Guatemala: Harbours, bridges and formalities for sailors
23 harbours · 1 bridge or lock
Guatemala: 23 harbours, 1 bridge or lock, clearing in, papers and fees. Plan your trip with weather, tides and route.
Formalities
outside the EU customs unionCurrency: Quetzal
Clearing in: Independent state, outside the EU and Schengen. On the Caribbean coast clear in at Livingston at the mouth of the Rio Dulce or at Puerto Barrios: port captain, immigration, customs and health, usually through an agent (tramitador) in Livingston. On the Pacific coast at Puerto Quetzal (Marina Pez Vela): call Port Control on VHF channel 16 at the fairway buoy, and the authorities clear you at the berth. The yacht receives a cruising permit from the tax authority SAT for three months, extendable.
Ausreise: Clear out before departure and get the zarpe: without it the next state will not clear you in.
Documents: Passport valid for six months; Germans visa-free for up to 90 days, in total for Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua (CA-4). Boat papers, crew list, zarpe from the last country.
Fees: Cruising permit from the SAT for three months 50 USD and 60 Quetzal, extension by nine months 150 USD, then by twelve months 150 USD; plus immigration and the agent's fee. In Puerto Quetzal, according to sailors (2021), customs 900, immigration 400, port captain 300 and health 200 Quetzal, the agent 400 Quetzal.
Fairway: Buoyage follows IALA system B: red to starboard when entering from seaward, the reverse of Europe. A sand bar lies off Livingston: according to sailors passable at spring high water with about 1.8 m draught. In the Rio Dulce at Fronteras the road bridge of Río Dulce crosses the river, most marinas lie below it. The Pacific coast is straight and open, with surf on the beaches: Puerto Quetzal is the only sheltered harbour, a port for merchant and cruise ships with soot from the funnels.
Nature: Parque Nacional Río Dulce and Biotopo Chocón Machacas: go slowly (manatees), no fishing and no rubbish in the water.
Tropical storm season: 1 June to 30 November. The Rio Dulce is regarded as the hurricane shelter of the western Caribbean: many yachts spend the season in the marinas at Fronteras and El Relleno, about 35 km upriver. Insurers usually restrict cover: check your policy. On the Pacific 15 May to 30 November, the coast mostly lies south of the storm tracks.
Emergency: Police 110, fire brigade 122, Red Cross 125; navy on VHF channel 16.
Sources: Noonsite: Guatemala, Auswärtiges Amt: Guatemala, travel and safety advice (as of 2026-10-20)
Harbours by cruising area
Guatemala: Pacific coast (Puerto Quetzal)
Guatemala: Rio Dulce and Livingston
Bridges and locks
Fixed bridges (1)
- Puente Río Dulce 20 m
Frequently asked questions
Guatemala: Do I need to clear in?
Independent state, outside the EU and Schengen. On the Caribbean coast clear in at Livingston at the mouth of the Rio Dulce or at Puerto Barrios: port captain, immigration, customs and health, usually through an agent (tramitador) in Livingston. On the Pacific coast at Puerto Quetzal (Marina Pez Vela): call Port Control on VHF channel 16 at the fairway buoy, and the authorities clear you at the berth. The yacht receives a cruising permit from the tax authority SAT for three months, extendable.
Guatemala: Which documents do I need on board?
Passport valid for six months; Germans visa-free for up to 90 days, in total for Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua (CA-4). Boat papers, crew list, zarpe from the last country.
Guatemala: What fees apply?
Cruising permit from the SAT for three months 50 USD and 60 Quetzal, extension by nine months 150 USD, then by twelve months 150 USD; plus immigration and the agent's fee. In Puerto Quetzal, according to sailors (2021), customs 900, immigration 400, port captain 300 and health 200 Quetzal, the agent 400 Quetzal.
Guatemala: What is the emergency number at sea?
Police 110, fire brigade 122, Red Cross 125; navy on VHF channel 16.
Guatemala: How many harbours does Sailseer cover?
Sailseer covers 23 harbours with harbour info, weather and route planning. Plus 1 bridge or lock with opening times and clearances.