Jaibalito

West along the shoreline from Santa Cruz La Laguna [1] is the village of Jaibalito, which is even smaller than Santa Cruz and is also accessible only by boat or foot trail. A number of lodges have sprouted here in recent years, taking advantage of the remote location to offer a comfortable stay in a quiet environment.

Wildly popular, La Casa del Mundo (tel. 5218-5332 or 5204-5558, www.lacasadelmundo.com [2], $34.50–72.50 d) is a charming inn built into the side of a rocky cliff. There are rooms with shared or private bathroom, all housed in wonderful stone cottages with outrageous lake views and decorated with tasteful Guatemalan accents. There’s excellent swimming in a rocky cove where the water is an exquisite shade of emerald. There are kayaks for rent ($4–7) and mountain biking can be arranged via Antigua-based Old Town Outfitters with at least two days’ notice. The trail to Santa Cruz La Laguna [1] or San Marcos La Laguna [3] passes right outside the lodge’s back door. Meals are served at set times in a small dining room on the ground floor of the main house. Dinner is served family-style and costs $10. The service here is excellent and the Guatemalan-American owners are very friendly.

In the village proper and away from the lake, Vulcano Lodge (tel. 5410-2237, www.vulcanolodge.com [4], $39–70 d) is a Norwegian-owned lodge with five rooms, all with private bath and smartly decorated. The largest is a family-size villa, which sleeps five and has a living room, kitchen, and a nice big terrace with lake views. The restaurant serves tasty meals for breakfast and lunch, with dinner ($12 for four courses) served family-style. Many of the fresh ingredients, including bananas, avocadoes, and limes, come right from the on-site garden plot.

Jaibalito’s budget accommodations are at Posada Jaibalito (tel. 5598-1957, www.posada-jaibalito.de [5], dorms $4 p/p with use of kitchen, $7–11 d with private bath and kitchen), offering basic but pleasant rooms located in the heart of the village.

For utterly delectable food, refreshing cocktails, and killer lake views from its infinity-edge swimming pool, head to Club Ven Acá (tel. 5051-4520, www.clubvenaca.com [6], 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Wed.–Sun., $4–15). The fun staff will keep you entertained and fill your belly with delicious fish tacos, burgers, salads, BBQ sandwiches, and steaks. Try the signature beverage, the Jaibalito Mojito, made with basil instead of mint leaves.

West along the shore, the next village is Tzununá, home to the agreeable Lomas de Tzununá (tel. 5201-8272 or 7820-4060, www.lomasdetzununa.com [7], $85 d including breakfast and tax), high atop a steep hill. You can call the lodge for a pickup from the hotel’s pier or make the 100-meter trek up the slope. Run by a Belgian-Uruguayan couple who discovered Guatemala while working with the United Nations, the lodge features 10 lovely stone-and-wood bungalows with tile floors and lake views greatly enhanced by their sheer height above the water. Amenities include Internet, a lap pool, library, board games, and a crafts shop. Meals are served al fresco on a wooden patio with superb lake views. Just the views of the volcanoes reflected in the placid swimming pool high above the lake are worth the price of admission.