Lake Atitlán · Month comparison

January vs November

November ranks #1 overall vs January at #4. Dry season returns — Día de los Muertos (1-2 Nov) plus Sumpango giant kite festival.

Lake Atitlán volcanoes at January sunrise

January

#4 of 12 months

Strong option

Dry-season peak — backpacker high season, cacao ceremonies and yoga retreats at full strength.

  • ↑Driest, clearest views of all three volcanoes — sunrise photography window
  • ↑San Marcos yoga retreats, Spanish schools in San Pedro both at peak programming
Giant kites at Sumpango Day of the Dead festival

November

#1 of 12 months

Best match

Dry season returns — Día de los Muertos (1-2 Nov) plus Sumpango giant kite festival.

  • ↑Día de los Muertos (1-2 Nov) — Santiago cemetery fully decorated
  • ↑Sumpango/Santiago Sacatepéquez Giant Kite Festival (1 Nov, day-trip from Atitlán)
FactorJanuaryNovember
Weather score
9
9
Value score
4
6
Crowd score
4
7
Events score
8
9
Atmosphere
10
10
Avg high temp23°C23°C
Monthly rain5mm30mm
Daily sunshine9hrs8hrs

January trade-offs

  • ↓Backpacker peak — San Marcos and San Pedro hostels often full
  • ↓Cool nights at altitude (10°C) — even San Pedro lakeside dorms need extra blankets
  • ↓Hotel rates 30-50% above wet season

November trade-offs

  • ↓Rates climb sharply through the month as dry season begins
  • ↓Cool nights returning (11°C) — pack a sweater
See all 12 months for Lake Atitlán →January in detail →November in detail →
Scores compare months within Lake Atitlán. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →