Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Modern Garífuna speak Spanish, English, and the Garífuna language, which
melds French, Arawak, Yuroba, Swahili, and Banti. Central to their culture are
musicanddance,namely
punta,
aformofmusical expressionwithobviousWest
African influences incorporating ritual chanting, mesmerizing drum-beats, and
rhythmic dancing. A traditional Garífuna band consists of three large drums, a
turtle shell, a large conch shell, and maracas. You will probably hear live
punta
music at least once during your visit to Lívingston. Also common is
punta
rock,
amoremodernversionofpopularGarífunamusic.Anotherfascinatingtradition-
al dance is the
yancunu
New Year's dance, similar to those of indigenous South
American rainforest peoples with distinctly West African musical origins.
One of the highlights of many visitors' travels in the Guatemalan Caribbean is
the unique opportunity to sail down the Río Dulce canyon and out to the Belize
cayes. Trips last about a week and there are stops en route to swim and enjoy the
magical beauty of the jungle river and canyon before stopping in Lívingston for
immigrationformalities.Fromthere,thetriproundsthecapeatPuntadeManabi-
que before continuing to the open seas, where the water morphs into lumines-
cent shades of aquamarine. You can enjoy learning the ins and outs of sailing,
lingering on the deck under the sun or stars, delicious meals of fresh-caught sea-
food, snorkeling, scuba diving ($35 per dive), and lounging on pretty white-sand
beaches. Typical stays on the cayes are about three days, with the rest of the time
spent sailing to and from these wonderful offshore islands.
Theislandsyou'llsailtoarepartofBelize'sSapodillaCayesMarinePark,also
knownastheZapotilloCayes,andconsistingofLimeCaye,HuntingCaye,Nich-
olas Caye, Seal Caye, and French Caye. The islands form a hook shape and are
the southern extreme of the world-famous Belize Barrier Reef, second in length
and marine splendor only to Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Divers will be de-
lighted to find a variety of beautiful coral gardens, double reefs, canyons, and
steep drop-offs in these waters.
At least two companies operate the trip out of Río Dulce.
Aventuras Vaca-
cionales
(tel. 7832- 6056 ,
www.sailing-diving-guatemala.com
,
$380 per person,
double occupancy) has been sailing to the cayes since 1990. Its office is in An-
tigua. Sailing is on
Las Sirenas,
a 46-foot Polynesian catamaran captained by its
owner, John Clark, and by Guatemalan captain Raúl Hernandez. This company
also offers a shorter, four-day version of its sailing trips encompassing the Río
Dulce canyon and Lake Izabal for $165 per person, double occupancy. Sailing
