In April 2026, my wife and I went through Guatemala in three stops: Antigua, then Lake Atitlán, then the Pacific coast at El Paredon. Two of those stops were easy to love. The third started with a van whose muffler was tied on with rope.
What does an Antigua, Lake Atitlán and El Paredon itinerary look like?
Ours went like this:
Antigua: 5 days and 4 nights, based in the La Merced neighborhood, with day trips to Pacaya Volcano and Hobbitenango.
Lake Atitlán: an Airbnb in San Pedro la Laguna as our base, with a tuk-tuk to San Juan la Laguna and a boat to San Marcos la Laguna.
El Paredon: a van ride down to the coast and an Airbnb with a pool, which turned out to be one of the most useful things about the place.
We didn't rent a car at any point. Between shuttles, tuk-tuks, boats and our feet, we never needed one.
How do you get from Guatemala City airport to Antigua?
Antigua doesn't have its own airport, so you fly into La Aurora in Guatemala City. From there it's about 45 minutes by shuttle or car through the hills.
We stayed at the Nico Hotel, a few blocks from the main square and close to La Merced church. It was quiet, walkable to everything, and breakfast was free.
How many days do you need in Antigua?
Three days covers the highlights. We did five, and it gave us room for the Pacaya Volcano hike (marshmallows roasted in a crack in the lava rock), a trip up to Hobbitenango, convent ruins, a bonfire at the Antigua Cerveza taproom, and a lot of wandering on cobblestones.
Book Pacaya through a tour operator. A van picks you up in Antigua and drives about 45 minutes to the trailhead. Hobbitenango is about 30 minutes up a winding road. Neither needs a car of your own.
The full day-by-day is in my post on 5 days in Antigua: volcanoes, chocolate and a surprisingly good hobbit village.
How do you get from Antigua to Lake Atitlán?
Shared tourist shuttles are the standard way. Living in Guatemala lists Antigua to Lake Atitlán shuttles to Panajachel several times a day for about $20, taking around 3 hours, and direct shuttles to San Pedro, San Juan and San Marcos at 8:30 and 14:00 for $25 (as of October 2026).
Most shuttles end in Panajachel, so a direct one saves you a boat transfer if you already know your town.
Where should you stay on Lake Atitlán?
We stayed in San Pedro. Our Airbnb was outside the main part of town, but tuk-tuks are noisy and people want breakfast, so sleeping in was a challenge.
From San Pedro we took a tuk-tuk to San Juan la Laguna for the murals and textiles, where I bought two handmade shirts. For San Marcos la Laguna we went to the closest dock, found out it was the wrong one, and paid about $10 for a private boat instead of crossing town to the shared one. In San Marcos we had lunch at Lush and climbed half an hour, steeply, to Eagle's Nest for smoothies and the best view of the lake we saw all trip.
I compared the three towns in more detail in San Pedro, San Juan, or San Marcos: which Lake Atitlán town?
How do you get from Lake Atitlán to El Paredon?
By shuttle van. Ours had its muffler tied on with rope. Every time the first van went over a bump, the muffler scraped the ground, and eventually the driver had to pull over because it was about to rip off.
Our route included a change to a second van partway, so we only had to ride with the muffler for part of the trip. Some of the other passengers kept going in it. Later there was a short ferry ride along the river, where we got out and took pictures, and where the heat hit us for the first time. The van was air-conditioned. Outside it was around 90°F with heavy humidity.
If you're booking this leg, Living in Guatemala lists shuttles from San Pedro to El Paredon at 13:30 for $35 a person and puts the trip from Panajachel at about 4 hours (as of October 2026). Along Dusty Roads' Antigua to El Paredon guide doesn't recommend public transport from Panajachel, and it's wary of early morning departures from the lake after robberies of travelers waiting in the street.
Is El Paredon worth it?
It's worth it if all you want to do is surf. Otherwise, probably not.
Along Dusty Roads calls it the best beach break in Guatemala, with board rentals around 150Q a day and lessons from about 150Q to 200Q (as of October 2026). The same guide warns that swimming there is risky because of shallow crashing waves and a strong riptide.
We didn't go to surf, so the beach had to carry the stop for us. The Pacific was the reason we came, and floating in it at sunset was the best part of the stop. But the heat was oppressive, the black sand was far too hot to walk on during the day (we met a man hobbling back to his hotel with blisters on his feet), and we spent a lot of our time in the Airbnb pool. At the lake we walked around towns all day. In El Paredon, walking one block felt like enough.
The whole sweaty story is in our El Paredon post.
What would I change about this itinerary?
A few things, all learned the hard way:
Sleep in San Marcos instead of San Pedro. I'd like to book a room at Lush and find out whether the quiet footpaths mean I get to sleep in.
Keep San Juan before San Marcos. Shopping was much cheaper in San Juan, and I was glad I did my buying there first.
Find the right dock before you walk to it. Or don't, and enjoy a private boat for about $10.
Go to Hobbitenango in the morning for the clearest volcano views.
Swap El Paredon for a different beach, unless you're going to surf. If you do go, get a place with a pool.
My wife and I both do yoga, and we could see ourselves coming back to Eagle's Nest for a retreat.
How do you get from El Paredon back to Antigua?
By shuttle again. Living in Guatemala lists El Paredon to Antigua at about 2.5 hours with one operator, and Along Dusty Roads gives 2 to 3 hours from Antigua depending on traffic. Antigua is also the easy hop back to the airport.
More from the trip is on our Guatemala travel page.
FAQ
How many days do you need for Antigua, Lake Atitlán and El Paredon? We spent 5 days in Antigua before heading to the lake and the coast. Three days is enough for Antigua's highlights if you're short on time.
Do you need a car in Guatemala for this route? No. We used shuttles, tour vans, tuk-tuks and boats the whole way.
How long is the shuttle from Lake Atitlán to El Paredon? About 4 hours from Panajachel, according to Living in Guatemala and Along Dusty Roads. Ours included a van change and a short river ferry.
Is El Paredon good for beginners? For surfing, Along Dusty Roads says the dry season (November to April) has smaller, more manageable swells. For swimming, watch out for the riptide.
Is El Paredon hot? Yes. It was around 90°F with heavy humidity when we got there, and the black sand was too hot to walk on barefoot during the day.