Jaibalito

Jaibalito Lake Atitlan is a small village located on the shores of Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. It is known for its tranquil atmosphere and beautiful views of the lake and surrounding mountains.

The main access is only by boat.

One of the main attractions of Jaibalito is its natural beauty. The village is surrounded by lush vegetation and offers visitors the opportunity to explore the lake and its surroundings. Popular activities include swimming, kayaking, hiking, and bird-watching.

Jaibalito is also known for its vibrant indigenous culture. Many of the villagers are indigenous Mayans and still practice traditional customs and ceremonies. Visitors can witness these traditions by attending local festivals and events, or by visiting nearby villages to learn about the Mayan way of life.

There is no road access to Jaibalito Lake Atitlan.

The public dock at Jaibalito is served by the regular ferry boats (lanchas) that do the Panajachel-San Pedro route. As of Aug 2017, tourists should expect to pay 15Q/20Q between Jaibalito and Panajachel.

The only other method of access is via a footpath from the adjacent villages of Santa Cruz la Laguna and Tzununa.

If you are staying at a hotel/hostel in Jaibalito Lake Atitlan check to see if it has its own dock, so that your lancha can drop you there instead of the public dock. If you do use the public dock and need help carrying any luggage to your hostel/hotel, there are a couple of tuk-tuks that are able to navigate the small narrow road system in the village.

There are usually a few kids who will very happily carry your bags from the dock to wherever you are staying. These kids thoroughly deserve some small payment, which they will tell you upfront.

Even if you can manage your bags, give a thought to these little entrepreneurs. This is a very poor village, and encouraging payment for work is far better than begging.