Puerto Barrios, Guatemala Vacation Guide

Puerto Barrios is a port in Guatemala, located in Bahia de Amatique (Amatique Bay), within the Gulf of Honduras and it is the departmental seat of Izabal department and the administrative seat of Puerto Barrios municipality.

Puerto Barrios was named after the former President Justo Rufino Barrios. It is Guatemala’s main Caribbean Sea port, together with its more modern twin port town just to the southwest, Santo Tomás de Castilla.

Puerto Barrios can be reach following the CA9 Highway and is located 297 kilometers (185 mi) northeast of Guatemala City.

Puerto Barrios is a mix of Maya, Afro-Caribbean, and other West Indian groups.

Puerto Barrios is divide by many neighborhoods or Barrios such as El rastro, las champas, los tanques, la veinte, la veintedos, la catorce, la trece, el estrecho, etc. Although the town is small, due to its harbor nature, many of its visitors are ship workers who frequent the night entertainment centers throughout the town.

Puerto Barrios is starting to get more visitors in the new century as the nearby town of Santo Tomás de Castilla has started receiving cruise ships. Puerto Barrios Airport is currently being refurbished in order to receive scheduled flights in the near future.

Among the tourist attractions near Puerto Barrios are: The Mayan ruins of Quirigua. The Izabal Lake where you can find San Felipe de Lara Castle, an old Spanish fort in Río Dulce. Rio Dulce (Sweet River) with its caves and hot springs. Siete Altares, seven natural ponds where you can take a bath. Another popular attraction is the lively town of Livingston where Garifuna culture can be experienced first-hand with its Punta and Yankunu dances that can be reached by boat.

Puerto Barrios is a convenient base for tours in the region. Boats depart regularly from Barrios for Livingston and Belize.