Turneffe Island Lodge has been recognized for more than thirty years as one of the top flats fishing destinations in the Caribbean. The original Turneffe Island Lodge was built by Mennonite craftsman in the 1960s and recently remodeled in a casual Caribbean motif to enhance the original "old Caribbean" design. The lodge now features modern amenities including a state of the art reverse osmosis system for fresh water. The lodge is situated on Little Caye Bokel, a 12 acre privately owned island located 30 miles from the coast of Belize on the south end of the Turneffe atoll. The atoll is part of the 200-mile long Belizean coral reef, a portion of the largest barrier reef system in the western hemisphere. The turneffe atoll which is 30 miles long and 10 miles wide includes more than 100 square miles of fishing grounds and one of the most fertile marine ecosystems in the world. Most of the Turneffe cayes are covered with thick forests of red and black mangroves. Turneffe Island Lodge is strategically located in the middle of the most productive area which provides quick and easy access to the coral reef and flats. The lodge's tastefully appointed guest rooms are air-conditioned and have a wonderful view of untouched white beaches, the coral reef, and Caribbean sea. Upon your "early" arrival in Belize City you will be directly transferred to the lodge on one of the lodge's large offshore boats. The trip takes about one hour and forty five minutes and is a pleasant way to get you in the right frame of mind for the week you will spend on the Turneffe atoll. If you arrive late, you will over-night in Belize City, then proceed. The lodge's experienced staff are gracious, courteous, and efficient. The lodge serves three meals a day, each reflecting the unique character of the Western Caribbean. Fresh seafood is served ranging from lobster, conch and stone crab to snapper and other native fish. Coconuts are harvested each morning and used in baking fresh breads and desserts. Vegetables and fresh fruits such as papaya, mango, and bananas are from the farmers’ markets on the Belizean mainland. The food is so wonderful, they even publish their own cookbook "Taste of Turneffe" which is available at the lodge. You will have the option of having your mid day meal at the lodge or bring a cooler lunch with you. Fish and sea life are abundant in the seemingly endless creeks and lagoons. When conditions are right, the angler can cast to bonefish, permit, barracuda, tarpon, jacks, cubera snapper, mutton snapper, snook, sharks, and several different reef species in a single week of fishing. There are many species to look for on the flats, coral reef, and offshore. The area is perfect for bonefish and it is common to see vast schools of the fish tailing on the hard coral flats inside the reef and inside the vast mangrove studded flats that comprise the interior of the atoll. The labyrinth of creeks and deep channels that penetrate the island are literally littered with tarpon holes. The size of the tarpon vary from small to monsters more than 100 pounds in the summer months. Permit are plentiful here and it is one of the few areas in the world where you get a chance to catch a grand slam ( bonefish, tarpon, and permit in one day). The Director of Fishing Operations for Turneffe is Vaughn Cochran and his wife Jean who bring years of professional lodge management to Turneffe Island. Vaughn's professional career includes years of guiding in the Florida Keys and Mexico. Vaughn is nationally recognized as a marine artist. The productive interior flats, creeks, channels and lagoons are dotted by literally hundreds of mangrove that islands throughout the shallow interior of the Turneffe Atoll. No long boat rides to fish rolling tarpon every morning and the bonefish flats are minutes away. To preserve this special fishery, the lodge has limited the number of anglers each week and rotate fishing certain flats to insure the fish stay hungry and happy All the fishing equipment at the Turneffe Island lodge is first class. The lodge tackle shop has a limited supply of flies, leaders, tippet and other supplies. It is best to bring everything that you will need and use the tackle shop for backup. The Lodge has a fly tying bench in the the tackle shop with some materials and basic tools for you to use anytime There are six dolphin skiffs which can accommodate up to 12 anglers. The rates for 2008 are, Dec. 22, 2007 -May 31, 2008  is $4,700.00 and June 1, 2008 -Dec. 22, 2008 is $4,300.00, per person for a seven-night six-day package with double occupancy (Saturday to Saturday). This will include transfers to the lodge, air conditioned room , meals, guided fishing is INCLUDED in the package cost . Not included are airfare to Belize, alcoholic beverages, fishing tackle, departure taxes, Gift Shop purchases, and items of personal nature. Click here for 2008 rates. The new ownership at Turneffe Island Lodge has made the commitment to pursue an offshore fishing program that includes offshore fly fishing. The structure is there, the fish are there and now they have the boat, a 48 foot sport-fishing yacht, rigged to the max. The lodge plans to be a force in the offshore flyfishing world within the year. The first week of March, 2002 produced wahoo, white marlin and sailfish. At this point the lodge is training their crew, identifying productive areas, and trying to cover as much water as possible. It looks very promising. Call for rate! Shorter stays are available for guest leaving or arriving on Wednesday. Trips arriving on Saturdays and departing on Wednesday are as follows: Dec. 22, 2007- May 31, 2008 is $3,200.00; June 1, 2008- Dec. 22, 2008 $2,900.00. Trips arriving on Wednesdays and departing on Saturdays are as follows: Dec. 22, 2007- May 31, 2008 is $2,500.00; June 1, 2008- Dec. 22, 2008 $2,200.00.  Belize is easily accessible by direct scheduled airline service. Pictured above: Three brand new deluxe cabanas. There are six private cabanas on the island. There is an extra cost of $900.00 per week to upgrade to a Cabana (if available). Leisure Time Travel - Your best and most knowledgeable choice for fishing the Caribbean About Us | Travel | Home | Contact Leisure Time Travel Inc. 531 N. Citrus Ave. Crystal River, Florida 34428 352-795-FISH (3474) 1-800-771-2202 E-Mail: Turneffe Island Lodge © 1996-2008 Leisure Time Travel, Inc. - Photos courtesy of Turneffe Island Lodge and Edward R. Johnston. Revised February 2008 - html by Edward Russell Johnston