Belize

[Deleted]

We are taking our three kids (ages 10, 13, and 16) to Belize in August. We will spend 4 nights in San Ignacio and 3 nights on Caye Caulker. I have flights and accommodations booked. I have some questions for anyone who has been:

1) I need to know what to wear for the ATM cave. They say tennis shoes or hiking boots and socks. But that they will get wet. Okay. And also that you will be wading and swimming. So are you wearing those shoes when wading and swimming? I don’t know why this is so confusing to me.

2) trying to decide between Tikal for Mayan ruins and the ones that start with an X in Belize. Tikal looks way cooler, but it seems like a really long day with a tour or the hassle of crossing into Guatemala on our own (having to rent a car from Crystal instead of Hertz, driving in Guatemala which can be unsafe, etc). Is Tikal worth the long day?

3) do I need a golf cart on Caye Caulker? Everything I have read says it’s small enough to just walk around, but will I be able to find a golf cart taxi easily yo get us from and to the water taxi?

4) returning to the mainland…. If we take the water taxi back, is it easy to get transport to the airport for 5 people? Or would it be better to fly from Caye Caulker to the airport and then get checked in for our flight back home. Looks like that would cost around $400 for the 5 of us for the 10 minute flight. But logistically easier maybe?

[Vespasia]

We were just in San Ignacio and Caye Caulker in February.

We didn't do any caves because I am a bit claustrophobic and it had rained a lot before we got there. If we had, I would have worn my Keen hiking shoes which can easily get wet and dry out again.

We also skipped Tikal because it was such a long day and the border had just recently reopened. Xunantunich was really cool and taking the little ferry over was a neat experience. No regrets. We also went to Cahal Pech which is a lot smaller but we had a guide there to get some of the history. 

That being said, I would highly recommend renting from Crystal. They were cheaper and really awesome to deal with. They're right outside the airport terminal and we didn't have much of a wait. They also drove us to the ferry terminal for free when we returned the car before heading to Caye Caulker. You will absolutely want a SUV, preferably a 4WD. We had a SUV without that and there were a few places we skipped because we didn't feel comfortable with the roads. Take any directions with a grain of salt., There were several times Google maps tried to send us down a really gnarly dirt road when the next street over would have worked and was paved.

We walked most places on Caye Caulker. The place we rented came with bikes but they were kinda crappy (they all seem to be that way) and the roads were so rutted from the rains that they were uncomfortable to ride. There will be at least a dozen taxis waiting when the ferry gets in. On our way back out, we called a cab whose # I found on Tripadvisor and they picked us up right on time. 

You can arrange an airport transfer from the water taxi and they will take you right over. Just be careful that the person is really with them and not a cabby wearing a water taxi shirt who then asks you to pay again... 

Unsolicited recommendations:
Pelican Sunset Bar and Il Pelicano on Caye Caulker for food/drinks
Ko-Ox Han Nah in San Ignacio for breakfast or lunch. Everyone raves about Pop's but we were really disappointed
Tollaca SmokeHouse in San Ignacio if you like meat. We went twice and I think MH wants to go back just to eat here again

We did this tour at the resort where my dad usually stays and really enjoyed it:
www.chaacreek.com/belize-tours/rainforest-rtv-safari-tours

We also did a crocodile tour in Caye Caulker that was pretty neat but really better for stargazing than croc spotting. 

[wanderingback]

Ok I can only answer a few questions and I was there in 2016 so it’s been awhile.

We were in Guatemala and went to Tikal and then the next day (I believe) flew to Belize and went to Caye Caulker via water taxi. I don’t remember how long it took to get from Guatemala/Tikal to Caye Caulker but I think that would be a long day. It was a magnificent site though.

You don’t need a golf cart in Caye Caulker.

I don’t remember the details of getting back to the airport, but I know we took the water taxi back and then got to the airport and it wasn’t a hassle or anything. These days since I have the money I do spend extra to make things easier/shorter, but I’m not sure $400 is necessary to fly back to the main land. Also, I kinda like boats!

[mrsslocombe]

When I went to ATM (back in 2008). Most people just wore teva-type sandals. and kept their socks in their helmets until it was time to change into them (to keep them dry). You will get totally wet since you have to swim into the entrance.

We went to Tikal (though our resort drove us, we didn't have to deal with the driving part). The site is amazing and definitely much more excavated than any of the Belize sites. I didn't mind the full day since I didn't have to worry about any of the logistics. How good is your Spanish? Dealing with the border control, renting a car on that side, hiring a Tikal guide-if you don't speak really solid Spanish you will likely be charged a lot more.

The site is definitely better than any of the Belize sites, but the hassle might not be worth it. Your kids will love the ferry thing you need to use to get to Xunatunich.