I was really excited to visit Livingston. In fact, when we were planning our backpacking trip through Guatemala, I fully expected Livingston to be a major highlight. A sleepy fishing village on the shores of the Caribbean Sea, full of cool ocean breezes and a friendly Afro-Indigenous culture, what’s not to like?

Unfortunately, as is the case with many things in life, the reality of Livingston didn’t quite live up to my expectations. That’s not to say it was a bad place or that I regret the few nights we spent there. It just didn’t have the magic I’d hoped it would. Also, we got surprised by some racists.

What to Know Before you Go to Livingston, Guatemala

Livingston is situated on Guatemala’s Caribbean coast. Despite this fact, don’t go expecting lush, white sandy beaches and crystal-blue water. Guatemala’s best beach is very close to Livingston, but it’s not really the sort of place to go for those classic Caribbean beach vibes. That’s okay. Guatemala has enough other stuff going on, it doesn’t need perfect beaches.

And maybe the lack of perfect beaches has at least kept development at bay. The streets of Livingston are lined with ramshackle wooden houses instead of luxury high-rise hotels. But don’t believe the other blog posts that try to paint Livingston as an off-the-beaten-path destination. Livingston is firmly on Guatemala’s backpacker trail, and you’ll see plenty of other tourists.

These tourists come despite the lack of roads. Livingston is only reachable by boat, which does add to the island vibe. It’s about two hours or so down river from Rio Dulce. The boat ride is gorgeous. You can read more about it in my post on Rio Dulce. You can also get a boat from Livingston to Puerto Barrios, Guatemala or Punta Gorda, Belize if you happen to be going to or from either of those places.

Who are the Garifuna?

Livingston is famous for its melting pot of cultures. And the Garifuna are one of the most important ingredients in the town’s cultural stew.

The Garifuna are a population descended from the survivors of a shipwrecked slave ship, and possibly other escaped African slaves. These former slaves intermarried with the native Carib populations. Those were the very same Caribs who gave the Caribbean its name. They have a long, sordid, history that’s worth reading about.

Eventually, the Garifuna settled along the coast of Central America, ranging from Belize to Honduras. That includes Livingston, Guatemala. The Garifuna have their own language and a unique culture that’s a fascinating blend of indigenous and African traditions.

What to Do in Livingston

There isn’t a whole lot going on in Livingston. I guess that’s kind of part of the appeal. You can wander the entire town in a couple of hours, and although the town is very poor, it’s mostly pretty safe. The houses and streets definitely feel more like a Caribbean island than coastal Guatemala. Besides the Garifuna, there is also a large Mayan population. We stumbled on a traditional dance performance in a basketball court one day, which was cool.

Siete Altares and Playa Blanca

When you’ve finished wandering the streets, it might be time to take a tour and get out of town for a bit. The Siete Altares and Playa Blanca tour is probably the most popular tour. It might be the most popular thing to do in Livingston. We booked the tour through our hostel, but you can find agencies around town, too.

First, we visited the Siete Altares , which are a series of jungle pools. During the rainy season, there are waterfalls, but they were dry for us. The whole thing was still very pretty. In certain places it felt like a mini version of Semuc Champey. It pales in comparison to the real thing, but it’s still nice. I’m also a big fan of swimming in jungle rivers on a hot day.

Next, we took the boat along the coast to Playa Blanca. Playa Blanca is probably the nicest beach in Guatemala. This is the one place in Guatemala to get your fill of white sand, palm trees and Spanish girls flouting the ‘no topless sunbathing’ rules. It’s not paradise, but it’s way nicer than any of the so-called beaches in town.

You can supposedly hike to the Siete Altares independently, but it’s like a two-hour hike in intense tropical heat. I’ve also heard rumors of robberies on the trail. I suppose you could also negotiate with a local fisherman to take you to Playa Blanca. Honestly, the tour was cheap and a whole lot more convenient.

Be warned, the waves can get pretty intense in the afternoon. Our poor little boat was knocked about to the point where the wooden bench in front of us flew off and almost knocked a German kid into the water. I’ve never felt more unsafe in all of Guatemala. Remember to always wear your lifejacket, kids.

Kayak Down the Rio Dulce

When the ocean gets too rough, you can rent a canoe or kayak and paddle down the river. The Rio Dulce flows into the ocean here. In theory you could probably paddle all the way to Rio Dulce town, although that would take a very long time and isn’t recommended. It’s still fun to float along the river and see the pelicans and other sea birds hanging out around the edge of Livingston.

Be sure to set out in the morning before the wind picks up and the waves get too intense. We went in the afternoon and were only able to make it a short way down the river before having to give up and fight the waves back to the hostel. It was fun, but my arms were killing me for three days afterwards. We met a guy who went later and got stuck out in the water. He had to get a passing fishing boat to tow him back.

Watch Garifuna Drumming

Years ago, we visited another Garifuna town: Hopkins in Belize. One of my favorite travel memories ever is the night we went out to see Garifuna drumming. It was an amazing mix of locals and tourists. A modern mixing of cultures all dancing together to the unique rhythms of an even older mix of cultures. Part of me hoped we could recreate that magical evening in Livingston.

But like the soundwaves dissipating from skin of a drum, that magic was gone forever.

The Garifuna drumming we saw in Livingston was nothing like Hopkins. The drummers were good, but they mostly played cheesy covers of American and British pop songs. Only one woman danced, but you could tell her heart wasn’t in it.  Most of the tourists in the bar tolerated the drumming but they seemed more interested in their own dumb conversations.

It felt like something you’d find in a cruise ship port rather than a ramshackle coastal fishing village. The drummers were good, but they played with all the passion of spreadsheet analysts. The tourists clapped when we were supposed to and tipped the proper amount and pretended we’d had a cultural experience. But both tourists and drummers left the bar knowing the evening wasn’t any more of an authentic cultural experience than a branded shot glass or cheap t-shirt.

Perhaps there’s a lesson hidden there about trying to recreate the past or the commodification of culture.

Is Livingston Worth Visiting?

So, is Livingston Guatemala worth visiting? To be honest, I’d have to answer: “not really.” And not just for the disappointing drumming.

There’s nothing particularly wrong with Livingston. It’s not a bad place. Overall, I had a fun time. But considering how much of a pain in the ass it is to get to, I don’t feel like it’s worth it. Maybe as a day trip from Rio Dulce or something. Or perhaps you’re traveling for a very long time, in which case, sure why not?

But also know that you aren’t really missing out if you skip Livingston. There are better beaches in Mexico and Costa Rica. The Garifuna were friendlier and the culture felt more authentic in Belize.

To be honest, the people in Livingston were probably the least friendly in all of Guatemala. I don’t mean this as an insult to the people of Livingston. They’ve been through a lot, and they don’t owe us their friendliness. And to be clear, nobody was aggressive or particularly mean. I just got the feeling people were a little sick of all us tourists.

Beware the Racist Other Tourists

Fair enough. Maybe that fatigue has to do with some of those tourists being racist dicks.

Back in Lanquín, we met, what we thought, were a lovely Dutch couple. We played cards, had a few beers and lots of laughs. Later on, we saw them again on a long shuttle bus. We ended up having one of those long deep conversations you can only really have with people you meet while traveling about the difficulties of living up to your parents’ expectations. In short, we’d thought we’d made new friends.

At first, we were excited to see this Dutch couple once more on the streets of Livingston. We shared a few moments of small talk, and the standard recap of where we’d gone since last we saw each other. Then, the tall, blonde Dutchman glanced around him with his narrow cold blue eyes and said “we hate it here. There are too many blacks.”

Both my wife and I were shocked into silence. A silence that unfortunately led to a further racist rant about how horrible all “the blacks” were. I wish I could say I responded with a long lecture on the value of racial equality, or at least told him he could go and shove his racist attitude up his Geert Wilders voting ass. But to be honest, I was too stunned to say anything.

I need to work on being a better ally and speaking out against those sorts of things when I hear them. We all have things we need to work on. I guess I expected better from my new friends, but they were from a country that dresses up in blackface for Christmas. Perhaps my expectations were too high.

In the end, Livingston was fun, but awkward, and not the magical Caribbean break I’d hoped it would be. Again, my expectations were too high. It’s a totally fine place, but there are other, more entrancing Caribbean destinations elsewhere.

Want more information on destinations in Guatemala? Check out this article here: Go to Guatemala: A Travel Guide Without the Tourist Traps