5 Best Sights in Panajachel, The Highlands
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The tourist's Panajachel centers on seven-block Calle Santander, which connects the lakefront with the fringes of the original village, and typifies the main drag of a resort town; open-air restaurants, bars, and vendors' stalls line the street, giving you a front-row seat to observe the passing parade of pedestrians, vendors, dogs, and tuk-tuks, the three-wheel motorized Bajaj taxis made in India, common here and elsewhere in Guatemala. We hear different takes on Calle Santander: Some tire of the sellers who wander into cafés to sell their wares—times are tough and the vendors are trying to eke out a living—or the street dogs who beg for a morsel; others relish the commotion of tourist town in a developing country. You'll have to decide. The inland end of Calle Santander hooks up with Calle Principal, the highway leading north and east out of town. Avenida de los Árboles climbs the hill to the old part of town. You'd never know you were in a tourist mecca when you stand on the small plaza in front of the town's lovely church. Especially on its Thursday market day, Panajachel looks pretty much like any other highland village.
Atitrans
Museo Lacustre de Atitlán
For a brief history of the lake and its people, head to the Museo Lacustre de Atitlán. Here you'll find a handful of informative displays tracing the history of the region back to precolonial times.
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Quetzaltrekkers
Reserva Natural Atitlán
The Reserva Natural Atitlán has a walking trail that loops through a small river canyon, crossing suspension bridges and passing a butterfly atrium and enclosures of spider monkeys and coatimundis. If you feel like playing Tarzan, the complex contains a zip-line tour (Q150), where you glide through the forest canopy courtesy of a series of cables, a helmet, and a very secure harness. There's also a private beach for a bit of post-educational relaxation. Campsites are available in the park, or if you'd like a bit more luxury, cabins ($$), albeit spartan ones, are also available.