Belize - Get away from it all!
We're pleased to
announce that Belize is finally beginning to open up to yacht chartering. And you can be one of the first to
charter in these pristine waters.
Belize, previously known as British Honduras, lies on the East coast of Central America with Mexico to the North
and Guatemala to the South. For years, Belize has been a sleepy third-world country and remains so to this day,
though tourists are beginning to discover and appreciate this unique country which has a huge barrier reef 185
miles long, protecting it from the open ocean. It is the largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere. Only
the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is more extensive.
The climate in Belize is sub-tropical with a mean annual temperature of 79 degrees Fahrenheit. Typical summer
weather brings 85 degree temperatures with a good sea breeze. November through January are the coolest months
with a 75 degree average. Winter lows are seldom below 60 degrees, even at night. Annual rainfall in Northern
Belize is around 50 inches, and 170 inches in the South. The rainy season is usually between June and August
and the dry season occurs between February and May. During the rainy season you are quite likely to experience
at least one tropical rain shower daily, usually warm and quick.
Hurricanes are less likely to occur in Belize than in most other Caribbean areas. Historically, only 5% of
hurricanes recorded in the Atlantic ever reach Belize. Most such hurricanes occur between August and October.
As in Florida and the Bahamas but less frequent, "Northers" can occur from November to February bringing colder
than normal temperatures and small craft warnings. Such frontal systems rarely last more than three days.
The population of Belize is about 200,000 racially mixed people known for their friendly disposition towards
visitors. English is the official language. The Belize Dollar has a fixed range of exchange of $2 BZ to $1
US. Most tourist-oriented businesses will accept US currency. When using credit cards in Belize, most
businesses add a 5% service charge to the billed amount.
Extend your stay in Belize with a land-based tour before or after your charter! Tour ancient Mayan ruins in
the mountains (Over 600 sites including several major discoveries, many of them undeveloped), Jungle tours,
a wildlife sanctuary and Jaguar preserve, and much more.
Belize City is served by American, Continental and Taca Airways. From here, it is a 20 minute turboprop
flight to San Pedro and slightly longer to Placentia on local airlines, the two locations that currently
have bareboat bases.
Currently there are two bareboat charter companies operating in Belize and others are looking at the area
for possible expansion. So far, all bareboats in the area are catamarans, which lend themselves particularly
well to the sailing conditions and shallow waters found inside the reef.
For additional information on Belize call the Belize Tourist Board at 1-800-624-0686 and check out the following web links:
Better Belize It
Belize Audubon Society
Belize History
Personal Tours
Belize Online
