What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Livingston, Guatemala.
Photo: Exploraguate / Wikimedia Commons
Livingston is a coastal town of 80,249 people in Guatemala, where the Río Dulce meets the Caribbean. Most visitors come for Garifuna culture along Calle Principal and the seafront. Many also take boat trips through the Río Dulce Canyon, with stops at hot springs and the Biotopo Chocón Machacas. North of town, the coast leads to Playa Quehueche, Siete Altares and Playa Blanca. The best months to visit are November, December, January and February.
Plan time for half a day on the Río Dulce Canyon boat trip, half a day at Siete Altares, a full day at Playa Blanca and 2–3 hours in town. Add Río Tatín or Castillo de San Felipe de Lara for a slower pace.
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 of 26°C, with 19.8 rain days and 194 mm of rain. A score of 8 makes it one of the best months, and the sea is 27.2°C.
Highs of 26.7°C, with 17.5 rain days and 136 mm of rain. It scores 8, one of the best months, with 9.7 hours of sun.
Highs of 28.1°C and 19.6 rain days. It scores 7, a good month. The sea warms to 29.2°C.
Highs of 29.7°C. It has the fewest rain days of the year (16.1) and the least rain (102 mm). It scores 7, a good month.
The hottest month, with highs of 30.3°C and 22.2 rain days. It scores 7, a good month, and the sea reaches 30.9°C.
Very wet, with 27.5 rain days and 359 mm of rain. Highs reach 29.7°C. It still scores 7, a good month, and the sea is 31.5°C.
The month with the most rain days: 30.5, with 358 mm of rain. Highs reach 29.1°C. It scores 7, a good month.
Heavy rain continues, with 28.7 rain days and 307 mm. Highs reach 29.5°C. It scores 7, a good month, and the sea is 31.1°C.
Wet and hot, with 28.9 rain days, 323 mm of rain and highs of 29.6°C. It scores 7, a good month.
Highs of 28.9°C, with 25.2 rain days and 359 mm of rain, so most days are wet. It scores 7, a good month.
The wettest month by volume, with 362 mm of rain and 24.1 rain days. Highs reach 27.3°C. It still scores 8, one of the best months.
Highs of 26.3°C, with 22 rain days and 250 mm of rain. It scores 8, one of the best months, though sun is lowest at 8.3 hours.
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 | – ↗ |
Livingston's best-known dish is a Garifuna seafood soup. Fish, shrimp, crab and sometimes conch are cooked in coconut milk with green plantain. Locals eat it as a filling lunch, and many small restaurants in town serve it.
Rice and red beans are cooked together in coconut milk. The dish is a Caribbean staple in Livingston and comes as a side with fried fish or chicken at everyday eateries.
This soft coconut bread is baked in local homes and sold by street vendors around town. People eat it for breakfast or as a snack with coffee.
Green and ripe plantains are pounded into a smooth mash and served with fish in a coconut broth. It is a traditional Garifuna meal, often cooked at home and for family gatherings.
A Garifuna drink made by steeping herbs, roots and spices in rum. Locals see it as a tonic and sip it in small amounts. Bars and vendors in Livingston sell it in bottles.
Best: Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec
Best: Jan, Feb
Best: Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec
January, February, November and December are the best months, with a score of 8, the highest of the year. These months are the coolest, with highs of 26 to 27.3°C. Rain is still common. February is the driest of the group, with 136 mm on 17.5 days. November is much wetter, with 362 mm on 24.1 days.
Yes, July is rated good, with a score of 7, but it is very wet. Rain falls on 30.5 days on average and totals 358 mm. It is also warm and humid, with highs of 29.1°C, lows of 24.8°C and a sea temperature of 30.8°C. You still get 9.7 hours of sun a day, so expect showers between bright spells.
April is the driest month, with 102 mm of rain on 16.1 days. It is also the sunniest, with 11.1 hours of sun a day. It is warmer than the best months, with highs of 29.7°C and lows of 24.8°C. April scores 7 and is rated good.
Yes, the sea is warm all year. It is coolest in January and December, at 27.2°C, and warmest in June, at 31.5°C. From May to October it stays above 30°C. This suits beach days at Playa Blanca, which takes a full day, or a shorter stop at Playa Quehueche, which takes 1–2 hours.
Plan several days to see the main sights without rushing. The Río Dulce Canyon boat trip takes half a day, Siete Altares half a day, Río Tatín half a day and Playa Blanca a full day. Add 2–3 hours for the town and Garifuna culture, 2–3 hours for Biotopo Chocón Machacas and 1 hour at the Río Dulce hot springs.
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