Izabal can be a bit difficult to reach, but the journey is half the fun and well worth it once you arrive.  There is no airport in Izabal, but the international airports of Guatemala City and San Pedro Sula are great ports of entry.  Another option is entering from Belize, and the town of Punta Gorda is a short boat ride from Livingston and Puerto Barrios. 

From Guatemala City

There is a major, well-maintained highway which runs from Guatemala City to both Puerto Barrios and Rio Dulce.  The drive should take about 4 hours, and a bus ride is 5.5 hours.  The best bus to take is Litegua (www.litegua.com) since it makes no stops and has air conditioning and bathroom on board.   

From Belize

Punta Gorda is actually the closest airport to Izabal, and there are daily flights from Punta Gorda to Belize City.  From Punta Gorda there are several daily boats to Puerto Barrios and several times a week there are special boats to Livingston.  These boats usually cost around $25 USD each way and take about 1.5 hours.   

Reaching Livingston

The only way to reach Livingston is by boat.  Even though it is not an island, the lack of infrastructure and the thick jungle have left this small Caribbean village unreachable by road.   

From Puerto Barrios the public boats cost 30-50Q and generally depart every few hours, with regularly scheduled departures early in the morning (6:30, 7:30, 9am).  Private express boats may be chartered at any time, although be sure to bargain with the boat driver to ensure a fair price (usually around 200-300Q).  The trip between Puerto Barrios and Livingston is about 45 minutes.   

From Rio Dulce, the relaxing 2 hour boat ride is beautiful and will show you some of the major attractions in the Rio Dulce.  This trip costs 125Q and includes stops at several tourist destinations such as the San Felipe Castle and the Aguas Calientes hot springs.