Being an expat is one of the greatest adventures and experiences of my life. I can't even imagine my life in any other way anymore. However, living in Guatemala with my family has a small down side to it. I rarely get to see my parents since they are in the US. Then on the flip side, whenever they visit us, it's all about traveling with them because it's all so foregin to them. The last time they were here my husband and I decided to take them Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.

There are tons of tiny indigenous villages surrounding Atitlan lake filled with Mayan culture and traditions. However, the best place that is filled with top notch hotels & restaurants is the main town of the area, Panajachel.

For my mom specifically, it was a great choice. She loves to walk around, explore, shop and simply feel the pulse of the community. Since this isn't the first visit for my seven year old, he was able to give his grandparents a great tour of the place and tell them all about the boat tour to neighboring villages. This prompted them to take a boat tour to get a better look at the 3 volcanoes and hidden towns.

The town is filled with open air restaurants located right on the lake with fantastic views and traditional Guatemalan Food.

This was the perfect way of spending quality time with the grandparents and added memories of a lifetime for them and us. And most importantly, my boys got some serious bonding time with their grandparents.

Marina K. Villatoro is an expat living with her family and traveling in Central America.

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