A bit of an anomaly in Mayan and ladino Guatemala, Lívingston is an interesting Caribbean enclave of Garífuna Culture and completes Guatemala’s list of offerings with the authentic feel of a West Indian coastal town. This characteristic is made even more poignant by the fact that it’s accessible only by boat.

The town’s setting is as exotic as its culture, splendidly situated at the mouth of the Río Dulce on the shores of the Bahía de Amatique. It makes a great base for upstream explorations of the Río Dulce National Park canyon as well as nearby beaches, waterfalls, and pools, or the outlying Zapotillo cayes.

The sounds of punta rock and reggae drifting out from the town’s numerous restaurants and bars complete the Caribbean atmosphere. You can find some useful information on the town at www.livingston.com.gt.

Geting to Lívingston

The only access to and from Lívingston is by water. There is daily ferry service to Puerto Barrios at 5 a.m. and 2 p.m. (1.5 hours, $1.50), along with motorboats leaving when they have a full load of people. There is also service to Punta Gorda, Belize, on Tuesdays and Fridays at 7 a.m. (one hour, $20).

Any of the town’s travel agencies can book tickets for you, but you must have the confirmed ticket the night before, along with your exit stamp from the immigration office. There’s a $10 departure tax when leaving Guatemala by sea.

From Punta Gorda to Lívingston, the boat leaves Tuesdays and Fridays at 12:30 p.m. Exotic Travel also runs shuttle transport directly to Placencia, Belize for $50 per person with a six-person minimum.

There are also boat transfers to Río Dulce (2.5 hours, $10), usually leaving at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. available from any of the Lívingston travel agencies.