Panajachel and Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

Panajachel is a town in Guatemala, on the shore of Lake Atitlan, a large volcanic lake situated in the Guatemalan Highlands.
Although Panajachel itself is not very interesting, it serves as a departure point for tourists that want to explore Lake Atitlan and the surrounding towns and villages. Just outside of town there's also a National Park that can be visited just to go hiking and admire the monkeys and other wildlife.
The main attraction in the small town of Panajachel is Casa Cakchiquel, the first hotel in town enjoyed by many intellectuals and public figures such as Ernesto "Che" Guevara.
Lake Atitlan has a huge surface and is known to be the deepest lake in Central America. The towns and villages in the area are worth visiting by tourists that like hiking and enjoy the open air. Small boats can also be used for transport and for exploring the lake. 

Lake Atitlan, Guatemala 

Panajachel and Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

 Panajachel shopping street, Guatemala

Plitvice Lakes National Park Croatia

A wonder of nature, the Plitvice Lakes National Park is the largest national park in Croatia. Added on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1979, the park is well known for it's spectacular waterfalls and turquoise lakes.
Having around 1.500.000 visitors every year, the natural site is one of the main attractions in Croatia today. The site was well-known even in the 19th century when the area was part of the Austrian Empire.
After the end of the Croatian war the Plitvice Lakes National Park was among the first to be de-mined and in 1998 it was deemed mine free and removed from the UNESCO list of endangered sites.
The main attractions are the waterfalls on the Plitvica river and its tributary streams. The lakes that form on the river canyon are also amazing, you can follow a path around them and admire the travertine coloured water and the multitude of endemic species.
Even brown bears are present in the park so make sure you follow the designated paths and make some noise to scare them away as they usually tend to avoid humans.

Plitvice Lakes waterfall, Croatia

Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

Plitvice National Park, turquoise lakes

Plitvice lakes canyon