Trips to Guatemala

THE CARIBBEAN OR DEPARTMENT OF IZABAL

The Caribbean region of the country only includes the department of Izabal. Only here, in Izabal, Guatemala totally becomes the Caribbean and it becomes vibrating to the compass of socca, the end and reggae.

Izabal, of warm climate, allows the practice of an endless number of aquatic sports, as well as the benefit of ecoturísticas activities and adventure.

The department offers attractive natural like the Lake of Izabal, the major of the republic with average dimensions of 45 km in length by 20 km in width, to which the Polochic river spills its waters and is drained by the Dulce River. For this reason, also it has received the denomination of Sweet Gulf. The Dulce River is considered like one of the more beautiful tourist places of Guatemala. Another river of importance is the Sarstún, that serves as dividing line between Belize, Petén and Izabal.

In addition, the Castle of San Felipe de Lara, the municipality of Livingston and the archaeological site of Quiriguá can be visited. The territories of Izabal were populated by Mayan natives who left vestiges of their culture, being these: Quiriguá, Chapulco, Nito, Carpul, Araphoe, Playitas, Chinamito, the Gorges, Matilisguate, Xoocoló, River basin of the Choón, and Beautiful Miramar Vista.

The zone especially distinguishes by its population garifuna, that enriches the Guatemalan culture with its roots afrocaribeñas, allowing the visitor to enjoy its music, colorful and gastronomy. In Izabal are the ports Districts and Santo Tomás from Castile, that the main ports of entrance in the Caribbean Sea constitute, where commercial boats and openwork cruises anchor different.

Their inhabitants dedicate themselves to produce coffee, rice, banana tree, banana, orange, pineapple and other fruits. The department owns mineral resources like nickel, asbestos, receives, chromium, and also petroleum is operated. Besides the Spanish language, in Izabal quekchí speech and garífuna.

The name of the region derives from “zabal” the Basque word that means “width”. It was a district of the Group of judges of Chiquimula until 1866. After the conquest, the colonial authorities built the Strength of Bustamante, well-known at the moment like Castle of San Felipe de Lara. This one is located in a strategically important point, the connection between Dulce River and the Lake of Izabal, by where pirates penetrated until Verapaz Discharge, destroying to its step the strength several times. The department of Izabal was created the 8 of May of 1866, by governmental agreement.