Belize Travel Information & Planning Guide

Belize is approximately 8,866 square miles. Belize’s mainland is approximately 180 miles long and up to 68 miles wide. Belize also consists of over 450 cayes (islands), ranging in size from a few hundred feet to 25 miles long and four miles wide; most of which are located inside the 200 mile Belize Reef.

Belize lies on the eastern coastline of Central America, bordered on the north by Mexico, on the west and south by Guatemala, and on the east by the Caribbean Sea. It’s separated by sea from its neighbor to the southwest, Honduras.

Belize’s timezone is UTC/GMT -6 hours.

The Capital City of Belize is Belmopan.

Belize is home to 350,000 people. There is a great deal of ethnic diversity among Belizeans, who include Creoles (African-European), Mestizo (Spanish-Indian), Garifuna (African-Indian), Mayan, Anglo-European, Middle Eastern, and Asian.

English is the official language and is widely spoken, as is Spanish. Other languages include Creole, Mayan, and Garifuna.

Airport 

By air from Belize International Airport with transfer to Placencia Regional Airport (PLJ) ; then by taxi from the airstrip to the Laru Beya Marina. The flight is approximately 45 minutes. 

By taxi to Belize City, then by bus from Belize City to Placencia via Dangriga. The bus trip takes at least 6 hours.

Servicing Airlines:

Two local airlines serve Belize, Tropic Air and Maya Island Air.

The distance from the airstrip to the base is approximately 3 miles. Taxi fares are USD $3 per person with a minimum charge of USD $10.

If you are planning to make a tour of the country, spending a few days in the mountains and a few days at the beach, you might want to rent a car during your Belize yacht charter. 

However, if you are just coming to the base, we suggest that you fly to Placencia. The scenery driving down is quite lovely, but chances are, once you make the drive down, you won’t feel like driving back, and if you are renting a car in Belize, you must return your vehicle to where you picked it up; otherwise, a one-way drop-off fee in Placencia will be charged.

Car rentals in Belize range from $75 US to $85 US per day. It is possible to rent a golf cart in Placencia for local exploring and shopping.

Charter Boarding Time: 12:00 PM 

Sleep Aboard:  Boarding Time: 6:00 PM  

**Please note that you will not be able to leave the base on the day of your sleep aboard

Please inquire with the base staff upon check-in to confirm that day’s briefing schedule. 6 PM Sleep Aboard reservation briefings are the following morning.

All skippers and first mates must watch the online Chart Briefing, which covers all you need to know about the cruising area, the use of the VHF radio, how to call for assistance, and more. A Boat Briefing will also be provided on board your yacht.

If arriving after hours, your yacht will be on the C Dock in front of the office. The Chart Briefing and Boat Briefing will be held the following morning prior to departure.

Charter End Time: 11:00 AM for Sailing Charters

A debriefing and final walkthrough will be done upon return, so please allow enough time to complete this before the charter end time.

Provisioning 

Moorings Care packages are included on every yacht. These packages contain some of the basics to get you started for your Belize sailing vacation. Additional items are available to be purchased and delivered directly to your yacht. Visit our Provisioning Page to learn more about food and drink supplies during your Belize yacht charter.

Mobile phones  

Check with your service provider for information about cell coverage in Belize. 

WiFi 

WiFi is available at The Moorings base in Belize. WiFi Connection at Thatch Caye Resort and Hatchet Caye.

Music/iPods  

While most of our newer boats have Bluetooth capability, we cannot guarantee all boats are outfitted with this equipment. For your convenience, we highly recommend you bring an AUX cord so you can listen to music from your mobile devices.

Electricity

No shore power for yachts. There is a 12V cigarette lighter outlet by the chart table on the majority of our yachts. 

Electrical System: 110 volts AC.

For more information on what’s included on your yacht, please view the full list here for Bareboat Charters or here for Crewed Charters.

Entry, exit, and visa requirements depend on the locations you are departing from and traveling to. You are responsible for having the correct documents so make sure to check with the consulate of the countries you plan to visit before you travel. Visit travel.state.gov for the latest information.

Belize Customs – Online Immigration & Customs Form

All foreign travellers are required to complete the online immigration & customs form prior to arrival: belizetravel.immigration.gov.bz

*Please be very careful to only use the correct, legitimate site and if you are asked for fees, do not pay. They are not official or legitimate.

A formal sailing license is not mandatory to charter here, however, a Temporary Certificate of Competency is required.  Please submit a power resume or sailing CV for Belize while planning your vacation. Please contact our Vacation Planners at +18884594977 if you have any questions.

Soft-sided luggage or duffel bags are best, as luggage storage space on your yacht may be limited. The base offers secure storage; however, they will not accept liability for items left in the bags. Luggage stored during charter should be empty. If you are leaving your luggage for the duration of the week, please remember to collect your luggage before departure. The Moorings cannot take any responsibility for any eventual damage or loss to the items left in storage.

• Pack essential prescription medicine and change of clothing in a carry-on bag*
• Passport and other travel documentation
• Tickets and paper confirmations for pre-planned activities
• Light-colored, light-weight clothing
• Formal wear for upscale dining establishments
• Swimwear and cover up
• Hats and sunglasses
• Sandals and flip-flops
• Athletic shoes and hiking boots
• Travel-sized toiletries and hygiene products
• Insect repellent and OTC pain relievers/ointments
• AUX cable for playing music through your device
• 12V DC to 110V AC power inverter (for boats without generators**)
• 12V to USB power adapter for charging mobile devices
• Please bring your own Snorkel and Snorkel Mask & fins will be provided by the base 

*We would highly recommend packing prescription medicine and essential clothing (swimsuit, t-shirt, and shorts) in your hand luggage as occasionally your luggage may arrive at the base after you do.

**All boats include a 12V DC outlet (a “car” outlet). Boats with generators have 110V outlets in the Caribbean and 220V in the Mediterranean and Exotic locations.

The use of flying drones may be restricted in some areas. Learn more about the current drone regulations in Belize.

The local currency is the Belizean dollar. Most restaurants, markets, and other service providers will readily accept US dollars. They will generally give you change in Belizean dollars unless you request otherwise. 

Accepted Forms of Payment: US Dollars and US travelers checks accepted throughout. Visa and MasterCard are also accepted at resorts and most restaurants on the mainland but supermarkets in Placencia and restaurants at the cayes will require cash.

10-15% is generally acceptable if it has not been added already.

You might incur some costs while on your Belize yacht charter such as mooring and docking fees or cruising taxes. We highly recommend bringing enough of the local currency to cover these costs as they are not always payable by USD, debit, and/or credit cards.

A security deposit must be paid at the base by Visa or MasterCard and is refundable at the end of your charter subject to there being no loss or damage. To significantly decrease your security deposit, purchase our Yacht Damage Waiver insurance ahead of time.

Your health and safety are important to us. For advice on how to stay safe while on charter, please review Travel Advice Information. Current travel and safety information can be obtained by visiting travel.state.gov.

Swimming is often a fun and important part of a vacation. However, local rules, flag systems, currents and where swimming may be permitted, can be different and vary from country to country. Snorkel vests, life jackets and diver down flags are all available on board. 

Children:

• Talk to children about water safety at the start of a vacation, making them aware of the potential dangers.
• Accidents can happen at any time on vacation, but often they happen on the first and last day, so keep watch and do not get distracted when your children are playing by, or in the water.
• Children in or near water should always be supervised by an adult and never left unattended. 
• Get in the water with them. It is easier to keep an eye on them as well as good fun. Floatation devices are highly recommended for children but are not a substitute for supervision.

BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS

• Check warning flags and signage on the beach and only swim where it is permitted. 
• Beware of dangerous currents, these can be very powerful. Not all beaches have lifeguards and/or warning flags.
• Beware of underwater hazards, such as reefs, rocks, sudden changes in depth and marine life.
• Never swim where a sign says not to e.g. in zoned areas for jet boats or jet skis.
• Never swim at night or after drinking alcohol.

LOOK OUT FOR OTHERS

• Never swim alone, ‘buddy up’ with others in your party and use the snorkel vests provided.
• Know how and where to get help. If you see someone in difficulty, raise the alarm, preferably the emergency services. Ensure you know the correct number for the country you are in.

DO NOT OVERESTIMATE YOUR ABILITY

• Even if you regularly swim in a pool, remember that open water swimming can be very different. 
• Consider swimming lessons before you go if you think it would be useful to learn proper swimming technique.

All yachts are equipped with adult life jackets, harnesses, snorkel vests and diver down flags. You can see all this equipment demonstrated in our online safety briefing, and we strongly recommend that you make use of this equipment during your vacation. This safety equipment will be displayed in the saloon of your boat on boarding. If you have any questions feel free to ask our base staff during your briefing. 

We have a very limited supply of children’s life jackets on base so highly recommend that if you are traveling with children, you bring their own. This ensures that children have correctly fitting jackets that are comfortable for them. 

Children should not be allowed in the dinghy without a life jacket or buoyancy aid and should wear a buoyancy aid or harness while on deck. 

Children under the age of 16 should not operate an outboard engine and should be supervised at all times when in the dinghy. 

This destination is generally risk-free of contagious disease. Visit cdc.gov for the latest information.

The Moorings offers comprehensive travel insurance, through our partner, for your peace of mind. If you have your own travel insurance, verify that it covers the destinations and activities of your Moorings vacation.

Belize Tourism Board
New Central Bank Building, 
Level 2 Gabourel Lane P.O. Box 325 
Belize City, Belize  

Tel: 1-800-624-0686 
Email: info@travelbelize.org
Website: travelbelize.org 

The Moorings Belize Ltd 
(c/o Laru Beya Resort) 
Placencia Peninsula 
Placencia, Belize

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., seven days a week (evening staff to cover until all flights have arrived)

• Hotel 
• Restaurant 
• Bar 
• Pool

Dock Facilities

• The Reserve Marina, located in the Sapodilla Lagoon Cucumber Beach Marina, south of Belize City
• Lagoon side at Placencia Village and Roberts Grove dock 
• Placencia Sailing Club (Chabil Mar Marina) south of base in lagoon 
• The Placencia Marina, ocean side north of Maya Beach 

To sail a yacht in Belize, you’ll need to obtain a Temporary Certificate of Competency in advance of travel. Our pre-departure team will reach out to you to help you navigate this process.

To be able to charter a yacht in Belize, you will need to have spent at least 20 days or 400 miles as skipper on an equivalent size yacht.

Level 3 sailing destinations are our most challenging. Suitable only for confident, experienced sailors, Level 3 destinations offer long spells of open water sailing, broad tidal ranges, strong winds, and remote anchorages.

Cruising Area

All bareboat yacht charters in Belize are required to stay inside the barrier reef. Local skippers must be on board for any and all excursions outside the barrier reef.

• South Water Caye Marine Reserve – stretches from the Tobacco Range in the north through Southwater and Twin Cayes, Blue Ground Range, Pelican and Lagoon, south as far as Crawl Caye and all places between 
• Gladden Spit/Silk Cayes* Marine Reserve – From Gladden Spit* south to and including Queen Cayes 
• Laughing Bird Caye* 
• Sapodilla Cayes* – stretching from Tom Owens in the north to Sapodilla Caye* in the south and out to Seal Caye in the west

These reserves require guides for entry and have a daily fee. Our Belize base will go over these requirements during the charter briefing and share the ways we can get tour guides to the yachts you would like to enter those reserves as well as suggest alternative snorkeling sites.

While the base can assist in securing a guide for your yacht, this will be an additional expense that the charterer must pay. The cost of a guide will vary depending on how we get him/her out to the yacht.

If they accompany a boat going out to the reserve and we can arrange a minimal cost for the transport to and from the reserve, the guide is going to cost about US$50; if we have to arrange transport to the reserve, it will cost in the region of US$150 for the guide.

The Belize authorities take the protection of their reefs very seriously and you must ensure you are aware of and understand the strict sailing area restrictions and regulations of where sailing is prohibited, and ensure you stay well clear of the reefs at all times during your Belize yacht charter.

Please be aware that should you damage the reef during your charter, the Belize authorities have the option of imposing fines and/or confiscating your passport, with potential criminal implications, until such time as any fine or resolution is achieved. Find out more about our sustainable travel policies and tips for eco-friendly sailing.

Restricted Zones 

• Glover’s reef, Turneffe reef and Lighthouse reef. 
• Tom Owens

Charterers will receive a sailing chart that outlines red zones for the cruising ground.

It is strictly forbidden to sail alone, we require two persons minimum on board.

There are marine park fees in effect in large parts of our cruising grounds and a flat rate of $10 USD per person per day applies in all of them now, including at Laughing Bird Caye.

These fees are not for use of the mooring buoys, which are now in place in some of the cayes, but are simply a fee to be in the marine reserve* and these fees apply to people staying on cayes there too.Placencia Post Office – Next to Placencia Office Supply about 300 yards from the main pier. 

Hours: 8:30am – 12:00pm & 1:00pm – 4:00pm (Weekdays) 

• 4 moorings at Ray Caye, $15 USD per night
• 3 moorings in the Pelican Cayes range near Hideaway Caye
• 3 moorings on the east side of Thatch Caye Resort 
• 3 moorings on the west side of Thatch Caye Resort in the Inner Channel 

While most banks have automated teller machines, ATM’s in Placencia are located at Atlantic Bank and adjacent to MNM Hardware Store.

Banks are open Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

Located on Blackburn Highway in Road Town.

Open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

Supermarkets are located in Placencia Village. Supermarkets are generally open daily and the hours of operation vary based on the day of the week and the supermarket. All supermarkets accept Visa and Mastercard.

Most supermarkets are open 8am-10pm daily and seldom closed on public holidays. *Restocking near Placencia can be difficult and costly. Water can be purchased from Placencia Harbor, but is expensive and subject to availability throughout the rest of the cruising grounds. If you are making arrangements with a dive shop, we recommend asking them to bring out ice on the dive boat if you are in need.

The Moorings Provisioning

Online Provisioning is available.

Visit our Provisioning Page to learn more about delivery direct to your yacht.Moorings Care packages are included on every yacht. These packages contain some of the basics to get you started for your vacation.

Water Toys & Sports

For your convenience, you can add water toys to your charter prior to arrival at the base. They will be waiting on your boat upon arrival. You are able to rent these at the base; please keep in mind that we have limited availability. For more information, please view our Water Sports Options.

Diving and Snorkeling

Scuba diving in Belize is world-renowned for its crystal-clear waters, vibrant reefs, and the iconic Great Blue Hole. Home to the second-largest barrier reef, it offers unforgettable encounters with sharks, rays, and colorful marine life. It’s a top choice for divers of all levels seeking both beauty and adventure.

Diving is not permitted directly from our yachts under any circumstances. Diving must only take place through reputable, certified dive operators using their own boats and equipment.

Scuba diving packages are available through several dive operations in the area. Go Sea Tours is a reputable local dive operator.

Please note that dive rental gear is subject to availability during the season.

We have a range of fins available in various different sizes. You will find them in cockpit lockers in each yacht. We do have limited children’s sizes therefore we recommend bringing your own to avoid disappointment. Please note that we do not provide snorkeling masks or snorkels onboard.

When snorkeling, the diving flag and buoy should be deployed and visible to all passing nearby. Swim vests should be worn at all times whilst snorkeling. One person should remain out of the water, keeping watch of the others in the water.

Fishing

Game fishing charters available; local inner reef charter services available. Fish life abounds within the main reef. When trolling, you can catch Tuna, Wahoo, Kingfish, Spanish Mackerel, Dorado, Barracuda. Bottom fishing has rewards of Snapper and Grouper. We have local suppliers who can rent a good quality rod, reel and lures for $10 USD per day. Hand lines are also available. 

Note: Due to Belize fishing laws, charterers who are interested in fishing for leisure or sport must hold a sport fishing license. The fees are US$25 per week. You may purchase these licenses at the base.

Spear Fishing 

Spear fishing guns are legal only when free-diving. No tanks allowed when using spear guns.

Lobster 

The lobster closed season runs from midnight February 14 to midnight June 15.

Belize is subtropical, with a mean annual temperature of 80°F (27°C ), making it the ideal location for a relaxing yacht charter. Trade winds blow along the coast and on the cayes most of the year, keeping temperatures pleasant even in the hottest months, except for a few weeks, generally around mid-August through mid-September. During the height of summer, temperatures can reach the mid-90s (around 35°C) on the mainland.

You may find that winter storms bring the temperature down to the low 60s (16 to 18°C). You will find that the rainfall is heaviest in the south and the jungle areas, lightest in the north and on the cays.  The dry season generally lasts from December to May; the rainy season is typically June to November. Hurricanes occur occasionally; they are most likely to hit in August and September.

As the sailing season in Belize runs from November-April, it is the perfect destination for a winter getaway. The tide range is very small at around 11-23 inches, including the variation of level due to atmospheric pressure and dominant winds. The waves inside the barrier reef are minimal but the breeze is fresh, creating superb sailing conditions.

The base provides a weather forecast for the first day and will provide a listing of stations that broadcast weather. Immediate weather conditions can be found at https://www.weather.com.

Historical Weather (Averages by month):

At The Moorings, we’re passionate about preserving the beauty of the oceans we explore. Through Our OCEAN Promise, we’re working to reduce our environmental footprint and support the communities that make each destination so special. From more responsible operations to cleaner cruising practices, sustainability is at the heart of what we do.

You can make a difference too. Before you depart, pack a reusable water bottle, choose to support local businesses, and anchor mindfully to help protect the waters we all enjoy. Small choices make a big impact.

Learn more about Our OCEAN Promise