Lake Atitlán Boat Schedule 2025 & Local Tips

One of the most important things on the lake is figuring out the boat situation called lancha in Guatemala. After this you can hop from town to town exploring daily.

Having spent a month in Lake Atitlán, I'll debunk the mafia pricing towards tourists and give you some local boat tips. This schedule will be updated with the help of local Guatemalan friends still living at the lake.

Before we jump in, let's learn some new Spanish word.

If you're just arriving the lake, chances are you'll first land in Panajachel which locals know as Pana. This town is the gateway where you can springboard to other towns.

Boats take this route around the lake stopping at each of these towns: Panajachel → Santa Cruz → Jaibalito → Tzununa → San Marcos → San Pablo → San Juan → San Pedro

Unofficial Boat Schedule

There are no fixed schedules but below is what locals consider normal. Boats depart from the dock when they are full. Always ask the captain what time the last boat leaves.

Boat Duration To Each Town

This is a rough estimate of boat duration as the total stops, weather, and traffic affects it. In general, every stop to a small town takes around 5 minutes totaling 45 minutes for all towns.

Boat Terminal Docks

There are public and private docks at most large towns. Larger towns have two public docks to cater for different destinations.

Boat Tips From Locals

1. 🧭 Tell the captain where you're stopping - if you're going to a small town like Jaibalito or Tzununa, tell the captain you're stopping there or they might skip it.
2. 👋 Wave to the boat when at small villages - similarly if you're in a small town, you will need to wave to the boat captains or they won't stop at these towns if they are no potential passengers.
3. 💵 Carry small bills - boat captains normally don't carry that much change so have the exact amount for your trip which might also help not to get overcharged.
4. ☝️ Pay after your boat trip - there is a sort of mafia at the boat stations where the captains tell you that you have to buy a ticket before entering the boat but they normally overcharge tourists this way with a fixed rate.
5. ☀️ Don't wait for the last boat - waiting for the last boat means you will be at the mercy of the boat captain charging you the maximum fare which happened to me so try to leave before the sun goes down.
6. 🚕 Have a backup plan - if you miss the last boat, you can check if there's a tuk tuk or public bus to your town but also know that the last buses leave early at around 5PM and tuk tuks may not want to take you.

Tips To Avoid Being Overcharged

The most important tip I can give you from my month of being at the lake is to know the exact price that tourists pay. Locals pay a cheaper rate because they live there. It's a very debatable subject but it's important to know that this is not our country and we must follow their rules.

If you know the price, you should keep the exact amount of money in your pocket to pay that. Also important is to pay after your boat ride is over and just give them the exact amount, say thanks and walk away. This will immediately tell the boat captain that you know.

Another important tip is to not ask for price... I mean never ask for a price. Just pay.

And lastly, just blend in by acting like a local. Be nice, don't fight and enjoy the boat ride.

Boat Mafia And Why It Sucks

When I first arrived at the lake, I was with my travel partner and one of the first things that bugged us was that tourists were getting overcharged everywhere. It was easy to become distrustful with locals but over time we learned how to navigate it.

The first problem with the boat system is that there are no signs showing official prices. That sucks for foreigners because most of the travelers are coming for a one-time experience and splurge on everything.

I'm not that type of traveler yet unfortunately.

Yes, I'm on a budget but I also want to support locals while being treated fairly.

Foreigners treated like money bags

The problem is that boat captains give the impression that they simply want to charge foreigners the maximum amount they can. Some even go as far as charging Q30 for any trip regardless if it lasts 10 minutes or 45 minutes.

While I totally agree that locals should pay less because they live here and take the boat every day, I also think foreigners should be charged a fair rate.

That's where I draw the line and my travel partner also felt the same way.

A nasty story with boat captains

We took a trip to Santiago Atitlán from San Pedro one day. This was at another public dock different from the main dock in town. Upon arriving we got greated with a very aggressive boat captain asking us to get on the boat and he was charging us Q30 to get to Santiago Atitlán.

But we already knew the price was Q15 thanks to our local friends.

So we told him we won't pay that price and he told us to screw off because that's not the price. So we told him fine and decided to wait for another boat. Then another nicer captain came and told us he'll take us for Q15. And guess what?

The first pissed-off captain got angry with the nicer captain and told him he's ruining business for everyone. Then... the nicer captain came to tell us to please take the boat with the angry captain before he causes a scene.

We audibly refused and told him we don't give our business to assholes and that we demand fair treatment and respect. So we ended up going with the nicer captain.

How's that for boat mafia?

Speaking out for all travelers

This was a long-winded commentary on the boat/lancha situation in Lake Atitlán but I felt it was necessary to share with foreigners especially those that will be staying on the lake for longer periods of time. And most do because they stay to take Spanish lessons or simply love the lake.

If you have your own pleasant experience or a not-so-good one, feel free to share it below in the comments.

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