Livingstone, Guatemala

Entrance to the Rio Dulce, Livingstone, Guatemala

One of the most exhilarating views of the Caribbean, in my experience, is that from Noel Coward’s "Firefly," where the Blue Mountains disappear into the deep blue sea on the north coast of Jamaica. Equal, but not as panoramic, is this charming view from the Naval Base at Livingstone, Guatemala in the Bay of Amatique, with the Maya Mountains disappearing in the background.

Pleasantly spectacular, the entrance into the Rio Dulce passes through a series of high gorges. The terrain gradually levels out to become rural tropical pastures and as the river widens, it exposes several small mangrove islands that are home to various rare species of tropical birds.

The river must certainly have been used by the Maya as a means of transporting goods from the Maya Highlands to all points north and probably south along the coast of the Caribbean. Although no major architecture has been found in the immediate area, it is indeed, lush with vegetation and was chosen for its scenic beauty to film the early films of Tarzan, featuring Johnny Weissmuller.

To this day, there are no roads that lead to Livingstone and passage by small launch is available from Puerto Barrios, Guatemala to the south or from Punta Gorda, Belize to the north. The town itself was popularized during the 1960's as a retreat for "gringos", but it still seems to retain a certain rustic charm with several small hotels, a rather large hotel (Hotel Tucan Dugu) and a hotel with Moorish details.

You can walk through the town in less than half an hour. Boats leaving for the bridge at the western end of the river and Lake Izabal leave from the dock early in the morning. A two-night stay is more than sufficient for most.