How safe is Guatemala?

The retreat is on the shores of Lake Atitlan.

It's much safer than new orleans.Just stay out of the nasty areas of the city. Antigua, lake atitlan are safe. I visit yearly and go to antigua as well as fishing in Puerto San Jose. The fishing there is much better than anywhere including costa rica.

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My biggest concern would be finding reputable transportation from the airport to the lake and back. I’d hire a private driver and review references.

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If you're not accustomed to Central American driving, then renting a car is not recommended. I've done it, but driving in Guatemala is definitely a two-hands-on-the-wheel-at-all-times kind of experience.

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What is the micro climate like there? Is it more temperate? Humidity? Mosquitoes/biting insects?

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Yes, the surface of the lake is about a mile high, so it's not hot at all. I wore long pants and a short-sleeved shirt, but others around me wanted a long sleeve or jacket when going across the lake. I didn't encounter any mosquitos, but I'm not sure if that's true at all times of the year.

Though the air is temperate, the water of the lake is warm enough for swimming, because it basically sits on top of a volcano, so scuba divers can go down a ways underwater and touch rocks that will burn your hand if you leave it there long enough.

I decided to dig up my photos from September 2015.

View from my hotel in Panajachel (the main tourist hub on the lake):




From the boat dock in Pana:



I forget which town on the lake this photo is from, but I think it might be from San Marcos de la Laguna, the "hippie town" of Lake Atitlan:



There are certainly coffee farms around the lake, but the best coffee is grown above 8000 feet, so you'd need to leave the lake itself to do a tour of a finca, but definitely worth it if you're interested in coffee. I think Starbucks regular blend is 10% Guatemalan.



Many people get around in the towns around the lake in little tuk-tuk taxis. You'll probably use them as well, as arriving at a boat dock may mean a very steep uphill walk to a restaurant or attraction you're interested in.



Many of the towns are dominated by their churches. Here's San Juan de la Laguna, which is a very traditional town, as outsiders are not allowed to own land:



San Pedro de la Laguna (complete with statue of the said St. Peter):



Santiago Atitlan:



A view of the touristy area of Santiago Atitlan:



I forget why this guy was snorkeling, as the water is not very clear. But the point the water is not very cold, despite the fact that the lake sits more than 5100 feet above sea level.




The experience of taking the boat across the lake to the different towns if so interesting, because the towns are of different tribes, speak different Mayan languages, and wear different traditional clothing.

In fact, most of the women wear traditional hulpiles that they make themselves. Weaving your own huipil is basically a rite of passage for a girl's path to womanhood. These days, men are unlikely to wear traditional clothing.

The Relief Map really is a neat attraction. The level of detail is amazing. It's in Zona 2, a fairly long Uber ride from the main hotel area of Guatemala City, but worth it. My photos:

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I visit yearly and go to antigua

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What's your best advice on how to get to Antigua. I'm landing in Guatemala City around 6:30PM, so I'm debating just staying at an "airport hotel" before heading to the lake OR heading straight to Antigua. I'm not loving the fact that it'll be starting to get dark out during that drive.

I ended up hiring a private driver to take me to the nicest hotel in the city center to spend the night, then he's taking me first thing in the AM straight to Lake Atitlan.

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I ended up hiring a private driver to take me to the nicest hotel in the city center to spend the night, then he's taking me first thing in the AM straight to Lake Atitlan.

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Good idea. My fishing guide hooks me up with a private driver from the city to antigua and anywhere else we would like to go the day before we fish.

Yeah, that's in Zona 10, which is where almost all of the city's hotel's are -- not far from the airport. As I said, this is one of the few parts of the city where I have felt comfortable walking a couple of blocks to a restaurant after dark.