Guatemala was never top of my list as a vacation destination, however I came across a special deal that made the opportunity too inviting to pass up. My girlfriend and I rendezvoused from the states in Guatemala City and hopped a bus to Lake Atitlán for one of the most relaxing, yet adventurous girls trips to date!

Lake Atitilan

EXPERIENCE

Lake Atitlán is stunning! Surrounded by three volcanoes and charming towns, many accessible only by boat. The weather was perfect for sunning and kayaking. Kayaking was lovely, especially along the shoreline where we could check out homes and hotels built right into the rocky cliffs and observe local fisherman trolling for miniature perch and black bass. Scuba diving is another option in this very deep (900 ft.) freshwater lake, but we decided not to check that out this trip.

On our first full day we made an excursion to Chichicastenago. This is a local market only open on Thursday and Sunday. This was one of the highlights of our trip, as it was full of local people purchasing flowers, fruit, textiles and other hand made crafts. Of all the markets I have been to around the world, this is one of my favorite- I went to town supporting the local economy, indulging in many hand woven bags and tops along with hand carved masks, figurines and jewelry. This is a very special and not so touristy spot if you visit off season like we did. We also stopped in Hotel Santo Tomas while here for a quick lunch in their stunning gardens.

Processed with VSCOcam with 6 preset

San Pedro La Laguna, here we hiked Volcano San Pedro. While not the tallest or the most active of Guatemala’s volcanoes, this volcano makes for a challenging day hike. The trip is about three hours up and two hours down and takes you through a varying terrain. The trail begins with a buggy ride to the trailhead and immediately hikers enter coffee groves. The coffee transitions into avocado trees and then into corn. All of these crops are grown on private land that is cultivated for food. As we hiked up, we saw several local men carrying large bundles of firewood on their backs. While this looks challenging, it seems this is a common occurance since the town on San Pedro has grown, families’ own land higher and higher up which they use to resource their daily needs.

From the volcano we walked to nearby San Juan La Laguna. Here we learned about local crafts. A highlight was the natural dyed organic cotton demonstration at Casa Flor Ixcaco. We also went to a small urban farm to lear about Organic and Natural Medicine. This town also offers information and tours on local Coffee Production.

Lake Atitilan

STAY

Our location remained the same on this five day girl’s getaway. We stayed at the Laguna Lodge Eco-Resort on Lake Atitlán. This lodge was absolutely lovely and accessible only boat. We arrived via a pre-arranged transfer with the hotel and very much enjoyed our time here. We used the restaurant, hammocks, lounge chairs and even splurged on massages in their spa.

Natural Dye

EAT

We ate very well while in Guatemala. We sipped the local beer, Gallo, and enjoyed many nice plant based meals. The fruits were fairly tasty and we most often encountered papaya, pineapple, watermelon, bananas and apples. Our eco-lodge was meat free, which worked out perfect for our tastes on this trip. Many of our meals included hand made corn tortillas. This was special since we were able to see the production of tortillas along our journey. While hiking we saw corn growing in the rich, steep soil of Volcano San Pedro and while perusing the local market at Chichicastenago, we saw ladies patting fresh tortillas to grill. This staple led us to many meals of quesadillas, beans and eggs with tortillas and guacamole vehicles. Guacamole was another treat since we hiked through acres upon acres of avocado trees growing volcano-side. Other highlights included the fresh roma tomatoes, which are worked into many dishes, along with the tasty picos and ranchero sauces.

Traditional Breakfast

After tourism, coffee is the second biggest industry of Guatemala. Many of the Arabica beans are exported to the US. We were able to hike through many coffee trees, which were almost ripe and ready to be picked in early November.

Coffee Plants

An interesting point on crop growing in Guatemala is the local attitude towards GMOs and pesticides. We spent the better part of the day with a local guide who gave testament to the changing bodies and diets of the Guatemalan people. As an outsider it is difficult not to judge the inefficiencies of the local farming techniques. Plants appear poorly spaces, unhealthy and low yielding. I found it interesting to learn that Monsanto had recently come into Guatemala with a heavy push for the local growers to convert their seeds to one of their products. When this happened, Guatemalan people blocked the road and refused to let the seed through for fear of what the modified seed and their required chemical counterparts would do to their environment and people. An interesting story, that seems worth sharing.

San Pedro