If you've been to Belize, please come in!

[love1999]

DH and I are thinking of doing Belize for our vacation this year. I would love some hotel recs and recs for any excursion companies you used or transportation companies you used. We are thinking we will spend most or all of our time on Ambergris Caye but haven't decided yet. Is there anything on mainland Belize that is a can't miss? We are mainly heading to Belize for the snorkeling. We'll probably be there for about a week. We like very nice accommodations but of course try to be MM as well. Anything else I need to know or consider? Thanks!

[MrsE]

Cave tubing!

That's all we did. We stopped there during a cruise and went cave tubing. It was awesome. Have fun

[sunshinedaydreams]

We did 8 days in Belize last year and it was amazing! I guess where you go depends on your interests and travel style. Personally, Ambergris was our least favorite spot of the trip. It was quite busy and touristy and a lot of American retirees around. We like to experience more of the local culture of places and didn't really feel like Ambergris had much of that.

We spent 3 days at Moonracer Farm in the Cayo district and I would absolutely recommend it. However, it's basic. There's no electricity, and the cabins are basic, but the service was impeccable, the food was delicious and the location was great. It's right in the middle of the jungle and there are all sorts of flora, fauna and wildlife. We did excursions to Caracol ruins and the ATM cave. IMO, if you stay on the mainland for any one thing, the ATM cave is it. It was SO fun.

Then we did 5 nights between Ambergris and Caye Caulker. The islands are very different from one another. Ambergris has paved roads and golf carts everywhere (you can rent them). Caye Caulker is a lot quieter and natural - sand roads and only local golf carts. You can't swim off the beaches in Ambergris, so if you want to snorkel you have to take tours and they can get pricey.

In Ambergris we stayed at Xanadu and it was nice. It's outside of the downtown area, so not a lot going on there, and no restaurant on site. But they have fully stocked kitchens so you can cook in. The room was nice and the service was good. They have golf cart rentals onsite, so getting around was easy.

In Caye Caulker we stayed at Seaside Cabanas. It was nice, but not super luxury. We stayed in one of the villas with our own hot tub and hammock on the roof. That part was nice - our own little ocean front real estate. Service here was good and there was a small restaurant/bar onsite.

[barney96]

We cave tubed with this company (http://cavetubing.bz/cavetubing) and they were great! Many other companies offer cave tubing, but this company tubes the longest and if I recall, they were the cheapest. Bring good water shoes with rubber soles- the walk is very rocky, but nothing challenging. You'll get wet so only bring a waterproof camera- plus it's really dark in the caves (duh) so pictures don't really turn out... We didn't bring our camera- just paid for a locker and had absolutely no issues. I wouldn't recommend zip lining with this tour since it takes away from the cave experience, though no one in our group went. You do need cash, but I've heard (and saw) how the rum punch lunch was good. We had a great time on the island. We were only there with a cruise ship, but would definitely go back.

[sarahsas]

Apr 10, 2014 18:53:11 GMT -5 sunshinedaydreams said:

In Ambergris we stayed at Xanadu and it was nice. It's outside of the downtown area, so not a lot going on there, and no restaurant on site. But they have fully stocked kitchens so you can cook in. The room was nice and the service was good. They have golf cart rentals onsite, so getting around was easy.

We also stayed at Xanadu. It was fabulous. Quiet, but you could walk to town (we did several times). Beautiful dock. Nice rooms. AMAZING and accommodating staff. We had breakfast and lunch most days in the condo (or a few times on excursions). Went out for dinner.

As for activities, Lil Alphonse gave us a great tour! We went snorkeling with them.

We went with SEArious too and it was good but the guides were really pushy about tips. Turned me off.

We did a sunset sail with another captain who I don't remember but it was great.

Everything Xanadu set up and recommended was fabulous.

I highly recommend it! Very quiet though - not nightlife or anything.

[Saudade]

I went over 10 years ago with a group of my dad's students for a spring break trip. The first half was spent on the mainland at a zoo. It was *really* cool. We did a night tour, stayed on the grounds, helped out.

Then we went to Ambergris Caye for the rest of it and stayed at a cute little hotel. It was so cheap. A room with no bathroom was $9 a day (there were community bathrooms to use if you wanted). A room with a private bath was $15. Since everyone was a poor college student this was ideal. More money for excursions.

At that time Ambergris Caye was a lot quieter than Caye Caulker. We did a day trip that included some time at CC and it was much more touristy, but obviously things can change.

[yentl]

We loved the Mayan ruins of Tikal. You'll have to go to Guatemala to see it but it's not too far from Belize and it's worth it. You get a taste of a much different culture than Belize. Plus it's in the middle of a jungle, so you get to see some fun wildlife.

The snorkeling in Belize is nuts. We saw a whale shark. And a real shark but I try not to think about that. We used Splash but we were in Placencia so if you are staying on one of the Cayes that won't be helpful.

Some places in Belize don't have air conditioning. It might be something to consider for your accommodations depending on how sensitive you are to heat. We stayed in a bungalow on the beach and the breeze was helpful but I got heat rash. It was not a big deal to me but if it is to you I'd keep it in mind while you're looking for places.

Have fun!

[magdala]

Apr 10, 2014 18:43:53 GMT -5 MrsE said:

Cave tubing!

That's all we did. We stopped there during a cruise and went cave tubing. It was awesome. Have fun

We did a cave tubing adventure also as part of a cruise.   DH had to talk me into it but it was a great time.   

[callie]

We stayed in San Pedro on Ambergris a few years ago and it was awesome. We did two snorkeling tours. One group tour with Lil Alphonse which was fun but a little crowded. And a private tour with Olivier of Cari'Bean Tours. The private tour was the highlight of our trip. It included snorkeling, fishing, and a beach BBQ on a small little island where they cook what was caught while fishes. They also went diving for lobster and cooked that as well. I'm salivating just thinking about that whole meal! The tour also includes a stop on Caye Caulker but we didn't go because my DH was still healing from a bad sunburn two days before.

We did a sunset sail with Unity Tours I believe. It was a nice way to end a day. Sailed around on a catamaran and had all the rum punch one could ever ask for.

The rest of the time was spent tooling around town and relaxing at our hotel. It had a great pool and restaurant on site. It was really great trip. We hope to go back again next year.

[SJ]

We stayed at Pook's Hill to have access to the ATM cave. The cave was incredible and a highlight of our trip.

Then we took a bus (would not really recommend this mode of transport) to Placencia for beach time. We rented a little cottage. We weren't very impressed with Placencia, but I know there are some really nice hotels/resorts near there which probably would have improved the environment.

On the same trip we spent time in Antigua, Guatemala (which I highly recommend- we loved our stay at Panza Verde) and at La Lancha to visit Tikal.

[preppy]

We went on our honeymoon to Belize. We did 3 nights up in the Cayo District in the jungle and stayed at the Chaa Creek. It was unbeliveable. We were in a tree house suite and it was rediculous. Unlike anything else I have ever seen. We did a cave tubing and zip lining excursion that was fantastic. The cave tubing was particularly cool. We also went to the inland blue hole. You do a small hike and it's a beautiful waterfall and bright blue water.

Then we did 8 nights on ambergris. We stayed at the Victoria House, it was again amazing. The room was perfection and the staff was great. We did a few excursions off ambergris. We did the snorkeling and the trip to shark/ray alley. The snorkeling was at hol chan (spelling?) and we saw SO MUCH. Sea tutles and spotted eagle rays and everything in between. At shark ray alley we swam with sharks and sting rays. It was very cool. We also did a private excursion one day where in the morning we went fishing then we did a private beach lunch where they grilled out fish and made ceviche with our catch then in the afternoon we went snorkeling again. We also rented a sailboat one day and sailed to Caye caulker. I think you can do sailing trips with a captain as well if you aren't a sailor.

The only thing we didn't get to do was scuba but I had been getting over pneumonia so it was a no go.

If you want restaurant recs let me know, we went to some amazing places!

[chikastuff]

I went there in 2009 on my honeymoon with XH. We did 8 days and spent 4 in the Cayo district at Chaa Creek and then 4 on Ambergris Caye at the Victoria House Inn. It was beautiful. We did a canopy tour/zip line thing and went cave tubing and went to Caracol as well.

[chikastuff]

Apr 11, 2014 8:39:11 GMT -5 preppy said:

We went on our honeymoon to Belize. We did 3 nights up in the Cayo District in the jungle and stayed at the Chaa Creek. It was unbeliveable. We were in a tree house suite and it was rediculous. Unlike anything else I have ever seen. We did a cave tubing and zip lining excursion that was fantastic. The cave tubing was particularly cool. We also went to the inland blue hole. You do a small hike and it's a beautiful waterfall and bright blue water.

Then we did 8 nights on ambergris. We stayed at the Victoria House, it was again amazing. The room was perfection and the staff was great. We did a few excursions off ambergris. We did the snorkeling and the trip to shark/ray alley. The snorkeling was at hol chan (spelling?) and we saw SO MUCH. Sea tutles and spotted eagle rays and everything in between. At shark ray alley we swam with sharks and sting rays. It was very cool. We also did a private excursion one day where in the morning we went fishing then we did a private beach lunch where they grilled out fish and made ceviche with our catch then in the afternoon we went snorkeling again. We also rented a sailboat one day and sailed to Caye caulker. I think you can do sailing trips with a captain as well if you aren't a sailor.

The only thing we didn't get to do was scuba but I had been getting over pneumonia so it was a no go.

If you want restaurant recs let me know, we went to some amazing places!

This was almost our exact trip!

[love1999]

Apr 11, 2014 8:39:11 GMT -5 preppy said:

We went on our honeymoon to Belize. We did 3 nights up in the Cayo District in the jungle and stayed at the Chaa Creek. It was unbeliveable. We were in a tree house suite and it was rediculous. Unlike anything else I have ever seen. We did a cave tubing and zip lining excursion that was fantastic. The cave tubing was particularly cool. We also went to the inland blue hole. You do a small hike and it's a beautiful waterfall and bright blue water.

Then we did 8 nights on ambergris. We stayed at the Victoria House, it was again amazing. The room was perfection and the staff was great. We did a few excursions off ambergris. We did the snorkeling and the trip to shark/ray alley. The snorkeling was at hol chan (spelling?) and we saw SO MUCH. Sea tutles and spotted eagle rays and everything in between. At shark ray alley we swam with sharks and sting rays. It was very cool. We also did a private excursion one day where in the morning we went fishing then we did a private beach lunch where they grilled out fish and made ceviche with our catch then in the afternoon we went snorkeling again. We also rented a sailboat one day and sailed to Caye caulker. I think you can do sailing trips with a captain as well if you aren't a sailor.

The only thing we didn't get to do was scuba but I had been getting over pneumonia so it was a no go.

If you want restaurant recs let me know, we went to some amazing places!

I would love restaurant recs! We always plan a lot of our meals before we go on a trip to be sure to hit the best restaurants.

[preppy]

love1999

Our favorite spot was Hidden Treasure, it was away from town and in a sort of tent like building. Everything was insanely good.

Wild Mangos, on the beach in town. We got wahoo and the steaks were literally 2 inches thick. Really fresh fish.

Robins Kitchen. Fantastic Jamaican food but it does look a little scary from outside. Don't be afraid, it's delish!!

The restaurant at our hotel, Victoria House, also had amazing breakfast lunch and dinner as well. I can't remember what the name was.

All these places were on Ambergris. When we went to Caye Caulker we went to some amazing coffee place. There was only one so when you see it go, lol.

Up in the Cayo District we only ate at Chaa creek. Food was redic.

[preppy]

Apr 11, 2014 8:54:32 GMT -5 chikastuff said:

I went there in 2009 on my honeymoon with XH. We did 8 days and spent 4 in the Cayo district at Chaa Creek and then 4 on Ambergris Caye at the Victoria House Inn. It was beautiful. We did a canopy tour/zip line thing and went cave tubing and went to Caracol as well.

The Chaa creek was amazing wasn't it? Did you stay in one of the tree top suites?! Ugh. I want to go back. Minus the howler monkeys, those freaked me out. Lol.

[sarahsas]

If I went back, I'd definitely want to budget a trip to Tikal.

[carfar]

Apr 11, 2014 8:54:32 GMT -5 chikastuff said:

I went there in 2009 on my honeymoon with XH. We did 8 days and spent 4 in the Cayo district at Chaa Creek and then 4 on Ambergris Caye at the Victoria House Inn. It was beautiful. We did a canopy tour/zip line thing and went cave tubing and went to Caracol as well.

We went for our honeymoon. We spent the whole time on Ambergris Caye at Victoria House!  We did a few day trips to the main land (To Ruins, zip lining etc and to a jungle resort day spa type place) We snorkeled, took a boat tour, walked through San Pedro, the rest of the time. It was awesome. 

[2boys2danes]

My inlaws took our boys scuba diving for a week last summer at a resort called Hamanasi….they said it was beautiful!

[kershnic]

In land Ian Anderson's Caves Branch. I did cave tubing and Tikal as excursions from there.

[mollybrown]

We honeymooned in Belize, and had the most AMAZING stay at Hidden Valley Inn. An absolutely beautiful property. I love waterfalls, and there are several stunning falls that are just a hike away. Food, service, and accommodations were wonderful. I highly recommend taking some time to visit the jungle. We learned so much, and saw some really amazing sights and animals.

We spent the second half of our stay in Ambergris Caye at Victoria House. After being in love with Hidden Valley Inn, I was really underwhelmed by both Victoria House and Ambergris Caye. Back when we went, Victoria House was substantially more expensive than Hidden Valley Inn, so our expectations were probably higher.

My absolute favorite activity was a day trip to Tikal. One of the main reasons we chose to visit Belize was to go to Tikal, and it did not disappoint. We also snorkeled, zip lined, and my husband dived the Blue Hole. In hindsight, we would have skipped zip lining. Not worth the cost.

One random thing to know is that at least as of 8 years ago, there was an mandatory exit tax on foreigners leaving Belize. For some reason they could not explain, this fee could not be paid in Belizian dollars. We had saved enough cash for the fee not knowing that it had to be in American dollars, so we were then required to waste time and money converting our remaining Belizian dollars back to American dollars. I'd check to see if they still have this assinine policy, and make sure to have adequate currency to pay it.

[chikastuff]

Apr 11, 2014 19:32:40 GMT -5 preppy said:

Apr 11, 2014 8:54:32 GMT -5 chikastuff said:

I went there in 2009 on my honeymoon with XH. We did 8 days and spent 4 in the Cayo district at Chaa Creek and then 4 on Ambergris Caye at the Victoria House Inn. It was beautiful. We did a canopy tour/zip line thing and went cave tubing and went to Caracol as well.

The Chaa creek was amazing wasn't it? Did you stay in one of the tree top suites?! Ugh. I want to go back. Minus the howler monkeys, those freaked me out. Lol.

No, I think we were in one of the garden cottages. We were in a beachfront casita at VH.

[chikastuff]

Ambergris caye has a typical Caribbean vibe IMO. Culturally it's different from inland. It's not a bad thing, just be aware that you'll have a more commercial experience there.

[miniroller]

Um, I've never really considered Belize as a vacay destination, but after reading this thread, it's DEF going on the list! Thx OP, a follow up would be sincerely appreciated. Have a wonderful trip!!

[WinterWine]

DH and I went 4 years ago with my parents a my grown siblings, it was really fun. We split our trip with part being inland in the jungle, and part on the water.

We stayed at Ian Anderson's caves branch the first time- it's kind of a family "adventure" resort. There were 8 of us so we had private tours for everything. We did a cave tube trip which was fun, and trips to see ruins. I wish we would have gone to Tikal but the other ruins were neat. My absolute favorite thing we did was the ATM cave tour. You essentially swim/walk through a river in a cave, up to where the Mayans did sacrifices. You can walk right into it, and stand between broken pottery and see the remains of ppl that were sacrificed in their ceremonies. It's an amazing cultural experience, and in my opinion I would recommend Belize for that one thing alone. It will likely become much more tightly regulated in the coming years, so I would go now if you are interested. We also hired one of the guides to just take us around the local community one evening. We went o a local soccer match, ate in a small town, that's a bit more my style. Caves Branch wasn't my style as much, but if you like everything organized and planned for you, it might be a good fit.

The next 5 days we spent at a dive resort, Isla Marisol. It's on a tiny island 36 miles off the coast, and the resort transports you by boat. You're on the island the whole time, diving all day long. It's incredible if you are a diver, but wold be horribly boring if you aren't. Have fun planning!! Sorry this got so long...

[pooh8402]

I've only been in Belize as a port of call during a cruise, but we did cave tubing and it was so much fun!

[love1999]

Anyone who has been recently know if they still charge the exit tax that mollybrown mentioned?

Thanks for all of the advice so far. Lots for us to think about and decide on!

[sunshinedaydreams]

When we went last year, I'm pretty sure the exit tax was included in the price of our plane ticket. I don't remember paying anything extra on the way out.

[Deleted]

Apr 11, 2014 20:26:12 GMT -5 2boys2danes said:

My inlaws took our boys scuba diving for a week last summer at a resort called Hamanasi….they said it was beautiful!

I love this resort. The service was amazing 

[love1999]

I appreciate all of the recs! Thanks ladies!