Getting Here
La Isla Dulce is on Texan Bay in Cayo Quemado, between Río Dulce town (Fronteras) and Livingston, and is reached only by water. Once your booking is confirmed, message us on WhatsApp with where you'll be and when, and we'll send the boat captain to meet you.
La Isla Dulce is reached only by boat. Every route ends with one of these:
- From Río Dulce town: the boat picks up at Bruno's Hotel at 2:00 PM (be there by 1:30 PM), then at Cafetería Colifato at 2:30 PM (be there by 2:00 PM) -- Q100 per person.
- From Livingston: the 2:30 PM shared boat from the municipal dock -- Q100 per person. Be in Livingston by 1:30 PM.
- Staying the night before in Río Dulce? There's also a 9:30 AM boat from the Río Dulce municipal dock.
- Missed the boat, or want your own? A private boat from Río Dulce is about Q500–600 in total, around 30 minutes, whenever you're ready.
You don't need to call the boats yourself: once you've booked your Casa, we send you a link to choose your boat, and we confirm it with the captain for you. For a private boat, just message us.
Book a Casa WhatsApp Google Maps
Where are you coming from?
From Guatemala City
Shared shuttle
Times and prices are from Bookaway and can change -- check them there when you book.
- Kahk Bahlam shuttle: 4:15 AM → ~10:15 AM, Cafetería Colifato, Río Dulce (US$27)
- Neway Tours shuttle: 4:00 AM → ~11:00 AM, Cafetería Colifato, Río Dulce (US$37)
- Neway Tours shuttle: 5:00 AM → ~11:00 AM, Cafetería Colifato, Río Dulce (US$37)
Bus
Times and prices are from Bookaway and can change -- check them there when you book.
Getting off the bus: walk toward the bridge, take the stairs down on the left just before it, turn left into Bruno's Hotel parking lot and walk to the restaurant by the water -- the boat is at the dock on the left.
- Rio Dulce Travel bus: 4:00 AM → ~10:00 AM, Cafetería Colifato, Río Dulce (US$38)
- Fuente del Norte bus: 5:30 AM → ~10:30 AM, Bruno's Hotel, Río Dulce (US$28)
- Litegua bus (GuateGo): 5:30 AM → ~1:00 PM, Bruno's Hotel, Río Dulce (US$29)
- Litegua bus (GuateGo): 9:00 AM → ~4:30 PM, Bruno's Hotel, Río Dulce (US$29)
- Fuente del Norte bus: 9:30 AM → ~2:30 PM, Bruno's Hotel, Río Dulce (US$35)
Private car
Leaves when you like and takes you to the boat. Book it on Bookaway.
- Private car (Authentic Guatemala, up to 3): leave by 8:00 AM → ~1:30 PM, Bruno's Hotel, Río Dulce (US$300)
- Private car (Authentic Guatemala, up to 6): leave by 8:00 AM → ~1:30 PM, Bruno's Hotel, Río Dulce (US$360)
- Private car (Turansa, up to 9): leave by 8:00 AM → ~1:20 PM, Bruno's Hotel, Río Dulce (US$565)
- Private car (Taxis Lobos, from the airport): leave by 8:30 AM → ~1:30 PM, Bruno's Hotel, Río Dulce (US$245)
From Antigua
Shared shuttle
These pick you up at your hotel in Antigua.
Times and prices are from Bookaway and can change -- check them there when you book.
- Roneey Shuttles: 1:00 AM → ~9:00 AM, Bruno's Hotel, Río Dulce (US$40)
- Palasan Tour shuttle: 3:30 AM → ~9:30 AM, Cafetería Colifato, Río Dulce (US$40)
- Kahk Bahlam shuttle: 3:30 AM → ~10:30 AM, Cafetería Colifato, Río Dulce (US$37)
- GuateGo shuttle: 3:30 AM → ~10:30 AM, Cafetería Colifato, Río Dulce (US$52)
Bus
Times and prices are from Bookaway and can change -- check them there when you book.
- Rio Dulce Travel bus: 3:30 AM → ~10:30 AM, Cafetería Colifato, Río Dulce (US$43)
- Colibri Maya bus: 4:00 AM → ~12:00 PM, Cafetería Colifato, Río Dulce (US$37)
Private car
Leaves when you like and takes you to the boat. Book it on Bookaway.
- Private car (Authentic Guatemala, up to 3): leave by 7:00 AM → ~1:30 PM, Bruno's Hotel, Río Dulce (US$360)
- Private car (Authentic Guatemala, up to 6): leave by 7:00 AM → ~1:30 PM, Bruno's Hotel, Río Dulce (US$420)
From Flores, Tikal or El Remate
Shared shuttle
Times and prices are from Bookaway and can change -- check them there when you book.
- Kahk Bahlam shuttle: 6:00 AM → ~10:00 AM, Cafetería Colifato, Río Dulce (US$23)
- GuateGo shuttle: 6:00 AM → ~11:00 AM, Cafetería Colifato, Río Dulce (US$35)
Bus
Times and prices are from Bookaway and can change -- check them there when you book.
Getting off the bus: walk toward the bridge, take the stairs down on the left just before it, turn left into Bruno's Hotel parking lot and walk to the restaurant by the water -- the boat is at the dock on the left.
- Fuente del Norte bus: 5:30 AM → ~9:30 AM, Bruno's Hotel, Río Dulce (US$27)
- Belize Go bus: 6:00 AM → ~9:00 AM, Cafetería Colifato, Río Dulce (US$32)
- Fuente del Norte bus: 6:00 AM → ~10:00 AM, Bruno's Hotel, Río Dulce (US$25)
- Rio Dulce Travel bus: 6:00 AM → ~10:00 AM, Cafetería Colifato, Río Dulce (US$23)
- Colibri Maya bus: 6:00 AM → ~11:00 AM, Cafetería Colifato, Río Dulce (US$24)
- Fuente del Norte bus: 8:30 AM → ~12:30 PM, Bruno's Hotel, Río Dulce (US$29)
- Fuente del Norte bus: 11:00 AM → ~3:00 PM, Bruno's Hotel, Río Dulce (US$29)
Private car
Leaves when you like and takes you to the boat. Book it on Bookaway.
- Private car (Go Ahead Travel, up to 4): leave by 9:30 AM → ~1:30 PM, Bruno's Hotel, Río Dulce (US$249)
Buses & shuttles: see times and book on Bookaway
Staying inside Tikal park or in El Remate? Hotel shuttles there usually go only to Flores airport or a hotel in Flores, and the first ones don't reach Flores in time for the 6:00 AM departures. Either spend your last night in Flores, or take a tuk-tuk to the Santa Elena bus terminal (a few minutes from the airport) for the 8:30 AM bus. Flights also connect Flores and Guatemala City.
From Lanquín / Semuc Champey or Cobán
Transpaiz shuttle
Be at the El Recreo shuttle station in Lanquín by 8:00 AM (your hostel will take you). The road is long and arrival time varies, but their driver stays in touch with the 2:00 PM boat captain, who often waits.
Road conditions sometimes make this shuttle late. If it misses the boat, the only way across is a private boat (about Q500 in total) -- we'll arrange it for you.
On the day, send us your location around noon and we'll tell you whether you'll make the boat.
- Transpaiz shuttle: 8:00 AM → time varies, Bruno's Hotel, Río Dulce
- Transpaiz · +502 5346 6543
From Lake Atitlán
Via Antigua
Lakeside boats don't run after dark, so reach Panajachel by late afternoon. From there, a night transfer to Antigua gets you onto the 3:30 AM Antigua → Río Dulce shuttles (see From Antigua).
Direct shuttle from Panajachel
Times and prices are from Bookaway and can change -- check them there when you book.
- Turansa shuttle: 5:00 AM → ~4:00 PM, Bruno's Hotel, Río Dulce (US$108)
From Belize
Travel to Punta Gorda, cross by water taxi to Livingston, then take the 2:30 PM boat.
Water taxi Punta Gorda → Livingston
Monday to Friday 9:30 AM and 2:30 PM, plus 11:00 AM on Tuesdays and Fridays. About 1–1.5 hours. No scheduled boats on weekends.
Clear Belize exit immigration before boarding -- the boat staff will guide you. Take the 9:30 AM (or 11:00 AM) boat to make the 2:30 PM boat.
- water taxi from Punta Gorda: 9:30 AM → ~11:00 AM, Livingston municipal dock
- water taxi from Punta Gorda: 11:00 AM → ~12:30 PM, Livingston municipal dock
Getting to Punta Gorda
James Bus Line from Belize City (~5 h), Dangriga (~3 h), Hopkins (~2.5–3 h) or Placencia (~3 h), or a private shuttle.
- James Bus Line · go.jamesbus.bz
- BZ Shuttle · +501 671 7268 · belizeshuttle.com
- Belize Paradise Shuttles · +501 621 9845 · belizeparadiseshuttles.com
From Puerto Barrios
Public boat to Livingston
From the Puerto Barrios municipal dock, Q50 per person. Boats leave about every half hour, or as soon as they're full. Then take the 2:30 PM boat from Livingston -- be there by 1:30 PM.
Private boat straight to the hotel
Message us and we'll arrange it.
Already in Río Dulce town
Coming by bus or shuttle? Choose the city you're leaving from instead -- where your bus stops decides your boat.
- Colectivo boat, 9:30 AM from Río Dulce municipal dock (be there by 9:00 AM); reaches La Isla Dulce ~10:30 AM; Q100 per person, ticket at the dock office.
- Beverley's boat, 2:00 PM from Bruno's Hotel dock (be there by 1:30 PM); reaches La Isla Dulce ~3:15 PM; Q100 per person, cash to the captain.
- Beverley's boat, 2:30 PM from Cafetería Colifato (be there by 2:00 PM); reaches La Isla Dulce ~3:15 PM; Q100 per person, cash to the captain.
- Private boat from Río Dulce: Q500 for the boat, each way -- we confirm it with you.
Already in Livingston
Coming by bus or shuttle? Choose the city you're leaving from instead -- where your bus stops decides your boat.
- Beverley's boat, 8:45 AM from Livingston municipal dock (be there by 8:30 AM); reaches La Isla Dulce ~9:30 AM; Q75 per person, cash to the captain.
- Colectivo boat, 2:30 PM from Livingston municipal dock (be there by 1:30 PM); reaches La Isla Dulce ~3:00 PM; Q100 per person, ticket at the dock office.
- Private boat from Livingston: Q100 per person (Q200 minimum), each way -- we confirm it with you.
Staying at another hotel or marina
Pick your hotel or marina below and the boat picks you up at its dock. Hotel not on the list? Choose Bruno's or Colifato under “Already in Río Dulce town”, or the municipal dock under “Already in Livingston”.
- Pickup at your hotel or marina in Río Dulce (Hotel y Restaurante Backpackers, Ana's Coffee House, Marina Hacha, RAM Marina, Nanajuana Río Dulce, Hotel TIJAX, Tijax Jungle Lodge, Hacienda Tijax Jungle Lodge, Boatique Hotel and Marina, Hotel Dreamcatcher, Hotel Casa Perico, Hotel Linda Vista, Buena Vista Bay Resort, Hotel Catamaran): Beverley's boat, at 2:30 PM; Q100 per person, cash to the captain.
- Morning pickup at your hotel in Livingston (Villa Caribe, Casa Nostra, Livingston Resort Hotel, Winand Hotel, Casa Rosada, Hotel Maya, Hotel Perdido, Los Palmeras, Finca Tatín, Hotel Viajero, Casa Iguana): Beverley's boat, between 8:45 and 9:30 AM; Q75 per person, cash to the captain.
- Afternoon pickup at your hotel in Livingston (Villa Caribe, Casa Nostra, Livingston Resort Hotel, Winand Hotel, Casa Rosada, Hotel Maya, Hotel Perdido, Los Palmeras, Finca Tatín, Hotel Viajero, Casa Iguana): Colectivo boat, between 2:30 and 3:00 PM; Q100 per person, paid on the boat.
Driving yourself
Drive to Río Dulce town and park at Bruno's Hotel by the bridge (Q50 per night, paid to Bruno's -- look for the security guard or ask a waitress). Then take one of these boats. From Guatemala City, leave by 5:00 AM for the 2:00 PM boat.
- Colectivo boat, 9:30 AM from Río Dulce municipal dock (be there by 9:00 AM); reaches La Isla Dulce ~10:30 AM; Q100 per person, ticket at the dock office.
- Beverley's boat, 2:00 PM from Bruno's Hotel dock (be there by 1:30 PM); reaches La Isla Dulce ~3:15 PM; Q100 per person, cash to the captain.
- Private boat from Río Dulce: Q500 for the boat, each way -- we confirm it with you.
Coming in your own boat
Come straight to our dock
We're in Cayo Quemado, across from Mike's. Message us when you expect to arrive and we'll meet you on our dock.