Panajachel Travel Guide

October 4th (not sure if this date changes as the years pass) is the Festival for Saint Francis of Assisi, and the fireworks are spectacular! Make sure you stay for the finale which were some of the coolest fireworks you will ever see. It is a real cultural experience- Guatemalans know how to party! The festival is complete with lots of music and drinking and really dodgy rides. (You will see little Guatemalan women carrying several drunk Guatemalan men home at the end of the night- a very funny site.) Anyways, enjoy!

If you want to go to Panajachel from Mexico, you have to take the bus (in general, once you've crossed the border, it's a old US school bus, very uncomfortable). It can take as long as 12 hours and you may have to change buses 2 or 3 times (so better speak Spanish). The reward is worth it, Panajachel is a little piece of paradise

Take the Andrenelina boat toar of Atitlan. It's a great way to see the lake and cheap - not much more than hiring boats on your own.