Puerto Barrios Travel Guide

Puerto Barrios is a bustling port town in Guatemala, located on Amatique Bay within the Gulf of Honduras. It serves as the departmental seat of Izabal and the administrative center of the Puerto Barrios municipality. The town was named after former President Justo Rufino Barrios and is one of Guatemala’s main Caribbean ports, alongside its more modern twin, Santo Tomás de Castilla, just to the southwest.

Puerto Barrios is accessible via the CA9 Highway and lies 297 km (185 mi) northeast of Guatemala City. The town is a cultural melting pot, home to Maya, Afro-Caribbean, and other West Indian communities, reflected in its vibrant traditions and neighborhoods such as El Rastro, Las Champas, Los Tanques, La Veinte, La Veintidós, La Catorce, La Trece, and El Estrecho.

Though small, Puerto Barrios has long welcomed visitors connected to its harbor, including ship workers who frequent the town’s lively nightlife. In recent years, the town has started attracting more tourists as nearby Santo Tomás de Castilla receives cruise ships, and the Puerto Barrios Airport is being refurbished for future scheduled flights.

The region offers plenty of attractions for travelers:

Mayan ruins of Quiriguá, Lake Izabal, with San Felipe de Lara Castle, a historic Spanish fort on the Río Dulce, Río Dulce, with its caves and hot springs, Siete Altares, a series of seven natural pools perfect for swimming. The colorful town of Livingston, accessible by boat only, where visitors can experience Garifuna culture, including traditional Punta and Yankunu dances

Puerto Barrios is an ideal base for exploring the Caribbean Coast. Boats regularly depart from the town to Livingston and Belize, making it a convenient gateway for excursions and adventures in the region.