San Juan La Laguna

San Juan La Laguna may not be one of the more frequented villages or towns on Lake Atitlán, but it is for that very reason that it has managed to retain its traditional charm, and appears unscathed by the past few decades of increased tourism to the area. Accommodation is limited to one option, the Ecohotel Uxlabil which is of a good standard and has its own private dock on the lake. With a meagre population of only 3,000, two co-operatives account for much of the local employment. 'La Voz que Clama en el Desierto' is a 140-member fair trade coffee co-operative which offers guided tours of its growing and production process. Then there is Lema, where many of the town's women create artisan wares and weave beautiful textiles using environmentally friendly dyes. For a spot of culture, visitors can visit not one but two images of the Mayan deity Maximon, also known as San Simon. There is a Maximon statue in Atitlan but there seems to be a more genuine and reverent atmosphere around the one in San Juan. The town, is clean, quiet, friendly and lacks the tourist traps of many other towns on the lake.

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Other places nearby San Juan La Laguna: San Pedro La Laguna, San Lucas Tolimán, Santa Cruz La Laguna, Santiago Atitlan, Panajachel, Tzununá, Santa Catarina Palopó, San Marcos La Laguna, San Antonio Papoló and Jaibalito.