Belize was a British colony for more than a century and was known as British Honduras until 1973. It became an independent nation in 1981. The Maya civilization spread over Belize between 1500 Bc and Ad 300 and flourished until about Ad 900. European settlement began with British Jews, privateers and shipwrecked English seamen as early as 1638. The early settlement of Belize in the Bay of Honduras grew from Belize Town and St George's Caye into a colony of the United Kingdom during the late eighteenth century. In the early nineteenth century the settlement was called British Honduras, and in 1871 it became a Crown Colony. British Honduras became a self-governing colony in January 1964 and was renamed Belize on June 1, 1973. Full independence came on 21st September 1981 after delays caused by territorial disputes with neighbouring Guatemala, which did not formally identify the country.
Maya Bay
A yacht hire in Belize enables you study some of the most unspoiled islands of the Caribbean. The luminous turquoise waters of the Belize archipelago are made up of over 200 deserted tropical islands and coral atolls and boast some of the most pristine beaches in the Caribbean. Belize has come to be a favorite spot for yacht charters and diving vacations. Most yacht hire clubs have catamaran fleets because the shallow draft will assure easy navigation.
Belize Yacht hire
The coast of Belize encompasses has an unlimited fullness of wildlife and sea life waiting to be discovered. Schools of tropical fish, Manatees, and coral gardens abound here production snorkelling and diving expeditions an appealing adventure. There are many archaeological and national parks along with marine reserves in Belize. Check with your yacht hire business for help in production plans for land expeditions to the Mayan ruins or the rainforest.
Maya Bay
Belize International is the main airport and is only petite more than two hours from 3 gateways in the United States. San Pedro, Ambergris Caye or Placencia are reachable by a 15 petite commuter plane with several connections a day. English is the official language and is widely spoken, as is Spanish. Other languages include Creole, German, Mayan and Garifuna. Us Dollars are used and major reputation cards may be accepted in hotels, restaurants and some shops.
The yacht hire season in Belize is restricted by the hurricane season to the months of November through to May. From mid-December to May the trade winds blow. Temperatures are always colse to 25º - 30º C.
Most citizen are very comfortable pilotage the waters of Belize but it does come with some challenges. pilotage is relatively easy and by line of site. The most difficult part is studying how to read the shallow waters and identify coral. It is imperative to keep a proper watch at all times. Bare boating outside the reef is prohibited. The outer reefs are not well charted or marked production for the danger of running aground. Once inside the atolls the shoal waters are full of coral rock formations that lie in so many areas and in such numbers that the charts simply do not give clear understanding to their locations. Communication on Vhf is also non-existent, with movable phones the most dependable means of communication, search and saving is not very dependable and all this combined makes bare boating outside the reef untenable. Any way with so much to see within the wall reef venturing beyond is not necessary.
Ambergris Caye is the largest island in Belize and the most commercially developed. Ambergris Caye has been the hub of marine trade in Belize for hundreds of years. In the last twenty to thirty years the improbable surroundings of Ambergris Caye has led to a large increase in both the Belize dive and scuba trade, yacht charters and ecotourism.
The main town of San Pedro still maintains itself as a quaint fishing settlement although here one will find a appealing nightlife. San Pedro only has a few streets with appealing shops, a few homes, and several restaurants and bars. The airstrip is also settled here, so getting to your hire yacht is indeed a stone's throw away. The island is home to tropical savannahs, sparkling white beaches and mangrove forests. It has come to be the most favorite traveler destination in Belize.
The overwhelming coral reef ideas lies half a mile east of the seaboard and runs the entire distance of the island. It is the second largest wall reef in the world and has made the town of San Pedro the dive and water sports capital of Belize and Central America. It is easy for snorkellers to study hundreds of species of fish right off the beach. Surrounded by lush tropical gardens, the transparent waters of Ambergris Caye are a paradise for divers, snorkellers, bird watchers and fisherman alike.
Begin your yacht hire in Placencia and you can study the southern half of Belize. Placencia is known for its lovely white sandy beaches and beautiful mangroves. The main road is a three-mile stretch of sidewalk in which there are a few local services, including a laundry service and small grocery. Any way if you are planning to leave on your yacht hire from Placencia, it is a wise idea to have provisions planned in progress with your yacht hire company. The grocery store is not adequate to cope the needs of a hire boat. In most cases the provisions that you order are flown in from Belize City. This is not an active spot for nightlife and bistro dinners. This is paradise on earth, very tranquil and serene. Many pilotage connoisseurs have compared their contact of Placencia to memories reminiscent of the Bvi 30 years ago before it was developed. Placencia is also the gateway for a land-based tour of the many cascading waterfalls and the archaeological ruins of the Mayan culture.
If pilotage south from San Pedro or north from Placencia there are numerous beaches that furnish great yacht anchorages. There are hundreds of cayes to study with clear waters and white sandy beaches. Some are deserted while others have amenities for tourists. Those places that are undeveloped will offer faultless solitude to those finding to get away from civilization on their yacht charter. Whilst there are too many to mention them all individually here are a few highlights to give you an idea of what awaits you on your yacht hire in Belize.
Caye Caulker is a four mile long island is divided in two and lies just about a mile east of Belize's wall Reef. This is a quiet town with friendly citizen and some nice restaurants. The most favorite dive destination is Hol Chan marine retain and Shark Ray Alley. A boat must be hired to visit and it is almost 30 minutes north of Caye Caulker. With so much to see at discrete depths, all levels of snorkellers and divers can be accommodated here.
Caye Chapel is the island that is home to the rich and supreme and boasts a new state of the art marina and championship golf course. It was advanced for those searching seclusion. This is the most exclusive island in Belize where every amenity is available. The marina welcomes yachts up to 45 metres in length. Once here there are many picturesque beaches and exotic wildlife to study as well as the natural beauty the island views has to offer.
St George's Caye is settled south of Caye Caulker, this island is one half mile from the wall reef. St. George's Caye is quiet and serene and a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Very few services are offered here with just a restaurant, hotel and a bar. The diving is improbable with visitors sighting many dolphins just before descending down the caye's wall.
Goff's Caye is a tiny island on the reef just north of the main channel, English Channel. It has good snorkelling and a beautiful beach.
English Caye has a lighthouse that marks the south side of English Channel. This island offers superb snorkelling 1000 feet south on a huge coral patch.
Rendezvous Caye is a jewel of an island also settled right on the reef. an additional one beautiful beach with excellent snorkelling all around, this is also a good location for scuba diving on the 60 foot outside wall. It is not Any way a safe overnight yacht anchorage with its coral all colse to but a 'must see' day stop.
Bluefield Range provides a safe yacht anchorage and the two fish camps normally offer a choice of fresh seafood for dinner.
Colson Cayes is an additional one safe anchorage with several fish camps. The Cayes offer a shallow lagoon to study by dinghy with fullness of coral colse to for snorkelling.
Tobacco Caye is a fine overnight anchorage, unless in a northerly wind. There are several choices for basic meals and a few bars on the island. There's a dive shop for those who enjoy scuba diving and fullness of good snorkelling.
Laughing Bird Caye is just 11 miles from the coast of Placencia; the caye is settled within a "faro", an atoll on a continental shelf. It is steep sided and encloses a central lagoon. The attraction is the diverse variety of coral reefs. Because of the large estimate of visitors steps have been taken to ensure the reefs and lagoon will be protected. There are mooring buoys and channel markers in place to protect the fragile ecosystem.
South Water Caye is about 25 miles from Placencia. South Water Caye is a retain protected by the World heritage Organization. Like the other marine reserves in Belize it has an overwhelming array of underwater life and palm trees that line the waters edge. The clear blue waters of South Water Caye give way to white sandy beaches.
Sapodilla Cayes is an additional one marine retain that sits in the most southern measure of Belize's wall reef. It is comprised of 14 mangrove and coral islands with unspoiled white sandy beaches. The waters are very shallow with some areas being less then 5 metres. On Huntington Caye you will study the lighthouse and a Belize Guard Station. The beaches here are the nesting grounds for turtles. Lime Caye is often the most crowded with traveler boats arriving from Punta Gorda. The best place to anchor the yacht and spend the night is either Nicholas or Frank's Caye. The improbable reef ideas with an fullness of colourful fish species will furnish for a great snorkelling experience, even for beginners. Because Sapodilla is off the beaten path it is not over run by tourists and remains a magnificent and pristine group of islands that have very petite in the way of amenities.
Just 25 short miles south of the Sapodilla Cayes lies the port of Livingston on the Rio Dulce of Guatemala where you are required to check in and out of Guatemala. A local bistro provides a great stop along the way where they'll pull your choice of fresh fish out of the live trap at the dock.
Outside the wall Reef there are some well-known dive sites that are popular. Since bareboat yacht charters are not permitted to venture outside the reef, it is in your best interest to hire a local dive business if you wish to go there. If your yacht hire is crewed, then have the skipper contact the local dive business to make arrangements for a meeting place in order to study with an experienced dive master.
Glover's Reef marine is settled 36 miles off the shore of Belize. It is a group of islands encircled within a turquoise lagoon and surrounded by a coral reef that has one of the richest tropical marine environments called Glover's Reef Atoll. All six sand cayes within the atoll are confidentially owned. The diving is legendary and cannot compare with any other place in the world. There are over 80 square miles for snorkellers and divers to study with an improbable variety of fish. The southern part of the atoll is a conservation area that is used for study and recreational activities. Visitors are forbidden from taking anything from the area. Dive boats want a license to be there and divers must register with the retain manager. There is a resort settled here as well but amenities for boaters are limited.
Lighthouse Reef Atoll is the farthest atoll from the coast of Belize. There is one charming colonial style beachfront resort settled on the island and the customary focus of activities is diving and relaxing on the beach. The supreme "Blue Hole" is indeed settled in the centre of the Lighthouse reef lagoon. The 400 foot deep hole is maybe one of the most overwhelming underwater experiences in the western hemisphere. Some of the best wall diving exists here and many consider it the most dive site in Belize. Coral surrounds the entire 75 square miles of Blue Hole. Visibility is an overwhelming 100 feet in clear turquoise waters that are calm with no currents running. If inspecting a dive here hire a local dive devotee to meet your boat and take you there. He will have the expertise valuable for a safe diving experience.
