Lake Atitlán: Between the Waters

Lake Atitlán plunges 340 metres down, making Central America's deepest lake.

The natural lake sits in Guatemala's Sololá Department, inside a volcanic caldera.

Atitlán means between the waters in the Nahuatl language.

Three volcanoes shape the southern flank of the enormous basin.

A supervolcanic eruption formed the caldera roughly 79,500 years ago.

The Los Chocoyos eruption scattered ash across 6,000,000 square kilometres.

Volcán Atitlán remains active, with its most recent eruption in 1853.

Xocomil winds collide across the surface every late morning. Boats beware.

Tz'utujil and Kaqchikel Maya communities preserve traditional textile arts around the shore.

Santiago Atitlán stands as the largest community beside the lake.

No road circles the lake, so boats connect the villages.

Alexander von Humboldt called Atitlán the most beautiful lake in the world.

Atitlán holds about 20 cubic kilometres of water between those volcanoes.