Lake Atitlan >>> Xela
You can catch direct buses from Panajachel to Xela, which means you’ll be one of the first on the bus, and able to have your own seat, probably by the window. But, you’ll need to leave Pana early. There is a 7am departure, and we were told that 1pm is the last direct bus. Weekends there are less options.
If you don’t mind bus hopping, you can catch any bus passing through Los Encuentros from Panajachel, or San Pedro, and change buses in Los Encuentros for Xela. Buses in Los Encuentros should pass by frequently, but we’d still recommend planning to travel before dark.
The ride from Pana is around 3 hours, and costs Q25.
Antigua >>> Xela
For your cheapest ride to Xela, you’ll need a bus to Chimaltenago. These are frequent, leaving every 20-30 minutes if not sooner. About an hour to get there, sometimes less, and only Q5. Chimaltenango is another crossroads, and buses will be leaving frequently for Xela. The trip from Chimaltenango will be around 3 hours, and will cost around Q25.
In Town
The chicken buses to Xela will drop you off at the main bus terminal, which is not likely very close to where you want to be. Once you arrive, there are taxis that can take you to Zona 1 for around Q25-Q35. Or you can catch the public transportation, los busitos (micro-buses). These look like older versions of the tourist shuttles, and when their moving slow the door will be open with someone yelling out the destinations.
In this case, you’ll want to catch a bus headed to Parque Central. At the terminal, you can ask around about the busitos. We walked about two blocks to a main road (Pollo Campero being our landmark/destination) and on the opposite side of the street, over a crosswalk, there were buses headed to Parque Central.
Also, walking away from the buses, toward El Mercado, you should cross a street where the micro-buses will be passing by on their way to Parque Central. Ask around to be sure.
ALSO: On the chicken bus to Xela, f you’re pretty good with directions, try letting the driver or helper know you’re heading to Parque Central in Xela, and they might be able to drop you off closer than the Minerva Terminal…
Xela >>> Comitan, Mexico (via Huehuetenango)
(For the longer version, you can read more about my border crossing experience here.)
Just about every tourist agency in town offers shuttles to San Christobal, Mexico. If staying at Don Diego, you can book your shuttle for 8am with Adrenalina tours. The cost is about $35 USD/person.
If you prefer the slow route, you can head to the Guatemalan Border town of La Mesilla, via Huehuetenango, and head to Comitan, Mexico on your way to San Christobal. You’ll pay Q20 for both legs of the journey, so Q40 ($5USD) total to get you from Xela to Mexico. From there, 50 pesos (under $4 USD) will get to you to Comitan, Mexico. If San Christobal is your destination, ask around and you may be able to catch a collectivo from the border, or go to Comitan and catch a collectivo there.
The ride to Huehuetenango in Chicken bus is about 2 hours, and another two or two and a half to La Mesilla.
To start the journey, catch a collectivo/microbus to El Terminal in Xela. You can find them driving up the 14th Calle, two blocks from the park…
Buses to Huehue leave frequently. Our tactic is to show up around 15 minutes before the hour, and that’s usually a good bet for being on time for the next bus. We left on Sunday, and didn’t hear anything about the buses being less frequent then, which seemed to be the case around Lake Atitlan.
In Huehuetenango, at the same Bus Terminal, you can catch a bus to La Mesilla. They leave every 15-30 minutes. (If you are headed to La Mesilla from Huehue, you can pay for the full trip when you leave from Xela, and get shuffled from one bus to another at the terminal. But if you want to take a little time to eat or walk around, it’s just as easy to get on a different but to La Mesilla in Huehuetenango when you are ready.)
Once in La Mesilla, you’ll have to walk or take a tuk-tuk to the actual border. It’s about a ten minute walk to the border, and there’s only one main street, so you won’t have trouble finding your way.
Once in Mexico (well done!) you are almost finished. Across the border you won’t find ATMS, but there are lots of people offering to exchange money. We got a good rate (1.66 pesos/quetzal). Taxis will be waiting at the border and can take you to the Immigration Office, about four kilometers away in Cuauhtemoc. The cost will be 8-10 pesos. Again, you won’t find an ATM in Cuauhtemoc, but there is a bank.
If you walk to your right out of the Imigration office, the next building is the collectivo “bus” station where you can catch a ride in a van to Comitan, for 40 pesos.
And trust us, it’s not as difficult as it might sound.
GETTING // GOING • SLEEPING • EATING • DOING