Lake Atitlan To El Paredon: Step-By-Step Guide (2023)

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Looking for the best ways to get from Lake Atitlan to El Paredon? You’re in the right place! This post explains all of the ways to travel between these two iconic locations in Guatemala, making sure you have the smoothest trip possible.

Lake Atitlan was one of our favourite places in Guatemala. It’s only a short 2.5-hour shuttle away from Antigua, so it can either be completed as a day trip or you can spend a few nights around the lake relaxing, taking in the volcano views and enjoying the water before heading to the coast of El Paredon.

Then El Paredon; a black sandy beach located on the Pacific Coast. Known as one of the best surfing spots in the country, El Paredon is a four-hour shuttle from Lake Atitlan and is a popular choice for backpackers!

So, let’s find out the best ways to travel from Lake Atitlan to El Paredon.

🚎 In a rush? Simply click here for prices and availability of shuttles and cars from Lake Atitlan to El Paredon.

Still have a question about the Lake Atitlan to El Paredon journey? Let me know over on Instagram or shoot me an email at jennie(@)jenniewanders.com!

🇬🇹 Other Guatemala posts:

• 2 Weeks In Guatemala: Perfect Itinerary
• Lake Atitlan Boat Schedule: How Do Lanchas Work?
• 7 Best Spanish Schools In Antigua Guatemala
• Backpacking Guatemala: COMPLETE Guide + ROUTES
• BEST Hostels In Antigua Guatemala: Review

Lake Atitlan To El Paredon: A Summary

The distance between Lake Atitlan (Panajachel) and El Paredon is around 150km and is a 3-4 hour drive. In summary, there are two main ways to get from Lake Atitlan to El Paredon. They are:

• Shuttle bus (most popular backpacker option)
• Private transfer

It’s important to note that all shuttles will stop in Panajachel for Lake Atitlan.

If you are staying in any of the other towns around the lake (Santa Cruz, San Pedro etc), you will need to take a lancha (boat) – see more in the ‘arriving in Lake Atitlan from Antigua’ section or in my full lancha guide here.

If you’re backpacking Guatemala, the most common, safest and easiest way to travel between Lake Atitlan to El Paredon is by shuttle. 

The shuttles hold around 16-25 people and are full of other backpackers.

If you have a higher budget, you can travel from Lake Atitlan to El Paredon via private transfer. This will still take around 3.5 hours, but you’ll have the luxury of your own space.

➡ Travelling to Lake Atitlan? Check out my full post on how to travel around the lake via a lancha and visit all of the beautiful lakeside towns!

1) Lake Atitlan To El Paredon by shuttle

The best and safest way to travel from Lake Atitlan to El Paredon is via shuttle bus. Shuttles run all over Guatemala and are the most popular way for backpackers to travel around.

Most even pick you up from your hostel, or wait at a central point in Panajachel for you to reach (most commonly near the main lancha dock).

Shuttles depart Lake Atitlan for El Paredon a few times through the day. When we were in Lake Atitlan in 2023, there was a shuttle at 5 am, 9 am and 1 pm. Most backpackers booked the 1 pm shuttle.

However, this changes often, so be sure to check on this website, your hostel or with a local travel agent!

🦉 TOP TIP: Regardless of where you book your shuttle tickets (at your hostel, online or from an agent), it will be the same shuttle company.

The shuttle must be pre-booked via this website, your hostel, or a local travel agent. You cannot turn up five minutes before the shuttle leaves and expect to have a seat, as they’re usually fully booked around 24 hours in advance (especially during peak times).

Depending on the time of year and how you book, shuttles cost between £40-50 (400 Q) per person.

The journey is around 4 hours (depending on traffic, road conditions, roadworks and other factors) from Lake Atitlan to El Paredon. 

Bear in mind that the road between Lake Atitlan and El Paredon is adventurous (to say the least) so it may take a little while longer!

🦉 TOP TIP: Your luggage will be safely tied to the top of the shuttle. Just remember to keep all valuables with you inside the bus!

As I mentioned, shuttles in Guatemala are full of other backpackers and tourists. They are safe, reliable and easy to use. They’re also modern and clean, and everyone will have their seat (no plastic chairs shoved in the middle of an aisle)!

I highly recommend using shuttles to travel around Guatemala when backpacking!

2) Lake Atitlan To El Paredon by private transfer

Of course, if you have a luxury budget, or if there is a bigger group of you (3 or 4), you may want to split a private transfer.

Private cars will pick you up from your Panajachel accommodation (you will need to board a lancha if you’re not already there), and drop you off at your El Paredon accommodation.

The journey to El Paredon shouldn’t take more than 3.5 hours, but again, this depends on the road conditions and traffic.

➡ Book your private transfer on a safe and reputable site now!

🦉TOP TIP: Did you know it’s quicker to travel from Antigua to El Paredon than from Panajachel to El Paredon? If you’re only doing a day trip to Lake Atitlan from Antigua, it’s worth travelling 2.5 hours to El Paredon from Antigua instead. You can either book a private transfer or shuttle from Antigua to El Paredon here.

Arriving in El Paredon from Lake Atitlan

El Paredon (also known as El Paredon Buena Vista) is a sleepy beachside town on the southern Pacific Guatemalan coast.

When you arrive by bus, it’s likely you will only be a stone’s throw from your accommodation, especially if you are staying in one of the main hostels (Mellow Hostel is our top pick).

Where to stay in El Paredon

Want to spend a few nights in El Paredon? These are some of the best places to stay.

• Mellow Hostel for backpackers in El Paredon.
• Swell hotel for those wanting somewhere to relax and surf.
• Cocori Lodge: for unique accommodation options; you can sleep in a sweet cabana or even an old converted American school bus!
• Driftwood Hostel: the biggest party hostel in El Paredon.
• Hotel Villas Lucciana: for couples wanting somewhere to stay in El Paredon.

Arriving in Lake Atitlan from El Paredon

STAYING IN PANAJACHEL?

Your shuttle will drop you off in one of two places; on the main street near Calle Santander, or at the boat dock. If you are staying in Panajachel, check your Google Maps to see which drop-off point is easier.

NOTE: Selina and the Dreamboat Hostel are both by the ferry port. But Panajachel is easy to walk around, and there are tuk-tuks if you get lost!

STAYING IN SAN PEDRO, SANTA CRUZ OR ANYWHERE ELSE ON LAKE ATITLAN?

You will need to make your way to the ferry port in Panajachel to reach your accommodation in another town around Lake Atitlan. Boats (aka lanchas) run regularly throughout the day, from around 6 am – 7 pm.

There’s no need to book, as they run every 15-30 minutes to all locations. They’re small but hold around 25 people and cost £2.50/$3 per one-way journey.

Lanchas on Lake Atitlan go to all areas around the lake (San Pedro, Santa Cruz, San Juan etc), and stop at private docks if you are staying in a specific hotel that is not close to a main town. You will just need to tell the captain when boarding!

➡ Check out my full post on how to travel around the lake via a lancha and visit all of the beautiful lakeside towns!

The next section explains where the main backpacker hotels are located around Lake Atitlan.

Where to stay in Lake Atitlan

Lake Atitlan has many different areas for backpackers to stay in. Some are more popular than others for several reasons. Where you stay in Lake Atitlan will depend on what kind of traveller and person you are.

For example, if you’re keen to party, you’ll want to stay in San Pedro. Or if you want to experience the zen, hippy part of the lake, head to San Marcos. 

For a remote hostel experience (with little around, so you’re all-in with your hostel friends), look at hostels in Santa Cruz (like Free Cerveza). Another popular location is to actually stay in Panajachel, Lake Atitlan’s main town.

I recommend either staying in a social hostel or a hotel/apartment with a lake view. We stayed in a few different locations around the lake, and whilst we liked our Airbnb in Panajachel, it was so far away from the lake that it didn’t feel like we were there.

If we were to return, we’d splurge a little more and stay in an apartment in one of the smaller towns overlooking the volcanoes and water.

But of course, most backpackers (like us!) can’t afford this, so we stick to the hostels. Our favourite hostel on Lake Atitlan was Free Cerveza (a full review can be found here).

• Free Cerveza (Santa Cruz): for backpackers wanting to SUP, swim, socialise, be off the grid for a few days and soak in everything the lake has to offer ➡ BOOK NOW!

• Selina (Panajachel): for digital nomads in Lake Atilan. ➡ BOOK NOW!

• Dreamboat Hostel (Panajachel): if you want to party in Panajachel  ➡ BOOK NOW!

• Mr Mullet’s (San Pedro): for BIG party backpackers and solo travellers (they run their own crazy boat party)➡ BOOK NOW!

• Chirris Hostal (San Juan): for a nice hostel in the middle of San Juan ➡ BOOK NOW!

Lake Atitlan to El Paredon: FAQs

1) Is El Paredon Guatemala worth visiting?

This depends. If you enjoy sleepy beachside towns, surfing, black sand beaches and days doing nothing but relaxing, El Paredon is an excellent spot to visit in Guatemala. If you’re on a time budget, I’d recommend 2 nights in El Paredon.

However, if you’re on a tight schedule, I’d recommend visiting Antigua or Lake Atitlan over El Paredon.

2) How do I get from El Paredón to Antigua Guatemala?

It’s actually quicker to travel from Antigua to El Paredon than from Panajachel to El Paredon. If you’re getting the shuttle, it’s only 2.5 hours to El Paredon from Antigua. You can book a private transfer or shuttle from Antigua to El Paredon here!

3) How long does it take to get from Lake Atitlan to Antigua?

Antigua is around 2.5 hours away from Lake Atitlan. There are daily shuttles that run to and from Lake Atitlan and Antigua. The shuttles can be booked via your hostel or travel agents in Antigua and should be organised at least 24 hours in advance.

Related post: Lake Atitlan to Guatemala City | Lake Atitlan To Semuc Champey: Step-By-Step Guide

4) Can you swim in Lake Atitlan?

Yes, you can swim in Lake Atitlan, but some areas are safer than others. Unfortunately, the main towns around the lake (including Panajachel and San Pedro) have a high level of pollution and trash in the water.

The best places to swim around Lake Atitlan are the San Marcos diving point, in front of Free Cerveza hostel (Santa Cruz), and around the smaller towns. However, there are no ‘rules’ anywhere when it comes to swimming at Lake Atitlan.

If you are going to swim, be cautious and try not to swallow any water. It’s not unheard of for backpackers to come down with food poisoning and sickness when visiting Lake Atitlan, mainly caused by the lake water.

Unfortunately, there’s a high level of cyanobacteria and phosphorous in Lake Atitlan, from the fertiliser and sewage around the lake.

Best backpacker travel insurance for Central America

If you’re visiting Central America as a backpacker, or even for a short vacation, it is so important to have travel insurance. And if you ended up on a post that’s called ‘epic party tips’, you know (just as well as I do) that you definitely need travel insurance.

Personally, I recommend SafetyWing. As a digital nomad and world traveller myself, I can confirm it is the best travel insurance out there. And one of the cheapest – they have deals that start at just $42 USD per month.

I know, I know, you’re thinking ‘but I can’t afford that!’. I was the same! It’s tough to fork out $42 a month on something ‘you might not need’. But what if something DOES happen? That extra Mezcal shot results in you falling down the stairs, or you eat something dodgy from a street food van.

If you need medical help at any point whilst in Central America, you need travel insurance.

With SafetyWing, you’re covered on travel emergencies, basic medical costs and medical expenses throughout your trip, so you can travel without worry (at a backpacker’s price!)

Don’t even think twice about getting travel insurance for Central America. Trust me, I have heard enough horror stories about backpackers who haven’t had insurance and have ended up in a lot of debt. Don’t be that person!

If you’ve been putting the job off because it takes a lot of time and effort to research the best travel insurance companies, I understand. That’s why I’ve done the hard work for you. Sign up for SafetyWing, and the job is done!

Lake Atitlan to El Paredon: In a Nutshell

So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about travelling from Lake Atitlan to El Paredon! When you’re planning a trip to Guatemala, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!

If you haven’t seen my blog before, I write posts aimed at real-life travellers wanting authentic and down-to-earth information. 

I’m currently balancing travelling around the world and living in London with my boyfriend (read more here!), whilst creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!

Keep an eye out for more Guatemala content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!

As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!

Happy travelling 🙂

Jennie x