getting to southwater caye belize

Getting to South Water Caye, Belize

Our location

and how to get here

Perched on the second largest living barrier reef in the world, Blue Marlin Beach Resort is the premiere off-the-beaten-path adventure and relaxation destination in the South Water Caye Marine Reserve.

Located on South Water Caye, we are in a unique and natural open air setting that is idyllic for a small island vacation experience. Our family-owned, boutique, private island resort, traditionally hosting an exclusive number of guests at a time, is a secluded getaway spot for couples, families, adventure seekers, and groups of friends. Located just 14 miles off the mainland, we are a 45-minute boat ride from our hub in Dangriga Stann Creek, where our loading dock is situated.
Photo credit: Maya Island Air
Belize Airport
Belize is now easily accessible from various hubs in North America and Central America to the Belize City Airport (Code – BZE; a.k.a. Philip Goldson International Airport). Airlines currently service Belize include American, Delta, United, Southwest, Sun Country, Westjet, Air Canada, COPA, Avianca. Tropic Air also provides regional service. Some flights are seasonal and not available year-round

Looking for nonstop service from US & Canada?

  • America Airlines: From Dallas/Fort
    Worth(DFW), Los Angeles(LAX),
    Houston(IAH),Miami(MIA) or Atlanta (ATL)
  • Southwest Airline: From Fort Lauderdale(FLL)
    or Houston(HOU)
  • United Airline: From Houston(IAH) or
    Chicago(ORD)
  • Delta Airline: From Atlanta(ATL)
  • AirCanada offer flights direct out of Toronto
  • WestJet offer flights direct out of Toronto and Calgary
Getting here

Getting to Dangriga by AIR

The local hopper flight to Dangriga is the start of your Belize adventure as you get a bird-eye’s view of the country’s coastal and sea landscape. Be sure to have your camera on hand for photographic moments. Our driver will be waiting for you at the Dangriga Airstrip to provide onward transfer to the boat launch. Enjoy scenic views of the southern coastline and the outer islands on the 45-minute boat ride to Blue Marlin. The round-trip boat transfer to and from the island is included in your All-Inclusive package.
Getting to Blue Marlin Resort

Getting here by AIR

Belize is easily accessible from various hubs in North America.  Southwest, American, United, Delta, and Continental Airlines all fly into Philip Goldson International Airport in Belize City. There are also several flights from Canada on a daily basis. Belize City is only a 2.5 hour flight from Houston. Avianca and Taca also service Belize from other Central American hubs.

Our airport liaison will meet you at the international airport and assist you with transferring to your local island hopper flight to Dangriga or arranging a ground transfer via private shuttle. The island hopper flight is about 30 minutes and the private ground shuttle is about 2.5 hours scenic drive. We can arrange for either of these transfers at the reservations desk prior to your arrival. We recommend, when booking your flights, to land sometime in the morning to allow for time to reach the resort before dark. Our boat usually runs from Dangriga to the island at 3:00 pm on the day of check in.  

If flying a local island hopper flight, we will arrange for a driver to be waiting for you at the Dangriga Airstrip. This complimentary shuttle will take you to our departure dock to meet our boat to transfer you to the island. It is a 45 minute boat ride to Blue Marlin Beach Resort from the mainland.  

Getting to Dangriga by GROUND SHUTTLE

The private ground shuttle gives you an opportunity to enjoy stops along the way at scenic sites such as the Belize Zoo and the inland Blue Hole. Your private driver-guide will show you the countryside and small villages, orange orchards, and jungle scenery along the Hummingbird Highway and will drop you off at our boat launch in Dangriga. Enjoy scenic views of the southern coastline and the outer islands on the 45-minute boat ride to Blue Marlin.The round-trip boat transfer to and from the island is included in your all inclusive package.
Getting here van
Getting to South water caye, Belize

Getting here by GROUND SHUTTLE

If taking a ground shuttle, we can arrange for stops along the way at scenic sites such as the Belize Zoo and the inland Blue Hole. The driver will show you the countryside and small villages, orange orchards, and jungle scenery along the Hummingbird Highway and will drop you off at our departure dock in Dangriga in time to meet your boat. The round-trip boat transfer to and from the island is included in your all inclusive package. The flight or private ground shuttle from Belize City will need to be arranged with our reservations desk prior to your arrival in Belize. This is a 2.5 hour drive one way.

DANGRIGA TOWN

culture capital of Belize

With good access to both the Cayes and the Southern and Hummingbird Highways, Dangriga makes an excellent place from which to launch nautical, cultural or jungle excursions. Dangriga is a stronghold of Garifuna culture, a UNESCO World Heritage Culture.

Wherever your adventures take you, Dangriga is the perfect base for exploration of Southern Belize and for cultural immersion. This is your last stop on the mainland before heading out to our amazing South Water Caye and Blue Marlin Beach Resort atop the Barrier Reef 12 miles offshore.

Dangriga, Belize

Dangriga Highlights

Gulisi Garifuna Museum

Two miles outside of town you’ll find the small and interesting Gulisi Garifuna Museum. Not only will you learn about Garifuna culture and history here, you can also view works by well known Garifuna artists.

Garifuna Drumming

Legendary Drummaker, Austin Rodriguez, welcomes visitors to his drumming workshop.

Local Arts & Craft

Dangriga has little infrastructure, and most people fish, farm or work in the arts. You will enjoy a cultural exchange experience
and meet local traditional artisans who are showcasing their culture by way of
arts and craft
.

Marie Sharp’s Hot Sauce

Who would have thought that carrots could make such a wonderful impact on hot sauce? If you’re remotely into hot sauce, you won’t be disappointed to visit the place where Belize’s best known export is made.

Citrus Tour

Belize citrus industry is one of the top three foreign exchange earners as well as the second most important agricultural activity. There are 2 two modern processing plants which are located in the Stann Creek District. The citrus crop produces over a million boxes of fruit a year into concentrate and juice from 50,000 acres of citrus groves in Belize, making it one of the largest employers of Belize after the tourism industry.

Jaguar Reserve

Cockscomb Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1990 and is world renowned for being the first jaguar reserve. More than a place to protect the rare and elusive jaguar, Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is an important watershed and reservoir of biodiversity for hundreds of species of exotic plants, insects, birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians who live in this complex tropical forest community.

Mayan World Adventure Park

Excitement and adventure awaits you in the form of rainforest ziplines, river tubing, horseback riding, waterfalls, waterfall rappelling, ATVs and more.

Mayflower Archeological Reserve

This jungle reserver lies between Dangriga and the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. The post-classic site consists of three ruins, two sizable waterfalls and a picturesque view of Hopkins village and the Caribbean.

The Mayan Post-Classic sites within the reserve are partially excavated and little is known about them. The park’s hiking trails are graded for distance and difficulty, and are the highlight of the reserve. Of the trails, the most popular are two waterfall hikes. A two to three hour hike leads to the 100ft/30m Antelope Falls, while a much less strenuous walk leads to Three Sisters Falls.

Red Bank

This indigenous Maya community is the best place to see Scarlet Macaws in the wild. Every year around Mid-January through to March, a large flock of Scarlet Macaws (sometimes numbering 200 pairs) fly out of the Chiquibul Forest Reserve in the Cayo District and gather near the village to feed on the sweet, ripe fruits of the ‘annato’ and ‘pole wood’ trees.

“The staff treats you like family the moment they arrange to meet you at the Belize City airport, whisk you through your connecting flights, and then pick you up in Dangriga as you efficiently make your way to your island paradise. ”
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