Things to Do in Livingston

You can only reach Livingston by boat. This Garífuna port town sits where the Río Dulce meets Guatemala's Caribbean coast, and the isolation creates something genuinely different from the rest of the country. The population is predominantly Garífuna—descendants of African and indigenous Caribbean peoples who bring reggae instead of marimba, coconut curry instead of black beans. You can walk the entire town in 20 minutes. Colorful wooden houses line dusty streets that end at a black sand beach where fishing boats float in the waves.

The food here beats the rest of Guatemala. Strong Caribbean and Garífuna influences mean excellent seafood everywhere—the tapado (seafood stew with coconut milk) is practically mandatory, and whole fried fish usually impresses. Rice and beans cooked in coconut milk become addictive after a few days. Street food centers on fried plantains, fresh fruit, and coconut bread. Most restaurants are small family operations where the menu depends on the morning catch. Happy Fish, Bahía Azul, and McTropic work reliably, though you can't go wrong with whatever seafood looks freshest.

December to April brings the most predictable weather. Less rain, slightly lower humidity—though it never gets cool here. Livingston works year-round since you won't pack in tons of sightseeing anyway. Rainy season means afternoon downpours from May to November. They're often brief and provide welcome heat relief. Hurricane season runs June to November, though direct hits are rare. Weekends and Guatemalan holidays bring domestic tourists, but crowds never overwhelm.