San Pedro offers a laid back, clean and amazingly affordable stay with many options for the both backpackers &/or expats.  There's affordable Spanish schooling with homestays and one-on-one teacher-student arrangement.  There's loads of outdoor activities including swimming, sail boarding, kayaking, hiking, volcano climbing, horseback riding, kite flying, etc... 

 The setting is a naturalist's dream come true; dormant volcanos and steep, green hillsides brimming with exotic birds and tropical plants.  The Tzutijil people are one of the oldest Mayan language groups in the Lake Atitlan region and they offer a great interchange with language learning, weaving classes, rituals with shamans as well as several museums.  The backpacker scene is booming with tons of options for live music, DJs, lounging, hanging out in hammocks, hotels and hostels galore, every other place offers movie screenings on big and small screens and the choices of food from the restaurants is staggering, delicious and affordable.   Houses and apartments are available for long term rent for around $100+ a month.  San Pedro is both far enough away from the big cities to still have a small village feel to it and close enough to the big cities (3 hours by car to the capital city or Antigua or Xela) to provide access to all the world's modern amenities.  It's Shangrila on the Ruta Maya!!!