5 Best Sights in The Highlands, Guatemala

For a brief history of the lake and its people, head to the Museo Lacustre de Atitlán. Here you'll find a handful of informative displays tracing the history of the region back to precolonial times.

The Reserva Natural Atitlán has a walking trail that loops through a small river canyon, crossing suspension bridges and passing a butterfly atrium and enclosures of spider monkeys and coatimundis. If you feel like playing Tarzan, the complex contains a zip-line tour (Q150), where you glide through the forest canopy courtesy of a series of cables, a helmet, and a very secure harness. There's also a private beach for a bit of post-educational relaxation. Campsites are available in the park, or if you'd like a bit more luxury, cabins ($$), albeit spartan ones, are also available.