Catamaran Island Hotel and Marina, Rio Dulce, Guatemala

In this hurricane season, I’m longing for the times Winterlude was safely in the Rio Dulce, Guatemala!  I forgot what it was like to worry about hurricanes and our boat!

Catamaran Marina was the first marina where we left Winterlude after we left the U.S.   We loved it and would go back if the wind ever blows us back to the Rio.  One of the big advantages of marinas in the Rio Dulce is protection from hurricanes.  After surviving a direct hit on Winterlude by Hurricane Charley in August 2004, I was ecstatic about NOT having to watch and worry as every low pressure system formed in the caribbean during hurricane season.  It was a vacation from hurricane worrying and I loved every minute it lasted!

Visit the Catamaran website by clicking HERE.

Catamaran is on an island off the shore of the Rio Dulce River in Guatemala. This may be the only resort on the Rio with nice guest cabins right on the water, a beautiful tiki bar/pool oasis, marina space for 20 boats, a full service open air restaurant, beautiful grounds featuring macaws, green, white & blue herons, green parrots, turtles, huge iguanas, all in all a bit of paradise nestled in the tropical rainforests of Guatemala.

Winterlude spent the two hurricane seasons safely tucked away in the Rio at Catamaran Marina … above you can see the birdseye view of the resort – Winterlude is in this photo, but hard to see — we’re the 2nd boat from the top on the right side of the marina — just in from the sailboat anchored off.  Below is the view of Mico (Monkey) Mountain that we see off the stern of the boat in our slip.   Beautiful and ever changing.

Birds abound, the green heron hangs out in the bushes by the marina docks on the west side of the island.  And the iguanas frequently like to climb so high in the trees that they fall out & go SPLASH in the water.  All the boaters scurry out on the docks to see who fell overboard… but it’s just an iguana.

The pool is a lush green oasis in the center of the island with a Tiki Bar for afternoon happy hour.  Hummingbirds buzz around inspecting all the bright flowers while you enjoy a cocktail or take a refreshing dip in the beautiful pool.

Sunday afternoon NFL football at the Catamaran bar out over the water, is a hit with the cruiser crowd, great drinks, boquitos (snacks) and 2 different games!  You can see Brucie, the marina kitty has his own favorite way to watch NFL football!  I must admit, when we were in the States for Sunday NFL, I watched as diligently as Brucie!  But here, it’s a major social event!

The view of the Rio Dulce bridge from the front dock, altho’ I used telephoto.  Where else do the turista busses stop in the middle of the 2 lane busy highway bridge so tourists can get off, buy ice cream from the hand cart & enjoy the view .. while semi’s & cattle trucks zoom by behind them….. we’re not in Kansas anymore!!! Since Catamaran Island Resort is not accessible by land, here’s the Catamaran launcha delivering boaters & employees to the front dock.   This is the same launcha that after stopping at the front dock, delivered us directly to Winterlude on the other side of the island when we arrived.

Taking a stroll around Catamaran, you’ll see a wide variety of beautiful flowers, ginger, bamboo, probably two dozen varieties of palms, huge gumbo limbo trees ….    We love it here, and hopefully the winds will blow us back in some future cruising!

So do you have a favorite marina in the Rio Dulce?  Tell everyone about it in the comments below.