The Lachuá Lagoon is a cenote in Guatemala. It is located in the tropical rainforest in the municipality of Cobán, Alta Verapaz. The lake has a circular shape and is probably a flooded doline. The lake’s water has a sulphuric smell, which explains the origin of its name:”Lachuá” is derived from the words kekchí “li chu há” whose meaning is “stinking water”. The water contains a high degree of calcite, and branches of fallen trees in the lake are quickly covered with a layer of white calcite.
The lake is located in the center of Laguna Lachuá National Park, which was created in 1976. The park has an area of 145 km², and contains more than 220 species of plants and 210 species of mammals and birds.
The park and the adjacent buffer zone (known as the “Lachuá Eco-region”) are important because of their high biodiversity. With 120 species of mammals such as the jaguar, puma, and tapir (50% of the mammal species found in Guatemala), 30-40 species of reptiles, 177 species of birds (40% of the bird species in Guatemala), and 36 species of fish it is a refuge for a varied population of fauna.