Lanquín is a bit of an enigma. It’s the gateway to the hugely popular natural area of Semuc Champey, one of Guatemala’s top tourist attractions. At the same time, the sleepy, tropical town feels both isolated and remote. Unlike the rest of Guatemala’s major tourist hot spots, there are almost no souvenir shops and even fewer tour companies. A lot of tourists seem to blow through Lanquín on their way to Semuc Champey, missing out on a chance to get a glimpse of authentic rural Guatemalan life.

Is it possible to be both on the tourist trail and off the beaten path at the same time? If such a place exists, it’s got to be Lanquín.

Things to Know About Lanquín

Lanquín is a small town of about 16,000 people and is located hours from nowhere in the center of Guatemala’s gorgeous Alta Verapaz department. Spanish priests founded the city way back in 1540. Today, most of the population is Q’eqchi’ Maya.

Although the Mayan culture influences the language and attitudes of the residents, the native cultural feel isn’t as strong or obvious as in other parts of Guatemala. Don’t expect to see women in traditional clothing or large indigenous markets like you would in the villages around Lago Atitlán, for example.

However, the town itself is still quite beautiful. Lush green jungle hills surround Lanquín, and its cobblestone and dirt streets have a rustic charm that seem to fit perfectly with stereotypes of what a rural Guatemalan town should look like. Tuk tuks, three wheeled vehicles ubiquitous in the developing world, zip through the streets and old pickup trucks handle public transportation rather than buses. There are only two restaurants on the main street, and no coffee shops, yoga studios or other signs of gentrification and over tourism to be found.  

Tourists must come here, but they seem to disappear into the jungle mist as soon as they get off the shuttle. Maybe everybody makes a bee line to Semuc Champey without stopping to enjoy Lanquín itself. Or maybe they all stay in the party-hostel resorts that stow away in the nearby countryside. Either way, Lanquín has managed to hold on to its rustic, local charm.

Perhaps part of the reason Lanquín feels so remote is because it is. It’s about eight to ten hours from Antigua, and another seven or so to Rio Dulce. If you’re coming from underrated and nearby Cobán, it’ll only take you a couple hours by local bus.

What to Do in Lanquín

Semuc Champey is, of course, Lanquín’s biggest draw by far. The natural turquoise jungle pools are crowded, but totally beautiful and probably the reason you’re looking up information about Lanquín in the first place. Semuc Champey is about an hour or so from Lanquín. You’ll get there bouncing along winding dirt roads in the back of an old pickup truck.

You can visit natural area via tours put on by the local party hostels, but it’s easy enough to visit on your own. I’d recommend staying at least one night in one of the hotels nearer to Semuc Champey for the full-on jungle experience, and to arrive before the heat and crowds begin to descend on the jungle with vengeance.

Thinking about visiting Semuc Champey? Read more about it here: Is Semuc Champey Worth It? The Real Story Behind Guatemala’s Tourist Hot Spot

Lanquín is also a pretty pleasant town to walk around, though you can walk from one end to the other in an hour or so. There’s a marvelously dilapidated old church in town and charming, windy streets set amongst the rain forested limestone hills, as well as a rushing brown river that flows along the border. You can even spot random cacao trees growing in people’s yards.

Lanquín is fairly safe, but a drunken tuk-tuk driver did harass us on the road out of town. He kept insisting on giving us a ride. Of course, we knew enough not to get into a vehicle with a driver who reeked like he’d been soaking in a barrel of run for the last week. But he was blocking the sidewalk. We finally gave him a handful of change and he let us pass by with no problems.

The Grutas de Lanquín

Parque Nacional Grutas de Lanquín, or the Lanquín caves, are probably the second most impressive natural wonder in the area after Semuc Champey. These limestone caves are filled with stalactites and stalagmites that look like they came out of an H.R. Geiger painting or Gaudi design. The local Maya considered the cave to be sacred and an entrance to the underworld. You can easily see why.

If you come in the evening, you can see the bats coming out for their nightly feast. We came expecting clouds of thousands of the little flying mammals, only to be disappointed by a cloud of a few hundred. It was still cool to see.

The caves are located about a kilometer (or 2/3rds of a mile) outside of town. You can walk or find a sober tuk-tuk driver to bring you there. The cost isn’t much, and includes reentrance in the evening to see the bats. Inside the cave is well lit and well-marked, so there’s no worry about being lost. Be sure to wear close toed shoes with a good grip, since the floor is covered in slippery bat guano.

The Cacao Tour

Okay, so I know not everyone is a fan of bats, but who doesn’t like chocolate? Only a monster, that’s who. Lanquín is home to a lovely cacao plantation where you can see how the cacao goes from a big American football shaped seed pod to the delicious desert we know and love. You can make your own chocolate, although I have to admit that ours was nowhere near as good as the stuff you get in the store. It was still fun.

The ecotourism project Tuqtuquilal offers this sweet chocolate tour. You can contact them directly via their website for more information or to reserve a tour. The cacao farm is located a mere twenty-minute walk from central Lanquín.

Now, I should say that Tuqtuquilal isn’t strictly locally owned (I believe a British guy owns the land) but the project seems to do a good job incorporating the local community. Your guide on the cacao tour will be a native Lanquín resident. Plus, they use the money from the tours to fund reforestation projects in the area. Overall, the cacao tour in Lanquín was a great way to both see how chocolate is made and feel good about supporting environmentally friendly community projects.

Is Lanquín Worth It?

So… is Lanquín worth it? I would say, most definitely. If you’re traveling through Guatemala, chances you’re considering visiting Semuc Chamepy anyway. Why not add an extra coulple of days to check out Lanquín as well? It’s a pain to get to, but a necessary stop on the way to Semuc Champey anyway.

Lanquín is more than just the gateway to Semuc Champey. The town offers the chance to visit fascinating, sacred caves, and to see how they grow and process cacao and chocolate. In addition to these two worthy activities, it’s just a damn beautiful place. A bucolic little town set among green jungle hills shrouded in mist, what’s not to love? Get a look at the Guatemala other tourists miss out on and make a stop in Lanquín.

Find more worthwhile destinations in Guatemala here: Go to Guatemala: A Travel Guide Without the Tourist Traps