San Juan La Laguna Walking Tour: Weaving, Honey & Chocolate

See how local women spin, dye and weave cloth the way their ancestors did

A three-hour guided walking tour of San Juan La Laguna that moves through the village's most photographed streets while stopping at working studios and small producers. You learn about traditional Mayan weaving with natural dyes directly from the artisans who make it, taste three types of honey from stingless melipone bees, visit a chocolate factory to understand cocoa's role in Mayan culture, and sample artisan chocolate. A local guide in English or Spanish leads the whole route and meets you at a set point in the village.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore San Juan La Laguna culture and crafts

• Tour Mayan textiles and weaving
• Visit honey tour and taste honey
• Chocolate tour and tasting
• Guided tour of murals
• Explanation on modern Mayan art
• Photography and interpretive stops

The experience

The tour centers on three things San Juan La Laguna is known for: the textiles that fill the village, the bees that live in the surrounding forest, and the chocolate that connects to Mayan history. You don't just hear about them. You stand in front of people doing the work. At the weaving studios, local women show you how they spin thread and dye it with plants, then work the loom. At the honey stop, you taste three distinct varieties from the stingless melipone bees that live in the region. The chocolate factory walk explains why cocoa mattered to the Maya and lets you taste what the artisans make there now.

The streets themselves are part of the tour. Calle del Sombrero and Calle de las Umbrillas are lined with murals and local art, and the guide points out the stories behind them while you photograph. The route stays on foot through the village, moving between these stops at a pace that leaves time to look and ask questions. The whole thing runs three hours, which is long enough to see the main things without the day becoming a march.

What’s included

• Accompaniment of a local guide who speaks English or Spanish.
• admission to the weaving studios, honey tasting site and chocolate factory.
• tastings of three types of stingless bee honey and artisan chocolate.
• a set meeting point in the village.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:00 and 14:00

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (18 to 59 years) · Senior (60 to 80 years) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Infant (1 to 5 years): free

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditions

Operated by Conociendo Guate

Is this one for you?This is a shared group tour led by a local guide, so you move as a group and follow the guide's pace and stops. Choose it if you want to learn directly from the people who do this work (weavers, beekeepers, chocolate makers) rather than just seeing the finished products, and if you're comfortable walking through the village for three hours.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (6 to 12 years); Infant (1 to 5 years): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly do I see at the weaving studios?

Local women demonstrate the full process: spinning thread from raw fiber, dyeing it with natural plant-based colors, and working it on a loom. You watch them work and can ask about the techniques and the dyes they use.

How many types of honey do I taste, and what makes them different?

You taste three varieties from stingless melipone bees. The differences come from the plants the bees feed on in different seasons and areas around the village, so each one has its own flavor.

Is the chocolate tasting included, or do I pay extra?

Chocolate tastings are included in the tour price. You visit the Xocolat chocolate factory, learn how cocoa connects to Mayan culture, and sample the artisan chocolate they make there.

What are Calle del Sombrero and Calle de las Umbrillas like for photos?

Both streets are known for their vibrant murals and local art. The guide stops at the most iconic spots and explains the stories behind the paintings, giving you time to photograph and take in the work.