Ranguana Caye, Belize: A Day Trip To Paradise

Placencia resident Gary Peterson needed a break after showing his son-in-law around for a week. And when you need a break in Placencia, the obvious place to go to is Ranguana Caye… This article contains a link (or links) to Amazon, from which, as an Amazon Associate, this website will earn a small commission if you make any purchases. Some other links are also affiliate links, where we will also make a small commission if you purchase anything after clicking, at no extra cost to you. 

There are so many fantastic adventures in Belize to choose from, especially in Placencia, where I live.

You can fill your days with Mayan ruins, river tubing, zip lining over jungle treetops, howler monkey tours and so much more.

Recently my son-in-law, Jeff, visited me here on the Placencia Peninsula.

I spend a week showing him as much of Belize as possible and finally realized we all needed a break.

We needed island time and in Placencia that means Ranguana Caye.

Although there are other islands to visit, Ranguana Caye is very casual, and not your average tourist trap. Its theme is to do as much or as little as you want, but have a fantastic worry-free day, whatever.

The boat trip leaves from Robert’s Grove Marina, or they can pick you up in Placencia at Bubba Wuba’s if you prefer. The advantage of leaving from Bubba’s is they are open for breakfast, although depending on the seas, that may not be advisable if you know what I mean.

It’s about forty-five minutes to an hour out to Ranguana Caye, with reggae tunes playing on the boat. I recommend you accept the bottle of water they offer on the way out. High temperatures and hot sun can get you in a world of hurt with dehydration here in Belize, especially on the water. You’ll need sunscreen too, but please be conscious and use a sea life/environment-friendly product.

You can feel the excitement on board as you arrive at this tiny island in the middle of open water, and cruise into the dock.

The crew helps you onto the island, and it’s fun watching everyone take off their shoes and sandals. With nothing but sandy beaches, it’s all barefoot on Ranguana Caye.

Wooden lounge chairs and hammocks line up along the beach, under the coconut palms, calling out your name to come for a nap. For the less sleepy, there are sea kayaks and stand up paddleboards or SUPs. You can enjoy the waters on provided floating platforms, or snorkel or fish on your own.

They also take out groups for an hour-long snorkel trip around the island. Ranguana Caye sits on the second largest barrier reef in the world and you’ll see manta rays, permit, grouper and a host of other species.

They serve lunch at noon, and we ate a Belizean staple, chicken, rice, and beans, included in the trip’s price. There’s a full bar serving Belizean specialties, like the ever-famous Panty Ripper and other local rums. Soft drinks and water are also available at Bully’s Beach Bar.

One reason I love Ranguana Caye is that it has an excellent population of Bonefish, a fly-fisherman’s dream.

Jeff is a keen fly-fisherman, and it was great seeing his excitement as he waded into a large school of bones, and caught his first bonefish ever.

Don’t worry if fly-fishing isn’t your thing. You can also spin cast for bones. Bring your gear, and the island guys will net you some bait, and away you go.

If you ever have the opportunity of visiting Placencia, you owe it to yourself to contact Ranguana Caye Tours. They offer a fantastic island experience in paradise.

Gary Peterson lives on the Placencia Peninsula, Belize, where he writes books about Central America and the Caribbean. Read more of Gary’s work on his blog.