Located in the Guatemalan Highlands, Lake Atitlan is renowned as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. Famous for its natural beauty and colourful Mayan villages, it is surrounded by craggy mountains and three traditionally shaped volcanoes. Their perfect cones reflected in the azure mirror of the lake.  The word “atitlan” is a Mayan word that translates as “the place where the rainbow gets its colors”. Formed by a collapsed volcano cone, Lake Atitlan is 340 meters deep which made it the deepest lake in Central America.

Lake Atitlan and its villages are a winning combination of scenic beauty, a relaxed atmosphere, easily accessible Mayan culture, and a good tourist infrastructure. Its green mountain ranges, blue waters and three perfectly shaped volcanoes provide a wonderful view from any of the 12 villages that surround it. Lake Atitlan, its villages and its culture are a winning combination of scenic beauty, a super relaxed atmosphere and a very friendly and accessible Mayan population. It enjoys an efficient and relatively in-expensive tourist infrastructure, while maintaining a balance with nature.

You can have an enjoyable weekend visit, a week away from it all, or several weeks to learn Spanish. Around Lake Atitlan can have many activities such as hiking, volcano tour, bike tour, tour in the villages, coffee tour, birdwatching tour,trek around the lake, kayak adventure, cultural tour by village around the lake.

Antigua Guatemala is the best-preserved colonial city in South America. Famous for its well-preserved Spanish Baroque inspired architecture and and cobblestone streets, it has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded in the early 16th century, every year Antigua Guatemala attracts visitors from around the world to enjoy its natural beauty and historic monuments.

The beautiful Spanish Colonial style permeates every part of the town: its houses, churches, squares, parks and ruins, also its traditions and folklore as well. Located in a Highland valley – 1,500 m above sea-level, the city was largely destroyed by an earthquake in 1773. Many churches and monasteries, casualties of the 1773 earthquake, have been preserved as ruins to this day.

Antigua is popular with tourists at all times of year and is full of great restaurants, hotels built in the same Spanish style with heavenly and flowered courtyards. Sits under the spectacular Agua Volcano – 3,765 meters high, the area offers an opportunity to hike the peaks for great city views. Antigua is noted for its crafts: terracotta, ceramics, wrought iron, silver and jade jewellery, wooden sculptures, carved colonial-style furniture, a great variety of traditional costumes and weavings, and much more. You can see and buy an overwhelming variety of attractive, handmade products that honour the traditions of generations of artisans.

The sudden screech of a rogue howler monkey may wake you in the middle of the night or you may be startled by a crocodile swimming past the window of you room, but this is all part of the appeal of staying at one of the world’s top eco-archaeology escapes. Chimino is an island set in a huge lagoon deep in the Guatemalan jungle. Guests stay in one of the five modern rustic houses built form local mahogany trees that had already fallen. Their roofs are draped with shaggy palm thatch. These houses stand hundred of feet from one another, overlooking the lagoon. 

Colourful toucans and parrots perch on branches outside, staring in, as interested in you as you are in them. The houses may look primitive, but inside they are equipped with simple beds, hot water and bathrooms. You may feel up close and intimate with the jungle, but the owners assure guests that the bungalows are insect- and animal- proof. 

A similar central building has a bar, restaurant, terrace, and hammocks. Down on the water there is a floating wooden deck for sunbathing, swimming, canoeing, or fishing. The lodge cook prepares fresh fish from the lagoon for a traditional regional dinner. 

Easy paths from the bungalows lead to the remains of an impressive Mayan citadel, including its defensive walls, ceremonial pyramids and palaces. It is believed it was home to a branch of the Mayan royal family between 600 and 900 C.E. Deep in the jungle, archaeologists have unearthed a court for playing ball games. Photos by: youngrobv (Rob & Ale)

La Lancha is sets in one of the wilder spots in the world – secluded in rainforest on the shores of Lake Peten Itza, Guatemala. Owned by movie director Francis Ford Coppola, the lodge is located a 30 minute drive away from the famous Mayan ruins at Tikal. Weather Nov to Jun is the best time to visit.

There are ten naturally built brightly decorated “casitas” that are inspired by antique Balinese and Guatemalan furniture but well equipped with modern amenities. The lodge featuring two rooms with queen-size beds, decks with hammocks and private large marble bathrooms. 

Activities: Canoeing, hiking, bird-watching, fishing, kayaking at the lake, horse riding, walking trails. The hotel offers spectacular views of the glassy lake’s waters and the greenery of Guatemala. There is also a restaurant specializing in regional dishes, open-air bar, swimming pool and gift shop.

It is a charming boutique hotel overlooking Lake Atitlan. Set against a backdrop of three magnificent volcanoes – Toliman, Atitlan and San Pedro, the terraced villa provides spectacular views of the lake. In 2001 “Conde Nast Travelers” add this property in the hot list of top new hotels. Located only three hours from Antigua, you can even arrive at the hotel by helicopter as they have their own private landing pad.

This villa is the height of exclusive luxury accommodation in Guatemala. The design is a brilliant mix of Guatemalan local culture and antique Spanish wooden furniture. The Guatemalan heritage is present in the bright colored walls, vintage mirrors, and the traditional musical instruments decorate on a wall. The hotel is the perfect place for honeymooners, relaxing and romantic getaways.

There is a 50ft swimming pool, private beach and restaurant offering an extravagant choice of European, Guatemalan and Mexican dishes. But there are a number of other activities: boat trip, lake excursions, horseback riding, hike on the volcanoes, kayaking and water-skiing in the lake, and you can visit to one of the 12 Mayan villages surrounding the lake.

Rooms rates: $125-$1099
No children under 15 are allowed.

The library of school-committed Villa of the Children in zone 6 of the city of Guatemala, Guatemala is a part of set of buildings that lodge thousand children who live in extreme poverty and with a future very limited. In there, the Korean catholic nuns offer them an education opportunity, feeding and hosting with no cost.

The building was constructed to serve a group of students, who come from the poorest sectors of the country and here they receive free education. The library had to be a building that connected them with its origins and to comfort the children in the distance of his families and born place. For all these reasons it was constructed with the idea of that kind of ceilings and bricks, as well as the abstraction of the forest in the volume of the launching slips.

With such a design it is obtained the balance that the architects were looking for. Balance between translucent and solid, dynamic and satic. An enameled brick was used that avoids the painting use and facilitates its cleaning. In addition it was used exposed concrete, stainless steel and aluminum hard anodozing .

Located 548km (341 miles) north of Guatemala City, the ancient site of Tikal was once home to an estimated 100,000 Maya. Unlike many other ancient Mayan sites, the wonders of Tikal are hidden deep within the rainforest. Every year, visitors come to gaze at its towering 70m- (230ft) high pyramid and ancient plazas to the accompaniment of jungle sounds. The site has more than 3000 structures including temples and palaces and is located in Tikal National Park, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is home to many species of wildlife. There is also an on-site museum, which contains a collection of objects found during excavations at the site.

You will find another quality of the Tikal area to be its abundance of wildlife. Tikal is surrounded by an immense and lush rain forest with an amazing diversity of flora and fauna. You can spend days to a week or more exploring and watching the animals, birds and insects. For best explanations you can get Tikal National Park Guides to show you around. The Monkeys and toucans are common but most common are the Coatimundis. Your trek in Tikal will be one of the most impressive parts of your travels.