Disappointment of San Pedro & San Juan

For our recent trip to Guatemala, we only had one full day at Lake Atitlán. Having met a couple of travelers who spent a whole week around the lake, I knew it was ridiculous to explore the lake in just one day, and I fully acknowledge that it was not doing justice to this region. We based ourselves at Panajachel because of our limited time. Panajachel may be convenient, but it is far from the most atmospheric place on the lake. With a dozen lakeside towns to pick from, planning a perfect day around the lake is difficult.

A typical street at San Pedro La Laguna.

Each village has its unique reputation, and there should be a village for travelers of all stripes. San Marco, Santiago, San Pedro, and San Juan are the most well-known. After much research, I prioritized the twin villages of San Pedro and San Juan. They seem to be the most popular choice among foreign visitors. From everything I read, San Pedro is popular with backpackers for its vibrant nightlife and affordable fun. On the other hand, San Juan is noted for its colorful murals and community of Mayan artisans. We genuinely had no idea how our day might pan out. For all we know, we might want to retire here, like so many other expats here.

Lancha Across Atitlán

San Pedro and San Juan are located on the shore opposite to Panajachel. While it is technically possible to travel there by land, it would take twice as long. Luckily, Panajachel is the most well-connected town and has ferry connections to just about every place on the lake. At Panajachel’s public ferry dock, the captains directed travelers to different lanchas. None of the boats had signage, and no schedules were posted as far as I could see. We had to trust that they would bring us to the right place.

After waiting about ten minutes, we were off! As far as I know, the final destination for our lancha was San Pedro, but it stopped at half a dozen smaller villages along the north shore. Along the way, passengers got a good survey of all the upscale villas and hotels on Lake Atitlán. It seems like the north shore of the lake is the playground of the rich and famous because of the southern exposure and views of the volcanos toward the south. Most of them are built on the side of a stiff cliff and have private boat docks. While they are not all outrageously pricey, the logistics of getting there are too complicated for a short visit.

One of the villages we stopped at was San Marcos La Laguna. Over the years, San Marco has developed a unique reputation as the hippest and most upmarket place on Lake Atitlán. Allegedly, foreigners came here for a full-week yoga retreat. It is one of those places where you would be more likely to find acai bowls than tamales. Prices there are said to be some of the highest in all of Guatemala. For a moment, I was tempted to get off the boat at San Marco. The travel blogger within me is more than curious about this hipster utopia. I am certain it will be both fascinating and properly annoying.

Local fishermen still work the lake in their tiny canoe.

Riding lancha was a fun experience at first, but it could be quite an uncomfortable experience. Even though the lake appeared quite calm, the size and speed of the boat meant the movement could be erratic. When Brian and I got into the boat, we were eager to grab the front-row seats for the best views. It took us half an hour to realize all the locals were all set in the back to avoid motion sickness. Ironically, we realized later that the views from the back of the boat are superior.

San Pedro La Laguna

After about forty minutes and numerous stops, we finally arrived at San Pedro La Laguna. Being one of the largest towns on the lake, San Pedro is known as a favorite of Western backpackers. They have been drawn here by bustling nightlife and affordable lodgings. Honestly, I can’t say I am always fond of backpacker destinations. Places like that often mean obnoxious and unruly drunks. For that reason alone, I did not have high expectations for San Pedro, but I was ready to be proven wrong.

When we got off the boat, I understood why young people are attracted to San Pedro. Lining the main road from the public dock are plenty of bars and clubs. In the early morning hour, the town was all but abandoned; it felt very eerie. Despite the beautiful weather, there were hardly any pedestrians in the neighborhood. I speculated that most of the town may still be in bed recovering from the Friday night partying.

As we wandered the city, I found the architecture at San Pedro to be eerily familiar. The low-rise concrete rowhouses reminded me of the architecture of modern Taiwan. Except for occasional murals, the buildings are unremarkable. It was very different from the quaint Mayan village filled with indigenous architecture that I imagined in my hand. I am fully aware of the trap of ‘cultural authenticity,’ but I can’t help comparing it to all the quaint Peruvian villages we visited earlier in the year. San Pedro, on the other hand, felt very Asian when it comes to its vibe.

The best way to understand a town is to observe the types of businesses present. Strolling around San Pedro, it was easy to see the effect expats and foreign visitors had on the place. Aside from bars and restaurants, there were plenty of advertisements for Spanish schools. San Pedro is one of the most popular destinations for Spanish learning. Brian looked into Spanish school last year. Even though he ended up at the Foreign Student Learning Center in Taxco, Mexico, Guatemala was a close runner up.

The presence of Spanish schools is noticeable. Not only are there plenty of billboards, but all the students also attract many new businesses. We were looking for a coffee place and found a great little cafe in a residential neighborhood away from the hustle and bustle of the main street. It was a cute little place nestled in the tiny backyard of a small house. When I read the reviews, it was clear this cafe would not exist without all the language school students. Sure enough, a bunch of students from America showed up shortly afterward.

At this point, I jumped on the internet to research the star attractions of San Pedro. Funny enough, not all the activities people recommended are location-specific. Commonly recommended things activities include kayaking, learning Spanish, and yoga classes. While they sound great, they take a lot of time or are things you could do in any other town along the lake. I don’t quite comprehend the unique appeal of this place. Part of me wants to explore the Mayan roots of San Pedro.

Mural at the public market of San Pedro La Laguna.

Frustrated, I looked up the location of their main church. Since churches are typically the center of social life, it seems like a sure bet to head there. Sure enough, we came upon a sizeable outdoor market. I felt a jolt inside me for the first time since arriving in San Pedro. Although it is not the most dazzling market we have been to, the lively atmosphere was infectious. As expected, almost all the shopping is done by the women. San Pedro is home to the indigenous Tz'utujil people. Tz'utujil is one of the dominant ethnic Manyan groups that settled around the lake. Some still speak the Tz'utujil as their first language.

For casual observers, it is difficult to tell one Mayan group from another. Their most recognizable emblem would be traditional costume. While the Tz'utujil villages in other towns wear predominantly red or blue, the women in San Pedro wear fabric with multi-color grid patterns. They are certainly my favorite of the bunch. The vibrant colors were beautifully accented by all the beautiful colors of all the produce. Remarkably, we could identify most of the items on sale here. I was surprised we did not see more varieties of avocado in the market.

All the church pews were out at Parque Puerta Hermosa during our visit.

It was a short walk from the market to the main church. By coincidence, they happened to have a massive cleanup inside the church. All the church pews were piled onto the garden before the church. The water cascaded down the church steps. It created a stream running down the main street. We were disappointed that we did not get to visit the one historical monument we managed to find. Because the garden was filled with furniture and rushing water, we had no reason to linger.

As much as we wished to explore San Pedro more, we felt we ran out of places to see. San Pedro was a disappointment for us. I could hardly imagine how people managed to spend a whole week here. In hindsight, we did miss a few sites that might be worth exploring, including the colorful cemetery, the solar baths, and the Musem of Tzunun' Ya'. But the more I look into these places, the more I realize there is no way we could spend a whole day here. What was wrong with me for not enjoying this backpacking haven?

San Juan La Laguna

After less than three hours in San Pedro, we ran out of places to visit and decided to move on. We jumped into a tuk-tuk and headed to San Juan La Laguna. It took about ten minutes to get from one downtown to another. Upon arrival, I immediately took a better liking to San Juan. The architecture here is still the same charmless concrete bunker as in San Pedro. However, the streets here are wide and feel more organized. The sunnier weather during our visit also brightened our mood. Unlike San Pedro, I had a specific site in mind here. San Juan may be known for art galleries and textile productions, but my first priority is to hike up Mirador Kaqasiiwaan.

After we decided to visit Lake Atitlán a few weeks back, I have been listening to various travel podcasts on Guatemala. Several travelers mentioned their best experience in the country was a sunrise hike to the Indian Nose viewpoint. It is commonly referred to as the best viewpoint of Lake Atitlán; hikers can see eight volcanoes on a clear day. The 3.8-mile roundtrip hike is exceedingly popular and typically takes three and a half hours. Since we were staying in Panajachel on this trip, hiking the Indian Noise hike at sunrise meant getting up at 2 am for a long bus ride to San Juan. It just seemed a little excessive due to the limited time we had. As a consolation, Mirador Kaqasiiwaan is a little sister to the Indian Nose viewpoint. It is high enough to give a decent view of the crater lake but still manageable, even for young children.

The signature view from Mirador Kaqasiiwaan.

The platform for Mirador Kaqasiiwaan is visible from central San Juan, and the trailhead is easily reachable on foot. During the daytime, there is a 30 QTZ admission for foreign visitors. The trail is fully paved the whole way up. Due to its popularity, plenty of small cafes and souvenir stands line the path. The hike is relatively steep but relatively short. We managed to reach the viewpoint in just a little over fifteen minutes. Situated at the tip of a mountain ridge, the platform offers a dramatic view of Lake Atitlán, San Pedro, and San Juan. Speaking of the views, the vista from this spot was beautiful but not as breathtaking as many travel influencers made it out to be. Unfortunately, one could also see how the area suffers from unchecked development.

A highlight of the viewing platform was the wonderfully painted mural on the floor.

The viewing platform was a festive scene with a musical ensemble and a convivial crowd. I was surprised that there were more indigenous visitors here than foreign tourists. Seeing indigenous ladies in traditional dresses posing for group photos warmed my heart. The floor decking is brightly painted with various indigenous motifs. At the center of it all is a giant mirror-clad cross and a statue of the Virgin Mary. They are a reminder of the viewpoint’s religious origin. This spot used to be called Hill of Cross (El Cerro del La Cruz). As nice as the modern platform is, it does take away the spirituality of this spot. I would not be surprised if some visitors overlooked the giant cross altogether.

From the trailhead, we took a short tuk-tuk ride back to the center of town. The city’s main drag is Calle de las Artes, which links the town’s main dock to the parish church. To say the street is colorful would be an understatement. Not only are most houses on this street brightly painted, but the street is also covered with hundreds of hanging umbrellas. Their shadow creates a dazzling visual effect. Coupled with the vista of the lake in the distance, I could understand why San Juan is one of the most beloved towns by the lake. The place is photogenic, even though it seems a little gimmicky.

As the name implies, the street is home to numerous art galleries and artisan workshops. While many towns have individual local textile cooperatives, the one in San Juan is probably the most notable due to the influx of daily tourists. Indeed, San Juan is the only village we visited where we saw big tour groups; it speaks to San Juan’s special appeals. There are plenty of galleries and textile shops along Calle de las Artes. The artistic style here is very distinct. The bright, saturated colors in the artworks mirror the beautiful colors in traditional costumes that women still wear. Some of my favorite artworks depict bird-eye views of local harvests. I regret not browsing more time and perhaps picking up a piece for ourselves.

I found these little paintings to be wonderfully cheerful and beautiful.

While we enjoyed walking the Calle de las Artes, we found the place hectic. Thoroughly exhausted, we made our way to Utz Food. This charming little restaurant has a hallmark of rustic elegance. From the upper terrace, we had a wonderful view of the lake. For the first time today, we felt relaxed. It got me thinking about the highlight of our visit to San Pedro and San Juan. We concluded it was this moment: sitting here with a drink and staring at the lake. It dawned on me that I did not find either town exciting. I can’t help wondering why I am such an outcast among my fellow travelers. It was time for us to move on.

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Disappointment of San Pedro & San Juan

Lancha Across Atitlán

San Pedro La Laguna

San Juan La Laguna

My Impression of Guatemala

Guatemala Itinerary - Winter 2023