Doris, Belize Luxury Sailing

Experience the ultimate in sailing style aboard The Doris, a sleek 50ft Lagoon Catamaran. Equipped with all the ‘toys’, The Doris boasts 4 luxurious air conditioned cabins, private bathrooms, plasma TV’s, a state of the art entertainment system throughout and expansive indoor and outdoor dining and lounging areas. Coupled with fabulous gourmet cuisine, prepared on board by your personal chef, you can be assured of the ultimate in comfort and style whilst cruising the azure waters of the Belize coastline.

Yacht Specifications

• Builder: Marc Van Peteghem / Vincent Lauriot Prévost
• Maker: Lagoon
• Year Built: 2005
• Length: 50 Feet
• Beam: 28 FeetDraft: 4 Feet 7 Inches
• Water: 4 x 63 Gal
• Engines: 2 x 55 hp
• Fuel: 2 x 127 Gal

Interior

• 3 double air conditioned cabins with sumptuous soft furnishings and private bathrooms
• Expansive indoor and outdoor lounging areas
• Integrated cockpit and indoor salon
• Light oak laminated wood floors throughout
• 4th cabin allocated to crew and captain

Recreation and Entertainment Equipment

• 14′ AB Nautilus Luxury Tender -25hp
• Hookah diving system
• Variety of fishing rods and tackle
• Snorkeling equipment
• 2 x kayaks for single or double use
• Beach equipment and floating sun mattresses
• 2 x swim platforms and showers
• Bimini and extendable awning shades
• Multiple sun deck lounges & trampolines
• Barbeque
• 1 LCD TV Screen with DVD and 3 in-cabin DVD players
• IPOD / stereo CD player / Indoor and outdoor speakers
• Sirius satellite radio
• Extensive library of CDs, DVDs, books & games
• Arranged diving and fishing expeditions

Sailing with Belize Sailing Vacations offers you the ultimate opportunity to explore all that Belize has to offer with total flexibility. Upon receiving your guest preference information, Belize Sailing Vacations will design an itinerary tailored to your taste and tempo. The following are a few sample itineraries that show the many possibilities of discovering Belize or the Rio Dulce in Guatemala. All itineraries are inclusive of all gourmet meals prepared fresh on board and local drinks.

Please note than no itinerary can be completely fixed and will be subject to sailing conditions, weather conditions, guest preference and whims of the captain.

Southern Belize

Highlights of a southern itinerary can include:

Goff’s Caye is one of our favorite islands because it looks like the thing postcards were made for. This 2 acre island sits right on the barrier reef so you can snorkel straight from the shore, or simply relax in the water on the sandbar with an icy cold Belikin beer.

South Water Caye is a pristine 12 acre private island that is one of the most beautiful and exclusive islands in Belize. South Water Caye sits on the reef on the north side of South Water Cut, which is a ¼ mile wide gap in the reef. Grunts, black groupers, snappers and moray eels all hide out in the overhangs and making for a spectacular snorkeling experience. Sundowners are a must at the Blue Marlin Lodge, one of favorite little bars in all of Belize.

Man-O-War Caye is a designated bird sanctuary and from afar it looks like any other tiny mangrove island, but as you journey closer to shore the frenzy of activity becomes apparent, with birds soaring in the sky above in every direction… and the guys strutting their stuff (or inflating their red gular pouches) for the ladies during breeding season. The three different types of mangrove vegetation provide a perfect sanctuary to a variety of indigenous bird species, including Pelicans, Brown Booby birds, and the Magnificent Frigate birds (also known as Man-O-War birds).

Tobacco Caye is a 5 acre palm-fringed coral island perched on the barrier reef, which makes it a great place to snorkel or dive from the shore, plus its central location means it is within 10 minutes by boat to some of the best snorkel sites in all of Belize. There are a couple of small laid-back resorts and a tiny beach bar serving fresh coconut water.

Bluefield Range is a mangrove cluster and makes for a fantastic kayaking location. Kayak through the tiny channels, look out for manatees and even take some bait and a fishing line and see if you can catch dinner.

Northern Belize

Highlights can include include the following:

Swallow Caye has been declared a wildlife sanctuary and serves to protect the manatees and other marine life that call this habitat home. Manatees, which are also known as sea cows are gentle, slow moving, planteating herbivores and their closest living relatives are elephants and aardvarks. They can grow over 13 feet in length and weigh up to 3,500 pounds. Despite being an endangered species, manatees are present in the waters of Belize and can be witnessed throughout the year. (Please note it is not possible to swim with the Manatees.)

Steeped in history, St George’s Caye was the first capital of the British settlement. The island is principally home to private families, however it is possible to use this as a base for some great snorkeling, scuba diving and fishing.  On the island there is a very special aquarium in the boathouse at the St Georges Caye Lodge. Your tour guide is the resort owner’s son Karly Ricky Bischof, aged 10. Karly is a budding marine biologist and if his impressive little aquarium and his knowledge of the 100-plus fish inside is any indication, he’s going to be a good one.

Sail to the sleepy island of Caye Caulker, fish along the way and enjoy a swim on arrival. ‘No shirt, no shoes, no problem’ is the island motto and typifies the vibe. The white sandy beaches, ocean breezes, fresh seafood, azure waters and a fantastic barrier reef on its doorstep make it a perfect place to relax and unwind. A trip to Caye Caulker is not complete without a late afternoon Belikin beer or a rum punch at the Lazy Lizard bar at ‘the cut’.

Enjoy a morning of snorkeling right off the catamaran at Hol Chan Marine Reserve, swimming amongst beautiful shoals of tropical fish, turtles, eagle rays, stingrays, moray eels and grouper. Return to the boat and re-charge the batteries over a tropical lunch with the reef only meters from your anchorage. Follow this up with a dip at Shark Ray Alley, a site where local fishermen used to clean their catch, which attracted more carnivorous species such as big southern stingrays and nurse sharks.

Ambergris Caye is the most northerly Caye in Belize and touches the Yucatan peninsular of Mexico. Lying only a quarter of a mile from the barrier reef, it’s one of the best locations in the world for scuba diving, snorkeling and sports fishing. The main town San Pedro has the broadest range of tourist amenities in Belize, including art and craft shops, boutique hotels, fine dining establishments and plenty of fun local eateries and establishments.

The Rio Dulce, Guatemala

Complete a southern itinerary with a one way trip to the spectacular Rio Dulce, Guatemala. You journey 20 miles up river through a spectacular gorge of 300-feet towering limestone cliffs, backed by dense walls of tropical rain forest. On route you can call in at Rio Lampara for a fresh fish lunch. Across from the restaurant are hot sulphur springs where you climb up the embankment of rocks to soak in the steaming hot springs. The climb is worth the reward!

Once at Fronteras, you can also explore the north shore of Lake Izabal to Finca El Paraiso, a fabulous working farm. From there travel via horseback or tractor ride through the lush farm land to the lush tropical setting of Aqua Caliente, a 25-foot waterfall and deep pools of hot spring water.

Your customized Belize vacation package includes captain, chef, excellent cuisine, standard open bar, cabins with private bathroom/shower, equipment for snorkeling, kayaking, wind gliding, fishing and much more.

The northern itinerary includes Ambergris Caye and the Caye Caulker Snorkeling Eco Tour. Also included is land transportation upon arrival from the Belize International Airport to Belize City departure point.

Gratuity is not included in the charter price. Transfers to departure points other than Belize are not included. Approximate costs for customs and border fees for Guatemala packages subject to a $400 flat surcharge for the boat.

All inclusive prices per night for:

2 people – US $1,295

4 people – US $1,695

6 people – US $2,295

Please see Belize Luxury Sailing’s booking terms.

“We have chartered crew yachts and bare boats from all over the world. Sailing in Belize is a navigational challenge to even the most experience sailor with its many shallow submerged coral patches and reefs. Belize Sailing Vacations crew yachting expertise and local knowledge allowed us to relax and really enjoy the experience. Sailing to secluded pristine sites for fishing, diving and snorkeling along with the “on the water shopping exchange” for fresh lobster with the local fishing boats made this a truly unique experience. The live aboard accommodations, hospitality, gourmet cuisine and extra touches were beyond our expectations. The Rio Dulce experience was beyond words to describe! Our experienced charter group awarded Belize Sailing Vacations.” Tom & Kate Loughran, USA

“We operate a 50 slip marina in the Bahamas and have had the opportunity to meet many charter captains and crew. Belize Sailing Vacations crew is stellar! The cuisine was excellent, with a lot of variety to please everyone’s taste. We appreciated the yachts’ high tech communications, which allowed us to keep in touch with our business and family via email, satellite and or cell phone. Great accommodations and water toys. We were looking for a relaxing secluded getaway vacation and Belize Sailing Vacations”. Barbara Thrall, Bahamas

“The Belize Sailing Vacation adventure was just what we needed as a get away from the busy day to day business routine. The Belize Sailing Vacation Crew’s attention to details, excellent cuisine, well planned itinerary and gracious hospitality made us feel like we were staying at a 5 star resort. We enjoyed the spacious layout of the yacht and the privacy it offered as a sailing vessel. Also we appreciated the arrangements for inland trips to explore the country of Belize lead by expert local guides. Our Belize Sailing Vacation charter adventure that combined the islands and inland exploration was a unique experience and one that we will always remember.” Brian and Jessica Ligon, USA