Cayo Espanto

Cayo Espanto is an island off the coast of Belize in the Caribbean Sea.^[1] It is one of the approximately 450 islands of the Belize Barrier Reef. Administratively it is part of the Belize District. It is private property.^[2]

Cayo Espanto

Cayo Espanto
Etymology	"Cursed Island" (Spanish)
Geography
Location	Belize
Coordinates	17°56′50″N 88°7′21″W
Archipelago	Pinkerton Islands
Adjacent to	Caribbean Sea
Area	1.2 ha (3.0 acres)
Length	360 m (1180 ft)
Width	520 m (1710 ft)
Administration
Belize
District	Belize District
Demographics
Population	0
Languages	English

Cayo Espanto

Until 1997 the island had no name and formed the archipelago of Pinkerton Islands together with two adjacent, tiny islands. In 1997 the island was bought by US-American estate agent Jeff Gram.^[3] In December 1998 Gram opened up a resort with seven villas for paying guests. The resort features a helipad, a spa, a gym, and a PADI diving base. Various celebrities have been visiting the island in the past, among them Leonardo DiCaprio, who bought nearby Blackadore Caye together with Jeff Gram in order to put up another resort there.^[4] In 2022 it was listed among the "20 Best Adults-Only All-Inclusive Resorts in the World" by Reader's Digest magazine.^[5]