Lake Atitlan- a lesson on traveling the villages

I love this little map of Lake Atitlan. If you look at it, you’ll see there are so many places to explore and small villages to stop in for lunch or even a night. (Spoiler Alert This post is about the spots you don’t see on this map.) I wish I had time to see every town on the lake, but as you know, that’s not how travel works. We see what we can with the time that we have and dream of a return in the future.

Searching for Club Ven Aca

If you read my entry Lake Atitlan- Getting to the lake villages, then you already know that traveling by boat is the most efficient option for getting around the lake. It’s inexpensive, fast, and pleasant. Most people start their journey at Panajachel and make their way to one or more of the other locations. We made San Marcos La Laguna our home base. However, on our last day at the lake we wanted to check out another town and specifically wanted a day of poolside luxury after many days of backpacking-style travel. We were in search of the beautiful Club Ven Aca.

The hot tub and pool view from Club Ven Aca

Our first mistake was not asking someone for directions. We knew we were traveling to another town, and we should have discussed it with our inn keeper, but of course we didn’t. We were using a guide book, but even those can be vague. We hopped on the public boat and let the captain know we would be getting off at Santa Cruz La Laguna. Upon arrival, we were in a tiny port town and saw two local police officers and asked them where to find Club Ven Aca. They had no clue, and that’s when we knew we were in the wrong spot. They asked around and then gave us directions. My spanish is decent, but it’s more school approriate spanish and not street necessary spanish, so this is where I run into trouble when speaking to the locals.

After a short explanation, my friends and I found ourselves on a hiking path, escorted by the two police officers. At first we thought they were just showing us how to get to the path, but then they never left. The girls and I whispered to each other that we weren’t sure if this was a bad situation or if they were just being incredibly nice. Even my gut instinct couldn’t tell the difference. We were either about to be captured and sent off for human trafficking, or we would be arriving safely by police escort to our destination.

Me and friends hiking the permiter of the lake in search of Club Ven Aca

The path along the lake is stunning. It mostly stays right along the water, allowing you to take in the volcanoes and lake views the entire time. Even if you just want to go for some exercise, I highly recommend plotting a hike along the lake. We unintentionally landed here, but I felt so lucky that we did.

Unexpected views along our hike

Small bridges help hikers get around the lake

I was carrying all of my luggage since we would be leaving the lake straight from Club Ven Aca

The beautiful doorway at Club Ven Aca

It goes without saying, we were not captured. Instead we arrived safely at the goal destination after about an hour of hiking with our police friends. Club Ven Aca has a beautiful lake-side pool with magnificent views. Visitors can lounge by the pool as long as you order food or drinks.

The lesson here should be to check with other people before setting off for a new desintation to make sure you are headed the right way. However, I’m hesistant to really agree with that lesson. It’s the the wrong turns and missteps that ultimately lead you to the best adventures and unexpected places. And for me, I’d take an unplanned hike (in sandals!) with unbelieveable views over the simple path any day!

The hotel and pool at Club Ven Aca