Dulce River
Encyclopedia
Río Dulce is a river in Guatemala
, completely contained within the department of Izabal
. It is part of a lake and river system that has become a popular cruising sailboat destination.
The river begins at the point where it flows out of Lake Izabal
. At the entrance to the river there is a small Spanish colonial fort, the Castillo de San Felipe
, built to stop pirates entering the lake from the Caribbean when this part of Central America was an important shipping staging point.
Just after the river flows from Lake Izabal
it is spanned by one of the biggest bridges in Central America. On one side of the bridge is the town of Fronteras, commonly referred to by the name Río Dulce, the local center of commerce for the area. On the other side is Rellenos. Fronteras has a local vegetable market, attracting locals from the countryside who arrive in dugout canoes. Most of these boats are powered with Japanese outboard motors but many come to market day paddling these cayuco
s by hand.
From Fronteras the river flows east for a couple of miles. In this stretch there are several marinas and resorts. The river then flows into a long narrow lake called El Golfete
. This lake has an island and a large natural anchorage. A few houses and a couple of small businesses line the shore. El Golfete is about 10 miles (16.1 km) long and a couple of miles wide.
From El Golfete the river meanders for six miles (10 km) in a spectacular gorge. The sides of the gorge rise up to 300 feet (91.4 m) on either side and are covered with teak
, mahogany
and palms. Wild flowers bloom throughout the foliage and howler monkey
s and toucan
s can be seen. Waterfalls flow over the lip of the gorge after rainfall.
The river enters the Caribbean Sea
near the Garifuna town of Livingston
.
.
The park covers an area of 130 km2 along the banks of the Dulce river and the El Golfete
.
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, completely contained within the department of Izabal
Izabal (department)
Izabal is one of the 22 departments of Guatemala. Its coastal areas form part of the homeland of the Garifuna people.Izabal is bordered to the north by Belize, to the north east by the Gulf of Honduras, and to the east by Honduras, and by the Guatemalan departments of Petén to the north west,...
. It is part of a lake and river system that has become a popular cruising sailboat destination.
The river begins at the point where it flows out of Lake Izabal
Lake Izabal
Lago de Izabal, also known as the Golfo Dulce, is the largest lake in Guatemala with a surface area of 589.6 km² and a maximum depth is 18 meters . The Polochic River is the largest river that drains into the lake...
. At the entrance to the river there is a small Spanish colonial fort, the Castillo de San Felipe
Castillo de San Felipe
The Castillo de San Felipe de Lara is a Spanish colonial fort located at the entrance to Lake Izabal in eastern Guatemala. Lake Izabal is connected with the Caribbean Sea via the Dulce River and El Golfete lake...
, built to stop pirates entering the lake from the Caribbean when this part of Central America was an important shipping staging point.
Just after the river flows from Lake Izabal
Lake Izabal
Lago de Izabal, also known as the Golfo Dulce, is the largest lake in Guatemala with a surface area of 589.6 km² and a maximum depth is 18 meters . The Polochic River is the largest river that drains into the lake...
it is spanned by one of the biggest bridges in Central America. On one side of the bridge is the town of Fronteras, commonly referred to by the name Río Dulce, the local center of commerce for the area. On the other side is Rellenos. Fronteras has a local vegetable market, attracting locals from the countryside who arrive in dugout canoes. Most of these boats are powered with Japanese outboard motors but many come to market day paddling these cayuco
Cayuco
Cayuco Racing consists of a small, 4 seater vessel, propelled through paddling only. It is much the same as what many people will know as Canoeing....
s by hand.
From Fronteras the river flows east for a couple of miles. In this stretch there are several marinas and resorts. The river then flows into a long narrow lake called El Golfete
El Golfete
El Golfete is a long narrow lake in Guatemala. It lies at sea level and is connected by the Dulce River from Lake Izabal draining to the Amatique Bay which is lies in the Caribbean Sea....
. This lake has an island and a large natural anchorage. A few houses and a couple of small businesses line the shore. El Golfete is about 10 miles (16.1 km) long and a couple of miles wide.
From El Golfete the river meanders for six miles (10 km) in a spectacular gorge. The sides of the gorge rise up to 300 feet (91.4 m) on either side and are covered with teak
Teak
Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...
, mahogany
Mahogany
The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
and palms. Wild flowers bloom throughout the foliage and howler monkey
Howler monkey
Howler monkeys are among the largest of the New World monkeys. Fifteen species are currently recognised. Previously classified in the family Cebidae, they are now placed in the family Atelidae. These monkeys are native to South and Central American forests...
s and toucan
Toucan
Toucans are members of the family Ramphastidae of near passerine birds from the Neotropics. The family is most closely related to the American barbets. They are brightly marked and have large, often colorful bills. The family includes five genera and about forty different species...
s can be seen. Waterfalls flow over the lip of the gorge after rainfall.
The river enters the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
near the Garifuna town of Livingston
Livingston, Guatemala
Livingston is the name of a town in Izabal Department, eastern Guatemala, at the mouth of theRío Dulce at the Gulf of Honduras. The town serves as the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name.It was Guatemala's main port on the Caribbean Sea before the construction of nearby Puerto...
.
Río Dulce National Park
The Río Dulce National Park is located in the department of Izabal in GuatemalaGuatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
.
The park covers an area of 130 km2 along the banks of the Dulce river and the El Golfete
El Golfete
El Golfete is a long narrow lake in Guatemala. It lies at sea level and is connected by the Dulce River from Lake Izabal draining to the Amatique Bay which is lies in the Caribbean Sea....
.