Where to stay in Egypt

August 24, 2023December 1, 2023 | sjwhitehouse

We spent a fantastic 10 days in Egypt (see our Egypt itinerary here), during which we stayed in some really great places and some more functional places which do the job if you are on a lower budget or booking last minute. We booked this trip at short notice because we went during the COVID pandemic and we weren’t sure we were going to be able to leave the UK. So all the places mentioned in the blog below were available when booking only a couple of weeks ahead at most. Now Egypt is more easy to visit, it is likely that some of these places may get booked up further in advance.

Al Moudira

This characterful and traditional hotel was on the west bank of the Nile, the quieter side, away from all the hustle and bustle of Luxor city. We stayed here as a base to visit the Valley of the Kings as this is also on the west bank and therefore it helped us get an early start to beat the crowds.

The grounds are quite large and colourful pottery paths wend their way through them, connecting the rooms, the dining room area and the pool.

The rooms were ginormous and lavishly decorate on the interior with frescoes and ornaments. The bathroom was equally large. The food in the restaurant was excellent, which is certainly a good thing, because i’m not sure if there were many other dining options on this side of the river. The dining area was lovely and felt like you were eating in a tropical garden with the evening warmth, all the plants and the water feature in the centre.

*The pool and main courtyard at Al Moudira*

There are only two gripes about the place. Firstly it is almost twice as expensive as the Hilton on the other side of the river, as a result we stayed here for one night and in the Hilton for two. It is a much more memorable experience than the Hilton due to the lovely colourful style and design and feels a lot more authentic, so I would say it is worth the extra money. Secondly due to its lovely countryside location you are more open to be attacked by mosquitoes and sand flies. Make sure you bring your mosquito repellent, especially around sunset time.

Luxor Hilton Resort & Spa

We would never normally choose to stay in a luxury hotel chain because they feel a bit soulless and generic, where you feel you could be anywhere in the world. However in Egypt we made an exception and we would recommend that you stay here as well. Although it didn’t have the charm and the character of Al Moudira, it was a 5 star hotel on the banks of the Nile for about £60 a night. And that, is not to be sniffed at.

The Hilton is on the eastern bank of the Nile, on the same side as Luxor city, and the two temples of Karnak and Luxor. This made it quite easy to get out early to see Karnak temple on our first day. It is a little further into the centre of Luxor and we ordered a cab to take us there.

With a huge range of facilities including a gym, kids play area, several restaurants, some shops but the pick of the lot was the spa infinity pool where you could relax, order a beer and watch the sun go down over the Nile while Egpytian feluccas sail past.

*The sunset view from the Hilton Spa infinity pool*

The rooms weren’t particularly special but came with all the amenities and cleanliness you would expect from a Hilton. It had a balcony, I think ours was Nile view, which was a little tenuous given that the main view was of a sail canopy over the bar below.

There were a few different restaurant options, but the food was a little bland, so we chose to get a taxi into town and eat there, which is one of the benefits of the eastern bank location.

Nour El Nil Dahabiya

We did a 5 day, 4 night Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan with Nour El Nil which was amazing. Our accommodation for the four nights was a beautiful, traditional dahabiya sailing boat. The company have several different dahabiyas to stay on depending on your budget (although none of them are cheap). We stayed on one called the “El Nil” which came with 10 en-suite cabins, two of which were panoramic cabins at the back of the boat with huge glass windows. We had a simple cabin, which was lovely, clean and well decorated, but not much bigger than the bed itself. The size really doesn’t matter though, all you will be using the room for is going to sleep. During the day you are on the deck above relaxing in one of the many lounging seats, enjoying the view across the Nile and getting pampered by the staff.

*Traditional Egyptian dahabiya sailing boats*

The staff were great and doubled up as tour guides, drivers, cooks, cleaners and waiters. The whole boat would eat together on the main table on the top deck and the food was big dishes meant for sharing. There is always a risk on these sorts of things that the food becomes samey, but it didn’t, it was delicious.

The only thing which might put you off is the price. It is expensive, but it includes all your food, drinks, tours and four nights of accommodation. It is totally worth it. Sailing down the river powered by the wind in small groups is so serene. The bigger boats are cheaper, but you are sharing them, and all the sites with hundreds of other people. Because they are so big, they can’t stop off at all the places the Nour El Nil dahabiyas can either.

Panorama Pyramids Inn

The name of this hotel is apt, as it is right next to the entrance to the Giza Plateau. We got there at about 2am after struggling to get a lift from the airport and woke up to a slightly hazy, but brilliant view of the pyramids, which was a great way to start our first day. We had breakfast on the roof terrace overlooking the pyramids and then simply went downstairs and 2 minutes later we were at the entrance gate.

We booked the hotel knowing we were going to arrive late and get up early to go to the pyramids before jetting straight off to Luxor. Due to its location and its low price it absolutely delivered for us on this. If it wasn’t for the location, the place wouldn’t really be worth writing home about, the rooms were functional and the breakfast was decent. But the location, that was excellent.

They offered an airport pick up which was another bonus, as Giza is the other side of Cairo from the airport and we didn’t fancy having to haggle for a cab (in a country famous for its haggling) when we arrived tired from our flight. Well, it would have been a bonus. The airport transfer didn’t show up and we did have to get a taxi. They refunded us the cost of the transfer, and I will give them the benefit of the doubt that it was the police causing the delay and it was a one off.

The Marriott Mena Hotel

If you have slightly more time in Giza, and a much larger budget, the Marriott Mena hotel is the best hotel in the area. The view from breakfast and all around the hotel is dominated by the the Great Pyramid of Giza, which is only a short walk away from the front gates.

We didn’t stay here so we can’t comment on the rooms, but we did come for lunch and it was very nice.

*The view from breakfast at the Marriott Mena Hotel*

New President Hotel

We stayed in the New President Hotel in Cairo’s popular district of Zamalek. Zamalek is a leafy area on an island in the centre of the Nile. It feels less hectic and more European than the rest of the city, which is loud and busy and brash. In truth the hotel was a little short of character and I’m guessing it is a recent extension to the well-establish President Hotel next door. That said, it was reasonable in price, the rooms were large and clean and due to the great location, it wasn’t too far from the sites and it was quieter at night.

Where to stay in El Nido

August 23, 2023December 1, 2023 | sjwhitehouse

Our Philippines Itinerary covered Coron, Palawan, Bohol and Cebu Islands over a period of three weeks. In this article we will provide a brief review on each of the places we stayed in El Nido.

Buko Beach Resort

Buko Beach Resort is a gorgeous little hotel situated right in front of Corong Corong Beach. It was definitely our pick of the all the accommodation available to us in El Nido. It is made up of about 10 huts with elegantly pitched roofs that run all the way to the floor. The restaurant and pool is beach front and are a great place to watch the sun go down over the rugged karsts of Bacuit Bay. There is also a private beach front villa for families.

*Buko Beack Resort pool and restaurant overlooking Corong Corong Beach*

The location on the beach was great as it allowed us to walk out the hotel and along the beach until we found some kayaks for hire. We then paddled out into Bacuit Bay from Corong Corong beach to see the sites away from all the busy tours.

The hotel is one of the more pricey accommodation options we stayed at during our trip to the Philippines. El Nido generally has a lot of back packer accommodation and we found it difficult to find a middle ground of not too expensive but also quite nice.

Nacpan Beach Resort

Nacpan Beach Resort neighbours its sibling hotel, Nacpan Beach Glamping. If you are not so keen on the camping, this is a good substitute. It is right in front of Nacpan beach, 5km of glorious sand lined with palm trees. Unfortunately for us, the rain came down at Nacpan and we didn’t see the place in it’s full glory.

The hotel was fairly reasonable considering we booked it the day before during peak season, its position on Nacpan beach and the size of the rooms. The rooms were nice, with a beach facing balcony and a huge bathroom. The internet was strong given its distance from El Nido or any medium sized town.

The two Nacpan Beach hotels play their part in turtle conservation. The turtles lay their eggs on Nacpan beach several times a year and they are scooped up and protected in hatcheries at Nacpan Beach Glamping. We were lucky enough to take part in the release of the baby turtles back into the sea.

On the negative side the hotel seemed like it was brand new and was still trying to find its feet with tourists in the region. There were parts of it that looked like they were still being constructed, and perhaps fairly cheaply. The restaurant wasn’t great and seemed to be catering to European and American tourists with the food on the menu.

Fisheye The Rooms

This neat little BnB in the centre of El Nido was a really good find for us. The accommodation is three rooms behind a shop selling some floaty tourist souvenirs and clothes, so you probably wouldn’t stumble across it without trawling all the accommodation apps carefully.

The location was perfect. It enabled us to wander around El Nido town in the evening and grab dinner and then in the morning it was close to the beach where we needed to be for a tour to Bacuit Bay. Despite the brown bed covers, it was done nicely inside and was very comfortable. The breakfast was great in the morning as well. It did exactly what we needed it to do for a fairly cheap, last minute accommodation option.

Where to stay in Coron

August 23, 2023December 1, 2023 | sjwhitehouse

Our Philippines Itinerary covered Coron, Palawan, Bohol and Cebu Islands over a period of three weeks. In this article we will provide a brief review on each of the places we stayed in Coron.

Paolyn House Boats

The Paolyn House Boats’ website may be a little off putting and so might the price, but please do not be put off. We started our holiday in the Philippines here and it was by far and away our favourite place. It was magical.

The Houseboats are tethered platforms which float in a beautiful lagoon in the lee of Coron Island. The staff are all locals from the tribes on Coron island who have been employed as part of the project, without which the House Boats would not have been possible. Coron island is privately owned by the tribes who live on it, and tourists can only access specific tourist spots such as Kayangan Lake and Barracuda Lake.

To get there, they provide a water taxi across the bay from Coron town proper to the main reception building where you will be greeted by an enthusiastic member of staff. This is the main Houseboat where the kitchen and dining room is, as well as the reception. From here private little boats will take you to your House boat in the lagoon, driven carefully over the coral reefs by a member of staff.

Your own Houseboat will be fairly basic, the toilet is a pump action flush, the internet is pretty limited and the rooms are fairly small. But none of that matters. You will have your own decking area to sunbathe and take in the view, your own water sports equipment including kayak, paddle boards and snorkels and you can get your meals paddled out to you by boat. You can simply dive straight off your deck and snorkel with coral and fish, or paddle board around the bay taking in the mind-blowing scenery above water. The best bit though, is that the main sights are just around the corner. You can kayak to twin lagoon in 10 minutes, and if you do one of the tours offered (which are private), you can be at all the popular sights like Kayangan lake and Barracuda lake well before anyone else arrives from Coron Town Proper. Setting off early on a tour then allows you to spend the rest of the day chilling on your Houseboat decking and exploring the coastline nearby.

The prices are not insignificant if you are on a budget and all the tours are extra on top of that. It is much cheaper to stay in a hostel in Coron Town Proper and join a shared tour across the bay. However, if you splash your money somewhere on your Philippines holiday, this is the place to do it. It’s such a memorable and unique place to stay. Please don’t save your money here to splurge on a generic luxury chain hotel.

The Funny Lion

We stayed in the Funny Lion for two nights while we were in Coron Town Proper, technically on Busuanga island, across the bay form Coron Island. We originally only planned to be there for a night, but our expedition with Big Dream Boat Man across to El Nido was delayed (and eventually cancelled due to high winds). It is a great base for Coron Proper and is without doubt one of the nicer accommodation options in the town, which mostly consists of hostels for back packers. It has a great menu and a fantastic roof terrace with plunge pools, making it a great place to watch the sun dip over Coron island in the evening. The rooms are nice and clean as well, so it ticks pretty much all the boxes.

I really liked the name of the Funny Lion, it exudes character. However if I am being critical I found the Funny Lion in Coron (there is another one in El Nido) to be a little short in character. Perhaps this was because we had just come from Paolyn Houseboats which oozed charater and authenticity. It felt like it was trying to be too upmarket for what it was here. I would say it was quite expensive as well, although we booked one of the nicer rooms.

Where to Eat & Drink in Hvar

April 13, 2021December 1, 2023 | sjwhitehouse

There are a lot of great places to eat and drink in Hvar – the island is a well known as an upmarket party destination, with plenty of venues for a casual afternoon drink in the sun and chic bars lining the water front where you can rub shoulders with celebs in the evening. That’s not to say the place is particularly rowdy or tacky however, it also caters for families and couples and has plenty of stellar cuisine options. If you are looking for more information on Hvar generally, see our Croatian itinerary.

BLACK PEPPER

Situated on a quiet stair-cased alleyway climbing up from the main square, Black Pepper is a great little find. Their niche is to recommend a specific type of pepper or salt with each dish and it really does seem to work. The passion with which the waiters introduce their variety of pepper, from Paraguayan Pepper to Madagascan, is contagious, and even the puddings come with a sprinkling of Hawaiian sea salt. The atmosphere is incredibly friendly and they go out of their way to make you feel at home with a rose rakija to greet you followed by an amuse bouche. We had two excellent steaks, one beef, one shark, both washed down with an extremely reasonable and tasty litre carafe of Croatian red wine. A great meal out.

DALMATINO

This steak and fish house in the heart of Hvar served what Stu claims is one of the best steaks he’s have ever had. The restaurant itself was nice and the staff were friendly but it wouldn’t matter if this wasn’t the case because the food is absolutely gorgeous and that’s all you need to know. We sat outside in the street on a nice pot plant lined table soaking up the evening bustle of the town, that’s about all Stu remembers, apart from how good the steak was.

FALKO

Falko is a lovely little cafe-come-bar a short walk round the sea front from Hvar town. It feels very homely, almost like you’re eating in someone’s garden, with its stone flag path leading off the main sea front up to the cafe itself and its assortment of wicker chairs and hammocks plonked either side of it. Sails tied between the pine trees surrounding the tables offer a welcome break from the sun. Overall it’s a much more relaxing vibe than some of the beach bars closer to town. Here you can get a nice simple lunch such as a toastie, a salad or a pasta dish.

HULA HULA BAR

One of the places to soak up the sun by the sea with some drinks – be it beers or cocktails – this bar has you covered. The bar is usually crammed with tourists taking up every ounce of space on the wooden decking jutting out into the sea. With the loud music and party atmosphere, it’s a great place to set up for the afternoon if you’re in a group, so some of you can guard the table while others go for a dip to cool off.

Carpe Diem

Carpe Diem is like marmite, some love it, some hate it. It is split between the bar on the Riva by the ferry docks and the beach bar on Stipanska Island (one of the Pakleni Islands off the south coast of Hvar). The bar on the Riva attracts the tourists from the town with its luxurious stone interior and palm-lined terrace by the harbour. As the evening goes on, water taxis (which are included in the entry fee) ferry you across to the beach bar for the real party. Lead by some big name DJs, the parties at Carpe Diem beach bar are extremely popular and require full commitment. During the day, both bars offer drinks and cocktails which you can enjoy in comfy low sofas accompanied by chilled lounge rhythms. We found both Carpe Diem bars a little pretentious and over-hyped when we stopped in for a drink. Prices were expensive, the atmosphere felt fake and the beach was very busy and not particularly clean either. We preferred some of the cafes on the other islands for a drink, they were quieter and much prettier.

Where to Eat & Drink in Dubrovnik

April 5, 2021December 1, 2023 | sjwhitehouse

We only spent a couple of nights in Dubrovnik as part of a week long trip to the Dalmatian coast of Croatia (see our Croatia itinerary for more info), but we stumbled across some really great places to eat and drink. As students at this point with very little spare cash our recommendations are generally on the affordable side, but we found you can get some very nice food and wine for a fair price in Croatia.

BUZA BAR MALA

The smaller of the two Buza Bars, Mala is a rustic bar built into the cliff-side, all about the setting and the atmosphere. Buza means “hole” in the old Dubrovnik dialect, which is an apt name for the bar, since you have to find the hole which takes you through the old town walls to the bar. This was our favourite place to spend some time relaxing and watching the sun go down over the Adriatic sea after a long day exploring Dubrovnik in the heat.

BUZA BAR VELIKA

The larger Buza Bar is perched on a canopied terrace higher up the cliff side a little further along from Buza Mala. Again, this hidden gem has a low key entrance through a hole in the wall which you probably wouldn’t spot unless you knew to look for it. The bar is slightly more upmarket, and perhaps because of this we found it much busier with tourists. The views here are equally stunning, making it a very hard to choose between the two Buza bars. Our recommendation is to go to both.

BISTRO REVELIN

Bistro Revelin features a pine tree shaded terrace which overlooks the harbour by the eastern entrance to the old town. This is a good affordable alternative to dining at Restaurant 360 (see below), offering delicious food at half the price but still featuring the same gorgeous view. We really enjoyed the low-key, less touristy atmosphere and friendly service. The restaurant is open all day from breakfast til late with a large menu, primarily focused on Mediterranean dishes. We had a very nice duck confit wash down with some local Croatian wine.

RESTAURANT 360

One of the prime places to eat in Dubrovnik with a parasol shaded terrace right above the old town harbour. Unfortunately when we poked our heads in it was extremely busy and we couldn’t get a table with a view, so we stayed for a nice cocktail before moving on to Bistro Revelin. If you book ahead though, this is a very nice place to spend your evening.

Where to Stay in Santorini

March 23, 2021December 1, 2023 | sjwhitehouse

Santorini’s jaw-dropping vistas and viewpoints rarely disappoint (see our Cyclades island itinerary for more info), but finding the right accommodation in one of the most popular island destinations in all of Greece, can certainly be a challenge.

Oia

Oia (pronounced ee-a) is the postcard perfect town that you will have seen all over the internet and it is one of the most desirable (and expensive) areas to stay in. The caldera facing side of the town is littered with small boutique hotels, sun lounger covered balconies and tiny cyan plunge pools.

Although these may look great at first glance, there are a few downsides which may affect your decision:

Hordes of tourists from all over the world flock here for their selfies and sunset pictures. This of course means the accommodation is at a premium. Everyone is vying for the same hotels and the same AirBnBs driving the prices to extraordinary heights during the summer months. The most affordable rooms in the town don’t have the views and often don’t even have windows (look out for these as hotels don’t always make this obvious in the descriptions!).
Everyone who comes to Santorini takes photo after photo of the beautiful town and its remarkable caldera setting. If you’re sat on your balcony or in your plunge pool, you’re likely to feature in several thousand photos per day. Some of the more relentless posers and selfie-takers will go to great lengths for the perfect shot, including climbing on roofs, balancing on walls and clambering down private staircases. Privacy simply doesn’t exist here.
If you fancy popping out for a nice quiet dinner or a trip to the shops to pick up some drinks and some snacks, you will have to weave your way through the crowds. In the heat of summer, the crowds can be quite overwhelming even for a short errand.
Due to the year-round popularity of the caldera facing accommodation, there is never any time for the owners to update the property. In many places the bathrooms are tired, the interior is old fashioned, and the exterior needs a fresh lick of paint. In fairness, if the demand is there and it doesn’t put people off, why should the owner change anything?

If you’re all about the magnificent view it’s probably worth it, but there are some other options worth considering.

Finikia

Oia town pretty much joins onto the adjacent town of Finikia, in fact, it’s not always clear where Oia stops and Finikia starts. Finikia still boasts the same views across the caldera and the same sugar cube architecture built into the cliff but with a noticeable drop in price tag and crowds. It is well worth investigating accommodation options here, as you will only be a 15 minute down hill walk from the centre of Oia and you could save a pretty penny.

Fira

The other popular base on the island is Fira, the capital, which is where we chose to stay. Here you are halfway along the island, a half hour bus from Oia or a 3-4 hour walk. Fira is widely considered to be a just a bigger version of Oia – which we feel isn’t quite correct. The stretch along the caldera side of the town still has great views over the caldera and the sunset over the town is extremely pretty but the rest of the town is busy, noisy and altogether less pleasant than Oia. The road is packed with topless blokes revving their ATVs and the main square feels a little bit tacky. Perhaps because of this, the accommodation is cheaper than Oia and so many people base themselves here if they have no luck in Oia.

Firostefani

If we were to go again, we’d recommend staying in Firostefani, the town adjoining Fira. Here the town is cleaner, brighter, quieter and altogether much nicer than Fira. You’re still only a 15-minute downhill walk from Fira if you feel the need to go there. There are many different options for accommodation here, most of which are on a par with the prices in Fira.

Imerovigli

Imerovigli is another town which is worth considering. Here you have stunning views looking back towards Firostefani and on to Oia perched on the northern end of the island. Again, the town is almost inseparable from the stream of white buildings that make up Firostefani and Fira. Being at the far end of the three towns, the walk to the centre of Fira is slightly further so it can be slightly less convenient.

If you are looking to move around the island and visit the main sites, the public buses are a very useful, regular and reliable connection between all the towns. If you have booked a tour, the tour operator will likely pick you up at your hotel as well, so location is not as important as it may seem.

Getting a driver in Sri Lanka

February 28, 2021December 1, 2023 | sjwhitehouse

Although the public transport is pretty good in Sri Lanka, with the rail network connecting the majority of tourist hot spots together with useful bus services and tuk tuks (or Bajaj’s as they are called in Sri Lanka) filling in the gaps, we would recommend a private driver, particularly if you are short on time, for the following reasons:

Sri Lanka is a relatively small island, so each of the main places to visit are rarely more than a couple of hours’ drive from each other. Having a private driver allowed us to move around regularly without taking up large amounts of the day organising and sitting on public transport.
Connecting noisy tuk tuk rides and crammed bus journeys to get from town to town can take it out of you if you’re moving around regularly. Reclining in the back of an air conditioned sedan offers some time to relax and replenish your appetite for the next part of the trip.
Yes, public transport will be cheaper, but a private driver won’t bankrupt you either. We managed to hire a driver for a week of our trip for about £40 a day and it was definitely worth it.
If you get a good driver like we did, he/she almost doubles up as a tour guide. Ours stopped off at many different sites & attractions en-route to our main destinations, which we would never have known to visit otherwise. He had an excellent knowledge of the sites, restaurants and hotels and we often just followed his lead, trying restaurants we wouldn’t normally have braved and staying in hotels we would never have found.

Where to Eat & Drink in Split

January 3, 2021December 1, 2023 | sjwhitehouse

Split is Croatia’s second largest city and one of its popular tourist destinations so it makes sense that it has plenty of places to eat and drink. In the old town there are lots of little gems hidden away in the narrow alleyways and of course there are some large parasol shaded restaurants all along the Riva by the sea. (For more information on Split, and Croatia more generally, see our Croatian itinerary.)

MAZZGOON

Mazzgoon, the self proclaimed “Stubbornest Restaurant in Split”, prides itself on persevering to provide the best food and the best service they possibly can. The name comes from the Dalmatian word for mule, a strong, hard working animal which embodies the restaurant owner’s beliefs. Situated just outside the western gate Diocletian’s Palace, it looks no different on the outside to all the other stone walled buildings on its street. The interior is a stylish juxtaposition of new and old and the quiet shady courtyard out the back is a welcome break from the hordes of tourists traipsing back and forth along the streets. The food and the wine is excellent, with clear dalmatian roots intertwined with an international influence.

ZINFANDEL WINE BAR

With over 100 different bottles of wine available at any one time, the choice of wine here is more than you could ever ask for. Zinfandel, a grape which has been made famous in Californian vineyards, has its roots in the vineyards surrounding Split. This is a fabulous place to come in the evening and try some local Dalmatian wine, listen to live music (which plays every night in the summer) and top it off with some high quality food from the seasonal menu. Zinfandel also run wine tasting sessions aiming to bring their customers closer to Croatian wines.

LUXOR

Luxor, housed in the aches of Diocletian’s Palace, is named after the city in Egypt where the sphinx originates from. The emperor Diocletian brought many sphinxes from Luxor to guard his palace and they are still there today, guarding the imperial square where Luxor Cafe & restaurant is based. In the evenings the stairs lining the square are peppered with people who have come to listen to the live music which is performed every night during the summer. The waiters from Luxor know the old classics well and often join in the performance as they fetch and carry sweet treats out to customers on the steps. The atmosphere here in the evening is certainly worth stopping in for.

Getting around Lake Atitlan

December 28, 2020December 1, 2023 | sjwhitehouse

A few days at Lake Atitlan should certainly be on your itinerary for a trip to Guatemala. We have put together a two week itinerary in Guatemala which includes a reasonable stint at Lake Atitlan (for more information on how to get around Guatemala in general, check out our blog Getting Around Guatemala which discusses several transport options for travellers to join up the main tourist hubs of Tikal, Antigua and Lake Atitlan.) One of the main things to do is to at Lake Atitlan is visit the delightful little towns dotted around the lake. There are many parts of the lake with no or poor road access, so the best way to hop from town to town is by boat.

Panajachel is the gateway to the lake and acts as the main transport hub. For that reason, many visitors decide to stay here, although we opted for the smaller, quainter towns of Santa Cruz and San Marcos. The boat service starts early in Panajachel at around 6.30am and there is a boat approximately every 20-30mins thereafter. We say approximately because the captains prefer to wait until the boat is full which can mean you sit on board for 20 minutes or so before departing. The service does end quite early in the evening, however, so it is worth checking when the last boat leaves the town you are in (e.g. the last boat from Panajachel leaves at 7.30pm but from San Pedro it is 5.00pm). The service consists of several identical motorboats, or lanchas, with basic wooden bench seats in an open ended cabin. You board from the back and climb over the benches and other passengers to get to a spare seat.

Depending on how far you are going, the price per trip varies from Q10 to Q25 and it goes without saying that they accept cash only. You will find that tourists generally pay twice as much as locals. We were told that this is normal as locals use these lanchas for their daily commute, so don’t worry, you’re not being ripped off! There are some small towns and even hotels which have docks off the usual water taxi route, the captain will normally deviate his course if you ask him to in advance – in return be prepared to pay an extra Q5. Try and pay either the exact fare or close to it, as you’ll be unlikely to get change from Q10.

From	To	Fare price
Panajachel	Santa Cruz	Q10
Panajachel	San Marcos	Q25
Panajachel	San Pedro	Q25
San Marcos	Santa Cruz	Q10
San Pedro	Santa Cruz	Q20
San Pedro	San Marcos	Q10

Table of approximate water taxi fares

The mornings are generally much calmer here than the afternoons, when the lake tends to become quite choppy. This means the journeys are much quicker and more comfortable in the mornings. In the afternoons, some captains take the waves slowly which adds time on to the trip, whereas others prefer to launch their boats from one wave to the other, slapping it into the lake surface and sending spray flying.

*Panajachel docks – note the captains sitting on the left wearing white polos with orange* *trim*

One thing to watch out for on your first few trips across the lake, is to make sure to get a public lancha, rather than the more expensive private service. The public lanchas can be identified by the captain’s uniform which is always a white polo with orange trim and a ships wheel logo. It is always quite a clamour at the docks in Panajachel, as captains vie for customers by creating a sense of false urgency to pressure first-timers into making a split second decision to jump on their boat. It can be quite an intimidating experience when you’re new to the area, but you do get used to it after a few journeys. When we arrived at the docks on our shuttle from Antigua, one of the captains even picked up our bag and loaded it on his boat in an attempt to guarantee our service and our money. Luckily we were wise to scams such as this and simply went and took our bag back, preferring to take stock of the situation, before being rushed onto one of the lanchas without knowing what was going on. We would recommend taking your time at the docks to make sure you feel comfortable before engaging with one of the captains.

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Author: sjwhitehouse