Cayo Espanto Getaway Island off Coast of Belize
Private Caribbean Destination Offers Extreme Seclusion and Luxury
May 2, 2009
Flying toward the San Pedro airstrip on Ambergris Caye off the coast of Belize the pilot points out Cayo Espanto in the sparkling aqua and teal Caribbean waters. The tiny island, about the size of a football field, is lush green with six villas spaced out along its sandy shoreline.
From the airstrip, guests are ferried by a small motorboat to the island where the Cayo Espanto staff is lined up in uniform to greet them. A houseman has each guest's cocktail waiting on a silver tray. Thus begins the visit to a fantasy island where guests are catered to and pampered all day long or left alone to savor the paradise as they so choose.
It’s no wonder Cayo Espanto has received top awards from Forbes, Fodor’s and The Travel Channel.
If one tires of hanging out in one's hammock, getting massages on the patio and kayaking around the island, one is free to opt for a private dive, snorkel or fishing charter or an adventure excursion into the rain forests on the mainland.
Stars and Other Celebrities Have Visited Cayo Espanto
The exclusive island, which isn’t much bigger than a football field, has hosted such notables as Robert De Niro, Harrison Ford, Calista Flockhart, Tiger Woods and Chelsea Clinton. Leonardo DiCaprio has visited the island several times.
No more than 16 guests are allowed on Cayo Espanto at any one time, and guests rarely if ever see each other because they have their own villas and dine on their own patios or docks.
Five of Cayo Espanto’s six villas (Casa Brisa, Casa Manana, Casa Olita, Casa Aurora and Casa Estrella) feature plunge pools. Casa Ventana, which doesn’t have a pool, is the island’s new over-water bungalow.
Fishing, Diving, Snorkeling and Other Activities
Days on Cayo Espanto can drift slowly by as it’s easy to get caught up in a nirvana of looking out over the sparkling water and watching the pelicans fly and dive. The local waters are a fisherman’s paradise whether for fly fishing, reef fishing, deep reef fishing or deep sea fishing.
As the world’s second largest reef is located off the coast of Belize, those who enjoy diving or snorkeling shouldn’t miss the opportunity to take a private charter from Cayo Espanto. Private dive and snorkeling charters and guided reef and deep-sea fishing trips are available and excursions to the mainland for picnicking, golf and Mayan ruin tours can be arranged. Private boat, plane and helicopter charters are available.
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