Cuidado with the coatis: A day at Panajachel's nature reserve
If you're looking for natural beauty in Guatemala, it's likely that Lake Atitlán is on your destination list, and for good reason. This massive lake in a caldera is surrounded with dense foliage and wildlife, making it a perfect place for outdoors activities like hiking and kayaking. Around the lake there are also a few different nature reserves with trails, butterfly domes, and ziplines. Craving some time to explore the lake's flora and fauna, we decided to spend a day at Reserva Natural Atitlán in Panajachel.
This small eco-park packs a punch for it's size. You can spend the day walking one (or all) of its three hiking trails, and the best part is you'll likely have them all to yourself. Whether you want to see some hummingbirds, get great views of the lake and volcanoes, or just enjoy the shade of the oak trees, you'll definitely fulfill the need to be in nature after spending some time in downtown Panajachel. Grab an ice cream at the little café in the reception area (it also serves full meals) and find a bench on a trail surrounded by palms and vines.
Stop by the butterfly dome to see more than a dozen butterfly species flutter around you. As a response to the decline of native butterfly species in Guatemala, the reserve built the first geo-dome if its kind in the country and planted the variety of plant species each butterfly needs to thrive. The dome is large enough for thousands of butterflies to complete the different stages of development, ensuring they will be around for future generations.
For people looking for a little more adventure, the park's trails include several suspension bridges. If you're looking for a little more thrill, hop on the ziplines and swing through the trees and over coffee groves with views of the volcanoes and the lake. There are two circuits to choose from: X-Tremo and Ultra.
The main attraction that brought us to the park, however, was getting to see and feed the spider monkeys and coatis. Shortly into our first trail, we saw a spider monkey sun bathing, enjoying their alone time. Then, a few other visitors arrived behind us with ripe bananas. Like lightning, as soon as they opened them, a pack of at least two dozen coatis swarmed the area. Squealing and scrambling over each other, they surrounded the people with the bananas. Excitement ran through us as these people were literally handing pieces of banana to these cute little beasts. So of course, Rebecca wanted to get bananas of her own to feed to them. Jared had the sense to claim photograph rights for this one, rather than become a victim of coati mauling.
At the café in the reception, you can buy bananas for Q1 ($0.15 USD) each for the purpose of feeding the spider monkeys, though unfortunately for the poor monkeys, the coatis are much more assertive about getting their treat. With several bananas in hand, we hiked back to the spider monkey and coati area. Again like magic, as soon as the banana was opened the entire pack swarmed us. But unlike the pleasure of watching other people feed this feisty crowd, standing there with the coveted sweet mush surrounded by dozens of coatis squealing and climbing up our legs with their sharp claws, the entire adventure quickly turned from admiring their cuteness to terror. They were EVERYWHERE. Up Rebecca's legs, at her sides, behind her back. Jared screamed to drop the bananas but Rebecca was enjoying the excitement too much. Only after Rebecca and a friend had several scratches from them did we think to read the placard about the coatis, which of course said that there was a contained pack as well as a wild pack in the park, and that feeding them was discouraged because of their aggressiveness. With our fingers crossed that Rebecca wasn't exposed to rabies, she washed up in the bathroom and we enjoyed some ice cream cones sitting among the trees.
Whether you're looking for a little nature retreat or a close encounter with some wild coatis, you're sure to find it here. This nature reserve is located just outside of downtown Panajachel, off the road that leads into the town from Sololá. While you can take a tuk-tuk there for Q5 ($0.70 USD), it's a short walk. It's open everyday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and entrance to the park is Q70 ($10 USD) per person. There is a café to sustain you during your visit, as well as a few fully furnished rooms to stay the night.