Lago de Atitlán

Lake Atitlán was formed by the eruption of a supervolcano a long time ago and it is still surrounded my volcanoes on almost each side. While it is one of the deepest lakes in Central America, it also rises and falls in its water levels, which is explained by seismic activity. Rising water levels buried already parts of towns in water (there is a diving school to explore underwater monuments). Actually there it was also my first time experiencing an earthquake, which is kind of common in this area, but surprised me a lot in its power.

Nowadays, the lake is famous for it's eco and yoga retreats and also has a big foreign community. Around the lake, every town has its own vibe:
~ Panajachel is the economic centre and the main harbour
~ San Pedro the most touristic and party place
~ In San Juan (my favorite) you find many art and textile shops in colourful streets
~ San Marcos is the hippie town with all kinds of retreats (yoga, healing, ecstatic dance etc.) and alternative cafés and restaurants which is kind of a parallel world to the town itself
~ Santa Cruz (where I stayed) is the most authentic small town on the hill (it hosts a NGO cooking academy/restaurant which also has an amazing view on the lake!)Read more