Guatemala : Profile

Facts

The Rio Dulce on Guatemala's Caribbean coast is the ultimate destination of almost every yacht cruising this part of the world; yachts that are not hampered by too deep a draft can negotiate the bar at the entrance to the river, after which the river virtually belongs to them.
Facilities on the Rio Dulce have greatly expanded in recent years, with several marinas on the river catering for visiting yachts where it is possible to leave the boat to travel inland, either to the capital or the ancient Maya sites.

Care should be taken here as there have, in the past, been a number of yacht boardings and robberies. However, recent increases in patrols in the Rio Dulce area has resulted in greatly increased security.

It is recommended that anchoring overnight in or near the Rio Tatin should be avoided.

As with everywhere in Central and South America, avoid walking alone during the night or in isolated places.

November 2011: The U.K. Foreign Office advise caution in all areas of Guatemala City due to violent crime, this includes a recent rise in kidnappings.

The Caribbean Safety and Security Net (safetyandsecuritynet@gmail.com) gather information by anchorage or by island, so sailors can plan their cruising in the Caribbean with an eye to appropriate behaviour and precautions wherever they decide to go. Should you have information about a security incident, as well as contacting Noonsite please also forward details to the Caribbean Safety and Security Net, as theirs is the most comprehensive source of Caribbean security incidents against sailors on the net. Please be sure to include boat name, date of incident and anchorage/port where the incident took place.

Weather

The climate depends very much on the altitude and the coast is hot and humid. The Caribbean coast is occasionally affected by northers in winter. Throughout the year the local prevailing winds are easterly.

Guatemala Weather Forecast