Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and down to Honduras - and probably further. All guides taking you to see the sharks
will have undergone training not to disturb their feeding; boats should stay fifteen
yards away, and snorkellers and divers at least three yards away.
Ranguana Caye
20 miles southeast of Placencia • Accessible on tours from Placencia, or via Inn at Robert's Grove (see below)
Ranguana Caye
, which is visited by some snorkel trips, is a jewel of an island just 120yd
long by 25yd wide, surrounded by perfect patch reefs. For divers, the 2400ft drop-off
begins 750yd offshore. The sand on Ranguana is softer than in Placencia, the palm
trees taller and the sunsets glorious, silhouetting mountain ranges in the distance.
6
ACCOMMODATION
THE CAYES OFF PLACENCIA
Julian Cabral and his wife Beverly, it's an ideal base for
serious angling, or just relaxing, and you'll be enjoying the
owners' fine Belizean seafood cooking. In addition to the
rates quoted here, fishing days cost US$400, meals cost
US$75 per person per day and tran
sport to
and from
Placencia US$150 per person each way.
US$125
FRENCH LOUIE CAYE
French Louie Caye
T
523 3636,
W
frenchlouiecaye
.com.
Guests on this privately owned island have the entire
place to themselves, and sleep in a wooden cabin with
delicious meals served by a resident cook - or you can self-
cater. Rates include all meals, plus transport in a skiff (or
you can paddle a kayak), use of a double kayak, a dory and
snorkelling gear. Mosquitoes are not a problem; drinking
(rain) water is available, and there are comp
osting toile
ts.
Minimum stay three days. Three-day package
US$1260
RANGUANA CAYE
Robert's Grove Cabins
T
523 3565,
W
robertsgrove
.com.
Beautiful wooden cabins facing into the breeze, with
meals served in a
palapa
-covered dining area. Run in
conjunction with the
Inn at
Robert's Grove
just outside
Placencia (see p.199), the cabins are only available to
guests who book packages that also include a stay at the
Inn
on the mainland. Rates include transport, meals,
drinks, use of kayaks and snorkel gear. Se
ven-night
package with four nights at
Inn
, three on the caye
US$3710
WHIPRAY CAYE
Whipray Caye Lodge
T
608 8130,
W
whipraycaye
lodge.com.
Two comfortable wooden cabins, each with
two separate bedrooms plus private bathrooms, fans and
windows on all sides so you can enjoy the view and the
Caribbean breeze. Run by expert fly-fishing guide Captain
The far south: Toledo
South of the Placencia and Independence junctions, the
Southern Highway
twists
through pine forests and neat ranks of citrus trees and crosses numerous creeks through
Toledo District
- with only a few villages along the way. The highway ends at likeable
little
Punta Gorda
, the southernmost town in Belize. As well as being the base for
rewarding visits both to inland
Maya villages
and the little-visited southern
cayes and
marine reserves
, it also offers daily skiffs to
Puerto Barrios
in Guatemala and
Livingston
in Honduras.
Punta Gorda
Toledo's chief and only town,
PUNTA GORDA
, is an appealing blend of village, provincial
capital and international ferry port. Commonly known as “PG”, and set at the spot
where the Southern Highway finally reaches the sea and promptly comes to an end, it's a
small, unhurried and hassle-free place. OK, so on first impression, it's not immediately
obvious what there is to do all day, and there's not really a beach to speak of, but with a
fine crop of hotels and restaurants, and plentiful tours and activities in the vicinity, PG
makes a perfect base for a stay in Toledo District. Cooling sea breezes here reduce the
worst of the heat and, though this is undeniably the
wettest
part of Belize, most of the
extra rain falls at night, leaving the daytime no wetter than Cayo District.
GLOVER'S REEF
P.184
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