Belize Sailing Itinerary
A Belize cruising itinerary eases you into a world of natural wonders amid a series of marine preserves tucked behind the protective barrier reefs off the Belizean coast. The islands and cayes are mostly uninhabited, fringed with swaying palms or lined with lush stands of mangroves. White-sand beaches front secluded anchorages with kaleidoscopic colours of brown, orange, green, and blue over the reefs. Balmy trade winds blow steadily and constantly, promising exquisite cruising as you explore the less-travelled charter grounds behind Belize’s barrier reef system (see Belize maps). It’s one of the best in the world for swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving, windsurfing, kayaking, or just relaxing aboard while you admire the sunset.
Choose Itinerary
Placencia Sailing Charter – 7 Day Itinerary
Day 1
Whipray Caye
Whipray Caye is located four miles north-east of Lark Caye. Just a five-minute boat ride away is some of the best fishing you’ll find anywhere with tarpon, bonefish, snapper, grouper, and more. Whipray Caye Fishing Lodge’s open air Sea Urchin Bar and Restaurant serves up a variety of Belizean and American food, mostly fresh catches, and the fully stocked bar serves the coldest beer for miles around. Cruising in Whipray Caye waters is a delightful part of any cruise in Belize.
Mooring
A few moorings are available.
Dinghy dockage: No dinghy dockage is available.
Things to do
The fishing is world-class in these waters. Taking some time to try your hand at landing the catch of the day is a pleasant addition to the sheer pleasure of yachting in Belizean waters.
Facilities
No facilities for yachts are available.
Day 2
South Water Caye
Part of Belize’s World Heritage Site, South Water Caye is situated on the barrier reef on the north side of the quarter-mile-wide South Water Pass. Palms adorn the pristine beaches. On the east side of the caye, the barrier reef drop-off is close to the beach, providing an ideal location for some of the best snorkelling and scuba diving in Belize. South Water Caye yachting is not to be missed!
Mooring
No moorings are available. Anchor on the west side of South Water Caye in the numerous sandy patches between tufts of sea grass. Protection is only good from the prevailing easterly winds. If the winds are predicted to shift or strengthen (even from the east), the better anchorage for overnight stays is at nearby Twin Cayes.
Dinghy dockage: Beach the dinghy virtually anywhere on the west shore or near the lodge docks.
Things to do
Fishermen plying these waters named South Water Caye for the fresh water wells on the island. The two-storey, red-roofed Pelicans Pouch, the main lodge of Pelican Beach Resorts on the south end of the cay, was a convent for the Sisters of Mercy when it was built in the 1940s. The Frangipani House is said to have a friendly ghost in residence. At the northern end of the island is the Blue Marlin Lodge, also part of Pelican Beach Resorts. It has a restaurant and bar. Dive excursions are also available. At the centre of the island is an educational facility, International Zoological Expeditions, with accommodations for students studying tropical biology and reef ecology; they also serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner for boaters (dinner reservations required). A path runs down the middle of the caye, making for a pleasant afternoon stroll.
Facilities
Internet access, limited water, limited provisions (by arrangement), and laundry service are available. Scuba tank air fills are available at the Blue Marlin Lodge.
Day 3
Cocoa Plum Caye (Thatch Caye Resort)
Cruising in Cocoa Plum Caye waters brings you to the northern boundary of the protected South Water Marine Reserve, in the Coco Plum Range of islands. Scenic, remote, and breathtakingly beautiful, a visit to these waters is a highpoint of a cruise in Belize. The beaches are superb, and there’s a restaurant and two bars at Thatch Caye Resort, making a trip ashore even more appealing.
Mooring
Three moorings are located on the western side of the caye, and two moorings are located on the eastern side, affording protection in all seasons.
Dinghy dockage: Yes dinghy dockage is available.
Things to do
Take a relaxing stroll on the nature paths and observe wildlife ranging from rabbits, coatimundi, and Belizean raccoons, to exotic birds and sea iguanas. Enjoying dinner and drinks at the Thatch Caye Resort is a pleasant way to spend a late afternoon or early evening.
Facilities
There is a small marina with a boardwalk for you to enjoy. Water and provisions are available. There is Internet access in the resort’s guest areas. Scuba tank air fills are available at the resort.
Day 4
Lagoon Caye
Situated midway between Quamino Caye and the Slasher Sand Bore at the north end of Victoria Channel, the two cayes that comprise Lagoon Caye are breathtakingly beautiful. The deep-water lagoon at the northernmost caye is quite scenic, enhancing your experience of yachting in Lagoon Caye waters.
Mooring
There are a few moorings available. You can also anchor just outside the lagoon for fair protection in northerly winds.
Dinghy dockage: No dinghy dockage is available.
Things to do
Exploring the lagoon by kayak is delightful as you paddle quietly along the shores and view the abundant and exquisite seabirds. A ring of shallow coral around the island offers good snorkelling possibilities.
Facilities
No facilities are available for yachts.
Day 5
Ray Caye
Experience all the desirable traits of a deluxe private island at Ray Caye. Nestled just 25 nautical miles off the coast of Placencia, Ray Caye offers a delightful mix of natural beauty, fun activities, and best-in-class accommodations. Home to the premier Ray Caye Resort, seclusion and leisure take on new meaning at this exclusive little island, which only hosts about 16 guests at a time. The island staff’s warm hospitality will make you feel right at home, even though you’re miles away from ordinary, without a care in the world. From the resort restaurant to the luxurious menu of spa services, Ray Caye is a place unlike any other.
Mooring
Mooring: 11 moorings, USD 25.00 per night.
Dinghy dockage: Yes
Things to do
Lionfish Grill Restaurant is highly recommended for a fine dining experience that is every bit as delicious as it is authentic. Enjoy superior snorkelling conditions all around the caye and onshore, Wi-Fi is readily available to accommodate your relaxation needs. Visit the dive shop to arrange for a dive or snorkel trip to nearby Queen Cayes.
Facilities
Restaurant, Wi-Fi, dive shop, water and ice.
Day 6
Lark Caye
Before an overnight stay at Lark Caye take a day sail to Ranguana Caye. Situated on the barrier reef near Ranguana Pass, Ranguana Caye is the largest of several others that extend southward from Queen Cayes. Cruising in Ranguana Caye waters is very scenic, simply lovely by any standards. The unspoilt white-sand beaches are perfect for swimming, sunbathing, and snorkelling. After a day of exploring head to Lark Caye, a pristine location ideal for snorkelling, scuba diving and fishing.
Mooring
No moorings balls. Anchoring is recommended.
Dinghy dockage: No dinghy dockage is available.
Things to do
Snorkelling on the patch reefs near the anchorage is impressive and pleasant. Check out the Ranguana Reef Resort’s small restaurant and bar. Fishing is great in this area, as is diving. Snorkelling, scuba diving and fishing are highly recommended on Lark Caye.
Facilities
No facilities are available for yachts.
Day 7
Placencia Harbour
Yachting in Placencia waters brings you to a delightfully picturesque village. A lovely, crescent-shaped beach lined with a long row of palms borders the small town. Beautiful flowers, thick stands of trees, and quaint framed houses on stilts add to the idyllic tropical setting. The people of Placencia are warm and friendly, making your visit even more pleasant.
Mooring
No moorings available. The anchorage west of Placencia Caye is excellent when the prevailing wind is northwesterly.The seabed covering is turtle grass. Make sure your anchor is well set.
Dinghy dockage: Dinghy dockage is available.
Things to do
Dining out at one of Placencia’s many restaurants is a delightful way to spend an early evening. There are also a number of bars. The market in town is a great place to browse, and you can buy all kinds of local products.
Facilities
Dockage, water, ice, and provisions are available.
Placencia Crewed Charter – 7 Day Itinerary
Day 1
Whipray Caye
Whipray Caye is located four miles north-east of Lark Caye. Just a five-minute boat ride away is some of the best fishing you’ll find anywhere with tarpon, bonefish, snapper, grouper, and more. Whipray Caye Fishing Lodge’s open air Sea Urchin Bar and Restaurant serves up a variety of Belizean and American food, mostly fresh catches, and the fully stocked bar serves the coldest beer for miles around. Cruising in Whipray Caye waters is a delightful part of any cruise in Belize.
Mooring
A few moorings are available.
Dinghy dockage: No dinghy dockage is available.
Things to do
The fishing is world-class in these waters. Taking some time to try your hand at landing the catch of the day is a pleasant addition to the sheer pleasure of yachting in Belizean waters.
Facilities
No facilities for yachts are available.
Day 2
South Water Caye
Part of Belize’s World Heritage Site, South Water Caye is situated on the barrier reef on the north side of the quarter-mile-wide South Water Pass. Palms adorn the pristine beaches. On the east side of the caye, the barrier reef drop-off is close to the beach, providing an ideal location for some of the best snorkelling and scuba diving in Belize. South Water Caye yachting is not to be missed!
Mooring
No moorings are available. Anchor on the west side of South Water Caye in the numerous sandy patches between tufts of sea grass. Protection is only good from the prevailing easterly winds. If the winds are predicted to shift or strengthen (even from the east), the better anchorage for overnight stays is at nearby Twin Cayes.
Dinghy dockage: Beach the dinghy virtually anywhere on the west shore or near the lodge docks.
Things to do
Fishermen plying these waters named South Water Caye for the fresh water wells on the island. The two-storey, red-roofed Pelicans Pouch, the main lodge of Pelican Beach Resorts on the south end of the cay, was a convent for the Sisters of Mercy when it was built in the 1940s. The Frangipani House is said to have a friendly ghost in residence. At the northern end of the island is the Blue Marlin Lodge, also part of Pelican Beach Resorts. It has a restaurant and bar. Dive excursions are also available. At the centre of the island is an educational facility, International Zoological Expeditions, with accommodations for students studying tropical biology and reef ecology; they also serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner for boaters (dinner reservations required). A path runs down the middle of the caye, making for a pleasant afternoon stroll.
Facilities
Internet access, limited water, limited provisions (by arrangement), and laundry service are available. Scuba tank air fills are available at the Blue Marlin Lodge.
Day 3
Cocoa Plum Caye (Thatch Caye Resort)
Cruising in Cocoa Plum Caye waters brings you to the northern boundary of the protected South Water Marine Reserve, in the Coco Plum Range of islands. Scenic, remote, and breathtakingly beautiful, a visit to these waters is a highpoint of a cruise in Belize. The beaches are superb, and there’s a restaurant and two bars at Thatch Caye Resort, making a trip ashore even more appealing.
Mooring
Three moorings are located on the western side of the caye, and two moorings are located on the eastern side, affording protection in all seasons.
Dinghy dockage: Yes dinghy dockage is available.
Things to do
Take a relaxing stroll on the nature paths and observe wildlife ranging from rabbits, coatimundi, and Belizean raccoons, to exotic birds and sea iguanas. Enjoying dinner and drinks at the Thatch Caye Resort is a pleasant way to spend a late afternoon or early evening.
Facilities
There is a small marina with a boardwalk for you to enjoy. Water and provisions are available. There is Internet access in the resort’s guest areas. Scuba tank air fills are available at the resort.
Day 4
Lagoon Caye
Situated midway between Quamino Caye and the Slasher Sand Bore at the north end of Victoria Channel, the two cayes that comprise Lagoon Caye are breathtakingly beautiful. The deep-water lagoon at the northernmost caye is quite scenic, enhancing your experience of yachting in Lagoon Caye waters.
Mooring
There are a few moorings available. You can also anchor just outside the lagoon for fair protection in northerly winds.
Dinghy dockage: No dinghy dockage is available.
Things to do
Exploring the lagoon by kayak is delightful as you paddle quietly along the shores and view the abundant and exquisite seabirds. A ring of shallow coral around the island offers good snorkelling possibilities.
Facilities
No facilities are available for yachts.
Day 5
Queen Cayes
Cruising in Queen Cayes waters brings you to three beautiful isles located a mile inside the barrier reef south of the Queen Caye Pass. The tiny isles boast shimmering white-sand beaches and stunning reefs with superb snorkelling. The reef in Queen Caye Pass offers good scuba diving.
Mooring
The best anchorage is off the southern caye. A few moorings are available.
Dinghy dockage: No dinghy dockage is available.
Things to do
Enjoy the amazing snorkelling and take in the beauty of the surrounding reefs.
Facilities
No facilities for yachts are available.
Day 6
Lark Caye
Before an overnight stay at Lark Caye take a day sail to Ranguana Caye. Situated on the barrier reef near Ranguana Pass, Ranguana Caye is the largest of several others that extend southward from Queen Cayes. Cruising in Ranguana Caye waters is very scenic, simply lovely by any standards. The unspoilt white-sand beaches are perfect for swimming, sunbathing, and snorkelling. After a day of exploring head to Lark Caye, a pristine location ideal for snorkelling, scuba diving and fishing.
Mooring
No moorings balls. Anchoring is recommended.
Dinghy dockage: No dinghy dockage is available.
Things to do
Snorkelling on the patch reefs near the anchorage is impressive and pleasant. Check out the Ranguana Reef Resort’s small restaurant and bar. Fishing is great in this area, as is diving. Snorkelling, scuba diving and fishing are highly recommended on Lark Caye.
Facilities
No facilities are available for yachts.
Day 7
Placencia Harbour
Yachting in Placencia waters brings you to a delightfully picturesque village. A lovely, crescent-shaped beach lined with a long row of palms borders the small town. Beautiful flowers, thick stands of trees, and quaint framed houses on stilts add to the idyllic tropical setting. The people of Placencia are warm and friendly, making your visit even more pleasant.
Mooring
No moorings available. The anchorage west of Placencia Caye is excellent when the prevailing wind is northwesterly.The seabed covering is turtle grass. Make sure your anchor is well set.
Dinghy dockage: Dinghy dockage is available.
Things to do
Dining out at one of Placencia’s many restaurants is a delightful way to spend an early evening. There are also a number of bars. The market in town is a great place to browse, and you can buy all kinds of local products.
Facilities
Dockage, water, ice, and provisions are available.
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