FAQ

1. Where is Guatemala?
2. What travel documents do I need when visiting Guatemala?
3. Which airlines service Guatemala City?
4. How do we get to and from the lodge?
5. What is the address and contact info for the US office?
6. How safe is it in Guatemala?
7. Is the water safe to drink?
8. What types of tours or day trips from the lodge are available in Guatemala?
9. Do you provide laundry service?
10. What is your cancellation and payment policy?
11. Are all my food and drinks included in the package price?
12. What forms of payment does Blue Bayou Sport fishing Lodge accept?
13. Do you provide ground transportation from the airport to the lodge?
14. How should we plan on tipping the crew and staff in Guatemala?

1. Where is Guatemala and our lodges?
Guatemala is located in Central America. It borders Mexico to the north, and North Western territories, as well as Belize to the North Eastern area. Along the southern borders we have El Salvador to the South West, and Honduras to the South East. Guatemala has access to both the pacific which is the majority of its coast line and the Atlantic side.  Both locations offer completely different fishing and terrain as well as four star functional lodges. Back to top

2. What travel documents do I need when visiting Guatemala?
Just a passport if you’re a United States and Canadian citizen. Latin Americans will need an additional visa in most cases. For European travel most likely you will not need anything to come here. Most Asian and African countries do need a visa to travel to Latin America.  Please make sure your passport is valid before traveling.  If your documents are not in order and you are forced to miss your trip, there will be NO refund.

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3. Which airlines service Guatemala City?
American, Continental, Delta, Taca, Mexicana, Spirit  (limited days), United, and US Air.   Sometimes certain airlines cut back on certain flights during the cold  months (prime months here).  So please  research the time frames well. Back to top

4. How do we get to and from the lodge?
The Blue Bayou Sport Fishing team will pick you up in one of our private buses. They will take you to the first destination. Whether that is Antigua, or the pacific coast for immediate fishing preparation for the next day. Antigua is 1 hour from the city and the coast is 2 hours from the City. Back to top

5. What is the address and contact info for the US office?
Capt Chris Starrs
PO BOX 221
Linden, MI, 48451 Back to top

6. How safe is it in Guatemala?
Being from a small town between Flint Michigan and Detroit Michigan I can tell you this. If you want trouble you can find it just 30 minutes each way. I apply that theory to Guatemala City. There are areas of Guatemala City that are incredible, but there are areas that are not so incredible. The same goes for Detroit, Michigan. Fortunately the pacific coast doesn’t have a city like atmosphere. Accompany that with the laid back local attitude, warm weather, happy employed fishermen sleeping in a hammock, and you got a peaceful crowd. Antigua Guatemala another traveler must see destination has more European/American residents living and visiting the region all year round, so violence is far from the vibe in this area as well. You can be assured that the areas and regions we take you are 100% safe, and we have never had an issue of all the years of operation. Back to top

7. Is the water safe to drink?
This is a great way to lose weight. Just kidding! The water is much safer than the Mexican water they have in the Yucatan. Mainly because that water is from a more swamp based water table. However, we have bottle and filtered water offered all the time while you are here. You can rest assure that the ice cubs in your cocktail are filtered water, and same idea applies for the food we cook for you. Back to top

8. What types of tours or day trips from the lodge are available in Guatemala?
Please check the "Tours, Wining & Dining" menu item at the top of this page. You will have many options to choose from. Back to top

9. Do you provide laundry service?
For those blood stained shirts we got from that school of Dorado we got into the day before, we have the answer. As well as anything else that needs to be cleaned. Ask us what you want done, as well as ironed, and it will be ready by the afternoon. Back to top

10. What is your cancellation and payment policy?

• Once the reservation is received and confirmed you have 2 weeks to send the 50% down payment to hold the dates. From there you need to have the remaining portion sent within 20 days of the actual fishing trip. We will send you the dates and deadlines.
• If your group cancels a trip in the prime months of sailfish season (Oct to May), and we are not able to replace your dates with another group, you are subject to losing a 50% down payment of the fishing portion of your package, not the lodging portion. If we can substitute your group we will then only apply a $100 cancelation fee. The Lodging and transportation portion of your package can be canceled with 20 days of the trip. Less than 20 days is subject to a 15% surcharge cancelation fee.
• No shows result in a total loss of your payment without any refund.
• If travel documents are outdated and cause you to miss you fishing trip you are subject to a total loss or cost of boat preperation.  Cases vary.
  
• Cancelation within 19 days is subject to a 50% loss of the total package.
• Cancelation with 1 week (7 days) in advance, you are subject to 75% loss of payment.
• If there is ever a cancelation at the last minute, please do contact us and we will work it out. Back to top

11. Are all my food and drinks included in the package price?

Yes, while all the packages offer different options, your meals and drinks are included.  Consult your captain or planner for more information. Back to top

12. What forms of payment does Blue Bayou Sport fishing Lodge accept?
We accept most major Credit Cards/Debit Bank Cards.  Examples of these are Visa, American Express, Master Card, and Discover.  We do apply a 3.5% surcharge to process your cards.
Other forms of Payment are Cash deposit, or check deposit in our Michigan based bank.  There is no fee for this method of payment.  The address for this option is:
Chris Starrs
PO BOX 221
Linden, MI, 48451 Back to top

13. Do you provide ground transportation from the airport to the lodge?
Yes a passenger van that can hold up to 15 comfortably.  We also have ice cold AC for the hot descent to the coast where we increase in temperature by 15°F to 20°F!  Also cold beer is provided for this portion of your trip. Back to top

14. How should we plan on tipping the crew and staff in Guatemala?
For the fishing portion we will not accept tips until the end of the trip.  Assuming you do several days in a row/  From there the Captain will receive the payment or you can approach the mates and offer your low end of 200qs or equal to $30 USD per day.  The Captain works separately, and he will accept a 15% to 25% percentage based on a productive day of fishing. This is just the fishing per day price you should figure.  Catching a sail fish is not promised but we will try our hardest in doing so and we have yet to fail.   Assuming we provide the service expected and everyone is happy, mates at the least deserve a proper tip.  If you think we exceeded the 15% tip range as we usually do, of course we can take additional tips. Back to top