Rio Dulce / Livingston

Rio Dulce (Sweet River), with 40 km of dense tropical jungle on both sides, connects Guatemala’s largest lake, Lake Izabal, with the Caribbean Sea.

The river has played a very important role in the country’s history. The Mayan people used Rio Dulce as a main route for their trade in jade. During Colonial times the Spanish used the river to ship supplies from Spain almost straight into the heart of Guatemala.

In the 17th Century the Spanish conquistadors built a fort, Castillo de San Felipe, near the mouth of the river to protect their ships from English pirates.

Livingston, located at the entrance to the Caribbean Sea can only be reached over water and is therefore considered as the Caribbean island treasure of Guatemala. Colorful wooden houses, palm trees and the easy going lifestyle of this small town make it feel more like Jamaica than Guatemala. Livingston is home to the Garifunas, descendants of Arawak Indians and Africans.