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North & Central: 4 or 5 Nights in Belize

Belize City to Belize City

The short central route: mangrove kayaking, a palm island perched on the barrier reef, the Smithsonian’s research station and the healthiest patch reef in the country.

4 or 5 Nights Aboard a Crewed Catamaran

The route

From Cucumber Beach Marina (Old Belize) this route turns south to the Bluefield Range and Tobacco Caye, takes in Carrie Bow and South Water Caye, then works back north through Colson Cayes and Goff’s Caye. Reef and quiet anchorages rather than towns.

Departs: Cucumber Beach Marina (Old Belize), Belize City · Crew: captain and chef · Transfers: included from Belize International Airport

Day	Anchorage	What the day is for
Day 1: Bluefield Range	Bluefield Range	Orientation, then the mangrove channels
Day 2: Tobacco Caye	Tobacco Caye	Five acres of palm island on the reef
Day 3: Carrie Bow and South Water Caye	South Water Caye	The Aquarium, then a private island
Day 4: Colson Cayes	Colson Cayes	Hours on an untouched patch reef
Day 5: Goff’s Caye and Bannister	Goff’s Caye	The sandbar, then the manatee grounds
Day 6: Back to the marina	Cucumber Beach	A leisurely sail home

The five-night route. On the four-night version the Carrie Bow and South Water Caye day is dropped, and the route runs from Tobacco Caye straight to Colson Cayes.

Bluefield Range

Day 1: Bluefield Range

After a welcome orientation and safety briefing you sail to the Bluefield Range, a mangrove cluster teeming with wildlife and a fantastic first kayaking destination. Paddle the tiny channels, watch for manatees, and take a line and some bait — dinner is occasionally caught rather than brought.

Tobacco Caye

Day 2: Tobacco Caye

As the sun comes up over the barrier reef you sail south to Tobacco Caye, a five-acre palm-fringed coral island perched on the reef. You can snorkel or dive from the shore, and its central position puts some of the best snorkel sites in Belize within ten minutes by boat. Two small laid-back resorts, one tiny beach bar with coconut water and icy rum cocktails, hammocks, and thirty-nine islanders who live here year-round.

South Water Caye

Day 3: Carrie Bow and South Water Caye

A short journey to snorkel at Carrie Bow Caye — we call it The Aquarium — and, time permitting, a visit to the Smithsonian field station there, where researchers work on the biology, ecology and geology of coral reef ecosystems (donations welcome). Then on to South Water Caye, a pristine twelve-acre private island sitting on the reef at the north side of South Water Cut, a quarter-mile gap where grunts, black groupers, snappers and moray eels hide in the overhangs. The Blue Marlin Lodge bar is a favourite of ours for a cold Belikin and a game of billiards.

Colson Cayes

Day 4: Colson Cayes

A magical spot: a collection of mangrove islands with a couple of small sandy inlets, drawing manatees, dolphins and a wide array of birds. The real draw is Colson Reef, a large patch reef in front of the cayes where you can snorkel for hours. Hard and soft corals, sea rods, sea fans and vivid red sponges — because it is remote and rarely visited, this is some of the healthiest reef in Belize.

Goff’s Caye

Day 5: Goff’s Caye and Bannister

Sail to Goff’s Caye, a two-acre island sitting right on the barrier reef — it reminds you why postcards were invented. Snorkel straight off the shore, or stand in the shallows on the sandbar with a cold Belikin. Then up to Bannister Bogue, mangrove islands home to manatees, dolphins and a great many birds. Manatees are gentle plant-eating herbivores whose closest living relatives are elephants and aardvarks; they reach over 13 feet and 3,500 pounds. Swimming with them is not permitted and sightings are never guaranteed.

Cucumber Beach

Day 6: Back to the marina

A leisurely sail back to the marina at Cucumber Beach (Old Belize), with transfers waiting for the airport or Belize City.

Four Nights or Five?

What changes on the shorter charter

On the four-night version the Carrie Bow and South Water Caye day is dropped, and the route runs from Tobacco Caye straight to Colson Cayes. Outside the festive season the minimum stay is four nights; between 19 December and 5 January it is seven. Your broker will tell you which yachts are free for the dates you have in mind.

What’s Included

One rate, almost everything in it

One rate covers the catamaran and a dedicated crew of captain and chef / first mate, all meals from breakfast through canapés to dinner and dessert, an open ship’s bar with beer, rum cocktails and wine at dinner, air-conditioned queen cabins with private bathrooms, and the full kit for snorkelling, kayaking, paddleboarding and fishing. Private road transfers from Belize International Airport are included. Outside the rate sit crew gratuity, scuba diving, specialty fishing and anything off the boat — spa treatments and restaurant dinners ashore.

Before You Book

How fixed is the route?

This route is a sample. The sailing is shaped by the weather, the sea state, what your group feels like doing and the judgement of your captain. Charters are planned around a midday arrival and a midday departure, and the minimum stay is four nights outside the festive season.

FAQ

The Carrie Bow and South Water Caye day — the Smithsonian field station and the snorkelling at South Water Cut. On four nights the route runs from Tobacco Caye straight to Colson Cayes.

Four nights is the minimum outside the festive season; between 19 December and 5 January the minimum is seven. Charters are planned around a midday arrival and a midday departure, so a late flight shortens the first day.

No. Every charter is tailored — the pre-arrival preference form shapes the week, and the sailing is then adjusted day by day for weather, sea state and what your group feels like doing. Your captain knows which anchorage will be comfortable on any given night.

Yachts for this itinerary

Belize Sample Itineraries

Yacht Charter Itinerary (Belize)