Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
dock, go up about 50 meters and turn right on the footpath known as 7th Avenue to get to
El Otro Lado and continue to the Panajachel boat dock. From the latter dock, go up one
blockandturnlefttogettotheothersideoftown.Numeroushand-paintedsignswilldirect
you almost anywhere you want to go.
In recent years there's been some tension in San Pedro due to the proliferation of evan-
gelicalchurchesandtheircongregantswhosometimeslookuponSanPedro'sforeignpres-
ence as an unwelcome, “sinful” hindrance. On at least one occasion, congregants have sur-
rounded a well-known bar and forced it to shut down for the night. The
palapa
lounge at
the Israeli-owned Zoola restaurant and hotel has been burned down twice, leading some to
wonder if the attacks were perpetrated in the name of anti-Semitism. The lounge has since
been replaced with a less flammable canvas substitute.
San Pedro Volcano
Thevolcanobecameanationalparkin2006,soitishopedthat,aswasthecasewithPacaya
Volcano, its newly protected status will result in greater police presence and an end to the
robberies that frequently happen near the summit. For now, check with locals before head-
ing up the volcano. Under no circumstances should you attempt this hike alone. Always go
with a local guide. There is a visitors center at the trailhead, which is just off the road to
Santiago. The hike is fairly strenuous, as the trail runs straight up the mountain with very
little in the way of switchbacks. It takes about 4-5 hours to reach the summit, which is still
very much covered in thick cloud forest. There's a small gap in the trees at the top from
whichthereareviewsofSantiagoandthelake.Startyourhikeearlyinthedaytoavoidthe
midday heat and the clouds that typically gather at the summit of the lake's volcanoes in
the afternoon.
