Situated in Sololá Department, this lovely cottage for $42 per night is a fantastic choice for your next vacation. Casita de la Sirena is just steps away from the shores of Lake Atitlan. A private quaint, comfortable, cozy cottage near the lake. It includes a small fully furnished kitchen, great semi enclosed dining area, outdoor patio, a large bedroom and private bathroom. Hot showers are available to you anytime, enjoy free WiFi and pure water comes from the tap! The Casita is surrounded by gorgeous gardens of Coffee, avocados, banana, papaya, citrus and exotic flowers. We invite you- Come and visit Lake Atitlan, one of the “most beautiful" lakes in the world. After leaving the public pier, walk up the Main Street 30 meters and look to the right for the rock walkway between the fences. There is a beautiful view of Lake Atitlan and the volcanos just a one-minute walk to the shoreline from your rental in the authentic Maya village of Jaibalito, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. Here you will be immersed in the Modern Mayan culture and lifestyle. It is conveniently located only a 20-minute ride from Panajachel. After arriving in Panajachel, Lake Atitlan, the only way to get to Jaibalito is to hike from Santa Cruz or via the Lancha/Boat. There are no cars, trucks or Chicken buses in Jaibalito! Although we do have two TukTuks. This rental offers a private, spacious suite. It is great for one or two guests. It is set up with one queen bed and a sofa. The studio style large bedroom also has a complete private bathroom and a hot shower. The completely furnished kitchen includes a microwave, toaster oven, stove top and refrigerator. You can relax at the dining room table under the semi-enclosed covered patio. You are welcome to stroll through the back property and the private stairs down to the beautiful (seasonal) river on the side of our property for another beautiful peaceful hang out. Take advantage of our large covered patio as well. The property is surrounded by flower gardens, culinary and medicinal herbs and towering Avocado trees, a variety of banana trees and an Arabica coffee grove. Casita de la Sirena, Lake Atitlan, is one of the quietest locations of the village. You can drink the water from the all the faucets at the Casita, in the kitchen or the bathroom, including the shower. Although the water system in the village is fed from fresh underground springs, there is still the possibility of contamination. We installed a cartridge filtered and ultraviolet water treatment system. Twist the timer switch for extra pressure while using the shower etc. Free WIFI is included and we watch streaming video regularly. Uploading large files is slower. Our traditional Mayan Temescal bathing and sauna room will be 150 Q/20 USD per use. We will be happy to prepare the Private Temescal/sauna room for you. Please advise 2-4 hours in advance to allow for preparation. The gas fire will be started and after one hour, you pour a small amount of water over the rocks. This creates a steamy sauna room where you will sit and relax. You will be relaxed and cleansed when the treatment is complete. Laundry Service available for a fee. Your laundry will be machine washed and dried at the Casita property. Extra Housekeeping: 3.00 USD/ 25 Q per hour. We can also assist with arrangements for your transportation free of charge. The stove top operates on Propane. Please operate either the microwave OR the toaster oven at any time. The refrigerator will be cold within less than 24 hours of your arrival. Set the thermostat at 2-3 is plenty cold. Bathroom- The septic system at the Casita should be no problem if you put all the waste paper in the trash container, as is typical in most of Central America. The only waste going down the toilet drain should be the waste out of your body. Please put all waste paper in the container. The best time to take a shower is before 7AM or after 8PM. The propane hot water heater is an "on Demand" type and supplies hot water for the kitchen, bathroom sink and shower. Twist the water pump switch. Let the water run for a minute and then it will be hot. Decrease the flow to increase the temperature. Depending on the upstream gravity fed water demand, the shower may cycle from hot to cool during low pressure. If you have NO hot water in the kitchen or bathroom, the propane tank may be empty. Ask Diego to have it changed. Electrical is limited to lights and plugs. It is 120Volt, 60Hz, same as in the USA. During heavy winds or thunderstorms, the power may go off from a few minutes to several hours. Keep a flashlight handy at night. The Electrical panel is on the post by the kitchen door. Please feel free to ask Diego, our gardener for assistance at any time. He speaks only Spanish but will use his Spanish-to-English translation app when needed. If you need a light bulb replaced, the gas tank is empty or have questions what to do while at the Lake, just ask Diego. NO SMOKING INSIDE PLEASE! Local information and travel tips: We can also assist with arrangements for your transportation. Private and Public shuttle van service is available in Panajachel for transportation to/from the Guatemala City Airport, Antigua, the Chichicastenango market and many other locations. We use Xocomil Transportation in Pana. They have an office near the Tzanjuyu docks. After arriving in Panajachel, the only way to get to Jaibalito is to hike from Santa Cruz or via the Lancha/Boat. The well-marked and most amazing scenic and safe hiking trail to Santa Cruz is about a 45-60 minutes hike with a medium loaded backpack. It has always been a safe and gorgeous hiking trail. IT IS RECOMMENDED BY LOCALS TO NOT HIKE THE TRAIL TO/FROM TZUNUNA, where there have been cases of robberies reported. The Public Lancha's (boat taxi) that travel around the lake arrive/depart from the Jaibalito public pier (muelle) about every 20 minutes. To/from Pana is about 30 minutes. The Lanchas operate from 7AM to about 7:30PM every day. The last boat to Pana is at 5-5:30PM. From Jaibalito, they go Left to Panajachel via Santa Cruz and Paxanax. From Jaibalito, they go Right to the villages of Tzununa, San Marcos, San Pablo, San Juan then to San Pedro. Lancha/Boat taxi to and from the Jaibalito pier is Q 15 per person to/from Panajachel. It is generally Q 7.5 per major village. IE Panajachel to Santa Cruz, then Santa Cruz to Jaibalito. It is best to sit near the back whenever possible. Do not argue with the Crew if you don't have close to the correct change. If you have more than a few suitcases, treat them as an extra passenger, Q 15, for 3-4 suitcases. Have your money ready to pay the First Mate, as you leave the pier. A Private Lancha may be rented for between Q 150-200. They will take you direct from Panajachel to the Jaibalito pier. Just ask at the pier "Quiero un Lancha privada a Jaibalito, por ciento cincuenta quetzales.” While visiting many of the Villages around the lake, take advantage of the little Red Tuk-Tuks (3 wheeled covered scooter carts) for an inexpensive ride from the pier to destinations within city limits. Generally, the fee is 5Q per person per one-way trip from one stop to the next stop. If you plan on fixing some of your own meals, when in Pana ask a Tuk Tuk driver to take you to supermarkets Torres or Dispensa Familiar (ATM). Chalo's tienda or Sandras are good choices as well. All have a good selection of groceries. Heavier items like soda, bottled water or cerveza can be purchased in Jaibalito. While in Jaibalito, business is conducted with Guatemalan cash, Quetzals. There are a few ATM's (Cajero 5 B) in Panahachel. Torres and Dispensa supermarkets mentioned above are recommended. Just ask around, "? Por favor, donde esta Ah-tay-emmay (ATM)?" The ATM will only dispense 100Q bills. Get some small bills 5Q, 10Q and 20Q before you leave Panajachel (Pana) and head to Jaibalito. Try a restaurant or tienda (small store) for change. There are a few restaurants in Jaibalito. There is Hans Posada Jaibalito, up the hill and on the Left. Meals, drinks and dormitory lodging. Also, a great place for tourist information spoken in English, Spanish and German. A favorite of the local Gringos (foreigners). 7AM-7PM Club Ven Aca is down the hill towards the Lake, then walk left 1 minute across the creek. Bar, restaurant, Hot tub and infinity pool. Check the closing time, it is usually about 5PM. Hotel La Casa del Mundo is still a little bit further past Ven Aca. Fantastic family style meals and a cliff side view across the lake. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. El Escondído is a very local café way up at the far end of the village. Just ask for directions. They all are distinct in their services and are all highly recommended for great atmosphere and meals. Some have their own website. They are all within just a few minutes’ walk from Casita de la Sirena. The Dry season, typically from November through May averages 55*F to 80*F with average humidity, very comfortable. During the Wet season it is typical to have beautiful sunny mornings before the frequent afternoon clouds and rain. You will get wet if you forget your umbrella! You will want a light jacket for the evenings throughout the entire year. We have enjoyed the climate at the Lake every month of the year! Always carry a flashlight with you when you will be out and about after 5 PM. The people in Jaibalito are kind and helpful. The locals are mostly Mayan and speak both their native language of Kak’chikel and Spanish. There is a small group of Foreigners (we call ourselves Gringos) that reside here as well. There are a few small stores/tiendas where you can purchase a variety of packaged foods and common household goods. Barking dogs, crowing roosters, frequent "Buenas Dias" with a big smile, song birds, children playing, and the early morning corn grinder for making fresh tortilla dough are all typical sounds of Caserio Jaibalito. Thanks again, Scott and Leisa