Explora Journeys in Santo Tomás de Castilla

Santo Tomas de Castilla is Guatemala's Caribbean cargo port, and the appeal here is entirely what lies inland: the Mayan stelae of Quirigua, the jungle canyon of the Rio Dulce, and the Garifuna town of Livingston across the bay. The port itself is a working container terminal with nothing walkable, so the day is built around one booked excursion.

What to do on a day in Santo Tomás de Castilla

• Quirigua Archaeological Park, a UNESCO Mayan site whose carved stelae are among the tallest in the Maya world, roughly 45 minutes to 1.5 hours inland depending on the route
• A Rio Dulce boat trip up the river canyon toward Lake Izabal, watching for manatees, herons, and jungle-draped cliffs
• Livingston, the Garifuna town reachable only by boat across the bay, with Afro-Caribbean food, music, and culture
• Castillo de San Felipe de Lara, the 1652 Spanish fort built to stop pirates at the mouth of Lake Izabal, often paired with a Rio Dulce trip
• The Las Escobas trails in the Cerro San Gil rainforest, with waterfalls and swimming holes closer to the port

Getting ashore

Ships dock at the commercial terminal with active port roads and container yards, and there is no safe pedestrian route beyond the terminal building, so without a booked excursion or arranged taxi you will spend the day inside the terminal. Quirigua and the Rio Dulce/Livingston trips each fill a full port day, so pick one direction rather than trying to combine them.

When to book the ship's excursion vs your own →

Weather and when to visit

• February to April (drier window). Typically hot and humid with lower rainfall, highs near 30 to 32 C; April has the most sunshine and least rain, the best window for the open Mayan sites.
• June to October (wet season). Typically very wet and humid, with rain on most days and October the wettest; jungle and river trips run but expect heavy downpours.