Discovering Lake Atitlan: A Photo Essay.

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Story by Randy Kalp. Photos by Bethany Salvon.

Welcome to Guatemala Week – Round 2!

Yesterday, I told you about the most interesting effigy in the world–Maximon. And today I’m going to take you to Lake Atitlan, which is considered by many as the  most beautiful lake in the world.

My second glimpse of Lake Atitlan was pretty similar to my first–face pushed square against a van window, careening past mountain side waterfalls into the lake village of Panajachel below.

Its origins date back 84,000 years ago after a volcanic eruption formed a caldera. Now three volcanoes tower over Lake Atitlan and its basin, which is dotted with towns and villages of the Mayan people.

Aldous Huxley compared Lake Atitlan to Italy’s Lake Como in his 1934 book – Beyond The Mexique Bay. The Italian lake, he wrote, “touches on the limit of a permissibly picturesque.” While Lake Atitlan “is Como with additional embellishments of several immense volcanoes. It really is too much of a good thing.”

Beth put together a selection of her favorite photos from our Snapshot Tour with Cooperative for Education when we crossed the lake on our trip from Panajachel to Santiago and back. We think it’s an absolutely gorgeous place and all of the volunteers were in awe of their surroundings, as you can tell in the pics.

I’m curious, do you think Huxley was right? Is Lake Atitlan really too much or is just right right?

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first. Thanks!