A Vegan-Friendly Guide To An Authentic City In Guatemala: San Juan La Laguna (Lake Atitlán)
San Juan la Laguna is a colorful city that has authentic roots and sits off of the famous Lake Atitlán. As soon as you get off of the boat and walk the dock, it is easy to sense its strong hold on its own culture, talents, and passions. During my time in Guatemala I’ve visited Flores, Lanquin, Antigua, and now the lake. I have fallen in love with Guatemala because every part of it feels so different; each town and city, no matter how big or small, feels like its own world.
A Lesson On The Local Landscape – Lake Atitlán
And the same goes for the towns and villages surrounding the lake. There are 11 of them to be exact, and Lake Atitlán is located at the center of three volcanoes. The tallest volcano is Atitlán, followed by Tolimán, and then the San Pedro volcano. The lake sits at an altitude of 5,128 feet and its surface area covers 50.2 sure miles. It’s deepest depth reaches down 1,120 feet. Atitlán means “between the waters” in the Nahuatl language. Although numbers can be hard to grasp, when you’re actually standing on a dock on the brim of the lake, it is a good practice to remind yourself that you are standing in a crater of what once was one of the world’s largest super volcanoes. And it’s not just fascinating for what the naked eye can see: below the deep waters lies powerful geomagnetic fields and a magma changer.
How To Get To San Juan On Lake Atitlán
Many folks fly into La Aurora International Airport (GUA) in Guatemala City and then enter the lake through the town of Panajachel where bus routes to the lake usually drop off travelers. Panajachel seems to be a little bit of a chaotic mix of all of the towns and villages around the lake combined. We spent one night there in this hostel that I highly recommend for the facilities, proximity to the docks, and sound barrier from the city there before taking off for San Marcos the next morning.
The easiest and cheapest way to travel around the lake is by public boat. Be sure head out for your destination before around 5 PM (check with each town to see what their nighttime cut-off hour is) because the boats become “private” to rent after that and the prices skyrocket. Although I didn’t fall in love with San Marcos like I had expected to, I did feel right at home in this lovely Airbnb that we found which is a small and cozy yet fantastic natural building.
Where To Stay In San Juan
After spending time in San Marcos, we booked a room in the house of a local indigenous family through Airbnb and took a boat ride over to our new accommodation. (HostelWorld is a great place to find eco-friendly and affordable places to stay in San Juan that have more amenities than the room we stayed in. Booking.com was also one of our favorite booking sites for Guatemala!)
We immediately felt more relaxed, comfortable, and connected to San Juan. The streets are lined with local vendors, splendid and colorful art, and hand-made clothes created by some seriously talented women of the area. It can feel a bit overwhelming when trying to figure out how to spend your time there, due to all of the exciting happenings, but I’m here to help you navigate this incredible place!
What To Do In San Juan La Laguna
There are a few activities that I believe deserve a spot at the top of your list while visiting San Jan: climbing La Nariz for sunrise view if possible; taking small tours of local textile, art, and herbal medicine shops; hitting the sauna; and grabbing some plant-based grub.
1. Catch An Epic Sunrise On The “Nose” Hike
I am putting this activity first on the list so that if it is something that interests you, you can schedule your trip accordingly. The “Nose” is a hike that a lot of travelers undertake in order to get a birds-eye view of the lake and catch and unforgettable sunrise. It is easy to hire a local to be your guide to the top and well worth it. They know the history, background, and intricacies of the land and will enrich your hike.
To hire a guide, simply ask the folks at your accommodation if they provide one or can recommend one. If you’re not staying at a homestay, you can book one of these tours via GetYourGuide. (This one includes the hike and a cliff-diving experience!) This hike is one of the most strenuous activities on this list, and as aways, I encourage you to purchase travel insurance for all of your adventures.
Insider’s tip: There are two different ways to make it to The Nose viewpoint. Let’s start with the hardest first. If you’re wanting a full adventure and experience, you can ask your guide to take you up the “harder” path. Before my partner and I embarked on our hiking (and shall I say climbing?) journey to the top, we had no idea that we were taking the most challenging route. We left the house of our host at 3:30 AM and walked through town all the way to the path. We then climbed uphill for two hours straight. Due to the fact that it was so early in the morning, the altitude is so high, and I was still recovering from a stomach sickness, the hike really kicked my butt. At one point I thought about just stopping the hike, sitting where I was, and settling for a sunrise from there. But alas, I persisted with the help of my guide. When we got to the top and looked around, we realized that there were easier ways to get up, and that’s how most spectators made it to the top.
Most people take the easier path, on the backside of the mountain, and hike for a lot less time. The hike is not as steep and treacherous. Some folks take a vehicle to the cemetery and then do a 30 minute hike to the top from there. Be sure to let your guide know your preference and plan out your route ahead of time!
2. Support A Women-Owned Mayan Weavers Collective
The female Mayan weavers in San Juan are filled extremely talented and dedicated. As soon as you step off of the boat and into the town you will see hand-made clothes, textiles, and other fabrics abound. They dye their cotton with natural materials such as herbs, fruits, vegetables, and other plants. They then make their clothes by hand for their families and to sell to anyone coming into the markets. Although their works of art are everywhere for sale, it is a special experience to watch them weaving in action.
There are around 35 women-run co-ops in the area, and they each consist of 3-75 women. Most of those women belong to the Mayan Tzutujil people. The co-ops are easy to find as they are many and you’ll often find the women inside doing demos for tourists and making more products. I really appreciated that in a few of the places, like Casa Flor Ixcaco, whatever you purchase comes with a tag that names made your item and how long it took them to make it. The tags also included the price in USD and the local currency.
At Casa Flor Ixcaco not only did we get to watch a weaver at work, but we got to see how the natural dying process went and learned about which plants create which colors that they then dye the cotton with. This process of creating natural dyes is not common in the rest of Guatemala, as it is more expensive and takes more time. If you seek out a demo like this, please remember to leave a tip for the weavers and ask consent to take pictures or videos. You can also visit a textile shop and see a demonstration as part of this incredible free walking tour.
3. Visit A Women-Owned Healing Garden Co-Op
Not only are the local women magic when it comes to weaving, but they work closely with the earth and different plants and herbs to create powerful healing tinctures, teas, and more. Stop by a medicinal garden co-op where you can take a tour of the gardens, chat with a Mayan medicine woman, and learn all about their community garden co-ops. There were two that I found within walking distance of the docks, the first being straight up the main street/hill and to your left. It is a green building with signs outside advertising the plant medicine. The other garden collective is right next to Casa Flor Ixcaco.
I ended up buying tea for period cramps and stomach issues, as well as a salve to help heal scars and lessen the bothering of bug bites. These garden collectives also sell all natural soaps, sunscreens, bug repellents, shampoos, conditioners, and more.
4. Eat Well, Do Good At Alma De Colores
For foodies who care about social justice as well, put Alma De Colores at the top of your dining list. They are a cafe and restaurant that aims to offer healthy food made mostly from their own organic garden. They “promote the local and labor inclusion of people with disabilities who live in San Juan La Laguna and neighboring municipalities.”
There was a small vegetarian section on their menu, and we easily made everything from the list vegan. We ordered the two means shown below and just omitted the animal-based cheese. Our meals were delicious! They were so good, in fact, that we went there to eat twice. After you finish your plant-based meal, be sure to meander across the street to their small store full of beautiful hand-made items. You can learn more about Alama De Colores and their mission here!
Address: Cantón Chicua, San Juan la Laguna, Guatemala 07017
5. Sweat Much, Feel Well In This Earthen Sauna
After visiting so many authentic and organic places that promoted well-being, I was on the hunt to do a nice body, mind, and spirit reset while in San Juan La Laguna. To my delight we found a sauna made from all natural materials situated on a vegetarian eco-hotel not too far from where we were staying.
Learn more about natural buildings and their benefits here.
The sauna felt really unique and special not only because of how mindfully it was built, but also because visitors get to utilize herbs inside the sauna that came from Mayachik’s garden. I’ve never used fresh plants in a sauna before, but it’s easy to learn how it works and then almost immediately feel the benefits. The eco-hotel is called Mayachik an can be reached by foot, TukTuk, or other forms of transport from town.
Be sure to bring a towel, something to wear in the sauna (bathing suit or just a layer to cover your bottom), water to stay hydrated, and whatever you would like to use in the shower. Also bring 65 Q ($8.44 USD) because that is how much the sauna costs for 1.5 hours. It is important to note that this is the same cost to reserve it for just one person or a group of up to 10 people, so the more friends you have the cheaper it gets! This place was so rejuvenating that I actually went there twice, and on the second day I did it right by spending time in the sauna, scheduling a massage right after, and then eating some tasty plants from the restaurant.
6. A Lesson On Local History
Although you have to hop over into a different pueblo for this one, the Museo Tz’unun ‘Ya of San Pedro La Laguna is worth visiting. We took a boat directly from the docks of San Juan to San Pedro, and the whole trip took less than five minutes and was 15 Q per person ($1.95 USD). Lonely Planet says: “This museum focuses on the history of the Tz’utujil people and geology of the region, with a film on the formation of the lake and an interesting gallery of colorized photos of San Pedro in former days. As a bonus, staff will identify and interpret your nahual (animal counterpart), based on your birth date according to the Maya calendar.”
The museum won’t take too long to go through, so you only need about 30 or 45 minutes to take your time and explore the whole place. It is small but full of rich history, incredible photographs, and life-like displays. I really felt like I got as much as a sense as possible of what La Laguna was like in historic times.
I wouldn’t be doing San Pedro justice if I didn’t tell you about the incredible vegan restaurant that is just a few minutes away from the museum by foot. Salud Para Vida not only has an delicious and packed menu of 100% plant-based food, but they also host a book store on their second level and a health food store on their first. It is a great place to stock up on specialty nutritional items, healthy vegan cheeses, natural products and more that you can’t find in regular markets. Do yourself a favor and try out one of their delicious burgers or sandwiches before you head back to San Juan!
7. Take An Art Walk In San Juan
The vibrant art that lines the streets of San Juan La Laguna tells a story through pictures, murals, and detailed depictions. Follow your curiosity around town with a local guide on a free walking tour to uncover the histories behind the art and submerge yourself in local culture before boating off to your next destination.
Have you visited San Juan La Laguna? What were your favorite activities? Leave a comment below!
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