Button Text Button Text Button Text Information ©Copyright 2010 Rio Guate S.A.  All Rights Reserved For more information Contact Us Downloadable Info Sheets! • Rates for docks & svcs • Payment Methods • Day Use anchoring out. • Insuring your boat  • Reseting your Visa • Shipping to Marios • Port Fees and Procedures Radio Nets -   Rio Dulce Cruisers Net is Monday through Saturady at 7:30am on VHF Channel 68. The net is operated by a volunteers and topics on the daily broadcast include weather fore- casts, news and info for the local area, buy-sell-or-trade for items both large and small from other cruisers and local businesses, and events and daily specials for the local resturants. Boat Yards - Abels - This family owned and operated yard has been a long time favorite of cruisers as well as the Gautemalan Navy for haulouts.  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.  Local Information -  Maya Paradise - Looking for a source for tide tables for the entrance to the Rio Dulce river? The Maya Paradise maintains a coollection of tables that extend well in to the future This site is routinely updated and searchable for a broad range of informtion on the Rio Dulce and Guatemala.  Rio Dulce Chisme - Local news and day to day happpenings on the Rio are covered here  in this online magazine.   The message board and archive of past articles are searchable by key-word. Internet Access - The current method preferred by most technically savy guests is to use the new 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 on the  Chisme website. The Maya Paradise websites also has a good discussion and is our source for the tide tables when crossing the bar.   Banking, Currencies 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.  Marios accepts 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 excange rate vaires 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.  Download our PDF sheet with more info! .