San Marcos La Laguna
Unless you have unlimited time, you’ll need to narrow down, which of the villages you’ll visit on your trip to Lake Atitlan. We chose to stay at San Marcos La Laguna based on its easy breezy description. This is definitely not the party town full of jam packed hostels, it’s full of yoga communities, jewlery makers and healthy food options.
The village of San Marcos La Laguna has an adorable pathway that leads you through the village
Walking from the dock up to the village is one of the coolest tunnel-like paths that twists and turns its way around little seller stands, shops and restaurants.
The pedestrain path is your main spot for food and shopping
Along the main “road” in the village, many craftsman sell blankets, clothes and jewelry
You don’t have to book a place to stay before arriving, but keep in mind that depending on the season, your number 1 spot might be booked when you show up. Since we didn’t know until that day which village we wanted to visit, as soon as we got to land we had to start looking around for a spot. I cant believe how lucky we got with the room we found. We walked into a yard of a restaurant called Tul y Sol.
Enjoying an evening happy hour at the restaurant of our hotel
The restaurant overlooks the lake with volcano views and lucky for us, they also have two rooms for rent. It was $64USD per night and the room had a private bathroom with hot water, a king size bed and two twin beds. Oh yeah and the best view.
A view from our porch at Tul y Sol
The stairs lead to the two rooms at Tul y Sol
Cerro Tzankjil Nature Reserve
San Marcos is a great spot to stay if you enjoy meandering the small village, checking out the local nature reserve and letting time pass slowly. The nature reserve is an easy walk from the main village. You’ll go off the main village path (pictured above) and pass Tul y Sol and a few other spots until you see the entrance.
Walk the paths and see the Mayan Alter and another gorgeous view, before making your way to the swimming area and the famous “trampoline.”
The best view from the Nature Reserve. Behind me is Lake Atitlan and one of many volcanoes visible around the lake
The lake water was very cold!
“The trampoline” is really just a deck with an opening that allows people to jump off. Walking there I was toying with the idea of jumping off. Once I stood at the top and looked down, I knew there was no way I was going to jump. WAY TOO HIGH!
A man jumps off the trampoline into the water
Many people come to swim at this part of the lake. Locals and travelers sit along the rocky shoreline and play music, have drinks and swim in the beautiful water. You’ll also get to see the local fisherman floating around the lake in the one person canoe-like boats.
Where to eat in San Marcos La Laguna
It is very easy to find something good to eat in the village. As you walk up and down the path you’ll see many options. The menus are placed outside for your review and I never saw a place with a wait for a table! As you prepare to sit down for a meal, it’s important to keep in mind that there is never going to be fast service. Central American time is slow, but this spot took it to a whole new level. In multiple cases I sat in a restaurant for over an hour before I saw any food on my plate. My best advice is to not wait for hunger to go eat, you’ll end up starving and hangry while you wait for the food to come out!
Maloca- A very bohemian, middle eastern spot for food. You’ll enter the huge bamboo structure and low tables are surrounded by pillows to be used as seats. The service was slow, but remember that’s what you get everywhere!
Talk about curb appeal!
Me and YT waiting for our first lunch of the trip
Shakshuka, pesto pasta and a veggie burger at Maloca
Restaurant Fe- This place looked popular every time I passed it by, so it was a must-try! The place fills up and is great for people watching. You may also have some visitng stray dogs who must be regularly fed by the restaurant because they like to hang around. Enjoy the slow service and yummy food!
Circles-This is another one of those places that pulls you in from the street. It’s a cafe with a beautiful courtyard in the back. This place definitly fits the “earthy-crunchy” mold of San Marcos. I had the smoothie bowl and loved every bite.
A healthy breakfast bowl at Circles
Tul y Sol- I can’t end this post without also promoting the lovely place I stayed. This spot was mostly our happy hour location, but we also had breakfast here. The owner is an interesting guy from the southern part of the USA. He’ll take good care of his visitors and tell you more abou the area if you ask.
Tul y Sol provides the best view with your meal
The perfect spot for happy hour and watching the sunset
From San Marcos we took a day trip to Chichi and also went to Jaibalito before heading back to Panajachel. It’s a great option if you are trying to avoid the hostel parties, but still want a good amount of entertainment and food options.
