Made with Xara
Answers to our most frequently asked questions.
Any voyage starts with some planning, and that usually leads to some questions. I
have take our most frequently asked questions and posted them here. If you don’t
find your answer here, feel free to send me an email to info@mariosontherio.com.
Is there a local radio net?
The Rio Dulce Cruisers Net is Monday through Saturday at 7:30am on VHF Channel
69. The net is operated by a volunteers and the topics on the daily broadcast include
weather forecasts, news and info for the local area, buy-sell-or-trade for items from
other cruisers as well as local businesses, and events and daily specials for the local
restaurants.
Does Marios have facilities to haul my boat?
Nope, but we can refer two capable boat yards on the Rio!
Abels - This family owned and operated yard has been a long time favorite of cruisers
as well as the Guatemalan Navy for haul-outs. With a rail lift as well as a travel lift
Abels can handle beamy boats up to 33 feet. The addition in 2009 of a dry storage
area makes them an affordable choice for out of water storage for your boat. Abel
can be contacted at 7930 5059 or 5200 7941 or email astillerorio@yahoo.com
Ram Marine - Located in Shell Bay this yard has an excellent dry storage area, a
large travel lift, convenience store, and fuel dock. The yard office can assist you in
ordering and importing items for your boat projects.
Looking for local info.
Maya Paradise - Looking for a source for tide tables for the entrance to the Rio Dulce
river? The Maya Paradise maintains a collection of tide tables that extend well in to
the future.
Rio Dulce Chisme - Local news and day to day happenings on the Rio are covered
here in this on-line magazine. The message board and archive of past articles are
search-able by key-word.
Internet access.
The current method preferred by most technically savvy guests is to use the high
speed USB Modems from Tigo. These modems replaced our Marina Wide WiFi system
in January of 2010. The Tigo 3G cellular system provides connectivity anywhere in
Guatemala that has a cell signal. The service is country wide, and is very economical
rates and with a pay as you go style service plan. Typically the costs of a month of
service is under $40 US Long term residents of Marios receive a free Tigo modem.
Crossing the bar.
When you arrive in the Gulf of Honduras, most people begin thinking hard about the
“Bar”... For boats less than 6 feet in draft, crossing the bar is not a problem. Most
guests use the tide tables on the Maya Paradise site. If you are over 7 feet, you can
still join us up river, but you may need to be “heeled” by a local shrimp boat. Check
out the article by Casey Brooks.
Banking, curriences and payment.
The Quetzal is the currency of Guatemala. It is named after the national bird of
Guatemala, the Resplendent Quetzal and is divided into 100 cents (centavos in legal
Spanish or lenes in Guatemalan traditional Spanish). In ancient Mayan culture, the
Quetzal bird's tail feathers were used as currency. Having currency named after the
bird carries a strong historical value indicative of the native people of Guatemala.
The local town of Fronteras has several ATM machines with some co-located at banks,
others are in stores. The machines are serviced each morning around 9am, and
operate as long as they have currency. Maximum withdrawals are normally Q1000 or
Q2000. Weekdays are your best times to draw funds out of the machines. Plan ahead
for holidays, the machines will empty out early.
Marina guests may charge their purchases at both the Cayuco Club and our
convenience store (Tienda). Restaurant bills are prepared for your review and
payment every Tuesday. Tienda bills are presented for payment each Thursday.
Marina bills include electricity, laundry, tienda, day labor and other incidentals. They
are prepared at the end of each month are payable on the following business day.
We accept payment in Quetzals, US Dollars, and all major Credit Cards. For guests
who intend to stay longer than 30 days we also accept checks drawn on US based
banks. Download our PDF sheet with more info! The exchange rate varies between
7.5 and 8.5 Quetzals to the US Dollar. The current exchange rate at Marios is posted
in the restaurant as well as the office Shipping items - Yes you can ship items to
Marios! The postal service delivers mail in about 7-10 days from addresses within
North America. You may use shippers such as Yo-Cargo to have items imported, and
services such as Discount Marine Warehouse will also direct ship to Marios. We will be
happy to pick up and hold shipments for your arrival
Can I get work done on my boat while it is at Marios?
Yes you can, we would be happy to introduce you to local craftsman who work in
wood, fiberglass, canvas, bright work and welding.
Please note, that we do NOT allow unapproved workers in the marina. Please check
with the office before you negotiate for any work to be done. Unapproved workers are
not allowed to solicit work on marina property.
Tasks involving sanding, painting, rigging work, or any task that could affect your
neighbors must be approved by the marina management before you start work.
How long may I keep my boat in the Rio Dulce and Guatemala?
The length of time your allowed to keep your boat in Guatemalan waters is limited by
your boat paperwork. This paperwork is valid for one of two periods, either 3 months
or 12 months. The three month license is the permit you will receive upon your initial
entry to Guatemala. If you decide to leave your boat for any length of time beyond 3
months, you will require the 1 year extension.
May I ship items in advance to the marina?
Yes you can ship items to Marios! The postal service delivers mail in about 7-10 days
from addresses within North America. You may use shippers such as Yo-Cargo to
have items imported, and services such as Discount Marine Warehouse will also direct
ship to Marios. We will be happy to pick up and hold shipments for your arrival.
Download our PDF sheet with more info
How do I ship parts to Marios
Do you need to send mail, package or parts to meet you on your arrival? Here are
some tips. Postal Mail, UPS, DHL FEDEX and direct shippers/importers are all
available and depending on your needs each one fills a different niche. The Postal
shipping address for Marios is:
Marios Marina
ATTN: <Boat Name>, <Your Name>
Apto Postal 18
Morales, Izabal
Guatemala, Central America
Small envelopes or packages. - Your best method to ship small items, that do not
require extensive tracking is to put the item in the care of your countries postal
service. Typically these items are received from the US in our mail box in 7 to 12
days.
High value items - If you have items such as replacement credit cards, banking
documents or other sensitive items. We suggest either arranging to hand carry
the items or to have them shipped via a FEDEX document pouch. The pouch can
be picked up at the FEDEX office in Guatemala City.
Hazardous materials, bulk items such as chain, engine parts -
For shipping items that may require Hazardous Material documentation, we
recommend choosing a a freight forwarder such as
Yo-Cargo (http://www.yocargo.com)
or by ordering directly through Discount Marine Warehouse
(http://www.marinewarehouse.net/about.html).
These shippers will not deliver to a post office box so you will need to use the
following address:
<Your Name>,
<Boat Name>
Mario´s Marina,
Oficina de contabilidad La Fe,
Barrio La Bascula, Aldea Fronteras Rio Dulce.
Private shippers will quote prices to Guatemala City, not the Rio Dulce, the freight
forwarder for these shippers charge an additional fee which are due upon receipt.
Marios Marina will be happy to assist arranging the payment of any delivery fees
or customs fees if your account has a positive balance in it sufficient to pay the
fee.
This information is provided as a courtesy only, Marios Marina and its staff cannot
and will not be held responsible for the service rendered by your choice of
shipper. Assistance in tracking wayward shipments is done only as a courtesy and
if our workload permits.
Made with Xara
Answers to our most frequently asked questions.
Any voyage starts with some planning, and that usually leads to some questions. I
have take our most frequently asked questions and posted them here. If you don’t
find your answer here, feel free to send me an email to info@mariosontherio.com.
Is there a local radio net?
The Rio Dulce Cruisers Net is Monday through Saturday at 7:30am on VHF Channel
69. The net is operated by a volunteers and the topics on the daily broadcast include
weather forecasts, news and info for the local area, buy-sell-or-trade for items from
other cruisers as well as local businesses, and events and daily specials for the local
restaurants.
Does Marios have facilities to haul my boat?
Nope, but we can refer two capable boat yards on the Rio!
Abels - This family owned and operated yard has been a long time favorite of cruisers
as well as the Guatemalan Navy for haul-outs. With a rail lift as well as a travel lift
Abels can handle beamy boats up to 33 feet. The addition in 2009 of a dry storage
area makes them an affordable choice for out of water storage for your boat. Abel
can be contacted at 7930 5059 or 5200 7941 or email astillerorio@yahoo.com
Ram Marine - Located in Shell Bay this yard has an excellent dry storage area, a
large travel lift, convenience store, and fuel dock. The yard office can assist you in
ordering and importing items for your boat projects.
Looking for local info.
Maya Paradise - Looking for a source for tide tables for the entrance to the Rio Dulce
river? The Maya Paradise maintains a collection of tide tables that extend well in to
the future.
Rio Dulce Chisme - Local news and day to day happenings on the Rio are covered
here in this on-line magazine. The message board and archive of past articles are
search-able by key-word.
Internet access.
The current method preferred by most technically savvy guests is to use the high
speed USB Modems from Tigo. These modems replaced our Marina Wide WiFi system
in January of 2010. The Tigo 3G cellular system provides connectivity anywhere in
Guatemala that has a cell signal. The service is country wide, and is very economical
rates and with a pay as you go style service plan. Typically the costs of a month of
service is under $40 US Long term residents of Marios receive a free Tigo modem.
Crossing the bar.
When you arrive in the Gulf of Honduras, most people begin thinking hard about the
“Bar”... For boats less than 6 feet in draft, crossing the bar is not a problem. Most
guests use the tide tables on the Maya Paradise site. If you are over 7 feet, you can
still join us up river, but you may need to be “heeled” by a local shrimp boat. Check
out the article by Casey Brooks.
Banking, curriences and payment.
The Quetzal is the currency of Guatemala. It is named after the national bird of
Guatemala, the Resplendent Quetzal and is divided into 100 cents (centavos in legal
Spanish or lenes in Guatemalan traditional Spanish). In ancient Mayan culture, the
Quetzal bird's tail feathers were used as currency. Having currency named after the
bird carries a strong historical value indicative of the native people of Guatemala.
The local town of Fronteras has several ATM machines with some co-located at banks,
others are in stores. The machines are serviced each morning around 9am, and
operate as long as they have currency. Maximum withdrawals are normally Q1000 or
Q2000. Weekdays are your best times to draw funds out of the machines. Plan ahead
for holidays, the machines will empty out early.
Marina guests may charge their purchases at both the Cayuco Club and our
convenience store (Tienda). Restaurant bills are prepared for your review and
payment every Tuesday. Tienda bills are presented for payment each Thursday.
Marina bills include electricity, laundry, tienda, day labor and other incidentals. They
are prepared at the end of each month are payable on the following business day.
We accept payment in Quetzals, US Dollars, and all major Credit Cards. For guests
who intend to stay longer than 30 days we also accept checks drawn on US based
banks. Download our PDF sheet with more info! The exchange rate varies between
7.5 and 8.5 Quetzals to the US Dollar. The current exchange rate at Marios is posted
in the restaurant as well as the office Shipping items - Yes you can ship items to
Marios! The postal service delivers mail in about 7-10 days from addresses within
North America. You may use shippers such as Yo-Cargo to have items imported, and
services such as Discount Marine Warehouse will also direct ship to Marios. We will be
happy to pick up and hold shipments for your arrival
Can I get work done on my boat while it is at Marios?
Yes you can, we would be happy to introduce you to local craftsman who work in
wood, fiberglass, canvas, bright work and welding.
Please note, that we do NOT allow unapproved workers in the marina. Please check
with the office before you negotiate for any work to be done. Unapproved workers are
not allowed to solicit work on marina property.
Tasks involving sanding, painting, rigging work, or any task that could affect your
neighbors must be approved by the marina management before you start work.
How long may I keep my boat in the Rio Dulce and Guatemala?
The length of time your allowed to keep your boat in Guatemalan waters is limited by
your boat paperwork. This paperwork is valid for one of two periods, either 3 months
or 12 months. The three month license is the permit you will receive upon your initial
entry to Guatemala. If you decide to leave your boat for any length of time beyond 3
months, you will require the 1 year extension.
May I ship items in advance to the marina?
Yes you can ship items to Marios! The postal service delivers mail in about 7-10 days
from addresses within North America. You may use shippers such as Yo-Cargo to
have items imported, and services such as Discount Marine Warehouse will also direct
ship to Marios. We will be happy to pick up and hold shipments for your arrival.
Download our PDF sheet with more info
How do I ship parts to Marios
Do you need to send mail, package or parts to meet you on your arrival? Here are
some tips. Postal Mail, UPS, DHL FEDEX and direct shippers/importers are all
available and depending on your needs each one fills a different niche. The Postal
shipping address for Marios is:
Marios Marina
ATTN: <Boat Name>, <Your Name>
Apto Postal 18
Morales, Izabal
Guatemala, Central America
Small envelopes or packages. - Your best method to ship small items, that do not
require extensive tracking is to put the item in the care of your countries postal
service. Typically these items are received from the US in our mail box in 7 to 12
days.
High value items - If you have items such as replacement credit cards, banking
documents or other sensitive items. We suggest either arranging to hand carry
the items or to have them shipped via a FEDEX document pouch. The pouch can
be picked up at the FEDEX office in Guatemala City.
Hazardous materials, bulk items such as chain, engine parts -
For shipping items that may require Hazardous Material documentation, we
recommend choosing a a freight forwarder such as
Yo-Cargo (http://www.yocargo.com)
or by ordering directly through Discount Marine Warehouse
(http://www.marinewarehouse.net/about.html).
These shippers will not deliver to a post office box so you will need to use the
following address:
<Your Name>,
<Boat Name>
Mario´s Marina,
Oficina de contabilidad La Fe,
Barrio La Bascula, Aldea Fronteras Rio Dulce.
Private shippers will quote prices to Guatemala City, not the Rio Dulce, the freight
forwarder for these shippers charge an additional fee which are due upon receipt.
Marios Marina will be happy to assist arranging the payment of any delivery fees
or customs fees if your account has a positive balance in it sufficient to pay the
fee.
This information is provided as a courtesy only, Marios Marina and its staff cannot
and will not be held responsible for the service rendered by your choice of
shipper. Assistance in tracking wayward shipments is done only as a courtesy and
if our workload permits.
