Panajachel is in the Western Highlands of Guatemala. Panajachel, or Pana as it is widely known is a small town on the North shore of Lake Atitlan. Pana is a small town with a booming tourist industry. With the exception of possibly Antigua, Panajachel is one of the major tourism areas in Guatemala.

Panajachel has been overwhelmed in recent years by tourists, with souvenir shops and stalls lining the main street. The town attracted many hippies in the 1960s, but the numbers of foreign visitors plummeted during the civil war. After the war ended, tourists started coming back, and Panajachel's economy is once again primarily based on tourism.

Diving in the lake is interesting as this is high altitude diving into a fresh water lake. Also, due to the fact the volcanic activity is present there are hot beds under the bed of the lake. At various points it is possible to burn your hands by digging them into the floor of the lake. There is not much life in the lake but it is possible to see tiny jellyfish and a number of smaller fish. ATI Divers do the PADI open water course for $175 over four days. PADI advanced is $195. Fun dives are $25/$45. They also do an altitude dive course.

Mayan girls walk the streets of Pana from morning until night selling authentic Mayan good such as textiles, paintings and jewellery. They can be quite hard sellers and will approach people dining in restaurants. It is quite common to be approached a dozen times while eating. It is a little off putting but a firm 'No thanks' should do the trick. Prices of the good on offer seem to compete fairly well with shops selling similar goods in Pana. If you see something you like it is still highly recommended to haggle. Try and pay around half to two thirds of the original asking price as a guide.