Things to do in Panajachel in January

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Overview

January is a good time to visit Panajachel. The weather is usually mildly cool and breezy, with temperatures ranging from 54—76°F (12—24°C).

Panajachel has plenty to offer for visitors of all ages and interests. In this article, we tell you the top things to see and do for your January trip to Panajachel. Get inspired by the events, activities, attractions, and experiences unique to January. We’ll let you know where to explore events based on your interests, whether that’s food, culture, art, music, sport or others.

We’ll let you know everything you need to prepare for the weather in Panajachel in January. Learn about what to wear and pack for your trip, the average temperatures throughout January, temperature changes from morning to evening and much more.

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Best events and things to do in Panajachel in January

Top experiences in January
We couldn't find any experiences in January
Holidays in Panajachel in January
January
  • New Year's Day (January 1)
Other notable holidays
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Weather in Panajachel in January

Temperatures on an average day in Panajachel in January

The average temperature in Panajachel in January for a typical day ranges from a high of 76°F (24°C) to a low of 54°F (12°C). Some would describe the temperature to be mildly cool. The general area may also feel breezy.

For comparison, the hottest month in Panajachel, April, has days with highs of 83°F (28°C) and lows of 61°F (16°C). The coldest month, January has days with highs of 76°F (24°C) and lows of 54°F (12°C). This graph shows how an average day looks like in Panajachel in January based on historical data.

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Historical temperature average in January
76°F
highs
54°F
lows

General weather summary

Mildly cool, breezy
Feels like
19%
Chance of rain
0.079 in
Amount
10.8 mph
Wind speed
84%
Humidity
11.4 hrs
Daylight length
6:32 AM
Sunrise
5:54 PM
Sunset
66%
Cloud cover
T-shirt
What to wear
What to wear in January
With an average high of 76°F (24°C) and a low of 54°F (12°C), it generally feels mildly cool and breezy. With that in mind, most people would dress in something light like your favorite t-shirt
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Best attractions for Panajachel in January

Besides the array of exciting events and activities Panajachel has to offer for travelers in January, we want to remind you of the classic attractions in Panajachel that are great to visit at this time of the year as well! You can’t miss these iconic landmarks, local favorites, and places rich with cultural heritage. We hope to give you insights and inspiration into the best things to see and do to make the most of your visit. Here is a list of our top attractions in Panajachel for January.
Sitio Arqueológico Iximche
1. Sitio Arqueológico Iximche
4.6
(3170)
Park
Sights & Landmarks
Pre-Columbian city ruins dating from the 15th to 16th century with palaces, temples & ball courts.
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This is a great, smaller site to see, especially if you can't get to Tikal. Many of the mounds are still covered with dirt and only a few are exposed. Several ball courts to see, but no real pyramids compared to Tikal. We also got to see some rituals being performed. There is a small museum. It was not crowded at all when we were there. Having a guide was very helpful because there aren't a lot of signs or explanations within the park itself.
Nice site and not to busy in the morning. With a guide you get more detailed info on how it was.
It was awesome to tour this myan settlement and see the history of the area. Wonderful museum and information spread throughout for you to read.
A dream come true visiting Iximche. I studied this site way back in my university days, and its history and relevance stayed firmly planted in my mind. What i was its importance to the current day Mayans, and it's continued use as a ceremonial site. This day, the visit, the ruins, conservation, and interpretation will stay with me forever.
Not too much left from the Maya ruins so asOur tour guide said imagination was
First time visiting this ruins and was quite impressed with how well the ruins that remain are preserved. There wasn't a lot to see but it is an interesting place due to its historical significance. It was very pleasant to wander around the grounds imagining what this place looked like when it was bustling place 500 years ago. Would recommend spending and hour or two if you're in the area.
We loved the Museum. It opens at 1pm (during the week). I'm not sure about the weekends. Then we walked the Ruins. You can get a tour if you'd like too. It's no Tikal but we still enjoyed it. 😍.
Very cool mayan ruins with a cute museum! If you ride from Antigua to Panajachel, this is one of the few ways to incorporate mayan ruins into your trip if you don't want to fly to another area in Northern Guatemala.
Atitlan Hotel
2. Atitlan Hotel
4.5
(1387)
Hotel
Nature & Parks
Refined property on a former coffee plantation offering botanical gardens, dining & lake views.
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We absolutely loved Hotel Atitlan. It is beautiful. The gardens are breathtaking as is the view! Every server we had was nice and helpful. The Sunday brunch buffet was delicious. We had great meals at the restaurant. Our kids loved the pool and we liked that it was far enough out of the main town to feel a bit secluded. The rooms were nice and the view of the lake was amazing. The beds could be more comfortable but that would be our only complaint! This is a gem of a hotel especially if you are traveling with children.
The grounds are absolutely stunning! It is expensive but you are paying for a great location, pool and hot tub overlooking the lake and volcano and dock access. The restaurant team ( minus one lady) is good, grounds team, housekeeping, front desk and guest services are amazing. Roxana at the restaurant was so pleasant and Carlos who looked after pool service really hustled and was so friendly. The really unfortunate part for service is the bartender team is really not pleasant at all. Honestly I am not sure if I would visit again. I would recommend for the views and the grounds.
Pros - most beautiful hotel that you will ever visit, amazing gardens, parrots flying around, and breath taking view to the atitlan lake and the volcanos - pool and jacozi are amazing (pool is warm), with a view to both the forest behind the hotel, the different gardens, the lake, and the volcanos. - very welcomeing staff, toktok and jeep are always avaliable for rent to go to the city - It has an amazing art collection that is placed meticulously around the hotel and in the rooms. It adds lots of character to the hotel. Cons - very bad internet in the rooms and inside the hotel (at the pool it is OK) very unreasonable laundry rates - when in other places you pay 8 Q (1$) for a pound of laundry, here you pay 4$ for a simple shirt. - all tho the restaurant staff is very welcoming, the restaurant food is not good at all. You will pay twice as much than any other restaurant to get a bad, small portion, tasteless version of the same food you can get elsewhere. I recommend ordering coffee in the morning, watching the amazing view from the restaurant, and then going to eat in the restaurant close to the hotel called Migoya, which has much better food with more reasonable prices. Update 1 day after: They have unclear fees that you discover after you get the receipt in the mail. No one will tell you that you need to pay 160Q extra at the place, and this is after they told me they already did a mistake at the first charge and requested 300Q more at checkout (which I happily paid). It might be that we paid extra 160Q "conservation" fee for them keeping our suitcases for an hour and half but no one told us this will.cost money and this is actually the first hotel I have ever been to that wants money for that service. This left a bad taste in my mouth. If you go there pay extra attention and verify all the fees they wish you to pay. I lowered the service from 5 stars to 3 just because of that.
This place is MAGICAL. I have been to beautiful hotels before, and this is one of a kind. The rooms are spacious and have a balcony with a view on the gardens and/or lake. The cleanliness struck me, and that was the first time it happened that I noticed how spotless everything was, even under the bed. Major points for that. The gardens and view over the lake, however, are what make this place so magical. The hard work of the staff pays off, because the premises create an unforgettable experience. The restaurant also had good food. The staff was professional and pleasant, and even helped me with a flat tire.
The hotel is very beautiful, especially the lush GARDENS. The price of the night is worth it if only for the gorgeous gardens. The lake view from the hotel restaurant is spectacular and the hundreds of lovebirds are so cute to behold! The rooms are nice, but slightly outdated and missing common amenities such as hand soap and shampoo. The bathroom had great pressure, but the curtain was dirty. Furthermore, the road to the hotel is terrible to drive on. It is a sharp right off the road to Pana and is filled with potholes and un drivable conditions. The hotel should fix these roads if they really want to attract tourists.
Hotel Atitlan is absolutely stunning. The gardens are lush and colorful, the lake and volcano views are breathtaking, and the pool area feels like a dream. The staff are kind and attentive, always greeting you with a smile. The rooms are clean, charming, and comfortable, with balconies that overlook paradise. My only small complaint was the weak WiFi and slightly pricey restaurant, but everything else more than made up for it. If you’re looking for peace, beauty, and a true connection with nature, this is the perfect place to stay in Panajachel.
The hotel has the best views of Lake Atitlán and the Atitlán volcano, although the rooms are a bit dated. The pool and jacuzzi are stunning. But I must advise you NOT TO LEAVE VALUABLES in your room or in your suitcase when you check it out at reception. A piece of jewelry of great sentimental value went missing on October 26th, and despite the search, it still hasn't been found.
Stunning views, beautiful gardens, short taxi from town. Rooms were well sized with traditional furnishing. Room 222 had magnificent 180 degree views over the lake. If only service could match the setting. I don’t think this was because the staff were not willing, rather they were poorly organised/trained - drinks arrived 30 mins after being ordered (I had to go up to bar and pick them up) - main courses arrived at different times so some of us had already finished by the time others’ had arrived - we were advised not to order dessert as it would have taken too long - we were told that all the nicer outside seating for breakfast was reserved even though it remained empty for the next hour! Reception were however helpful. It is a shame that these shortcomings detracted from our experience. If this were well managed, it could be a truly spectacular hotel.
Museo Lacustre de Atitlan
3. Museo Lacustre de Atitlan
4.3
(465)
History museum
Museums
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Nice museum. It's smaller, but it's a museum divided into 2 parts. The first one has the history of the villages/cities around Lake Atitlán and information about the volcano. Also found archaeological objects. The second part is only in Spanish, but it's about the sunken Mayan city. Amazing. I highly recommend it. I think the entrance fee was 30q
This is a nice Place With good information about the region. It is pretty sheep to enter. It is very sad that the Museum is not bigger and it is a little guitar find because it's inside a Resort 🤔
Had some important information about the underground lost city Samabaj. Other than that it seems like a tourist trap that is conveniently located inside a hotel. I would recommend saving your money and watching a free YouTube video online. Is a very small museum. Would probably take you 30 minutes maximum even if you read every single sign.
Nice, albeit small museum. Educational. I enjoyed it.
Decent museum on the pre-Colombian archaeology of Lago Atitlan. Some excellent pieces. It has a unique room on underwater archaeology. It also has descriptions of the geological and volcanic processes which formed the lake.
Rip off place. I ran across this place thought to check it out. It is inside the hotel. I was sweating so I went to the tiny bathroom to wipe off some sweat. Then they charged me 20 quzales for that!! Shady business! 0 star if I could.
It was ok, being honest would be better if someone gives more details.
Extremely small. 35Q is highly overpriced for what you get.
Church of St. Francis of Assisi
4. Church of St. Francis of Assisi
4.7
(26)
Church
Sights & Landmarks
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Located in the center, looked nice and classic building.
Beautiful old church!
It's s church.... Not really interesting
Church in the city center, a good benchmark .
(Translated by Google) Colonial church with many sculptures of Catholic worship. Corpus Christi and other local festivals are celebrated in June. (Original) Iglesia colonial con muchas esculturas de culto católico. En junio se celebra corpus Christi y otras fiestas locales.
(Translated by Google) The church is named after Saint Francis of Assisi because he is the patron saint of the town of Panajachel. It is very old, beautiful inside and out. In addition to being the Catholic temple of Panajachel, where mass and all Catholic customs and rituals are celebrated. (Original) La iglesia lleva el nombre de San Francisco de Asís porque él es el santo patrón del pueblo de Panajachel. Es muy antigua, bella por dentro y por fuera. Además de ser el templo católico de Panajachel, donde se celebra misa y todas las costumbres y rituales católicos.
(Translated by Google) Beautiful Church of San Francisco de Asís in Panajachel!... (Original) Hermosa Iglesia de San Francisco de Asís de Panajachel!...
La Galeria
5. La Galeria
4.7
(63)
Art gallery
Museums
Slide 1 of 8
Great gem in the city with beautiful pieces and prints.
Not only an art gallery there's amazing educational projects going on and also a warm sense of community!
This was the highlight of our day-trip to Pana. The property is pretty whimsical and fun to explore. Zenon was very warm and engaging. It's a great place to pick up some Guatemalan paintings at a reasonable price. Thanks for recommending Humaya for lunch Zenon. We loved it.
Nice gallery. If you are in airbnb you can even spend the night there.
Went to a get together and birthday party. The place has one or two rental units and is very well located in the town of panajachel.
This is an art gallery and meeting place for events. It's very chill with nice garden right in town
Very nice place, the gallery, the yard and garden, plus they serve Sunday brunch.
Beautiful gallery and wonderful owners!
Casa Cakchiquel | Panajachel
6. Casa Cakchiquel | Panajachel
4.3
(112)
Cultural center
Sights & Landmarks
Slide 1 of 8
Would highly recommend! This cultural center is free and has a room with local artifacts, pictures dating back to the last century, and beautiful, beautiful outdoor space to catch your breath and hang out. The cultural center sells postcards and has two other business attached to it: a small vintage/second hand shop and a restaurant with amazing food and drinks, including vegan options.
If you need to killing time in Panajachel, a good place to visit once. Pictures are displayed that give a brief overview of the history of Panajachel during the Spanish conquest. The garden is pretty, and the space is very small and quiet.
It is a nice based and it doesn't cost money which is also very nice It's a lot of really nice pictures and atmostere is good. But it is a very small collection and you can see everything in less den 20 minutes.
Fantastic place - the food was very nice and service as well . Take a look at the wonderful pictures and history . thank you
New restaurant just opened here offering best fish and chips outside of the UK!! They even have cod! New menu on the way too. Be sure to check it out. Has wonderful, quiet garden setting!
Not impressed by the sushi portion sizes, I felt it was overpriced for what you received. My wife ordered a rice dish and really didn’t like it. On the other hand, we have eaten there before and enjoyed it. The 2 for 1 California Roll is not worth it, in my opinion.
Great Stay at the Casa Cakchiquel which was also a museum. We booked an Airbnb here and it was so beautiful. The interior was great, comfortable beds, warm water, towels and a fire place. Vinyls and books on the wall. It was a perfect stay.
Very nice garden, Japanese Restaurant, Museum and Art on Exhibit, Old Photographs of Panajachel reminding us of the Vast cultural and historic value of this Area. Thank you. Well worth a visit... Theres also Yoga clases and Massage by a very talented, local indigenous Woman.
Bird Art Museum
7. Bird Art Museum
4.3
(9)
Temporarily Closed
Museum
Specialty Museums
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(Translated by Google) Fabulous place you learn a lot (Original) Fabuloso lugar aprende uno muchooo
(Translated by Google) We didn't like it, for what you pay you have the right to see some photos of some birds, no one helps you when you enter and they don't even give you a guide for the photos or information, it's boring (Original) No nos gusto, por lo que pagas tienes derecho a ver unas fotos de unos pájaros, no te atiende nadie cuando entras y tampoco te dan si quiera un guía para las fotos o información, es aburrido
(Translated by Google) An important place to learn about the research carried out on the origin of Lake Atiltlan (Original) Un lugar importante para conocer las investigaciones adelantadas sobre el origen del Lago de Atiltlan
(Translated by Google) A spectacular place for bird lovers (Original) Un lugar espectacular para los amantes de las aves
(Translated by Google) a lot to learn (Original) Mucho que aprender
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