Río Dulce town
Transport, marinasWhere the highway crosses the river.
Town guide
Things to do in Río Dulce
A river that runs through a jungle gorge to the Caribbean: jungle lodges on the water, a Spanish fort, hot waterfalls, and a boat ride down to Livingston, a Garífuna town with its own language, food and music.
3
Hostels in the city
7.9
Average, from 413 reviews
2 hours
By boat to Livingston
3
Days
Down the river to the Caribbean
Río Dulce is the name of both a river and the small town where the main highway crosses it, in eastern Guatemala. The river flows from Lake Izabal, the country's largest lake, through a dramatic gorge lined with jungle, to the Caribbean Sea at Livingston.
The town is a stop for yachts sheltering from hurricanes and a base for jungle lodges reached only by boat. Nearby is the Castillo de San Felipe, a 17th-century Spanish fort built against pirates, and the Finca El Paraíso, where a hot waterfall pours into a cool river.
The boat trip down the gorge to Livingston, passing birds, hot springs and limestone cliffs, is one of the best in Central America. Livingston, reached only by water, is the centre of Garífuna culture in Guatemala, with its own language, drumming and tapado, a coconut seafood soup. This guide covers both. Give the area three days.
Where to base yourself
Jungle lodges on the river, Río Dulce town for transport, or Livingston for Garífuna culture.
River lodges
Jungle staysOn the river, by boat.
Livingston
Garífuna cultureOn the Caribbean coast.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 3 top-rated hostels. Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Río Dulce
Take the boat down the river to Livingston, stopping at the hot springs and the bird islands in the gorge, and spend a night in Livingston to hear Garífuna drumming and eat tapado. From Livingston, walk or take a boat to Los Siete Altares, a series of waterfalls and pools near the beach.
Visit the Castillo de San Felipe at the mouth of Lake Izabal, and swim under the hot waterfall at Finca El Paraíso.
Kayak through the mangroves and side channels from your lodge, and look for manatees in the Chocón Machacas reserve.
Free things
And what it costs nothing to do
Kayaking from many lodges is free for guests. Walking around Livingston and its beaches costs nothing.
Watching the sunset over the river and the yachts in the marinas is free.
Boats, the fort and the hot waterfall charge.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking
In Livingston, try tapado, a soup of fish, seafood, coconut milk and plantain, and pan de coco, coconut bread. Comedores serve set lunches for €3 to €5.
River lodges serve family-style dinners for €6 to €10.
A 10 per cent tip is customary in restaurants, and is sometimes already added to the bill.
Nightlife
Going out
Livingston has bars with live Garífuna drumming and punta dancing, especially at weekends.
Río Dulce town and the lodges are quiet, with a few bars by the marinas.
Gallo costs €1.50 to €3, and coco loco, rum in a coconut, is the local cocktail.
Getting around
Getting around
Buses and shuttles reach Río Dulce town from Guatemala City in about five to six hours, and from Flores in about four hours.
Public lanchas run down the river to Livingston in about two hours, with stops. Lodges send boats to collect guests.
Livingston has no road connection; boats also go to Puerto Barrios and Belize.
Costs
What Río Dulce costs
Dorm beds in lodges start at around €8 to €15 a night. Comedor lunches cost €3 to €5.
The boat to Livingston costs about €15 to €20 one way, and the fort and hot waterfall small fees.
Carry cash; Livingston has few cash machines.
Safety
Safety and scams
The river and Livingston are generally relaxed. In Livingston, avoid isolated beaches and paths alone, including the walk to Los Siete Altares, where robberies have happened; go in a group or with a guide.
Use established boat operators with life jackets.
Do not drink the tap water; bottled and purified water is cheap everywhere. In an emergency, call 110 for the police, or 1500 for PROATUR, the tourist assistance line.
Worth the trip
River, coast and lake.
Castillo de San Felipe
A Spanish fort.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Garífuna Day and holidays.
26 November
Garífuna Day
Livingston
Celebrating the Garífuna arrival, with drums and dance.
March or April
Semana Santa
Río Dulce and Livingston
Busy with Guatemalan visitors.
Hostels
Where to stay
The highest-rated hostels in Río Dulce, live from Hostelworld. Prices and availability are live on each property page.
When to go
The Caribbean side is hot and humid all year, and rain is possible in any month. February to May is driest. Hurricane season runs from June to November.
Jan
Wet spells
Feb
Drier
Mar
Drier
Apr
Semana Santa
May
Driest
Jun
Hurricane season opens
Jul
Holidays
Aug
Rain
Sep
Rain
Oct
Wettest
Nov
Garífuna Day
Dec
Holidays
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs, rounded. Hot and humid.
What your trip will cost
Per night, for one person, based on Río Dulce prices.
Treat these as a guide. Boats cost extra.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Río Dulce questions
The ones we get asked most.
Is the boat from Río Dulce to Livingston worth it?
Yes. It is one of the best boat trips in Central America.
Can I drive to Livingston?
No, it can only be reached by boat.
Where should I stay?
In a jungle lodge on the river, and a night in Livingston.
What is tapado?
A Garífuna soup of seafood, coconut milk and plantain.
Is Los Siete Altares safe?
Go in a group or with a guide, as robberies have happened on the path.
How do I get to Río Dulce?
By bus or shuttle from Guatemala City or Flores.
When is the best time to visit?
February to May is driest.
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