THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS - Guatemala - page 205

bocce ball tournament and barbecue on Saturdays starting at 1 P.M. The winning team gets
a bottle of rum.
If you like your water bathtub-warm, you have at least two options for soaking in hot
tubs. Both places feature concrete tubs filled with water that is solar-heated in black plastic
tubing and pumped into reservoirs of various sizes. (You'll need to call ahead or visit with
at least one hour's prior notice so they can draw the bath.) It costs $7 for one person, but
you can split the cost with others sharing the same pool. The first of these, Solar Pools (7a
Avenida 2-22, Zona 2, tel. [phone], [e-mail], 8 A.M.-11 P.M. daily), is
located on the main strip of El Otro Lado. Of the two, Solar Pools holds the slight edge in
landscaping and it has an adjacent snack bar, Tzan Saqarib'al, serving light fare. You can
reserve by phone. Closer to the lakeshore and a short walk down a side path is Los Ter-
males (8:30 A.M.-11:45 P.M. daily), the town's self-proclaimed original hot tub operation.
Its biggest draw is the sylvan lakeside setting. They prefer that you pre-book your tub in
person.
Guide Companies
Excursiones Big Foot (tel. [phone]), on the main drag as you come up the hill from
the Panajachel dock and turn left, is San Pedro's most reliable outfitter and has been in
operation since 1995. It offers trips to San Pedro Volcano with knowledgeable guides and
security for $14, including park admission. Big Foot can also guide you to Indian Nose
with a four-person minimum for $5 p/p. Casa Verde Tours ( www.casaverdetours.com ,
tel. [phone] and 7721-8344) just down the street from the Panajachel boat dock, is the
town's other recommended outfitter. They also have a variety of daily shuttle departures.
Entertainment
San Pedro is a lively town harboring several bars where the party goes on until about 1
A.M. Up the street and one block on the right from the Panajachel dock, Freedom is a bar
and restaurant housed in a thatched-roof terrace overlooking the lake. It serves light meals
and it's particularly lively at night. There's a pool table here. Just down the street and a
great place for happy hour is Chile's (tel. [phone]), with a large wooden deck overlook-
ing the lake. Happy hour runs 6-8 P.M. and includes 2-for-1 drink specials.
Just to the left of the dock and directly above Nick's Place, D'Noz is a lively bar with
good food, including baguettes and croissants, where movies are shown nightly at 8:30
P.M. In the center of town between the two docks, the ever-popular Buddha Bar, housed
in a three-level building with a cool Asian atmosphere, has pool tables and dartboards on
the first floor. For live music, check out En Vivo (up the street from the Panajachel dock
andleft).ClosertotheSantiagodock,yourbestbetis La Playa, aBritish-ownedsportsbar
with indoor and outdoor seating along with four big screen TVs. The town's neighborhood