Top Things to do in Western Highlands
Countries
The 10 Best Things to do Good for a Rainy Day in Western Highlands, Western Highlands
Guatemalas spectacular Western Highlands run from Antigua to the Mexican border. Pines blanket misty hillsides, rivers cascade through sliver-thin ravines, volcanoes rumble overhead. Catch market day or witness offerings to drinking, smoking St. Maximon, in Chichicastenango. See traditional life in the Ixil Triangle. Clamber the Cuchumatanes Mountains. Mayan dialects and ceremonies are still part of everyday life for the majority of Guatemalas indigenous population, living where their ancestors trod.
Restaurants in Western Highlands
1. Do Guatemala
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 30 reviews
Do Guatemala takes you on nice day tours in Quetzaltenango and surroundings! Visit the hot springs, hike a volcano, learn about the coffee process, and much more! We also arrange transportation and itineraries for groups, and many other services. Come by at our office for a chat or travel advice!
2. Los Elementos Day Spa
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 73 reviews
Visit our spa on the shore of beautiful Lake Atitlan and indulge your senses. You will be lulled into a relaxing meditation from the sounds of the lake while relaxing into the best massage of your life.
3. Santa Cruz Spanish School
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 48 reviews
Since 2006. The school is located at Our Hotel Arca de Noe - 1 minute away from the main public dock in Santa Cruz la Laguna. Our teachers are highly qualified and flexible. Students can share different experiences with other teachers! It is possible. Our courses are individually or in a small group designed for everyone. All materials provided by the school are free. Our school includes free WIFI and a great place for coffee or just relax. Though we offer structure, we are always ready to accommodate student's particular needs and desires. Our teachers are ready to help if a student feels the need to spend more time on any phase of the learning process...
Reviewed By laurarU2942BZ
My husband and I were most impressed with the Santa Cruz Spanish School. The communications, price, and reception were all great, but above all the teachers were excellent. My teacher, Juana, a remarkable young woman from the local town, used a diverse range of teaching tools and techniques, which kept things fun and interesting. She was so patient with me and my awful pronunciation. In the beginning, I thought I wasn't advanced enough for a language school, but I was amazed how much I had learned by the end of the week. The school is located lakeside, and the beautiful views offered inspiration and respite. Combined with a stay a few minutes up the hill as Casa de Cameron (Panorama), it was the perfect place to do a language school.
4. Trama Textiles
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 41 reviews
We are Trama Textiles, a 100% worker-owned women's weaving cooperative in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. We have a local shop in Xela, where we sell our handwoven accessories, homewares and clothing, and offer weaving classes to teach people the ancient art of Mayan weaving. We work with over 400 women, in 17 weaving groups, across five regions in Guatemala's Western highlands. We pay our artisans a fair wage, which they determine, meaning they can provide a sustainable income for themselves and their families. VISIT OUR STORE: Our products are all handwoven by our women artisans, using traditional Mayan weaving techniques. All our products are made with 100% cotton, pre-washed, and double woven with premier grade thread, to make sure they are the highest quality and won't shrink or fade. By buying our products, you help women in our region earn a sustainable income, while maintaining their beautiful Mayan weaving traditions. LEARN TO WEAVE: We offer weaving classes, so you can learn how to weave directly from our artisans. Our classes vary in price and time, depending on what you want to make, from a 1 hour demonstration from $5 USD to making your own scarf or table runner from between $23 USD and $79 USD. FREE TOUR AND VIDEO: WE offer a free tour and video, including a chat with our artisans, and a 25 minute documentary about the history and inspirational stories of our weavers. VOLUNTEER WITH US: We offer free-free long and short term volunteer positions, allowing you to experience Guatemalan culture, gain new skills and practise your Spanish.
5. Casa Flor Ixcaco
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 128 reviews
Casa Flor Ixcaco is San Juan's only Weaving Cooperative that dedicates itself to perserving the skill of spinning natural cotton thread. The products are made by 20 local women using mayan methods that were passed down for many generations. The products are 100 % natural and handmade. Visitors learn more about the spinning and dying process in a demonstration and can sign up for weaving and dyeing classes.
Reviewed By 178nienkeb - Leiden, The Netherlands
This beautiful shop is a home for woman to do their labor with dedication and authenticity. For generations these woman are making the most fine products out of cotton. The passion for their job you can tell from the bright colors and creativity you find in the original hand-made products. They give you a class/demonstration about the whole process from the cotton to the product. By selling the products they support the woman in the village and by that way they protect the art of handmade clothes with natural products. I recommend this place for families, groups and couples. You can buy products (good souvenirs for people back home, or just for yourself) and you can ask for a demonstration were you pay for. I definitely go back if I get the chance.
6. Galeria Imox
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 49 reviews
La Galería Imox lo que desea trasmitir nuestra cultura maya y tradiciones, tambien vendemos puro arte todo lo que pintamos es relacionado a nuestra cultura maya, a los protectores mayas, somos 5 artistas, cada artista tiene diferente estilo técnica y tendencia de arte, y también explicamos el calendario maya a cada visitante cobramos la explicación. Para que conoscan que cada persona, tiene un nawal o protector maya con su fecha de nacimiento podrás conocer su protector maya sus caracteristicas de cada persona, sus profesiones, y su cruz maya explicamos a cada visitante para que nos sirve en nuestra vida que debemos hacer y lo que no tenemos que hacer en nuestra vida el Calendario maya personal. Todas las personas estan asombrados por lo exacto del libro maya todo lo que dice es muy acertado lo que nos trasmite en nuestra vida, es muy sagrado. Los mayas utilizaron este conocimiento y lo aplicaron en su vida diario, si desea conocer a fondo visite la Galería Imox en San Juan La Laguna.
Reviewed By maryangelchapman - London, Canada
We visited during a free tour of the town. Juan explained the Mayan calendar and showed me my birth sign and what it meant. He took the time to explain painting techniques and was so friendly. I love the painting I bought and was so glad to have met the artist.
7. Mayan Kitchen
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 267 reviews
Are you looking to experience Guatemala in an authentic and personal way? Experience the taste and flavors of Guatemala cooking at the Lake Atitlan Maya Kitchen. This class will help you understand how our Mayan culture and Spanish colonial influence blended together in a perfect harmony through food. You will have lots of hands-on fun learning how to cook up three authentic Guatemalan dishes during this 3-5 hour Guatemala cooking class. Learn how to prepare traditional recipes that are unique to Guatemala, and come away with all the skills you need to prepare them in your own kitchen. Our classes start at 9am. with a tour in the local Market, where together will purchase our ingredients, buying organic vegies from local people productors so in that way We are supporting their projects and giving them opportunities too.
Reviewed By Gapyeartravelers
Anita’s cooking class was our favourite activity in San Pedro !! We had the best experience, from buying fresh produce from the market in the morning to cooking up the yummiest meal in the most beautiful kitchen. There were 3 of us in the class which was the perfect number to all get involved and always have something to do ! Anita was the best host, so accommodating, knowledgeable about Mayan culture and open to sharing her own amazing story. Preparing the meal and then sitting down altogether to eat it was so rewarding and it tasted amazing !! I couldn’t recommend this Mayan cooking class more to anyone of any age. If you are in San Pedro it is absolutely a must !!!!
8. Erin's All Natural Facials and Massage
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 23 reviews
This All Natural treatment comes with an upper body massage between masks. I use fruit, honey, cacao/chocolate and essential oils. Cleansing, Ex foliating, Rejuvenating, Anti-oxidizing and Revitalizing your skin mother natures way. Relax while cleansing your skin and leave with a glow that shows! All masks are made fresh and are chemical and additive Free! Come by, write or call for more info:)
9. TinteMaya
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 44 reviews
Women Weaving Better Lives TinteMaya is comprised of 25 artisan women from San Juan La Laguna, a small community by Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, who are working together to promote these values: Equal opportunities for women. The local culture in Guatemala does not offer many economic opportunities for women, leaving the men in control over the family’s finances. TinteMaya enables each individual woman to transform her weaving skills into an economic opportunity and allow the work to be done at home while still taking care of the family. The sale of each product ensures a fair wage to the woman or women who made it; with this money, they can make spending decisions and contribute to the wellbeing of their children. Every purchase pushes gender equality and independence in the right direction. Ecological Sustainability. The use of plant dyes promotes local biodiversity and plant health, minimizes water pollution and creates organic waste for fertilizer. In order to divert waste, Tinte Maya uses recycled material in some weavings by harvesting thread from used sweaters and other sustainable techniques.
Reviewed By oliviassaurman
My friend and I had the pleasure of learning and connecting with these beautiful women over two days. Our first day was spent with Amalia, who taught us about the natural dying process taken to create the beautiful textiles you see all over Guatemala. We hand picked sacatina leaves and cinnamon leaves to create our dye baths, which yielded a beautiful blue and a deep red wine color. We mixed these with achote to create a beautiful mix of colors to dye our pants with. On the next day we returned to participate in the weaving workshop offered by Tintemaya. This was equally an incredible experience. I spent time learning how to weave a bag while my friend worked on a scarf. If you’re traveling around Lake Atitlan I highly recommend stopping by San Juan to participate in this beautiful experience offered by Tintemaya. I feel so lucky to have been able to learn from these women.
10. Manos Crucenas Artisan Store
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 18 reviews
Manos Cruceñas Artisan Store stocks woven, beaded, crocheted, and ironwork products made by indigenous artisans from the Santa Cruz community. Browse products made by artisans earning fair wages while enjoying breathtaking views of Lake Atitlan. You can shop in the retail store, buy wholesale and design your own products made by local artisans, or take one of the beading or weaving courses. The store is located below Café Sabor Cruceño and makes an ideal day trip from anywhere on Lake Atitlan. All proceeds support the community of Santa Cruz La Laguna through the local nonprofit Amigos de Santa Cruz which runs education and economic empowerment programs.
Reviewed By Lorne29 - Claremont, United States
The small store is one part of the Amigos de Santa Cruz non-profit organization. Local townspeople use Amigos looms and other tools to create their crafts. The staffers are very friendly and helpful. Prices are reasonable. I purchased a couple of simple bags that included the town's very pretty individual tribal (?) pattern.
