Visitor questions

Most places use Lightning. Look for a "Lightning accepted" card or sign, then scan the QR code or pay to the Lightning address with your wallet. A visitor who filmed his breakfast payment in 2023 said it was instant, and both he and the restaurant knew at the same moment.

Sources: Blink at Lago Summit video, 0:03 (Lightning card on a shop table); Reverend Hodl video, 7:41; BTC Map, Bitcoin Lago community

Lightning is the normal way. In the merchant data behind our map, 109 of the 117 places are tagged Lightning and 59 are tagged on-chain. If you are unsure, ask the merchant which one they prefer before you pay.

Sources: BTC Map, Bitcoin Lago community; Merchant map on this site

No. In February 2025 one creator said only about 25% of places they tried could actually process a payment. A 2023 visitor found one of three places worked. Ask before ordering; see the day-paying guide. To find places, use BTC Map or the Blink wallet map: in November 2026 Eliazar named both as the easiest ways to find the businesses around the lake.

Sources: Eliazar, voice answers, November 2026; Why the count changed, 2022 to 2026; Eliazar on Bitcoinismo (Spanish), 2:39; Reverend Hodl video, 5:02; Reverend Hodl video, 2:39; The Orange Future, Feb 2025, 7:03; A day paying with bitcoin

Eliazar names coffee and chocolate tours, food, cycling, paragliding, ATVs and a boat to other towns, and says you can rent an apartment or pay a hotel in bitcoin. Our map lists 21 restaurants, 15 cafes and 13 hotels among its 117 places. A 2023 radio guest also mentioned a bitcoin boat, a tuk tuk, grill restaurants and a way to buy supermarket gift cards.

Sources: Eliazar on Bitcoinismo (Spanish), 18:36; Eliazar on the Ordermoon podcast, 34:12; Bitcoin Economics radio, 9:55; BTC Map, Bitcoin Lago community

Visitors in 2023 and 2025 named Coffee Art, 80’s Cafe, Chinajul, Amaranto and Delhi 6. These are reported experiences, not a current guarantee. Ask before ordering.

Sources: Tekoa Spaces visitor video, May 2023; The Orange Future, Feb 2025

We do not recommend one. The sources show these used at the lake: Blink (formerly the Bitcoin Beach wallet), Wallet of Satoshi, Fedi and Tiankii. A visitor paid from Wallet of Satoshi to a restaurant on the Bitcoin Beach wallet, so you do not need the same wallet as the merchant.

Sources: Blink at Lago Summit video, description; Eliazar on the Ordermoon podcast, 18:32; Reverend Hodl video, 6:25; Eliazar's tuk tuk post, March 2026

The simplest plan is to arrive with sats already in a Lightning wallet. Eliazar said in an interview published in January 2026 that there is an exchange in the city but not on the lake, and that local merchants have mostly bought their bitcoin from other bitcoiners. See the ATM question below for the machine at the lake.

Sources: Eliazar on the Ordermoon podcast, 31:23; Bitcoin ATMs on this page

Yes. The team teaches: Eliazar says someone who knows nothing about bitcoin can be taught, and the meetups mix bitcoiners with locals who are new to it. The easiest way to ask is the community WhatsApp group on this site.

Sources: Eliazar on Bitcoinismo (Spanish), 6:58; Adopting Bitcoin 2023 talk, 7:48; WhatsApp group and meetups

There was no ATM at the lake in December 2022. In May 2023, a video showed on-chain buying working and said Lightning would be added. In January 2025 the ATM was down, so do not rely on it; ask locally and bring cash. In November 2022 Eliazar told a German TV crew he worked as a human ATM: you call him and he swaps bitcoin for cash, with no fee. Ask whether that still works. In November 2026 Eliazar said he is not sure the Lightning ATM at Amaranto still works. Rudy runs that machine, so ask him.

We are still confirming this with the team.

Sources: Eliazar, voice answers, November 2026; Adopting Bitcoin 2023 talk, 10:20; Adopting Bitcoin 2023 talk, buy and sell, 11:53; Post on X about the ATM, May 2023; Eliazar on Bitcoinismo (Spanish), 10:04; Bitcoin ATMs on this page; Bitcoin Explorers, Dec 2022, no ATM; Reverend Hodl, on-chain ATM and Lightning plan, May 2023; Eliazar, ATM down, Jan 2025; BR film Bitcoineros, Nov 2022, 23:24

The Bitcoinismo host described it this way: arrive with bitcoin, change some into quetzales at the ATM, pay where bitcoin is not accepted, and change leftover quetzales back before you leave. Many places do not take bitcoin, so some quetzales are still useful. We have not confirmed how this works today.

We are still confirming this with the team.

Sources: Eliazar on Bitcoinismo (Spanish), 10:13; Reverend Hodl video, 5:02

It varies. In 2022 Eliazar cashed merchants out almost daily as a walking ATM, according to Ricky of the founding group. Today, Eliazar says the businesses that stayed have kept their bitcoin since 2022, and a couple have moved it to a cold wallet. In November 2026 he said the walking ATM is now rare: one or two merchants use it, and only in an emergency. Most merchants keep their sats or spend them at other places that accept bitcoin. So the sats you spend may be saved, not spent again.

Sources: Eliazar, voice answers, November 2026; Ricky, The Orange Journey, 67:11; Eliazar on Bitcoinismo (Spanish), 2:07; Eliazar on the Ordermoon podcast, 11:33

Yes. Visitors advise carrying cash because not every business can process bitcoin, boats are paid in cash, and the ATM has been unreliable.

Sources: The Orange Future, Feb 2025; Bitcoin Explorers, lake travel, Dec 2022; Eliazar, ATM down, Jan 2025

Eliazar says the drive from Guatemala City's airport takes about 2 to 3 hours. He says you can contact him to arrange a shuttle or a taxi that you pay in bitcoin. We have no prices or booking contact to publish, so use the Ask form on this site.

We are still confirming this with the team.

Sources: Eliazar on the Ordermoon podcast, the drive, 12:16; Eliazar on the Ordermoon podcast, shuttle or taxi, 13:22; Eliazar on One Love Bitcoin, about two hours, 24:27; Ask form

Panajachel has a Bitcoin boat and a boat taxi listed on BTC Map, both tagged Lightning. In November 2026 Eliazar said the Bitcoin boat is a private local boat, painted with bitcoin, and that visitors can hire it through him. A visiting creator rode a bitcoin boat to San Juan La Laguna, and Santa Cruz La Laguna is about 7 minutes from Panajachel by boat. Ask the fare before you go, since we have no schedule or prices.

Sources: Eliazar, voice answers, November 2026; Getting around with Bitcoin on this page; Get Based video, 8:28; Tours account post on Santa Cruz La Laguna, July 2026; BTC Map, Bitcoin Lago community

Yes, three tuk tuks are listed in Panajachel on BTC Map with Lightning. In November 2026 Eliazar said two of them still accept bitcoin, and that he can share their phone numbers so you can call one once you are in Panajachel. Tuk tuks are the usual way to get around town, and Eliazar posted in March 2026 that he pays his tuk tuk rides with Lightning. Ask the fare before you get in.

Sources: Eliazar, voice answers, November 2026; Getting around with Bitcoin on this page; Get Based video, tuk tuk ride, 4:15; Eliazar's post, March 2026

Atitlán Bitcoin Tours posts hikes and volcano climbs, ATV rides, paragliding, a honey tour, a chocolate tour, coffee tours, weaving and natural dyes, the Palopó towns and the Chichicastenango market. Several posts say you pay with bitcoin or sats. Eliazar also lists cycling and kayaks.

Sources: Tours on this page; Hikes post, April 2026; ATV post, April 2026; Paragliding post, May 2026; Honey tour post, March 2026; Eliazar on the Ordermoon podcast, bicycles and kayaks, 15:03

We do not have prices, a booking contact or a phone number to publish yet, and no tour post we found states a price. In November 2026 Eliazar said he is just starting Atitlán Bitcoin Tours himself. To ask about a tour, send an email to lago_bitcoin_atitlan@proton.me, join the community WhatsApp group on this page, or use the Ask form. Packages are built with each visitor, from a tour of the towns around the lake to hikes, paragliding and canopy. Tours can be given in Spanish, English or a local language of the region. There are no fixed prices yet. The tours account is @AtitlanTours21 on X, and you can also write to Eliazar (@JUN_AJPU_btc). Sending the form does not book or charge anything.

We are still confirming this with the team.

Sources: Eliazar, voice answers, November 2026; Tours on this page; Ask form; Atitlán Bitcoin Tours introduction on X, October 2026

The tours account posts about how Maya and indigenous weavers make yarn and dye it with fruits, seeds and vegetables. In a visiting creator's video, a boat trip to San Juan La Laguna included a chocolate workshop and a weaving cooperative. Ask the team which visits can be arranged.

We are still confirming this with the team.

Sources: Weaving and dyes post, May 2026; Get Based video, chocolate workshop, 9:24; Get Based video, weaving cooperative, 10:41

Kaboom ran a cooking-oil generator to power bitcoin miners. In June 2025 Eliazar said it was not working. In November 2026 he said it has stopped: the generator worked, but the team could not cover the running costs. He called it a test, and a proof that anyone can mine with used cooking oil. Kaboom cannot be visited as a running site, and there is no visiting schedule.

Sources: Eliazar, voice answers, November 2026; The Kaboom story; Eliazar on One Love Bitcoin, 36:35; Bitcoin Economics radio, May 2023, 30:30; Eliazar, Kaboom not working, June 2025

Yes, that is our strength. We connect you directly with local providers we know, for stays, boats, drivers, guides, food and more, with no agency in the middle, so you pay local prices. Tell us what you need in the Ask form.

Sources: Plan your stay; Ask form

Yes. We help with real estate investment through local owners rather than agencies, and introduce you to local lawyers and notaries to check titles, plus builders and people to look after the property. Tell us what you are looking for in the Ask form.

Sources: Real estate and investing; Ask form

Bitcoin Lago began in Panajachel in late 2021, and Patrick Melder founded it with friends and supporters. Eliazar Ajquijay, known as Eli, is the local base and does the work around the lake. In November 2026 he said Ricky helps from far away, volunteers join from time to time, and for now he is the only one working on the ground. Eliazar describes it as a nonprofit that lives on donations.

Sources: Eliazar, voice answers, November 2026; How Bitcoin Lago started; Our story on this page; Eliazar on the Ordermoon podcast, 22:35

The community meets once a month in Panajachel to talk bitcoin, swap sats and drink local coffee. Each date and venue is posted on X by @JUN_AJPU_btc. Past meetups were held at the Amaranto hotel in October 2024 and November 2025.

Sources: Meetups on this page; Meetup post, October 2024; Meetup post, November 2025

Yes. Since 2023 the team has taught a Bitcoin diploma, from primary schools to universities, and students make their first Lightning payment in class. Eliazar says the goal is to educate 300,000 people around the lake. In November 2026 he estimated that the team teaches around 500 to 800 people a year, counting students, adults and merchants. That is his estimate, not a yearly count or a total of everyone taught. We have no published way to sit in on a class, so please ask first.

We are still confirming this with the team.

Sources: Eliazar, voice answers, November 2026; Bitcoin in schools on this page; Adopting Bitcoin 2023 talk, 10 week diploma, 5:10; Eliazar on Bitcoinismo (Spanish), 300,000 goal, 3:04

Join the community WhatsApp group, the easiest way to ask questions and hear about the next meetup. There is also a group of expats on the lake, and the team says it helps visitors, seasonal stays and people settling in to join the local bitcoin community.

Sources: WhatsApp group on this page; New on the lake?

This is not legal advice. Carlos Toriello says people may use any currency by agreement; Guatemala’s central bank said in 2018 that bitcoin is unregulated and used at your own risk.

Sources: Carlos Toriello, June 2025, about 22:36

No. They are separate projects. Bitcoin Lake in San Marcos La Laguna was started by Rishi Bond in May 2021.

Sources: Bitcoin Lake in San Marcos La Laguna, history

Spend bitcoin at the businesses that accept it. Patrick Melder said in 2022 that the number one way is to visit the lake communities and ask to pay in bitcoin, and Ricky of the founding group asks visitors to spend and replace. Eliazar visits accepting businesses himself and takes visiting bitcoiners to spend there.

Sources: Patrick Melder, March 2022, 24:48; Ricky, The Orange Journey, 68:54; Eliazar on Bitcoinismo (Spanish), 14:33; Why spenders matter

Tips are welcome. The payment app a 2023 visitor used prompted him for a tip. In the Bitcoinismo interview, hotel staff came to understand bitcoin by seeing meetup tips of 20, 50 and 100 quetzales rise in value, and at other businesses staff now prefer bitcoin tips and save them.

Sources: Reverend Hodl video, 7:54; Eliazar on Bitcoinismo (Spanish), 10:50; Bitcoin Economics radio, May 2023, 23:39

Update BTC Map so the next visitor is not misled. In 2023 a visitor who was stopped at the door of a listed place said he would report it so the map got updated, and another visitor added a Bitcoin Lago shop to BTC Map himself. You can also tell the team through the Ask form.

Sources: Reverend Hodl video, 2:39; A visitor adds a Bitcoin Lago shop to BTC Map, March 2023; BTC Map, Bitcoin Lago community; Ask form

Yes, Eliazar invites volunteers. In an interview published in January 2026 he described stays of six weeks to two months, teaching English and bitcoin and being around local people. Anyone who knows nothing about bitcoin will be taught. In November 2026 he said there is no base or Bitcoin center yet, so the team offers no lodging. The volunteers helping now arrange their own stay, and lodging may come later, but not now. We have no published terms for cost, housing or applying, so write to him (@JUN_AJPU_btc) or use the Ask form.

We are still confirming this with the team.

Sources: Eliazar, voice answers, November 2026; Eliazar on the Ordermoon podcast, 15:16; Eliazar on Bitcoinismo (Spanish), 6:44; Ask form

Eliazar describes Bitcoin Lago as a nonprofit that lives on donations, which pay for things like printed signs for merchants. In November 2026 he said donations so far have been few. They pay for printed diplomas, teaching materials and small amounts given to students for their first bitcoin transactions. More money would pay for Bitcoin courses in San Pedro, San Juan and San Marcos, or for a course in another town. We have no donation address or method to publish yet, and we will not guess one. Ask on X (@JUN_AJPU_btc) before sending anything. A 2025 post also welcomed donated bitcoin books for a shelf in the public library.

We are still confirming this with the team.

Sources: Eliazar, voice answers, November 2026; Eliazar on the Ordermoon podcast, 22:35; Post on donated books, February 2025; Ask form