Parque Nacional Laguna Lachua
Parque Nacional Laguna Lachua
Parque Nacional Laguna Lachua
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
61 reviews
Excellent
46
Very good
11
Average
1
Poor
1
Terrible
2
John B
Santa Cruz La Laguna, Solola, Guatemala78 contributions
Mar 2023
A lot of this location has to do with the walk to the Laguna. It is 4 km each way. Not for those who don't like to walk. The path is in good shape and mostly flat. In the heat of the afternoon one could feel the heat, but the return was much cooler. There is an overlook about 3 km in, but one can not swim there. A bit more than a km more is where one can camp and swim. The Laguna is pristine and the water clear and beautiful. Places to stay are extremely limited. I would advise a reservation as there is really only one place to stay outside the park, and only rustic camping inside the park. I'm glad I went, but one trip is probably sufficient.
Written March 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1Ruthandboaz
Maine27 contributions
Mar 2019
I traveled to Laguna Lachua this week from Guatemala City, a long trip but worth it. I took the Monja Blanca bus from the station in Zona 1 to Coban for Q80 for the Pullman bus, the standard bus is Q50. The trip is 5.5 to 6 hours depending on traffic/construction. I spent the night in Coban at Casa Duranta, a very nice colonial style hotel near to the city center for Q400. It was very comfortable with hot water and a peaceful courtyard. There is a restaurant on the property that serves all three meals. The next day I went to the edge of the city near the stadium where there are buses gathered that go to all the outlying towns. There are vans that go to Playa Grande for Q50. The trip takes three hours. Playa Grande is about 15 minutes from the park entrance. They will drop you off there. I opted to rent a room in Playa Grande to leave my suitcase so I wouldn’t have to walk the trail with it. There are several very basic hotels in town. I opted for a cheap one at Q125 per night, only cold water but adequate for sleeping. I took a van from a street corner in Playa Grande back to the park for Q5. There is a small tienda across the road from the park entrance if you want snacks and drinks for the park. The entrance fee is Q50 for extrañeros. Camping is Q20 and you can rent a tent for Q25. If you want to camp you need to bring your own bedding, food, water and toilet paper. There are bathrooms and changing rooms at the lake. There are wooden lockers to hold your valuables while you swim if you bring your own lock. The trail is 4 km long and takes about an hour to walk. It is well maintained and mostly flat so it is an easy walk. At about 3km there is an overlook of the lake but you can’t swim there. 1 km further along the path is the area to swim. The water is clear and beautiful for swimming. I was there on a weekday and there were a few Guatemalans there but mostly we had the place to ourselves. The forest walk was very enjoyable and the lake was breathtakingly beautiful. The silence was incredible. It was a very long trip but the scenery on the way was great. It was nice to travel somewhere where there were few, if any, tourists.
Written March 20, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lorena44
Bethesda, MD26 contributions
Jul 2016 • Family
Chrystal clear water, I have never seen such a beautiful piece of warm water, the 4 kms walk is worth, and is well protected and managed. we did a Loop from Guatemala city, Coban, Lachua, Candelaria caves, Las conchas cascades and end up in Rios Dulce to come back to Guatemala city. It was the most amazing 5 days I have travel in my country, and my teenagers kids enjoyed it. tubing, kayaking hiking and swimming.
Written July 20, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sebtel13
Paris, France16 contributions
Jun 2019 • Couples
This place is a true paradise. It's a 3-hours bus journey from Coban. Then, a walk 4-km in pure jungle: beautiful! And at the end, you arrive to the most beautiful blue lagoon, surrounded by jungle, and you can swim in this cristal clear water... oh my, it's just amazing ! We stayed a night in the very basic "hotel" there, and I would definitely recommend you to do so!! Then, bring water for the walk, mosquito repellent, your food for dinner and breakfast, and you are good to go! Unforgettable experience
Written June 30, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Keshar W
Norwich, UK9 contributions
Nov 2016 • Couples
Very very beautiful
4km walk to get to accommodation through jungle but not arduous.
An older person could do this as long as they are relatively fit
On a very hot day families with very young children may struggle
Very strict rules re- use of soaps and insecticides if swimming in the lake. Definitely not permitted. No alcohol or smoking is allowed once in the park. Need to take all your own food and a torch as there is no electricity.
Lovely experience and the only reason I only gave it four stars was because we were unlucky with the weather as it rained most of the time.
4km walk to get to accommodation through jungle but not arduous.
An older person could do this as long as they are relatively fit
On a very hot day families with very young children may struggle
Very strict rules re- use of soaps and insecticides if swimming in the lake. Definitely not permitted. No alcohol or smoking is allowed once in the park. Need to take all your own food and a torch as there is no electricity.
Lovely experience and the only reason I only gave it four stars was because we were unlucky with the weather as it rained most of the time.
Written November 22, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WFKtravels
323 contributions
Dec 2015 • Family
It is a 4 km easy walk in to the little huts and jetties at the swimming access point at Laguna Lachua. The walking track is wide and easy to follow but had some muddy sections.....just like the last few kilometres of the road. At times you can hear howler monkeys and there are informative sign boards along the way in English and Spanish. There are limited sales of soft drinks and food across the road from the park entrance but it is wise to carry in your own picnic lunch and drinking water. We were not asked to refrain from using swim goggles and the fishes were like jewels around the rock formations that look very much like coral bomimies. We also saw some agouti or similar animals ambling across the path. There is a really excellent paved road from the Chisac area almost to Laguna Lachua but the last few unpaved kilometres are torn up badly by the trucks and buses travelling to a small town further on and are better suited to a 4x4 or all wheel drive vehicle...although we made it to the carpark in a mini-van.
Written February 14, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karen M
Guatemala City, Guatemala81 contributions
It is a beautiful place, and my review is intended to help other families to plan in advance for this experience, mainly because I am a mother.
We went with a party of 9 children under 10. Take into consideration:
- It is an hour drive from Chisec, and Chisec is around 1.5 hours from Coban.
- There's an hour hike to and from the place (4.2km each way) bring comfortable shoes. It is very tiring, specially since you'll have to carry a bunch of stuff.
- Take backpacks, I wouldn't recommend ice boxes, too heavy to carry that distance. Bring your own food, nothing at all to eat or drink there.
- Bring a change of clothes as weather is unpredictable. Weat water shoes if you can.
- Bring trash bags because you have to carry out your own, there are very strict rules about preserving the place as natural and clean as it is.
- No sunscreen or bug spray unless they're organic products. Don't even bother bringing goggles or masks, they would be very useful but not allowed.
- If you like camping, this is a good spot to go. There are a few rooms to rent though very basic, they don't even have bathrooms.
We went with a party of 9 children under 10. Take into consideration:
- It is an hour drive from Chisec, and Chisec is around 1.5 hours from Coban.
- There's an hour hike to and from the place (4.2km each way) bring comfortable shoes. It is very tiring, specially since you'll have to carry a bunch of stuff.
- Take backpacks, I wouldn't recommend ice boxes, too heavy to carry that distance. Bring your own food, nothing at all to eat or drink there.
- Bring a change of clothes as weather is unpredictable. Weat water shoes if you can.
- Bring trash bags because you have to carry out your own, there are very strict rules about preserving the place as natural and clean as it is.
- No sunscreen or bug spray unless they're organic products. Don't even bother bringing goggles or masks, they would be very useful but not allowed.
- If you like camping, this is a good spot to go. There are a few rooms to rent though very basic, they don't even have bathrooms.
Written May 1, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Philippa
Flores, Guatemala98 contributions
Sep 2019 • Couples
For me, Laguna Lachua was an amazing experience and one of my favorite places in Guatemala! With that said, it is certainly not for everyone. You need to travel via a crowded, bumpy collectivo ride to the entrance, then walk about 4km carrying all your stuff (but its an easy path), and if you plan on spending the night you better bring all the food and firewood you need to cook with. The hotel area is rustic and uses latrine style toilets, which I have seen some other reviewers complain about.
However, you should consider that the goal of the area is natural conservation and not tourism, so you are coming here to enjoy the pristine lake and jungle around it, not a 5 star hotel experience. Laguna Lachua itself is gorgeous, the water is crystal clear and the perfect temperature for swimming. The view around it is beautiful and so peaceful, nothing but nature in all directions. We stayed 2 nights, and there were local families visiting during the daytime, but the park closes to day visitors at 4pm, so after that you have the area all to yourself.
As far the hotel facilities, the rooms are basic but very comfortable and there was more than I was expecting for a remote location in Guatemala, including solar powered lighting at night. The kitchen is surprisingly well equipped and includes free drinking water, so you just need to bring your food and some firewood to contribute, but usually the staff keeps the fire going so you don't need any special skills. The price is great at Q50 per person for nationals and Q70 for foreigners. Just keep in mind its in the middle of the jungle, so there's definitely going to be bugs and dirt and nothing will ever be spotlessly clean. There is no wifi and basically no phone signal, nor 'activities' other than the lake and whatever you bring. There's a little tienda and comedor by the main road where you can pick up basic supplies before you get going.
Overall, if you're into the outdoors and relaxing off the grid, aren't too fancy and can find your way around public transport in Guatemala, Laguna Lachua is an amazingly beautiful place to visit and get off the beaten path!
However, you should consider that the goal of the area is natural conservation and not tourism, so you are coming here to enjoy the pristine lake and jungle around it, not a 5 star hotel experience. Laguna Lachua itself is gorgeous, the water is crystal clear and the perfect temperature for swimming. The view around it is beautiful and so peaceful, nothing but nature in all directions. We stayed 2 nights, and there were local families visiting during the daytime, but the park closes to day visitors at 4pm, so after that you have the area all to yourself.
As far the hotel facilities, the rooms are basic but very comfortable and there was more than I was expecting for a remote location in Guatemala, including solar powered lighting at night. The kitchen is surprisingly well equipped and includes free drinking water, so you just need to bring your food and some firewood to contribute, but usually the staff keeps the fire going so you don't need any special skills. The price is great at Q50 per person for nationals and Q70 for foreigners. Just keep in mind its in the middle of the jungle, so there's definitely going to be bugs and dirt and nothing will ever be spotlessly clean. There is no wifi and basically no phone signal, nor 'activities' other than the lake and whatever you bring. There's a little tienda and comedor by the main road where you can pick up basic supplies before you get going.
Overall, if you're into the outdoors and relaxing off the grid, aren't too fancy and can find your way around public transport in Guatemala, Laguna Lachua is an amazingly beautiful place to visit and get off the beaten path!
Written October 25, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
20Horgen15
Horgen, Switzerland59 contributions
Oct 2015 • Solo
If you want peace, tranquility, escape away from noisy transports, internet, phone ringing... Lachua Laguna is a place that this can provide. A place that is not so tourist visited, but is very attractive.
You can swimm, to sunbathe, barbecue, enjoy the clean nature and the sounds of the wild
You can swimm, to sunbathe, barbecue, enjoy the clean nature and the sounds of the wild
Written November 15, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Antonio W
Guatemala City, Guatemala62 contributions
Dec 2018 • Family
This place is just amazing, its kind of difficult to get there. But once you reach your destination. You start walking a trial of 4,200 mts to the lagoon. This Lagoon is in the middle of a protected area, which is irrigated by a river that growd withing the protected area, and NO human lives near, so everything is natural and you get to experience a natural adventure. You may dove into the lake near the exit river, is cold. Its a really nice option to live!
Written December 29, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ad agosto con 7 amici andremo in guatemala ci piacerebbe visitare anche laguna de laucha come posso fare per prenotare il pernotto
Written March 24, 2019
se pueden hacer fogatas en el lugar para acampar ?
Written April 27, 2018
Hola!!! Me parece que no está permitido, pero si es para calentar comida si hay churrasqueras, solo es llevar carbón, encendedor y listo
Written April 28, 2018
Soy Diabetica y necesito hielo para mi insulina, allí venden hielo o bebidas frías? Y venden comida?
Written January 1, 2018
Unicamente en el ingreso al parque hay unas tiendas afuera donde encuentra hielo, ya que en la laguna (4.5 kms adentro) si no hay nada de ventas
Written January 3, 2018
se puede llegar en transporte público o únicamente con carro particular?
Written July 10, 2017
Se puede llegar en ambas formas. Hay transporte publico que sale desde Coban y es una ruta muy transitada. Por lo regular es servicio de minibus para llegar a El parque Nacional.
Written July 11, 2017
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