A popular
resort town in
Guatemala. It is the most
accessable town of all that are located on the shores of picturesque
Lake Atitlan; most of the other lake towns are more easily reached by parking in Panajachel and taking a
boat than by braving the Guatamalan roads.
Panajachel is a popular spot for foreign tourists, earning it the nickname 'Gringotenango'. While I was there, I saw more foreigners walking the streets than I did when I was staying in relatively-accessible Antigua. In addition to the North Americans, there was also a large share of tourists from within Guatemala and other parts of Latin America.
The main attractions of the town are the access to Lake Atitlan, and the good deals on Guatemalan Souveniers. If you've been eating a lot of basic Third World cuisine, and are sick of it, there are also some very nice restaurants and cafes to check out. The good hotel that my family and I stayed at ran us about 60USD a night for three rooms for six people.