There are so many things to do in San Pedro La Laguna, despite it only being a town of 13K. It’s located in the southwestern part of Lake Atitlan and is reachable by lancha (water taxi) from many of the other pueblos around the lake. Of the lake pueblos, it’s known for its party vibes, but there is a good mix of restaurants, nightlife, shops, and activities so there is plenty to do even if you’re not a partier like me (I am a retired partier).

Coffee & Dining

I didn’t eat out much in San Pedro since I usually ate at my homestay (see my Lake Atitlan Spanish School post for details), but I did have loads of snacks and coffees at various restaurants and cafes throughout my two weeks there. Here are some of my favorites:

• Al Tempo Pizzeria y Panaderia - God, I love Al Tempo. They operate a bakery during the day with fresh bread and pastries and at night, they serve wood-oven pizza in their cute outdoor seating area. I still think about their brownies.

• Tornado’s Coffee - There are a bunch of cafes in San Pedro La Laguna, but this one has the BEST COFFEE. Plus the shady garden in the back is adorable and a great place to hang out, read a book, etc.

• The Fifth Dimension - Vegan and vegetarian restaurant. I had a smoothie here and drank it on their upstairs balcony. I have fond memories of this place because I met a friendly cat here who insisted on sitting on my lap. We hung out and watched the sunset together. 5 stars. The smoothie was good too.

• Café Panorama - This cafe is located way up, perched above the town so it has some major views. I took a tuk tuk to the bottom of the driveway and walked up.

• Pita Sabij - Popular Middle Eastern spot. The food was DELICIOUS… so delicious that I ate it without taking a photo.

• Café Chuasinayi' - Excellent coffee.

• Sababa Restaurant & Bakery - Sit-down restaurant with stunning lake views, specializing in brunch food. The bakery next door has delicious pastries and coffees and is a great place to hang.

• Cafe Orbe - Cafe with great coffee, food, views, and playlists. It’s located pretty far from central San Pedro but only 10 minutes from my homestay, so it became my go-to spot for homework. Worth taking a tuk tuk here (or taking an incredibly long walk).

Activities & Places to Hang Out

• Rostro Maya (Indian Nose) hike - This sunrise hike was one of the best things I did while in Lake Atitlan. Yes, I did have to wake up at 3:30am and yes, I did get chased down the street by a pack of dogs while walking to my shuttle bus. BUT the short and steep hike was worth all of that nonsense because the views of Lake Atitlan and the surrounding volcanoes were INSANE. See my full review of the hike here.

• Sublime - How to even explain Sublime? There’s something for everyone at this bar/ restaurant… Adirondack chairs with a firepit, stage with live music, pool tables, ping pong table, dock on the water with chairs. Chill place to do homework, hang out, eat, drink, party. And there’s a resident cat that lives there! If you’re into that…

• Alegre - Bar/ restaurant with a pool table and TVs. The downstairs is pretty divey but the upstairs is a great place to hang out with friends. We played pool here during sunset several times.

• Sababa Resort - This hotel has a beautiful pool with decent views of the lake. It has a pool table, hammocks, and (apparently) very good margaritas. You can buy a day pass here for Q50 (well, more precisely… Q50 to swim in the pool OR Q50 towards food and drink but you’re not allowed to swim LOL).

• Los Termales - No-frills thermal baths and cold plunge with a view of the lake. It was Q60 per person for an hour. Great to do with a group. They also offer massages! Just remember to pee beforehand so you don’t have to spend the entire hour getting brave enough to say “Yo necesito el baño” like I did.

• Mr. Mullet’s Party Hostel - This place is DEFINITELY a party hostel. We came here to play pool before salsa class one day and almost everyone in the lobby looked deathly hungover. They host regular bar crawls and do a 10am booze cruise on Thursdays that looks chaotic. NEAT!

Getting Around

San Pedro is a stunning town, with incredible views of the lake and surrounding mountains. I felt very safe walking around as a solo female traveler, even at night.

If you’re not in the mood to walk, there are tuk tuks everywhere! (similar to a rickshaw). Just flag one down like you would a taxi. Pro-tip: Don’t ask the tuk tuk driver how much the ride costs — just tell them your destination and hand the driver exact change when you get out. As of Jan 2024, it’s Q5 per person in San Pedro, unless you’re going somewhere super far (like San Juan La Laguna, which cost me Q15).

You can take lanchas (water taxis) to the various towns and villages around Lake Atitlan. I visited both San Marcos and Santa Cruz via lanchas. There are direct boats to larger pueblos like Panajachel and also boats that make a bunch of stops along the lake to smaller towns. Make sure you know the lancha schedule for your route because they stop relatively early and you don’t want to get stuck in a pueblo across the lake!

Here are some of the local residents you are likely to encounter while bopping around town:

Getting Here

To get to Lake Atitlan, I flew direct from Los Angeles to Guatemala City. From there, I took a private taxi (arranged by my school) to the lake. This took about 4 hours and was ~$120 USD. Not cheap, but VERY convenient.

There are also tons of shared shuttle buses available, which can be pre-booked online. These take about 5-6 hours but cost much less, about $60.

If you’re really on a budget OR just really in the mood for some adventure, you can take a chicken bus to Panajachel and then a lancha to whichever pueblo on the Lake you’re staying at — the chicken buses are super cheap, but make tons of stops and don’t have AC.

Guatemala Info

• Tipping: Adding 10-15% at restaurants and bars is appreciated (if the 10% is not already included on your bill). Tipping guides is also appreciated.

• Water: Not safe to drink. Drink bottled water.

• Outlets: Plug type A and B (same as the US); 120V

• Credit Cards: Not widely accepted outside major cities and tourist areas. It's recommended to carry cash, especially in smaller towns. There are ATMs located next to Alegre towards the lanchas and across from Alegre at Café Tz'utujil.

• Language: Spanish (with many Guatemalans speaking a Mayan language as their first language); English pretty common in touristy places

• E-Sim: I bought one from Airalo that covered 17 countries in Latin America. Shameless plug: use my referral code HANNAH8604 to get $3 USD off your first eSIM purchase.