whom we have come to know. The Mayan people are very proud of their cultural past and they enjoying sharing their efforts to keep it alive and strong today. We can also help arrange a custom itinerary for all or part of your Guatemalan travels.We have started Los Elementos Adventure Center and Day Spay and Kayak Guatemala as a way of creating jobs for locals and supporting our non-profit Amigos de Santa Cruz. One of the big challenges of life in Guatemala is to improve the lives of the local people. Amigos de Santa Cruz is focused on improving the education and nutrition of the Mayan. We also support Mayan Medical Aid, which focus' on providing medical aid. Any tour or excursion you arrange will help support these non-profit organizations. Concierge service and all inclusive packages are our specialty. Custom and taylor made tours to your specific interests.
Reviewed By matthewhodal - Elgin, Illinois
We booked a whole day of fun. Took a shuttle from Antigua and spent the day kayaking, cliff jumping in to the lake, doing archery, and hiked to the rock climbing site. It was a fabulous experience for my family. The guide alex was outstanding, and lee and his wife were very accommodating and wonderful. Such a beautiful place!! Thank you!
4. Mayan Kitchen
Overall Ratings
5 based on 158 reviews
We are a local business from Santa Cruz la Laguna run by local family and want to show how to cook some of the best Guatemalan dishes
Reviewed By _cmandav - London, United Kingdom
I loved spending time with Anita and my small group (there were just 4 of us total, which was perfect) learning about the history of San Pedro and about traditional Mayan/Guatemalan cooking. I would definitely recommend doing the cooking class, super easy to set up...MoreHrllo Mandav, Thank you for this beautful review you left for me. I really appreciate. Thank you very much. It was a pleasrue to have spent time with all of you. Anita
5. Atitlan Organics
Overall Ratings
5 based on 11 reviews
Come experience the best organic farm on Lake Atitlan. Nestled in the undiscovered village of Tzununa, visitors will experience organic farming and Mayan culture with all five senses. The activity begins with an interactive tour of Tzununa and Atitlan Organics. Following a farm tour, there is an optional visit to nearby waterfall, followed by a farm fresh vegetarian lunch at the farm restaurant.
Reviewed By Ben B - Fort Collins, Colorado
Impassioned is a good word for Shad's teaching style. He was great at keeping the content interesting, relevant and fun. That last one can be a challenge considering permaculture's monumental task.
Atitlán Organics has lots closed loop systems sustaining, at its core, the goat greens. During my seven months at the lake I was happy to see new additions to the farm's community, giving it more power as a living classroom and new products like honey.
6. Lake Atitlan
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 642 reviews
Reviewed By EmanneercsAllowed - Palo Alto, CA
Until recently, this was probably a stunning lake. Surrounded by volcanoes and charming villages, it looks idyllic, and unlike any other lake I've ever visited.
Unfortunately, the lake is seriously polluted. So even if the surface looks calm, boating across it is a jarring experience, a continuous and not exactly gentle bump-bump-bump. The locals seem to be used to it but for me, a half hour of this was torture -- and I'm in good shape with no back problems.
Although there are roads connecting some of the lake towns, visitors are warned not to take them because of robbers. I don't know if this is a valid concern or not. I never felt unsafe among the hordes of tourists and we tuk-tuked from San Juan to San Pedro, no problem.
Finally, after Reading about "magnificent volcano views" I was prepared for unprecedented photo ops (I'm a photographer). Unfortunately, I learned too late that March and April are the hazy months. Still a good time to visit because it's dry and the temperatures are comfortable, but don't expect the spectacular vistas you'll see online. Sunsets, though, are pretty impressive even with the haze.
7. San Marcos Holistic Cottage
Overall Ratings
5 based on 18 reviews
The San Marcos Holistic Cottage is an excellent place to stop in and have a fabulous massage. We have a wide variety of massages and therapies available. We also provide great informative courses in Massage, Reiki, Kinesiology, Foot Reflexology, Bach Flowers and more... So plan some extra time to stay in San Marcos so you can learn with us, rebalance your energy, feel healthier and happier than ever!
Reviewed By dinabwilson - Edinburg, Texas
I had to wait for about 20 minutes since the person before me "wasn't ready to leave." Hmmm. Anyway, Etai was an excellent masseuse. It was a little strange that before the massage, he had me shuffle a deck of Tarot cards and pick one. Each image was a "crop circle" geometric figure that had been found somewhere in the world. My card said "Obstacles" and I was to think about obstacles in my life during the massage. He started with visual imagery to relax me and proceeded into a terrific theraputic massage. Lovely scented oils and Indian music completed the experience.
8. Stand Up Paddle Atitlan
Overall Ratings
5 based on 38 reviews
Our purpose is to provide stand up paddle board experiences to visitors of Lake Atitlan. Our tours are designed for beginners and intermediates who want to try paddle boarding on a beautiful lake with stunning scenery. I am a certified ASI (Academy of Surfing Instructors) Level 2 Paddle Board Instructor. We are based out of Santa Cruz la Laguna, but can easily be accessed by all other towns on the Lake. Safety is very important to us so please be aware the wind and water swell effect tour operations. Tours and experiences are mornings only. Our basic tour is designed to be a great way to try paddle boarding, learn basics, and have a fun. I can also provide more advanced tours for experienced paddlers as well, just ask! Come join us on the water :)
Reviewed By Zsanka - Antigua, Guatemala
I had my first ever paddle boarding experience with SUP Atitlan in what turned out to be not-so-first-timer-friendly weather conditions but the continuous tips and support from Marshall made the whole thing a lot of fun and i felt safe and confident throughout the whole time. Marshall is not only super-friendly but also makes sure you understand the ins and outs of paddle boarding and leaves you prepared for every situation. Will gladly use SUP Atitlan again next time im at the lake!
9. Xunah Kaab
Overall Ratings
5 based on 48 reviews
10. Volcan San Pedro
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 252 reviews
Reviewed By TA_Member36 - England
This is a very worthwhile trip while in Panajachel. You take a ferry across the lake, then it's a tough, steep, 4-hour climb through the rainforest to reach the summit (a wonderful viewpoint down to the lake and across to the wooded hills of the Guatemalan highlands.
However, as an early (6am) start is required, make sure (before handing over any money!) that your tour company will pick you up from your hotel in the morning. We used Adrenalina tours for our trip. Despite paying $54 each for our trip, they refused to pick us up at our hotel (the El Sol, 2km from the centre of Panajachel) because it was "too far" from their office in the centre. We had to organise our own tuk-tuk to take us to Adrenalina's office (at 5:45am in the dark!). When we got there, there was no-one to meet us, so we made our own way to the ferry terminal. Eventually Adrenalina's representative arrived at the ferry and we were on our way.
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