In the 1960s Lake Atitlan was a paradise hide-a-way from the rest of the world. Gringos lived there in semi-permanent hippy colonies.

It’s still a paradise. And you can still live there for US$10 a day!

The lake is a caldera (collapsed volcanic cone) dominated by huge volcanos.

Everyone starts at Pana (Panajachel), then boats to one of the many villages not accessible by road. San Pedro is an idyl where people get stuck for weeks.

See more photos of Pana and Atitlan by jumping to flickr.