About this site

AtitlanVida is an independent bilingual guide to Lake Atitlán, built to make current, practical, well-sourced information easier to find in English and Spanish.

Why we built it

Much of the information online about the lake is fragmented, outdated, or written for a single travel style. This project pulls together transport, towns, food, events, culture, living logistics, and safety into one maintained reference.

What we're trying to do

The goal is useful coverage without turning the project into a personal brand. Pages are organized for planning a trip, understanding the towns, comparing options, and checking practical details before making decisions.

Masthead

AtitlanVida is written and maintained by a small, distributed editorial team rather than a single named author. Individual contributors are credited under code names, not real names, so day-to-day publishing decisions stay traceable without turning the site into a personal brand. The site publishes under three standing roles:

• Editorial and research: drafts and maintains page content, verifies facts against primary sources, and tracks what changed and when.
• Cultural review: checks Maya-culture pages against published academic and community sources before they go live, and flags anything that needs more caution or more sourcing.
• Corrections and upkeep: owns the correction queue below and re-verifies time-sensitive pages (prices, schedules, safety guidance) on a recurring cycle.

Public byline credit is used only when a contributor explicitly asks for it; otherwise pages publish under "AtitlanVida Editorial Team," which is also the citation credit used on the press page. Three regular writers do publish under standing pen names for towns and stays, culture and calendar, and transport and boats. Meet them, and read why they write what they write, on the writers page.

How we work

Every page aims to be sourced, dated, and easy to correct. When information changes, older guidance should be updated rather than left to drift. When something is uncertain, the page should say so plainly.

We do not claim to speak for any community. Cultural pages are handled with extra care, with emphasis on published sources, clear boundaries, and respect for living traditions.

How we handle accuracy and corrections

If you spot something that's wrong, out of date, or unfair to a local operator, tell us. Use the suggestion form on any page, or reach us directly at the contact below. We re-verify content on a regular cycle, and pages built on checked facts carry the date of their last verification. When a place closes, when a price changes, when a road washes out, when a school changes hands, we want to know within weeks, not years. The internet is full of ghost recommendations for businesses that no longer exist. We are trying to be the opposite.

When we are unsure of something, we say so in the page itself. When we cite a source, we link to it. When a piece of writing is informed by direct conversation with a local operator or community member, we say that too. The point is not to sound authoritative. The point is to be accurate.

How to contribute

Corrections, updates, and local knowledge are welcome through the suggestion form on each page. Public credit is only used when a contributor explicitly requests it.

If you're a local business, artisan, guide, or community organization that you'd like to see covered, get in touch. Editorial features are based on what we've found, what readers tell us, and what holds up to honest review. Paid placements exist and are clearly labeled when they appear. Submission details and a fuller contributor guide are coming soon.

How to get in touch

The fastest way is the suggestion form on any page of the site. For business inquiries, partnership questions, or contributor pitches, the contact details are in the footer. We read everything that comes through, though response times vary.