What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Livingston, Guatemala.
Photo: Exploraguate / Wikimedia Commons
Livingston sits on Guatemala's Caribbean coast, reachable only by boat, with a strong Garífuna culture that sets it apart from the rest of the country. Visitors come for the Río Dulce Canyon, Caribbean beaches like Playa Blanca and Playa Quehueche, and the laid-back town centre. It's a mixed destination: part river trip, part coastal town, part cultural stop. The best months to visit are January, February, November and December, when conditions are more settled.
Plan on 2–3 days. That's enough time for the Río Dulce Canyon boat trip, a walk through town for Garifuna culture, and a half-day trip to Siete Altares or Playa Blanca.
Río Dulce
The boat ride between Livingston and Río Dulce town passes through a steep, jungle-covered gorge with limestone walls. Herons and other water birds live along the banks. This river trip is the main reason many people come to Livingston.
Town centre
Livingston has no road connection, so you arrive by boat. It is the main centre of Guatemala's Garifuna people, with their own language, food and music. Walk the main street and try tapado, a coconut seafood soup. In the evenings you may hear punta drumming.
North of town, along the coast
Siete Altares is a series of small waterfalls and pools in the forest just inland from the sea. You can walk there along the beach or go by boat. The pools are good for a swim, though water levels change with the rain.
Coast north of Livingston
Playa Blanca is a white-sand beach with palm trees, reached by boat from Livingston. It is calmer and cleaner than the beaches in town. Most visitors go on an organised boat trip.
El Golfete, Río Dulce
This protected area sits on El Golfete, a wide lake-like part of the Río Dulce. It was set up to protect manatees and mangrove forest. Manatees are shy and rarely seen, but the mangrove channels and birdlife are worth the visit.
Río Dulce Canyon
Warm water flows out of the rocks at the river's edge inside the gorge. Many boat trips stop here so you can sit in the warm water. It makes an easy break on the ride up or down the river.
Río Dulce
Río Tatín is a small, quiet side river that joins the Río Dulce, with a few simple jungle lodges along it. You can explore it by kayak or canoe. It is a good place to see birds and river life away from the motorboats.
Río Dulce town
This old Spanish fort guards the entrance to Lake Izabal at the far end of the Río Dulce. It was built to stop pirates from sailing up to the lake. Combine it with the boat trip from Livingston.
North of town, along the coast
Quehueche is a quiet beach on the path between Livingston and Siete Altares. It has small Garifuna villages nearby and a river mouth. Stop here for a swim on the walk to the waterfalls.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Sea temp | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best month: January | 26°C / 22°C | 20 days (194 mm) | 8.7 h/day | 27°C | 8.0/10 |
| Best month: February | 27°C / 22°C | 18 days (136 mm) | 9.7 h/day | 28°C | 8.0/10 |
| March | 28°C / 24°C | 20 days (170 mm) | 10.9 h/day | 29°C | 7.0/10 |
| April | 30°C / 25°C | 16 days (102 mm) | 11.1 h/day | 30°C | 7.0/10 |
| May | 30°C / 26°C | 22 days (154 mm) | 10.8 h/day | 31°C | 7.0/10 |
| June | 30°C / 25°C | 28 days (359 mm) | 9.3 h/day | 32°C | 7.0/10 |
| July | 29°C / 25°C | 31 days (358 mm) | 9.7 h/day | 31°C | 7.0/10 |
| August | 30°C / 25°C | 29 days (307 mm) | 10.1 h/day | 31°C | 7.0/10 |
| September | 30°C / 25°C | 29 days (323 mm) | 10.0 h/day | 31°C | 7.0/10 |
| October | 29°C / 24°C | 25 days (359 mm) | 9.1 h/day | 31°C | 7.0/10 |
| Best month: November | 27°C / 23°C | 24 days (362 mm) | 8.7 h/day | 28°C | 8.0/10 |
| Best month: December | 26°C / 22°C | 22 days (250 mm) | 8.3 h/day | 27°C | 8.0/10 |
Highs reach 26°C with about 20 rain days out of 31, so showers are frequent. Sea temp is 27.2°C. Score 8, rated best.
Warm at 26.7°C highs with fewer rain days, around 17.5. Sun hours rise to 9.7. Score 8, one of the best months.
Highs climb to 28.1°C and rain days are near 19.6. Sea warms to 29.2°C. Score 7, a good month.
Drier than March with about 16 rain days and highs of 29.7°C. Score 7, good conditions overall.
Highs of 30.3°C, the warmest so far, but rain days jump to 22.2. Score 7, still good.
Wet season shows clearly: 27.5 rain days and 359mm of rain. Highs stay near 29.7°C. Score 7, good despite the rain.
The wettest in terms of rain days, 30.5 out of 31, with 358mm total. Highs of 29.1°C. Score 7, good.
Rain stays heavy with 28.7 rain days and 307mm. Highs of 29.5°C and sea temp peaks at 31.1°C. Score 7, good.
Rain days remain high at 28.9 with 323mm. Highs of 29.6°C and sun hours around 10. Score 7, good.
Rainfall totals peak at 359mm though rain days ease slightly to 25.2. Highs 28.9°C. Score 7, good.
Rain days drop to 24.1 but totals stay high at 362mm. Highs of 27.3°C. Score 8, rated best.
Drier again with 22 rain days and 250mm of rain. Highs 26.3°C, sea temp 27.2°C. Score 8, best month.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Guatemala →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for first-timers, short stays, food lovers
The main street climbs uphill from the boat dock and holds most of the town's restaurants, shops and bars, so you can walk almost everywhere. It is the easiest base if you arrive by boat with bags and want to settle in fast. The street is steep from the dock and can be loud at night and on weekends.
Good for couples, backpackers, river views
The lanes along the river near the dock have guesthouses on the water, with easy access to boat trips up the Río Dulce gorge. You get calm evenings by the water and are still a short walk from the centre. Some paths are unlit after dark, and humidity and mosquitoes are stronger near the water.
Good for beach lovers, Garífuna culture, slower pace
The north side of town faces the Caribbean, with a more local, Garífuna feel and sea breezes. It suits travellers who want to see daily life beyond the main street and walk along the shore. The beach here is not ideal for swimming, and getting back up to the centre means a hilly walk.
Good for nature lovers, quiet, longer stays
This area lies along the coast beyond the town, on the way to the Siete Altares waterfalls, and has a few lodges among trees. It is peaceful and close to coastal walks and swimming spots. It is far from restaurants and the dock, so you depend on walking long stretches or arranging transport.
Typical journey times and fares from the airport and other cities.
| Route | By | Time | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guatemala City → Livingston No road goes to Livingston. Take a Litegua bus to Puerto Barrios: about 13 departures a day, around 5h55m, from USD 25 on Busbud. Then take a lancha across Amatique Bay, about 30 min. Lancha fares differ by source, roughly Q30–50. Fast boats leave when full, from about 6:00 to 17:00. The total time does not include the wait for a boat. Another way in is the collective boat from Río Dulce through the river canyon: about Q115–125, 1–2.5 h, morning and early-afternoon departures. | bus | 6 h 25 min | – ↗ |
This is a seafood soup made with coconut milk, plantains, and fish or shrimp. It's the signature dish of Livingston, tied to the town's Garifuna heritage, and is served in many small restaurants along the waterfront.
Garifuna families make this flatbread from grated cassava root, pressed and baked until dry and crisp. It's a traditional staple eaten with stews or fish, often prepared at home rather than sold in restaurants.
Rice cooked in coconut milk with beans is a common side dish in Livingston, reflecting the coastal, Caribbean influence on local cooking. It usually comes with grilled fish or chicken.
This sweet coconut bread is a popular snack in Livingston, sold by street vendors and small bakeries. Locals often eat it in the morning with coffee.
Guifiti is a Garifuna herbal rum infused with roots, bark, and spices, traditionally seen as a tonic. It's shared in local gatherings and sold in small bottles around town.
Best: Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec
Best: Jan, Feb
Best: Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec
Yes, August is a good month, with a score of 7 out of 10. Expect high temperatures around 29.5°C and warm sea water at 31.1°C, but also a lot of rain: about 28.7 rain days and 307mm of rainfall. Sun hours sit at 10.1, so you'll still get plenty of bright spells between showers.
The best months are January, February, November and December, each scoring 8 out of 10. These months have fewer rain days, ranging from 17.5 in February to 24.1 in November, compared to over 27 rain days in the rainy middle of the year. Highs stay comfortable between 26°C and 27.3°C.
Two to three days are usually enough. The main sights, like the Río Dulce Canyon boat trip, Siete Altares and the town's Garifuna culture, each take half a day or a few hours. You could add a day for Playa Blanca or the Río Dulce hot springs if you want a slower pace.
Yes, rain is frequent year-round. Even the driest month, April, still has 16.1 rain days and 102mm of rain. The wettest stretch runs from June to October, when rain days climb above 25 and monthly totals pass 300mm, peaking at 362mm in November.
Yes, the sea stays warm all year. Sea temperatures range from 27.2°C in January and December to a peak of 31.5°C in June. Even in the cooler months, the water is well above typical swimming comfort levels, so timing your trip around temperature isn't a concern here.
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