Guatemala Caribbean coast: Rio Dulce and Livingston

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Discover steamy tropical floodplains carpeted with banana plantations, the cool clear waters of lake Izabal, and the tropical river Rio Dulce flowing through dense rainforest.

Overview

Lying to the east of Guatemala City and connecting with the Caribbean coast is the Motagua Valley, which broadens into a steamy tropical floodplain carpeted with banana plantations. This less-visited region of Guatemala provides a very different aspect: an Afro-Caribbean culture focused on the genial garifuna settlement of Livingston, the cool clear waters of the country’s biggest lake, Izabal, and the tropical river Rio Dulce, which ploughs a furrow through an unbroken wall of dense rainforest. Rising from the lake’s mouth is the castle-like fort Castillo de San Felipe which protected this major transport artery from pirates in colonial times.

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Where to go when - our guide to Caribbean coast: Rio Dulce and Livingston

Rio Dulce

The weather in Caribbean coast: Rio Dulce and Livingston is wide and varied

To the east of Guatemala City is a steamy tropical floodplain connecting it with the Caribbean coast. This less-visited region of Guatemala has an Afro-Caribbean culture focused on the Garifuna settlement of Livingston, the cool clear waters of the country’s biggest lake, Izabal, and the tropical river Rio Dulce.

View our Caribbean coast: Rio Dulce and Livingston weather guide

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