Across the mouth of the river from the Sierramar grounds, on the north shore, is Livingston, a village with the magic of the Garifuna culture. Excitement abounds during the frequent, exotic, AfroCaribbean festivals and celebrations.

Approximately 30 miles long, the Río Dulce is Lake Izabal's outlet to the Caribbean. At its widest point, the river has a "lake-like" stretch known as El Golfete. This scenic river is lined with dense tropical vegetation inhabited by both tropical and sea birds, an occasional manatee and other aquatic life.

The Spanish built this castle in 1652 to protect the entrance to Lake Izabal from marauding English and Scottish pirates. The pirates it was meant to deter burned it in 1686, and it was finally abandoned after the Spanish and English established a treaty to deal with the piracy problem. It was later revived as a prison then abandoned again and now is a historical landmark and tourist attraction. The castle may be reached by boat from Río Dulce bridge.

Qiriguá is an important Maya site, a sister city in Guatemala, to its contemporary Copán in Honduras. It was founded by expatriates from Copán and later rose to defeat it by capturing and sacrificing Copán's priest-king. Located in the Izabal Banana Plantation, it reached its peak of importance between 550 and 850 AD. Stellae and zoomorphic sculptures are located at the ceremonial plaza, which are of great importance as they represent a zenith in culture of the Mayan classical period.

Tikal National Park located in the Petén is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. There are over 3000 separate constructions, temples, shrines, ceremonial platforms, residences, ball-courts, terraces, causeway and plazas found here. Here you will find over 200 stone monuments, sculptures and altars.

Copán is thought to have been the cultural center of the Mayan empire, hosting visiting Mayan leaders from throughout Central America. It reached its height of prominence during the Mayan Classical Period, roughly 500 - 900 AD. The site is very different from other Mayan sites, most notably Tikal, and the buildings are adorned with even more intricate carvings and a large number of beautifully carved stone statues tell of the Mayan's history. There is still a large amount of restoration and archaeological investigation being done at Copán.

Lake Atitlán, which is volcanic in origin, is the main tourist attraction in the Department of Sololá, The lake is 90 miles from Guatemala City. It is located 5,125 feet above sea level. Three spectacular volcanoes (Toliman, Atitlán and San Pedro) form a natural backdrop for the lake waters which changes colors with the varying light.

The region around Zunil, in the departments of Quetzaltenango and Sololá, contains many hot sulphur springs. An especially popular destination is located in Fuentes Georginas, where one encounters a hot spring spa, narrow, steep, paths through the cloud forest, where it is misty and cool even on a sunny day.