Ragga Sailing Adventures, Belize: 3D/2N Sailing Tour Review

Our complete and honest review of the Ragga Sailing Adventures 3D/2N tour, a once-in-a-lifetime unique island hopping, camping and sailing experience in Belize.

This article may contain affiliate / compensated links, that may earn me a small commission, at no extra cost to you. For full information, please see our disclaimer here. While all efforts have been taken to ensure the information included in this post is correct and current, travel information such as opening hours, business operations and prices change frequently. If you find anything in this post that is incorrect or outdated please let me know in the comments so I can update it for other readers.

About Ragga Sailing Adventures

Does the idea of three days sailing on sparkling Caribbean waters, camping on remote cayes and snorkelling on pristine reefs sound good to you? Well, let me tell you about Ragga Sailing Adventures!

Based on the Belizean island of Caye Caulker, Ragga Sailing Adventures is a tour company that offers one of the most unique experiences in Belize.

🤙🏽 Ragga Sailing Adventures was previously known as Raggamuffin Tours. You’ll still hear backpackers referring to them as Raggamuffin. Just know they are one and the same, and Ragga Sailing Adventures is their new brand.

Taking a day tour to go snorkelling in the Belize Barrier Reef is a pretty common (albeit incredible!) thing to do in Belize. You might even take it up a notch and have this experience on a sailboat.

But there is nothing like the experience Ragga Sailing Adventures offers.

Two nights and three days sailing on the Caribbean. Camping on tiny islands (known as cayes), and spending your days snorkelling and spearfishing along the barrier reef.

Let me say straight off – this experience is not luxury. You’ll forego the comforts of dry land in favour of remote, uninhabited tropical paradise.

As lovers of the ocean, the outdoors and unique experiences, this was right up our alley.

We knew the Ragga 3 day sailing trip had to be a key part of our Belize itinerary, and we planned everything around it.

Man, I am so glad we did. This experience was without a doubt a highlight of our time in Belize, but also of our entire Central America trip.

In this post, I’m going to share everything you need to know about the tour. Detailing our experience over the three days and answering some common questions we had about the tour beforehand, including a packing list.

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Our experience on the Ragga Sailing Adventures overnight tour

The day before

Our tour officially began at 4 pm the day prior, with a quick briefing at the Ragga Sailing Adventures office, located on the front beach in main street Caye Caulker.

The lovely and hilarious owner Charlie gave us a briefing, running through what we could expect over the next three days.

We also got the chance to meet our fellow travellers, and we were shocked to find a group of six Australian girls joining us on the boat. I don’t think we met that many Aussies throughout our entire six months in Mexico, so to find a group that large at the very beginning of our Central America travels was a pleasant surprise!

There were 14 of us in total, which was made up of myself and Brayden, two other German couples (not connected, just coincidence), a group of six Aussie girlfriends and a family of four from the States, made up of a young couple, her Mum and his Grandma.

Our group was a great mix and everyone was so friendly. Although we love a drink here and there, and the odd night out, I do not like group tours or experiences that revolve solely around drinking. It’s not why we travel and isn’t the vibe we are chasing.

That was my primary concern for this trip, but it turned out to be a perfect balance of both, and I think a lot was thanks to our diverse and lovely group.

Our crew for the next few days were just as great. Ish, Dane, Dwayne, chef Linton and captain Brett were all legends and did everything they could to show us a great time. We absolutely loved getting to know them and learning more about their lives and country.

Day 1: Departing Caye Caulker

We had to meet at the dock at 8 am on day one, to drop off our big bags that would be stored under the boat for the duration of the tour.

Once they were with the crew, we had an hour spare to grab some breakfast. We highly recommend Ice and Beans, one of the best restaurants in Caye Caulker, right next to the dock, and we had some coffee and bagels.

At 9 am we boarded the boat and got ready to sail away!

We had a beautiful 40-something-foot catamaran. I’m not a boat gal, but it was big and spacious, with plenty of room inside to store our small bags and sit around for meals. But the best part of the boat in my opinion was the large bow, with two boom nets for lounging, and plenty of space to laze out in the sun and hang out.

The plan for the first day was to sail to Rendezvous Caye. This was the longest day of sailing we would have and were expected to arrive around 3-4 pm.

So, we got comfortable! Bikinis on, book out, to the front of the boat. We were blessed with an absolutely beautiful day, with blue skies and sunshine so we happily lazed about on the bow for hours.

As we sailed away from Caye Caulker we passed a number of other small cayes. Some developed, some not. Dane spent some time telling us about the area and pointing out different cayes.

The hours rolled by quickly spent reading, chatting and getting to know the others in the group. We even got to see a pod of dolphins swimming under the boat! As if the experience could get any more special.

After a yummy and filling lunch, we anchored for a snorkelling stop. All snorkel gear is included, and the crew fitted us up with a mask and snorkel and flippers.

Snorkelling is a major element of the trip, but for those interested, fishing is also a big part of it. Those who wanted to purely snorkel jumped in with one of the crew and had a guided swim around the reef. All the crew were so knowledgeable about the fish and marine life, and they shared tons of interesting facts and information.

Those who were interested in learning more about spearfishing over the next couple of days went with Ish. Brayden was keen to try spearfishing, so we swam around with Ish and watched what he was looking for, where to look, and how the speargun works. He made it look so simple, and caught a huge barracuda which we would eat later that evening for dinner!

After a couple more hours of sailing past remote cayes, reggae tunes playing and some fresh ceviche and rum punch, our destination was in sight!

Night 1: Rendezvous Caye

Approaching Rendezvous Caye felt like a mirage. The sun had started to dip for the day, casting the island in a soft, golden glow.

Before us was the smallest island I had ever seen, that was going to be all ours for the night! We could see giant Caribbean Stingrays gliding along the shore, and palm trees lined a white sand beach.

Our first order of business was getting our tents set up for the night. The crew gave us a quick demo and helped us all get our tents pitched, sleeping mats in and beds made for the night.

We had the opportunity to jump back in the water for another snorkel, and it was amazing to swim alongside the huge stingrays that call Rendezvous Caye home.

After a quick rinse on the boat and some dry clothes, we all watched an incredible sunset from the beach with a rum punch in hand. A local fisherman came over with a bucket of fish scraps from the day’s catch, for us to feed the eagerly awaiting stingrays.

While we were relaxing, chef Linton was working hard to prepare our dinner. I am still shocked at how it’s possible to prepare a meal with at least seven different components in a tiny kitchen on a boat… But I can confirm, it is possible, and it was delicious.

A few drinking games later, and a little boogie on the beach under the moonlight, it was time for bed. We both fell asleep instantly (courtesy of the rum punch for Brayden), listening to the sound of the waves, and the palm trees swaying overhead.

Day 2: Heading south

Day two started a little earlier than anticipated, with a small storm blowing in around 5 am. Most of us had slept with the outer fly of our tent undone for the breeze, so there were a number of bleary eyes clambering out in the rain to zip up!

We decided to get up an hour later for a cloudy, but beautiful sunrise. We had a pinch-ourselves moment, being the only ones awake on this tiny caye in the middle of the Caribbean. Pretty special.

Rain and bad weather were forecast for our second day, and the dark skies confirmed it. Once everyone was up and about, it was a quick scramble to get all the tents packed up before the rain arrived. We ate breakfast on the boat, as we set sail for the day.

We had another full day of sailing ahead of us, with Ragga Caye in our sights for night two.

Unfortunately, the weather was quite bad for most of the day. It showered on and off, but it didn’t dampen spirits and the Ragga Sailing Adventures crew did a great job of keeping everyone upbeat! We rotated between laying on the bow of the boat when the sun peeked out, and quick dashes inside when a patch of rain rolled in.

There were three opportunities to snorkel and spearfish. I’ll admit, I didn’t take them all up as it was quite chilly without the sun!

But Brayden was in and out of the water all day. Those who were eager to learn spearfishing had the chance to go out with a gun today. I don’t think anyone was successful (except the crew!), but Brayden had a bit of fun trying it out.

Night 2: Ragga Caye

We arrived at Ragga Caye at around 4:30 pm. Whilst still a very small caye, it was more developed than the previous night’s stay on Rendezvous Caye.

If the weather wasn’t so bad, we would have had the choice to camp again if we wanted to, but Ragga Caye has dorm rooms available, and given the rain, we all opted for those. And pretty special dorms they were, in an overwater bungalow!

Ragga Caye has basic toilets and showers, and we were desperate to rinse off and get warm and dry. Despite being tropical, the temperature really cools down when it rains and I was happy to have packed a jumper!

Dinner was supposed to be a BBQ on the beach, but with the rain, it got shifted into the large communal overwater bungalow. Chef Linton still had the BBQ going on the deck, and we walked past to see a stack of lobster grilling away. DROOL! The whole meal was again, delicious and super filling.

The bar table was set up and in full swing, and the rest of the night started when the Aussie girls took control of the speaker. We spent hours dancing and belting out the classics while it poured rain outside. We even got some of the Ragga Sailing Adventures crew up and about with us.

Day 3: The final day

We didn’t set an early alarm after the previous night’s antics, but luckily I woke up early naturally! I snuck out of the dorm and got to enjoy a fiery sunrise.

We had breakfast in the big bungalow and enjoyed traditional Belizean fry jacks with all the trimmings. After packing our things, we got back on the boat for the final time.

Our first stop for the day was a protected area where manatees are known to hang out. Dane provided some great information about the area, the manatees, and the cayes that have disappeared with rising sea levels. Sadly we didn’t see any manatees, but it was on to our final snorkel stop!

The day had started grey, but the sun poked out just before we jumped in the water, making the already crystal-clear ocean even more sparkly and blue.

We were anchored close to Tobacco Caye, and we thought this was the most impressive area we had snorkelled throughout the trip. The reef was colourful and thriving, and we saw so many colourful fish and stingrays hiding under the sandy floor.

We docked at Tobacco Caye and had some time to wander around the small island. There was a little beach bar open to buy some beers and enjoy the sunshine.

At this point of the trip, Brayden and I actually said our goodbyes a little early. We were staying on Tobacco Caye for a few more nights, so we offloaded all our things from the boat. Even though the tour now includes one night on Tobacco Caye, I’d definitely recommend staying a few more if you’re looking for some ultimate R&R.

The rest of the group headed back to Ragga Caye for one final lunch (a BBQ on the beach we’re told) before speedboats came to pick them up to transport them to Dangriga on the mainland.

We said goodbye to the wonderful new friends we’d made and the amazing crew from Ragga Sailing Adventures, waving them off as they sailed away.

We felt a bit sad to have ended the chapter so soon but were already looking back at all the incredible memories we had just made. We were so ready for a long shower and a hair wash, but we knew this experience was going to go down as a highlight of our Central America adventures.

🤿 With the new route, day 3 looks slightly different now. Heading out from Tobacco Caye in the morning you’ll spend the day at South Water Caye – aka paradise! You’ll do one final snorkel, before enjoying the last rum punches of the trip in a sandy, shallow lagoon with crystal clear waters. Get a final delicious lunch on the boat before heading back to Tobacco Caye, where you’ll get shuttled back to Dangriga on smaller skiff boats.

Everything you need to know about Ragga Sailing Adventures

Sailing and camping on remote islands is a pretty unique experience and differs from the usual hostel/hotel set-up. I imagine you have a few questions about the logistics of the trip with Ragga Sailing Adventures because we did too!

The afternoon before the trip Ragga will run a briefing where you will meet your fellow sailors and some of the crew. They will go through what the next three days are going to look like and answer many of the questions I touch on below.

But for those organised souls who want to know all the details in advance, this is for you….

Where do you sleep?

The first night on Rendezvous Caye is spent in tents. They are quick and easy to set up, which you will do with the help of the crew.

The tents have two doors at the front and back to allow easy access and good airflow. There is a rainfly on top, and if it does happen to rain – you’ll be watertight! We had a small downpour on our first night, but nothing got wet.

Ragga provides sleeping mats and two sheets. Pillows aren’t included as they were frequently blowing away and getting lost in the ocean. BYO your own travel pillow if you usually carry one, or an extra piece of clothing or towel to roll up and sleep on.

On the second night on Ragga Caye, you have the option to camp again with the same set-up. If the weather is as bad as it was for us, there are four-bed dorm rooms available on the island. You will keep a hold of your own sheets for the second night and make up your bed again.

If it wasn’t raining, we would have loved to camp again. We were super comfortable in the tent, it was private and waking up and opening your door to the sun rising on the beach is a pretty special moment!

🛌 With the new route, the second night of the tour is spent on Tobacco Caye, which is a similar sleeping situation. You will be in dorms, or you can pay to upgrade to a private room with a bathroom. Ragga has an area of its own on the island, the ‘Ragga Residence’, with some rooms, the kitchen and dining area and a communal hangout space. However, this is usually not big enough to house all the guests, so the rest are distributed to rooms at two of the other lodges on the island, Windward Lodge and Jo Joe’s By The Reef.

What do you eat?

You will not go hungry on this trip! You will be served three meals a day, plus morning and afternoon snacks by your wonderful chef. Shout out to chef Linton who was the wonderful cocinero for our tour.

If you have any dietary requirements, you will tell the team in advance and they will make sure you are catered for. We eat everything, so our descriptions below are from that perspective – don’t be worried if you’re veggo or vegan, they will organise something good for you.

The two breakfasts we had on days two and three included some kind of egg option, bacon, beans, fry jacks or bread rolls, fruits and of course, coffee. Coffee is on from around 6:30 am, and we ate around 7:30-8 am.

Lunch changed daily, but we ate around 1 pm. On our first day, we had some Belizean-style chicken, with plenty of salads and sides. On the second day, we had a lighter lunch, with ham and salad rolls. Lunch on the final day was a BBQ on the beach at Ragga Caye.

Dinners were a big affair with so many options to choose from! We ate at around 6:30 pm both nights. On our first night, we had a shrimp curry, steamed fish (freshly caught that day), rice, scallop potatoes, veggie pasta, green salad and curried vegetables.

Day two was even better if you can belize it. I think we got lucky as we visited during the height of the lobster season, so we enjoyed delicious BBQ lobster! Along with more freshly caught fish, tons of grilled vegetables, pasta, green salads, rice and scalloped potatoes.

Throughout the day chef Linton was constantly checking in with us on the boat to see if we were hungry or needed anything. We felt totally special, being waited on with pretzels, chips, biscuits and even fresh ceviche being delivered to us while we hung out on the bow.

What do you drink?

Coffee and tea are served from 6:30 am each morning. Fresh water is available all day on the boat and the islands via a large dispenser the crew are always topping up.

It’s a good idea to bring your own water bottle if you have one. Otherwise, everyone gets a cup on day one, which you will label with some tape. The crew will wash it out for you each night, but it’s your responsibility to keep an eye on your cup and transport it to the islands – no cup, no rum punch!

You can ask for juice or sodas at any time throughout the day. In the mid-late afternoon, the rum punch will start to flow for those who want it. The crew mix up huge portions of it in big jugs.

Once you’re on the islands, they set up a bar table with plenty of bottles of straight like dark rum, white rum, vodka and tequila with plenty of sodas and juices to mix with.

On your last night in Tobacco Caye there is a bar on the island at Windward Lodge that shakes up some fancier cocktails if you’re rum punch-ed out!

What amenities are there?

The one thing about the boating and camping life that worries people is the bathroom situation. It is definitely rustic on the Ragga sailing trip, but it’s not that bad and the trip is worth the small sacrifice on comfort.

The boat is equipped with two marine toilets. If everyone used them how they were supposed to it would be fine… But they can be a little complicated and everyone traipsing water in and out all day made them a little uncomfortable, but again – worth it.

There are toilets on Rendezvous Caye that usually flush, if not there are buckets to use but it’s clean and comfortable. Tobacco Caye has proper flushing toilets.

As for showers, there is a small shower on the boat where you can rinse off with cold fresh water at the end of the day. There aren’t showers at present on Rendezvous Caye, so you’ll rinse off on the boat on night one. This is enough to have you feeling fresh after a day of swimming and snorkelling.

Now that you spend the second night on Tobacco Caye, you’ll have access to proper toilets and showers. The island is slightly more developed, so the bathroom situation is much more comfortable.

Is there power?

For those wondering about being able to charge phones etc., there is limited power but plan not to need it if possible. On night one, we didn’t even need to charge anything as we came with our camera, GoPro and phone batteries fully charged, and a power bank too.

There are some USB sockets on the boat, and if you’re lucky you can plug your phone in on day two if required. On night two at Tobacco Caye, there is power.

But of course, being as remote as these cayes are, power is in short supply so only use what you need and come prepared. Try and charge everything beforehand and bring a power bank if you have one. You also don’t want or need to be on your phone all day, so if you have a decent battery it should last most of the trip.

What is included?

For budget travellers, we know this is a big expense. But from the second you step foot on the boat, EVERYTHING is included!

The tour, accommodation, snorkel gear, fishing equipment, all food, unlimited alcohol, park fees – everything! You won’t need to spend a cent.

The only time we could have possibly spent some money if we wanted to was on the final day when we visited Tobacco Caye. There is a small bar that sells beers and cocktails if you want to hang around there.

But don’t forget to have some cash handy to tip the crew at the end of the experience if you had a good time. They work hard to provide a good trip for everyone over the three days.

Where do your bags go?

This was the main question we had before the trip. You are starting and finishing in a different place, and unless you make your own plans to do so, you won’t be returning to Caye Caulker after the trip. This means you need to bring all your things with you.

You will be reminded of this in the briefing the day before, but basically, you need to pack a smaller, overnight bag for the few days you’ll be on the boat, and your big bags will be stashed away.

Take some time the night before to think about what you need to have handy (more on that below), and what you are happy to not have access to for three days.

The bags are stashed under the boat and will be in a water-tight area, but of course, being on a boat there is always the chance things can be dripped on or splashed. So pack away any important electronics and wrap them up in plastic or waterproof bags. We put the waterproof covers on our big backpacks when they went under too for extra protection.

Ragga will advise you of the latest details for your trip, but for us, we had to meet at the dock at 8 am on the first day to drop off our big bags. The crew then spent time packing the boat. We went off and got our own breakfast, and we returned at 9 am to set off.

Your overnight bag is your responsibility to carry on and off the boat and onto the islands. There are shelves on the boat to store everything, and whilst the area is dry, wet people are coming in and out and dripping on things throughout the day. Try and put anything precious in a waterproof bag to avoid any damage.

Just remember your overnight bag needs to fit inside a pretty small tent with you and your travel companion, so don’t go over the top. We had a tote bag and a 30-litre dry bag for our things.

What to bring?

Ragga Sailing Adventures will remind you of what you need at the briefing the day prior, but this was our packing list.

• 👙 Swimmers – multiple pairs, things don’t usually dry overnight in the tropics
• 🏊🏼‍♀️ Rash vest – if you have one, can help with sunburn
• ☀️ Beach shirt/sarong – for the sun and the breeze on the boat
• 🤿 Snorkel gear – if you travel with your own mask or fins, bring these
• 🧖🏽‍♀️ Towels – as many as you have. If you travel with a beach and a bath towel, bring both so you can use one throughout the day, and one in the evening when you’ve rinsed off. If you don’t have a second towel, try and save a sarong or t-shirt or something to dry off with in the evening, otherwise, you’re going to stay salty the whole time
• 🧴 Sunscreen – reef friendly please!
• 🦟 Bug spray – sandflies can be brutal in Belize
• 💊 Motion sickness tablets – if you suffer from sea sickness, although the trip is not bumpy on such a big boat
• 🕶️ Sunglasses – an essential
• 🧢 Hat – the Caribbean sun might not be as strong as the Australian sun but it can still get you
• 🩳 Clothes – don’t overpack, you will be in swimmers most of the time on the boat, just bring something comfortable to wear in the evenings and an extra set as everything seems to get salty and damp
• 🧥 A warm jacket – or a raincoat, it can get chilly in the evenings, especially if there is any rain
• 💤 Pyjamas – you’ll be sharing a dorm remember!
• 🪥 Toiletries – toothbrush and paste, deodorant, hairbrush etc.
• 💆🏼‍♀️ Detangling spray – for the girls, your hair is going to be seriously salty 24/7, detangling spray saved my hair a loooot of damage
• 💧 Water bottle – easier to carry around the boat than a cup
• 📖 Book – plenty of us spent our sailing time reading in the sun
• 🃏 Pack of cards – to play games in the evening
• 📷 Camera – if you use one, with fully charged batteries and a waterproof bag
• 🎥 GoPro – if you have one, to capture the underwater memories
• 🛍️ Plastic bags – lots of them to separate and contain wet stuff

Ragga Sailing Adventures: Worth it?

The Ragga Sailing Adventures 3 day sailing trip was incredible.

It was exactly the type of unique experience we were looking for in Belize, seeing remote areas of the reef that are untouched by other visitors.

If you’re thinking about doing the tour and have any questions or hesitations, please ask away below! I know for budget travellers it is a big expense and probably means you need to sacrifice something else in your Belize budget, but for us, it was 10000% worth it!

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