Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM), the Cave of the Stone Sepulchre, or Crystal Cave, was featured earlier this week on Bizarre Belize, a segment of Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre World.

A trip through ATM is a very special experience – some clients have even described it as an almost a spiritual one.  Darkness punctuated only by headlamps, artifacts of a civilization that seemed to just disappear and the skeletal remains of victims sacrificed to the Maya Rain God, including the complete skeleton of a young woman of about 20.

Arranging a tour of ATM is not difficult – many of the lodges and tour operators in the Cayo District of Belize offer these tours.  (Note:  Belizean cave tour guides must be specially certified for each cave in which they offer tours.)  However, some lodges are closer to ATM than others; some, like Pook’s Hill, even within hiking distance.

However, while a tour is easy to arrange, remember that an ATM tour is physically challenging, requiring swimming, climbing steep ascents and navigating sometimes sharp rocks.  And, it is dark – really dark.  So, if you have any sort of claustrophobia or fear of the dark, you might want to schedule another activity for the day your family or friends brave ATM.  (See Maya Belize for more information about ATM from Jaime Awe, Belize’s chief archaeological expert.)

But, if you’re really into caving, don’t forget that Belize offers a variety of caving opportunities, both in the Cayo District, where ATM and cave tubing are among the most popular tours, and also in the Toledo District, the much less explored and southernmost of all Belize’s geographical areas.

Cave explorations in southern Belize include Blue Creek Cave (some scholars think Blue Creek might be a part of the largest cave system in the world), Oke’ bal Ha, Yok Balum, Actun Ha le’e and Tiger Cave.  Most of these southern Belize cave explorations can also be combined with visits to traditional modern day Mayan villages (some of which still look much as they did a hundred years ago) or Mayan ruins such as Uxbenka, Lubaantun or Nim Li Punit.

Contact Destinations Belize for more information about caving and Maya expeditions in Belize.

While Belize is a tiny country no bigger than Massachusetts, its beach areas are very different from one another.  Your beach style and choosing the Belize beach that matches it will help you get the most from your Belize vacation dollar.

The primary beach areas in Belize are:

San Pedro/Ambergris Caye

San Pedro, Belize

San Pedro is actually the town located on Ambergris Caye (caye is the local word for island), but many people use the terms Ambergris Caye and San Pedro interchangeably.

Ambergris Caye/San Pedro has the most tourist facilities, the most (and varied) restaurants and bars, the most gift shops, the most nightlife — and the most tourists of any area in Belize.

But, don’t think Cancun.  Ambergris is still a mid-sized, friendly place, with lots of tours and tour operators to chose from, including ruins and jungle tours.  (Because Ambergris Caye is on an island, getting to the ruins and jungle will involve a boat or plane ride to the mainland.)

The Belize Barrier Reef is closer to San Pedro than it is to Placencia and Hopkins (see below), so diving and snorkeling are a little less expensive than in the more southern areas. Lots of lodging options to chose from and if you enjoy a late night at a club or beach bar, you’ll enjoy San Pedro.

Beach at Mata Chica Resort on North Ambergris Caye, Belize

Also, there are two very different areas of Ambergris Caye – south Ambergris, where San Pedro Town and most of the resorts are located, and North Ambergris, which is across a small “cut”, and which is almost all residential development and resorts.  It’s possible to take a golf cart across the bridge over the cut and to travel a short way, maybe a mile or two.

However, the “road” is really a trail, and if it’s been raining much, the trail is almost impassable.  (Most golf cart companies prohibit taking their carts onto North Ambergris.)  Therefore, transportation to and from North Ambergris and San Pedro Town (for shops, grocery stores and restaurants) is mostly by boat.  The resorts on north Ambergris Caye tend to be higher-end ones such as Mata Chica.  Quite a few rental residences can also be found on North Ambergris Caye.

Favorite excursions in the San Pedro/Ambergris Caye area include snorkeling or diving at Hol Chan, Mexico Rocks and the Blue Hole, sailing and snorkeling with a stop for lunch to explore Caye Caulker, guided fly fishing and kayaking.

Caye Caulker

Middle Street, Caye Caulker

Caye Caulker is San Pedro’s more budget island alternative in the north.  But, Caye Caulker isn’t just a cheaper version of San Pedro – Caye Caulker definitely has its own unique style and rhythm.

In fact, Caye Caulker reminds me a little of Key West about 25-30 years ago, with a much more laid back feel than San Pedro, and also a bit of a Rastafarian culture.  Nice people, who seem to really enjoy visitors to the island.

Backpacking college students, families with children and single forty-somethings all seem to mix together in a happy conglomeration on Caye Caulker, and everyone always seem to be really having fun.

Maybe it’s the still relatively inexpensive lodging and good restaurants, easily accessible diving and snorkeling, and the local passion for Caye Caulker’s natural environment that bring about Caye Caulker’s joie de vivre.  Whatever it is, it’s catching.

(If you go to Caye Caulker, don’t miss Chocolate Heredia’s manatee sighting tour – it’s an experience you’ll never forget.)

Dangriga Town/Hopkins Village/Sittee Point Area

Hamanasi Beach Resort, Hopkins/Sittee Area of Belize

Dangriga and Hopkins are Garifuna settlements, making the culture here very different than you’ll find in other beach locations in Belize.  UNESCO has designated the Garifuna a World Heritage Culture, so any visit to this area should include some exploration of Dangriga or Hopkins where you’ll find traditional Garifuna drumming and cultural/religious practices very much alive and well. (Hopkins Village is the smaller of the two, so much more accessible for travelers who want to devote most of their time to R&R.  Whatever you do in Hopkins, make sure to try some authentic Garifuna cuisine.)

Sittee River - good kayaking and fishing

The roads in this area are reasonably good, making travel fairly easy between the beach and western and southern inland attractions such as Xunantunich Mayan ruins, Blue Creek Cave, Cave’s Branch, San Ignacio and Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary.  This relative ease of travel points to the Hopkins/Sittee area as a particularly good choice for families and groups with diverse interests who want to stay put in one location rather than moving lodging locations between the jungle and the beach.

Lodging in Hopkins Village itself is mostly budget, limited services lodging.  However, several good moderately priced hotels and full service resorts now surround Hopkins, including Beaches and Dreams, Jaguar Reef/Almond Beach Lodge and Hamanasi Beach Resort.  (FYI, Jaguar Reef/Almond Beach is the closest you can come in Belize to a fully all-inclusive beach resort, especially for families and honeymoon couples.)

Fly fishing for permit in this area is excellent – the best in the country along with Placencia.  (“Permit Alley” starts off the Dangriga coasts and works its way south into the coast off Placencia.)

Placencia Peninsula

Placencia Beach at Northern End of Placencia Village Sidewalk

Placencia is a 12-mile long Peninsula with Placencia Village located at its southern end.    The Placencia Lagoon on the west separates it from the Belize mainland and the Caribbean Sea forms its eastern and southern borders.

Lodging ranges from very upscale resorts (such as Turtle Inn, owned by Francis Ford Coppola) to moderately priced apartments and beach cabanas.  Diving and snorkeling are really good in the Placencia area, but the boat ride to the dive sites is longer than further north because the Belize Barrier Reef is a good 18 miles from the Peninsula.  Fishing (fly and light tackle) is some of the best in the country, especially for permit.  Placencia beaches are considered to be the best on mainland Belize.

Placencia Village is the hub of the Peninsula, where most of the local restaurants, bars, gift shops, banks, the main dock, grocery stores and other services are located.  Placencia Village has more of an adventurous, “Indiana Jones” type feel to it than other beach locations in Belize.  (Local Placencians claim to be descended from pirates, and they just might be.)  “Adventure with amenities” (such as good tap water, electricity, phones, Internet service, wide variety of lodging, good restaurants and beach bars) aptly describe Placencia Village.

View from Chabil Mar Villas, Northern End Placencia Village

And, if you spend a few hours at one of its beach bars, you definitely won’t miss the eclectic group of people who gravitate to its unique environment  – backpackers, college professors, movie stars who like being in a place where no one pays them much mind, local fishing guides, artists, divers, anglers, researchers, retirees, and sometimes people who seem to have no past, but are just stopping by on their way to the next place — wherever that might be.

Further up the road north of Placencia is Seine Bight Village, another Garifuna village where you’ll also find Garifuna culture alive and well.  (Seine Bight is also the home of Goss Chocolates, which hand makes organic chocolate exclusively from Belizean grown organic cacao beans.)

Make your way a little further north still and you’ll find yourself in Maya Beach, a growing small community enhanced by some very lovely small hotels and good restaurants — and characters – Maya Beach is FULL of unique characters – bless them everyone.

The Cayes

Tiny, but beautiful, Tom Owens Caye

Hundreds of small cayes lay off the entire coast of Belize – most too small for anything but a fishermen’s camp, but some boasting Belize’s most beautiful beaches, and a few still retaining the flavor of Belize when fishing was the nation’s past-time and primary wage earner, and its reef and cayes undiscovered by the rest of the world – cayes like Whipray, Crawl and French Louie off the Placencia coast.

Although small, some of these cayes do provide guest lodging, including Southwater, Ranguana, Whipray, French Louie, Crawl, Coco Plum, Northeast, Long, Thatch and Blackbird.  Don’t expect white-gloved waiters carrying trays of umbrella drinks.  But, do expect great fresh seafood, good fishing and snorkeling, and tall tales sometimes told by oil lamp.  Amenities and ease of transfers vary wildly, so get some expert help when making a decision on a Belize caye for all or part of your Belize vacation.

For more information, visit our Destinations Belize Website.

The sun just doesn’t seem stronger in the tropics – it is! And sun protection during your Belize vacation is vitally important – especially for children and young adults. Fortunately, sun protection can be obtained in a number of different ways – clothing, sunscreens (and sunblocks), and simply staying out of the sun for awhile.   For most people (including children), a combination of all three works best in the tropics.

However, Italian researchers now believe that sunscreens containing oxybenzone, octinoxate, 4-MBC and the common preservative butylparaben can kill coral reefs by killing the algae that feed them.  So, read ingredients carefully — and plan ahead, because coral safe sunscreen may not be available at the corner drug store – you may need to order your sunscreen ahead of time.  (To find coral safe sunscreen products, try searching the Web using the key words “coral safe sunscreen” — without the quotes.)  You might also consider using clothing more often as a coral safe alternative to sunscreen – wear a long-sleeved t-shirt and bicycle shorts while snorkeling, for example.

General Sun Facts

Ultraviolet Radiation: The sun produces ultraviolet radiation (UVR) that gives us light to see, warmth, and fuel for the growth of plants.

UVR has 3 different bands – UVA, UVB and UVC. Very little UVC reaches the earth’s atmosphere. UVB is the strongest band and causes most sunburns. UVA is weaker than UVB, but about 100 times more UVA than UVB rays reach the earth’s surface, meaning UVA protection is still important.

Skin cancers, cataracts and 90% of visible aging (wrinkles) are caused primarily by UVB and UVA rays. Sunburn is caused primarily by UVB rays.

The risk of skin cancer is believed to double for people who receive just one or two severe sunburns during childhood. In fact, researchers believe that 80-90% of the skin damage that causes wrinkles and skin cancer is received before the age of 18.

Sunburn shows damage to the skin caused by UVB rays. However, just because the skins shows no visible signs of a burn does not mean it is not being damaged by the sun.

SPF Ratings: The SPF (or sun protection factor) measures the amount of sun protection provided against UVB rays ONLY. SPF does NOT measure the amount of protection provided against UVA rays. The SPF rating indicates how much longer it takes to get a sunburn using the sunscreen than it would without using the sunscreen. For example, an SPF rating of “2″ means it takes twice as long to get a sunburn, a rating of 10 means it takes 10 times as long.

A tan only provides about the same amount of sun protection as a sunscreen of 3 SPF.

Skin Types: Skin is divided into 6 types for sun protection purposes.  The Skin Types are:

• Type 1: Always burns, never tans (fair skin, light-eyes, freckles)
• Type 2: Usually burns, tans with difficulty
• Type 3: Sometimes burns, sometimes tans
• Type 4: Burns minimally, always tans
• Type 5: Rarely burns, tans profusely
• Type 6: Never burns, deeply tans (dark skin, dark eyes)

The Ozone Layer: Ozone is the gas that filters UVB rays from the atmosphere (ozone does not filter UVA rays). The size of the ozone layer (and the protection it provides from UVB varies based on the time of day, location, season and altitude).

The ozone layer is at its thinnest in the tropics (UVR levels are 1,000 times higher at the equator than at the North or South Poles).

The ozone layer is also thinner during the summer and fall, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sand increases the intensity of UVRs by reflecting back most of the UVRs that reach the earth’s surface – intensity can be increased by as much as 80%.

Surprisingly, water reflects very little UVR and cloud cover reduces UVR that reaches the earth’s surface – but the amount of protection is determined by the density of the cloud cover.

The ozone layer provides much less protection from UVR at high altitudes.

Sun Protection Methods

Clothing:   As with sunscreens, sun protection from UVB rays provided by clothing and fabrics is expressed in terms of an SPF rating.  Research on clothing and UVR protection has found that:

• One hundred percent (100%) polyester has the highest SPF of all fabrics, providing 2 to 3 times more sun protection that any other fabric.
• Darker colored clothing has a much higher SPF than light colored clothing (black clothing provides 5 times more protection than white clothing – a white T-shirt has only a 5 SPF rating).
• Knits have a higher SPF than woven fabrics, and nylon spandex knits have a very high SPF, regardless of color.
• The heavier the weight of the fabric, the higher its SPF. A double layer of fabric almost doubles the SPF of clothing. This is true regardless of fabric type (the same for cotton, silk and polyester, for example).
• More tightly woven fabrics help reduce UVR transmission to the skin, but not as effectivley as heavier-weight fabrics.
• Wet fabrics INCREASE the amount of UVR that reaches the skin – by as much as one-third.

What does this all mean for clothing in the tropics?

• In very hot weather, wear loose fitting, tightly woven clothing. The folds of loose fitting clothing provides sort of a “double layer” of fabric, thereby doubling the SPF of the clothing. The tight weave helps reduce UVR transmission when it’s too hot for more effective heavier-weight fabrics.
• When snorkeling or swimming for long periods, wear a dark-colored t-shirt for extra sun protection.   Not only does a light-colored t-shirt offer limited SPF protection, the fact that it’s wet INCREASES the UVR that reaches the skin, rather than DECREASING it.  Bicycle shorts are also not a bad idea when snorkeling.
• Put on dry clothes (or at least cover-up) after swimming and snorkeling.
• Wear a cover-up on the beach since UVR rays are intensified by the sand.
• SunSmart offers a unique brand of clothing for children and infants that blocks up to 97% UV rays.  Not cheap, but worth looking into.

Sun Screens and Sun Blocks

Important: Never use sunscreens of any kind on babies less than 6 months old.  Test sunscreens for allergic reactions in children by applying the sunscreen to a patch of skin.  Baby oil does NOT contain sunscreen.

Sunscreens are either “organic” or “inorganic” (inorganic sunscreens are also called “physical” sunscreens).  “Organic” does not mean the sunscreens are naturally produced. Rather, an “organic” sunscreen is one that is composed of carbon and hydrogen (among other things).

Organic sunscreens are absorbed into the skin to some extent. PABA (para amino benzoic acid) is the most famous organic sunscreen because of the allergic reaction it causes in so many people. Many people are also allergic to the common organic sunscreen Benzophenone (Oxybenzone).

Most organic sunscreens block only UVB rays. For UVB protection, SPF 15 is adequate for most skin types since an SPF 15 sunscreen blocks 95% of UVB rays while an SPF 30 sunscreen stops only about 2% more (97%).

Inorganic or physical suncreens are really microscopic solid pieces of sunscreen – the most common being zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Most physical sunscreens are now microfine and with particles so small they cannot be seen (unlike the thick white paste of past lifeguard movie fame). Zinc oxide is generally considered very safe and causes very few allergic reactions.

Titanium dioxide blocks some UVA and zinc oxide blocks more UVR than any other single ingredient. No sunscreen will completely block UVA rays.

Tips on Choosing a Sunscreen:

As mentioned above, choose coral safe sunscreens that do not include oxybenzone, octinoxate, 4-MBC and the common preservative butylparaben.

Don’t rely simply on statements of “protection” against UVA since some researchers believe many of these sunscreens only offer an SPF of 3 or 4 for UVA rays, even if the SPF is much higher for UVB rays.  Instead, look for a sunscreen labeled “broad spectrum” that contains zinc oxide and has a minimum SPF rating of 15.

Apply sunscreen about 20 minutes before sun exposure to allow it time to “set up” on the skin. Reapply every two hours when swimming or sweating.
Use at least 1 full ounce of sunscreen per adult per application (SPF ratings are based on this amount). Using a smaller amount of SPF 30 does NOT equal a greater amount of SPF 15!

SPF Sunscreen Recommendations based on skin type:

• Type 1 (always burns, never tans): 30 SPF
• Type 2 (usually burns, tans with difficulty): 20 SPF
• Type 3 (sometimes burns, sometimes tans): 15-20 SPF
• Type 4 (burns minimally, always tans): 15 SPF
• Type 5 (rarely burns, tans profusely): 15 SPF
• Type 6 (never burns, deeply tans): 15 SPF

Other sunscreen tips:

Pay special attention when applying sunscreen to your ears, nose, shoulders and tops of feet.  When snorkeling, pay particular attention to the back of the calves and thighs.

Hats and Sunglasses

Hats: Hats should ideally have at least a 3″ brim all the way around. Baseball caps or visors offer limited protection to the neck and ears. However, a baseball cap brim will shelter the eyes from about 50% of the sun’s rays.

Sunglasses: Sunglasses are manufactured in accordance with ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standards and fall within the following 3 categories:

• Cosmetic use: blocks at least 70% UVB, 60% UVA
• General use:  blocks 95% UVB, 60% UVA
• Special Purpose Intense Sunlight: blocks 99% UVB, 98% UVA

For tropical use, try to find sunglasses rated “Special Purpose Intense Sunlight.” Sunglasses should fit tightly to block UVR from the sides and have lenses large enough to cover the entire eye area, including eye lids.

Color is irrelevant in terms of UV ratings (UV coating is clear, and doesn’t affect the color of the sunglasses).

Polarized sunglasses cut down glare, but don’t block UV rays.  Always look for the ANSI rating – even on polarized sunglasses.

At present, UV absorbing contact lenses do not have enough UV protection.

Structural Protection:  Staying Out of the Sun

When possible, avoid the sun from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. when the ozone layer is weakest – and UVR the strongest.

Avoiding the sun doesn’t necessarily mean staying indoors, however.  If on a boat, use the bimini top.  Seek out shade on the beach (to avoid the intensification of UVR by the sun’s reflection off the sand).

Take a break and have lunch in a shady spot or in a restaurant.

Basic Belize Travel and Vacation Tips

Money Tips

US money is freely used in Belize (and most businesses would rather receive US dollars than Belize dollars).  So, no need to exchange money at the bank or elsewhere – especially not before you visit Belize!

Do plan to bring some smaller denominations to avoid problems with getting change.

Banks will give you credit card advances for $5-$10 USD per advance.  If you use a Visa debit card, you can avoid cash advance interest charges.  Visa debit cards are the safest to bring – the ATMs are supposed to process all international bank debit cards, but I wouldn’t count on it.   However, ATMs that will process credit, debit and ATM cards issued outside Belize are not available everywhere, and the ones that supposedly do, don’t always work.  Therefore, if you really need cash, make sure to get to a bank during banking hours (usually between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.) so that you can get a cash advance inside the bank if the ATM doesn’t work (or if the banks near you don’t have international ATMs).

Locations of international ATMs are:  San Pedro, Belize City, Belmopan, San Ignacio, Dangriga and Placencia.

Belize banks will give generally NOT give you the official exchange rate of 2:1 when cashing traveler’s checks — sometimes not even for US dollars!  However, you don’t need to cash your traveler’s checks or exchange money at the bank, because local merchants WILL give you a 2:1 exchange rate.

American Express Traveler’s Checks are the most commonly used traveler’s checks in Belize.  When using a traveler’s check, don’t fill in the date or the name of the merchant, otherwise the merchant will have to deposit the check and the banks hold them for 40 days before making the money available.  (If the date and the name of the merchant are not filled in, the traveler’s checks are used pretty much as cash and somehow eventually find their way back to the States where they’re cashed and deposited in someone’s account, somewhere.)  Also, make sure that your signature looks like the signature you used when you purchased your traveler’s checks.

Visa is the most commonly accepted credit card, American Express and Discovery aren’t accepted by very many businesses.  MasterCard is now only accepted by larger businesses that have an electronic credit card processing machine. (MasterCard just imposed a $0 floor limit on all Belize businesses, which means smaller merchants that have to call their bank for a credit card approval won’t accept MasterCards — especially during non-business hours.) Also, many businesses charge a service charge for the use of a credit card, so make sure to ask first (the service charge is usually 5%).  Note:  Destinations Belize does NOT add any service charge to credit card transactions.

Also, remember that when using a credit card in Belize, you are likely to be charged a currency conversion fee of 2-5 %, depending on the policies of your credit card issuer.  So, you need to check with your issuer to find out how much you’ll be charged for Belize transactions.

Some credit card issuers also charge something they call a currency INversion fee, which can add on another 2-3%.  So, debit cards are best, but if you must use a credit card, know exactly what you’ll pay and investigate getting a lower rate credit card before your trip.  (Check here for currency conversion fees charged by major credit card companies.)

Please note that your debit or credit card will be charged in US dollars (not Belize dollars) when booking vacations with Destinations Belize, so no currency conversion or inversion fees apply – even though we’re located in Belize.

Medical Tips

Medical Care:  Belize is a third world country, and only basic first aid is available in many parts of the country.  More advanced medical care is available at regional government funded hospitals in Belize City, San Ignacio, Dangriga and Orange Walk, , with the most advanced medical care available at private clinics and hospitals in Belize City.

For serious medical conditions, treatment in Guatemala, Mexico and the US may be advisable.  You should bring proof of medical insurance with you, and review your health insurance coverage to make sure that it includes medical care outside your country of origin as well as emergency medical transportation coverage.

If your medical insurance does not include medical transportation coverage, then travel insurance that does is strongly advised.  (Buy travel insurance direct for less and compare coverage from all policy issuers at QuoteWright.)

If your medical insurance does not include coverage for medical care outside your country of origin, consult your medical insurance provider on how to obtain international medical insurance coverage.

Health Precautions to Take Before Your Trip

Make sure that your tetanus vaccination is up-to-date and that you bring any necessary medications with you (including  any essential over-the-counter medications).  You may also want to discuss hepatitis vaccinations with your medical provider since the risk of contracting hepatitis is now a very real one in all parts of the world, including the US.

While we have no knowledge of any of our clients ever contracting malaria during their Belize vacation, the US Center for Disease Control recommends anti-malarial medication for travelers visiting all parts of Belize except Belize City.  Therefore, you should also consult your physician regarding malaria prophylactics and other health considerations connected with travel to the tropics.

Tipping

Tipping is generally  10-20% depending on the level of service. Porters at Belize International charge US$2.50 per bag to carry your bags, which is well worth the cost if you have a lot of luggage (or heavy luggage).  However, the porters do not inform passengers of this charge ahead of time.

Staying in Touch

International calls from Belize are outrageously expensive – up to US$4 per minute during peak calling hours from a cell phone.

You can avoid this highway robbery through ATT and MCI calling cards, or by purchasing an ATT or MCI pre-paid phone card at Sam’s, Wal-Mart, etc.  However, the calling cards and pre-paid phone cards will only work at the largest resorts and from pay phones.  Generally, you’ll need to dial 115 (international operator) and ask for the ATT or MCI operator.  You’ll then be connected with the appropriate service and you’ll follow the directions on your card for placing the call.  International calls placed this way still won’t be inexpensive, but your calls home won’t end up costing as much as your entire vacation, either.

If you absolutely must stay in touch by phone with home or office during your Belize vacation, please consider renting a satellite phone and bringing it with you.  The land line system in Belize is ok, but not all that great, and regular cell phones sometimes make better paperweights than communication devices in most of the country.

(If you’re expecting a call from outside Belize and it doesn’t come through, please consider calling from Belize to check in.  Friends and clients repeatedly tell us that they can’t get through on either our cell or land line, especially on weekends, and sometimes receive a message that our phone has been disconnected or is no longer in service – even though it hasn’t and it is.)

Please note:  even if your cell phone company tells you your cell phone will work in Belize, it probably won’t.  And, in the unlikely event that it does, charges will be at the highest rate — about US$4 per minute.  If you’ll feel lost without a cell phone, you can rent one in Belize at the BTL office at the International Airport.  You’ll have to buy pre-paid phone cards to use with the cell phone, but the rates won’t be quite as high, and you’ll also know exactly how much you’re spending.

Please also note:  you will need a pre-paid BTL phone card to make local calls within Belize from pay phones.  You can purchase a card at the international airport and from local merchants who display the BTL phone card sign.

Internet cafes and Internet connections at resorts are extremely common throughout the entire country of Belize, so you shouldn’t have any trouble staying in touch via email during your trip.

Electricity

Electricity is 110-120 volts AC (same as in North America).  Also, the current does fluctuate a lot (spikes and sags), so don’t bring anything that can’t be easily replaced.  You also might consider bringing a few individual surge protectors to protect anything electric that you do bring with you.

Suggested Packing List

(This list includes items needed for both the beach and the jungle.  If you’re only visiting one and not the other, edit appropriately.)

• Sunscreen (15-30 spf, plus sun block, and make sure to bring something to protect your lips as well as skin)
• Insect repellant (Deep Woods Off works well)
• Bite stick (something with an ammonia base to stop the itching) Note:  some clients have told me NEVER to take this off the list!
• Sunburn medication (Ocean Potion Ice is great and is usually available at Wal-Mart.)
• Hats
• Beach towels (if you’re not staying at a resort – some smaller places do provide beach towels now, so ask if in doubt)
• Sunglasses (Polarized ones cut down on the glare on the water, so at least one pair is recommended.  Wouldn’t hurt to also bring an extra pair or two of spare sunglasses — just in case.  North American tackle shops usually have fairly inexpensive polarized ones for around $10 USD per pair.)

Amber colored polarized lenses are best for flats fishing.

• Sun gloves for anglers
• Rain gear (lightweight)
• Lightweight sweater or jacket (generally from November through March, and all the time if staying in the Mountain Pine Ridge, where it can get very cool at night any time of the year)
• Sandals
• Protective bottom aqua boots or tennis shoes for walking while on coral cayes (for anglers – flats booties for the flats)
• Shoes with a decent sole and socks (for any jungle, caving or Mayan ruins trips)
• Swim wear (minimum 2 suits per person)
• T-shirts and shorts (quick drying nylon shorts are best – dark t-shirts offer the most sun protection – but are hotter)
• At least one pair of long pants and long-sleeved shirt for each person (to take along on the water in case you start getting too much sun, and they can come in handy jungle and ruins trips — again, quick-drying nylon is best)
• Toiletries
• Dry sack for keeping camera gear and other items dry – both in the jungle and on the water
• Day packs (not absolutely necessary, but helpful for jungle and ruins trips)
• Reusable water bottles (the bottles that fit on a belt are convenient and easy to carry)
• Camera (and lots of film, camera batteries and batteries for digital cameras — all are very expensive here, when you can find them)
• Underwater camera (the disposable ones work well in shallow conditions – but if you do use a camera when snorkeling, please remember to keep your fins and feet up so that you don’t damage the coral)
• Binoculars if birding is on the agenda
• Flashlights (one per person, plus extra batteries and bulbs – ESSENTIAL ITEMS)
• Books or magazines
• Extra pair(s) of prescription glasses/contacts if anyone wears them
• Medication (even over-the-counter medicine can be hard to find at times)
• Proof of medical insurance coverage
• Anything you absolutely can’t do without since it’s unlikely you’ll easily find a replacement here)
• Passport with at least 6 months remaining before expiration (ESSENTIAL)
• Certification card (ESSENTIAL FOR DIVERS)
• Photocopy of passport photo page (laminating this copy is a good idea)
• Proof of medical insurance
• International airline tickets
• MCI or ATT calling card or pre-paid phone card (see above for more info)
• Tropic Air or Maya Island Air voucher or e-ticket (if applicable)
• Pen (for filling out customs forms)
• *****Travel alarm clock*******

Lip Balms with Sunscreen:

1) Lip Balm Sunstick – SPF 30 (by Kinesys Sport).
2) Jack Black Lip Balm SPF 25.  I
3) Zirh Lip Guard SPF 19.  Water-resistant.

4) Heavy Duty Lip Service Lip Balm with SPF 15. Ingredients include aloe vera and Vitamin E, and this lip balm provides UVA/UVB protection.

Until around 2004, the weather was always pretty good for our Lobsterfest in Placencia, Belize.  But, on 24 June of that year, we had a byama (spelling?) blow in (strong winds from the south).

Destroyed Main Tent, Placencia Lobsterfest 2004

The byama knocked down the big main tent at the dock, where Lobsterfest was held back then.  Not only knocked it down, but pretty much destroyed it — along with taking out the electricity for most of the Village.

Now, the destruction of a tent may not be a big deal in your world, but Belize only had two of these tents, both belonging to the Beliken beer manufacturer, and the other one was in use already somewhere up north.

And, what’s a Lobsterfest without cold beer and ice in your drink?  Well, the icehouse for the Village is at the dock — and without electricity.

What the heck do we do NOW????

So, the next morning, 25 June, the Placencia Village Council and the Placencia Tourism Center madly rushed about looking for small tents to replace the big one and to  make sure BEL (Belize Electricity Limited) had everything fixed – pronto!

Being in a cooperative mood, by 8 AM, BEL had power restored to everywhere but the dock area — where the first festivities of Lobsterfest would start in about 8 hours.

Turned out the winds from the night before had cracked the electric post at the dock, so it had to be replaced.  Not to fear, BEL showed up with a new one about 10 AM – along with heavy machinery.

So far, so good.

BEL's Big Guns -- That Cut Through the Water Lines to the Icehouse

Until, that is, BEL dug through the water lines supplying the ice house!

A perfect Placencia moment – not unlike the 2003 Perfect Placencia Moment when the lead sound truck for the big Halloween parade broke down and had to be fixed by a vampire and a pirate – but I digress.

Anyway, since 2004, the Placencia Lobsterfest has been haunted by bad weather – usually involving periodic torrential rains and gusting winds.

But, this year, we knew it was going to be different.  OK, so there was that tropical development in the western Caribbean that had the potential to head straight this way.

Placencia Lobsterfest 2009 - No Rain and Cloudless Skies!

But it didn’t.

And, for the first time in 5 years, the Placencia Lobsterfest days dawned with clear and sunny skies . . . and no breeze.  And, it was HOT!

But, no rain — and that was a cause for celebration.  And celebrate we did.

Lobster, Chicken and Pork on the Grill

Lobster, lobster and more lobster – Lobster Creole, Lobster Thermidor, grilled lobster, curried lobster, baked lobster, lobster pies, lobster pizzas, sweet and sour lobster,  lobster fajitas, lobster rolls, lobster burritos, lobster tacos.

Plus, of course, shrimp, chicken, pork steaks, sausage on a stick — even some mangos, watermelons and pineapples to keep us healthy for beer and rum — and dancing — and fishing.

I'm Proud of My Fish!

Fifteen boats in the fishing tournament this year – a record — and I don’t think the fishermen knew quite what to think of the calm seas that greeted them Saturday morning.  They figured it out, though – did they ever figure it out!  (Warren Cabral from Glover’s Reef is this year’s winner with the most points.)

For more pictures of this year’s Placencia Lobsterfest, see:

• Photos by Destinations Belize

Lobsterfest

Fishing Tournament

• Photos by Maz Carr

Friday, 26 June Kickoff Photos

Saturday, 27 June, Part I

Saturday, 27 June, Part II

Saturday, 27 June, Part III

• Photos by Adriane Taylor
• Photos by Bill Taylor
• Photos by Deb Vernon

Lobsterfest Day 1

Lobsterfest Day 2

• Photos by Lee Nyhus
• Photos by Fiona McFarlane

Oh, yeah – and here’s the picture from the 2003 Kids Halloween Parade with the vampire and the pirate.

The Vampire and the Pirate Fix the Truck

Placencia, you gotta love it.

I live in Placencia, so I’m partial to Placencia’s Lobsterfest.  But, it wouldn’t be fair not to mention Caye Caulker’s Lobsterfest, also this weekend, 26-29 June 2009.  (Wish we could get an end to this rivalry so that we all could enjoy both!)

Haven’t found any dedicated page or site on-line, but here’s a link to the Caye Caulker Lobsterfest Flyer for more information on this weekend’s events.

Placencia Lobsterfest

Placencia’s Annual Lobsterfest is this coming weekend, 26-29 June 2009.

Lots and lots of lobster (lobster ceviche, grilled lobster, lobster fritters, stewed lobster, baked lobster, lobster sandwiches, lobster kebabs . . . ), big saltwater fishing tournament, music, games and dancing, dancing, dancing.

Once again, Gilharry 7 provides the dance music on Saturday and Sunday nights, and the All Star Steel Brand sets a Caribbean back-beat throughout the weekend.

Outstanding raffle prizes this year, too – everything from 2 nights at Victoria House, Chaa Creek and Tarpon Caye Lodge to a day sail for 8 from The Moorings, wine, dinners for 2 — even hardware and cash.

Placencia Lobsterfest Fishing Tournament Weigh-In

BZ$10,000 in prizes is drawing angler entries into the salt water fishing tournament, always one of the highlights of Placencia’s Lobsterfest.

Lodging still available – may be the perfect weekend getaway.

Placencia Lobsterfest on You Tube (original music by Gilharry 7)

Detailed info on Placencia Belize Lobsterfest from The Placencia Breeze

Placencia Lobsterfest on Facebook

Pictures, Placencia Lobsterfest 2007
Pictures, Placencia Lobsterfest 2006
Pictures, Placencia Lobsterfest 2005
Pictures, Placencia Lobsterfest 2004
Pictures, Placencia Lobsterfest 2003
Pictures, Placencia Lobsterfest 2002
Pictures, Placencia Lobsterfest 2001
Pictures, Placencia Lobsterfest 2000

Ingredients

1 pound dried red kidney beans (cleaned)
1/4 pound salt beef or pig tail (diced)
1 small onion (diced)
1/2 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tbsp white sugar
2 tbsps butter or margarine
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
9 cups water

Method

Bring 8 cups water to boil and add minced garlic and dried beans.  Simmer salt beef or salt pork in 1 cup water for 5 minutes, drain and add to garlic and beans.  Boil until beans soften, adding more water if necessary.

Saute onion in butter or margarine until tender, then add to beans.

Add salt and pepper to taste to beans and simmer until thickened.

Remove from heat and serve with white rice, coleslaw, fried plantain, and stew chicken or fry fish.

Belize Location between Mexico and Guatemala

Belize is a tiny little country about the size of Massachusetts – only about 68 miles wide (east-west) and about 180 miles long (north-south).  It’s located south of Mexico and east and north of Guatemala.  The population hovers right around 300,000 – about the size of small US city.

But, you’ll be amazed at what is available in such a small space – deep jungle, caves, the Maya Mountains, tropical rainforests, banana plantations, orange/grapefruit groves and hundreds of neo-tropical sub-habitats in the south and west; wetlands, savannahs, mangroves, sea grass, coral gardens, the Belize Barrier Reef and beaches to the east and at the cayes (islands), and sugarcane in the north.  Mayan ruins are everywhere.  (The last time I checked, over 600 Mayan ruins are estimated to be in Belize – most of them unexcavated.)

You’ll also find animals, lots and lots of animals – the Belize Audubon Society has recorded 520 species of birds in the country, not to mention tapirs, jaguars, ocelots, boa constrictors, iguanas, frogs, deer, coatimundi, marsupials, pacas, agoutis, Black Howler Monkeys, spider monkeys, kinkajous, rhinoceros beetles, Blue Morpho butterflies (only one of 85 different species of butterflies), whale sharks, manatee, dolphins, crocodiles, lobsters, conch, bonefish, tarpon, permit, snook, grouper, Barracuda, various jacks and snappers, Wahoo, parrotfish, angelfish, trumpet fish, Eagle rays, hermit crabs – whole books have been written about the marine and terrestrial wildlife of Belize.

So, it’s very easy to combine the jungle and the beach in a single 7-night vacation.   Breakfast in the jungle in the morning and dine on lobster at a beach bar the same  evening.  Spend a couple of days hiking or horseback riding in the jungle, or cave  tubing, zip-lining and touring Mayan ruins.  Then, off to the beach for diving,  snorkeling, sea kayaking, sailing, parasailing and fly or light tackle fishing for  permit, snook, tarpon, bonefish, grouper and wahoo – all in a single 7-night honeymoon!

Temple 4, Tikal Mayan Ruins

Or, if you prefer just the jungle, how about 3 or 4 days exploring waterfalls and  majestic Mayan ruins such as Tikal or Caracal, hiking through the tropical deciduous  forest in the Mountain Pine Ridge, and canoeing through Barton Creek Cave, followed by  3 or 4 days in the mysterious Toledo District in southern Belize exploring the  rainforest,  kayaking on jungle rivers, learning to make chocolate from organic cacao  pods (which you harvest yourself) and visiting small Mayan villages?

Or, if you’d rather stay at the beach the entire time, how about a few nights on a private island doing  nothing but napping in your hammock, catching a few fish for lunch or dinner, snorkeling at nearby coral reefs and exploring nearby islands by kayak — followed by  a few nights in a light and airy beachfront suite from which you can indulge in gourmet Caribbean restaurants and massages by moonlight in a spa on a sensuous Caribbean beach?

Yes, you can do all of this in Belize – and you can do it at luxury beach resorts and  jungle lodges where you’ll be pampered to your heart’s desire, at budget beach cabanas  and thatched hand-made cabanas in the jungle – or somewhere in between.

So, the first thing you have to decide when planning a Belize honeymoon is what you  want to do, because what you want to do can sometimes determine the best Belize  destinations for your honeymoon.

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

For example, if cave tubing is high on your list, and you also want to explore some  Mayan ruins, then at least 3 nights in the Cayo District in western Belize should be on your itinerary.  If jungle hiking, horseback riding or biking are important, then  the Mountain Pine Ridge is a great choice.  If you want to get really off the beaten  jungle path, Toledo is where you’ll want to be.  Or, if fly fishing for permit is your heart’s desire, then you’re Placencia bound.  Dancing every night with fine dining and  a few beach bars in between is your idea of heaven?  Then get thee to San Pedro on  Ambergris Caye.

To give you an idea of the kinds of activities that are available in Belize, following  are the most popular Belize jungle and beach activities:

Jungle: cave tubing, caving, zip-lining, Mayan ruins tours, jungle river kayaking,  tubing or canoeing, crocodile sighting, jungle hiking/biking/horseback riding,  swimming in waterfalls, birding and medicinal jungle plants expeditions.

Snorkeling off False Caye (photo courtesy Lisa Carne)

Beach/Cayes: scuba diving,  snorkeling, sea kayaking, sailing, kite surfing, parasailing, saltwater fly fishing,  saltwater light tackle fishing or trolling, manatee sighting, whale shark  interactions, beachcombing, practicing hammock skills and inventing new rum drinks.

Now, where to do them.  Belize has 6 geographical/political districts:  Corozal and  Orange Walk Districts in the north, the Cayo District in the west, the Belize District  in the east, and Stann Creek and Toledo Districts in the south.

Day at a Private Waterfall in the Cayo District of Belize

Cayo in the west is the place most first-time visitors go for the jungle and offers  cave tubing, caving (particularly at Actun Tunichil Muknal — some clients have  described their tour of ATM as an almost spiritual experience), jungle hiking,  horseback riding and biking, lots of waterfalls, particularly in the Mountain Pine  Ridge area of Cayo (one lodge even offers a full private day at a private waterfall -  a truly recommended experience, especially for honeymoons (and anniversaries), zip- lining, Mayan ruins (Caracol, Xunantunich, El Pilar and day trips to Tikal in  Guatemala), and medicinal plant tours.  All levels of lodging are available in Cayo,  from luxury (Francis Ford Coppola owns a lodge here) to budget and camping.  Belmopan  City,  Belize’s capital, is located in Cayo, as is San Ignacio Town, a popular jumping  off point for Guatemala tours.

Toledo in the south is sometimes described as Belize’s forgotten district, which turns  out to be a good thing for adventurous visitors.  Small Mayan villages that time seems  to have forgotten, great jungle rivers for kayaking or canoeing, nature reserves where  almost no one goes, little explored caves that the Maya believe are doors to the  underworld, small ceremonial Mayan ruins such as Lubaantun (one of my favorite ruins),  the Snake Cayes for some beautiful snorkeling and some great fly fishing in the Port  Honduras Marine Reserve and in the jungle rivers. (Deep River is particularly known  for large tarpon in January.)

And, I just learned a few days ago that the Itzama Ethnobotanical Garden in the Toledo  District is now open to visitors with a prior appointment. Itzama is where very, very  rare plants from almost inaccessible areas of the Maya Mountains have been planted by  elder Mayan healers to supply them with plants for treating patients in Toledo  villages.  The healers are all elderly men and members of the Kekchi Maya Healers  Association who traveled on an expedition to the Maya Mountains with botanists and  medical scientists from the University of Ottawa and Cleveland State University to  identify rare medicinal plants of great value that are no longer available to them due  to development, logging and other advances of “civilization.” Surprisingly, one of the  main treatments that the healers specialize in are botanical treatments for mental  health, with 39 different types of plants in Itzama used for treatment of epilepsy and  anxiety related disorders.

Hickatee Cottages, Toledo District of Belize

Lodging in Toledo is mostly mid-level or budget, small (2 or 3 cottages or cabanas)  and mostly owner managed.  Toledo is one of the few places in Belize I recommend  renting a car to explore.  Punta Gorda Town is the only town of any size in Toledo.

The Stann Creek District is north of Toledo and south of the Belize District and  offers three primary destinations to visitors – the Placencia Peninsula, the  Hopkins/Sittee area and the cayes.

Mainland Stann Creek is unique in that it offers fairly easy access to both beach and  jungle activities with Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Reserve, Monkey River and the  Mayflower Archaeological Reserve as the three most popular jungle destinations in  Stann Creek.  (All three are accessible from Placencia, while Cockscomb and Mayflower  are easily accessible from Hopkins/Sittee.)

Permit on the Fly at Placencia, Belize

Scuba diving, snorkeling and fishing are  the most popular beach activities, although overnight and day sailing are becoming  increasingly common and available.  Scuba diving and snorkeling are excellent and the  chance to snorkel or dive with whale sharks around the full moons in April and May  draws many visitors to the Placencia Peninsula, as do the excellent saltwater flats,  especially for permit, tarpon and bonefish.

The Placencia Peninsula in the Stann Creek District is becoming a favored tourist  destination, with Placencia Village one of the most popular tourist destinations for  off-the-beaten track tourists.

The Peninsula is a 12-mile long peninsula with Placencia Village located at  its southern end.  Lodging ranges from very upscale resorts (such as Turtle Inn, also  owned by Francis Ford Coppola) to moderately priced apartments and beach cabanas in  Placencia Village.   Placencia has more of an “adventurous,” “Indiana Jones” type feel  to it than other beach locations in Belize.  (Local Placencians claim to be descended  from pirates, and they just might be.)  “Adventure with amenities” (such as good tap  water, electricity, phones, Internet service, wide variety of lodging and some very  good restaurants and beach bars) is an apt way to describe Placencia.

Placencia Beach (courtesy of Steve Pitts)

In Placencia Village, you’re also likely to meet the most eclectic group of people you  might find anywhere – from backpackers to college professors studying some aspect of  marine or terrestrial ecology, to eccentric ex-pats with pasts, to gregarious local  fishermen telling some of the most creative fishing stories you’ll ever hear, to North American retirees, to movie stars who like the fact that no one seems to particularly  care who they are, to people who just seem to drift through, never saying where  they’ve been or where they’re going.

Visitors to Seine Bight Village, a Garifuna village about 5 miles north of Placencia  Village, can try their hand at Garifuna drumming, sample the local bitters (rum mixed  with herbs guaranteed to cure what ails you), and experience a village that often displays its African roots.

Dangriga Town, Belize

Hopkins Village, about 40 miles to the north of Placencia, is also a small Garifuna coastal village  that is interesting for a day tour, or for an evening out for authentic Garifuna  cuisine (and is a little more economically prosperous than Seine Bight).  Dangriga  Town, also a Garifuna settlement, is the largest town in the area and is about a 20- minute drive from Hopkins.

The roads in this area are in pretty good condition, with  only small portions still unpaved.  Therefore, it’s fairly easy to travel between the  coast and western and southern attractions such as Xunantunich Mayan ruins, Blue Creek  Cave, Cave’s Branch, San Ignacio, the Belize Zoo, etc.  The Hopkins area is the only  coastal area where renting a car might make sense, especially for larger groups and  families.

The Sittee area about 5 miles south of Hopkins offers several good full-service beach  resorts, and are good honeymoon choices for couples looking for a more all-inclusive honeymoon.  (Lodging in Hopkins Village itself is mostly budget, limited services lodging.)  Fishing, snorkeling and diving are the main beach attractions in the Hopkins/Sittee  area – and all are very good, particularly in the Southwater Marine Reserve about 8  miles off the coast.  (For fly fishing anglers, “permit alley” starts in the  Southwater Marine Reserve off Hopkins and runs down into Placencia.)

And then there are the southern Belize cayes – the best part of Belize some say (and I  think I agree).  Small (the biggest is 15 acres) with lodging in wooden cabanas, white  sand, palm trees, water of greens and blues that sometimes seem surreal, the fresh  smells of the sea, pelicans, Great Frigate birds, sea turtles, dolphins, fantastic  snorkeling, fresh fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner if you want, relaxed, slow –   easy.

Silk Cayes off Placencia, Belize

The cayes still harbor what southern Belize was just 10 years ago. Don’t expect  waiters with white gloves delivering frozen margaritas while you lounge on the beach  and work on your tan, though.  And, visiting the southern cayes is not particularly  cheap (although not particularly expensive, either).  But, as long you’re not the  frenetic type who needs constant stimulation (and Internet access), you won’t regret  any penny that you spend on a honeymoon here, be it two nights or twenty.

(You can  even rent a private island for around US$800 for two people for 3 nights.  You’ll  sleep on clean sheets on a comfortable mattress in a wooden cabana built into the  mangroves, be lulled to sleep by sea breezes coming through the open window, eat just-caught seafood freshly prepared by your own personal Belizean cook/guide and snorkel  and kayak to your heart’s content.  Priceless.)

But, if you do desire a faster pace, plus nightlife, gourmet restaurants and the  good life at the beach, then Ambergris Caye/San Pedro off the Belize City coast should  be one of your primary Belize honeymoon destinations.

San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, Belize

San Pedro is actually the town located on Ambergris Caye, but many people use the  terms Ambergris Caye and San Pedro interchangeably.  Ambergris Caye/San Pedro has the  most tourist facilities, the most (and varied) restaurants and bars, the most gift  shops, the most nightlife — and the most tourists of any area in Belize.  However,  it’s still a mid-sized, friendly place, definitely not on a Cancun-scale.  Lots of  tours and tour operators to chose from, including ruins and jungle tours.  (Because  Ambergris Caye is on an island, getting to the ruins and jungle will involve a boat or  plane ride to the mainland.)

The Belize Barrier Reef is closer to San Pedro than it is in Placencia and Hopkins, so diving and snorkeling are a little less expensive than  in the more southern areas. Lots of lodging options to chose from, but the swimming in the Caribbean directly from shore isn’t as good as further south (mud bottoms rather than sandy bottoms). However,  sandy beaches and sand bottoms are just minutes away on snorkeling, diving and sailing  trips.

Also, there are two very different areas of Ambergris Caye – south Ambergris, where  San Pedro Town and most of the resorts are located, and North Ambergris, which is across a small “cut”, and which is almost all residential development and upscale  resorts.  It’s possible to take a golf cart across the cut and to travel a short way,  maybe a mile or two, by golf cart (or bike).  However, the “road” is really a trail,  and if it’s been raining much, the trail is almost impassable.  (My golf cart ended up  mired in the mud up to its fenders the last time I tried to go up to Capricorn  Resort.)  Therefore, transportation between North Ambergris and San Pedro Town (for  shops, grocery stores and restaurants) is mostly by boat.  Quite a few fairly large  beachfront residences are also available on North Ambergris.

Caye Caulker, Belize

And then there’s Caye Caulker, Ambergris’ more budget cousin, also located off the  coast of Belize City.  Lots of backpackers, relatively inexpensive lodging and  restaurants, although that’s beginning to change somewhat.  (Some very nice new  seafront condos available now.)  Diving and snorkeling are much the same as in San  Pedro, and about the same price, ruins and jungle trips require a boat ride.  No  beaches that slope to the sea (the entire island is pretty much a beach, but a seawall  separates it from the Caribbean).  Caye Caulker reminds me a little of Key West about  20 years ago.

So, how do you put this all together, especially if you want to combine the jungle and  the beach?  Easy – here’s a sample honeymoon itinerary based on moderate priced jungle and beach  lodging for the summer of 2009, for two people:

Rate is just US$1,303 per person for two adults, double occupancy and includes the  following:

• Lodging:

Black Rock Lodge on the Macal River:  3 nights in a Riverview thatched  cabana with private bath

French Louie Caye:  4 nights in a beach cabana on your own private island  (with composting toilet and fresh water shower in a separate building)

Black Rock Lodge, Cayo District, Belize

French Louie Caye, A Private Island Retreat

• Transfers:

One-way ground transfer from Belize International to Black Rock Lodge (about  2 hours)

One-way ground transfer from Black Rock to the Dangriga airstrip (about 2  hours)

One-way air transfer from Dangriga to Placencia (about 15 minutes)

Round-trip boat transfers between Placencia and French Louie Caye (about 20  minutes)

One-way air transfer from Placencia to Belize International (about 40   minutes)

• Meals:

Black Rock:  breakfasts and dinners

French Louie Caye:  all meals (breakfasts, lunches and dinners) beginning  with dinner on the day of arrival through breakfast on the day of departure

• Tours/Activities at Black Rock:

1/2 day guided tour of Xunantunich Mayan ruins

2 hours guided jungle horseback riding

1/2 day guided canoeing on the Macal River

• Tours/Activities at French Louie Caye:

Guided snorkeling and kayaking

Complimentary use of kayaks and snorkeling gear

• Other: 9% hotel tax, 10% restaurant service charge at Black Rock, 10% sales tax on  ground transfers, meals and tours

Not included:

• International air
• Belize departure tax (US$39.25 per person)
• Taxi fare between the Placencia airstrip and French Louie Caye dock (approx. US$5  each way)
• Alcoholic beverages and snacks
• Lunches at Black Rock and lunch on day of transfer from Black Rock to French Louie  Caye
• Gratuities except for restaurant staff at Black Rock
• Personal items and incidentals
• Souvenirs
• Trip cancellation insurance

Or, for a more luxurious alternative, US$2,461.28 per person, two adults, double  occupancy, including the following:

• Lodging:

Blancaneaux Lodge (owned by Francis Ford Coppola):  3 nights in honeymoon  cottage

Turtle Inn (also owned by Francis Ford Coppola):  3 nights in a seaview  cottage

Francis Ford Coppola's Blancaneaux Lodge

Francis Ford Coppola's Turtle Inn

• Transfers:

One-way ground transfer from Belize International to Blancaneaux (approx.  2.5 hours)

One-way ground transfer from Blancaneaux to Dangriga (approx. 2.5 hours)

One-way air transfer from Dangriga to Placencia (approx. 15 minutes)

Round-trip ground transfers between the Placencia airstrip and Turtle Inn  (approx. 10 minutes each way)

One-way air transfer from Placencia to Belize International (approx. 40  minutes)

• Meals:

Blancaneaux:  all meals (continental breakfasts, lunches and dinners)  beginning with dinner on the day of arrival through continental breakfast on the day  of departure

Turtle Inn:  all meals (continental breakfasts, lunches and dinners)  beginning with lunch on the day of arrival through continental breakfast on the day of  departure

• Tours/Activities at Blancaneaux Lodge:

1/2 day guided canoeing tour of Barton Creek Cave

Full day guided tour of the Caracol Mayan ruins, Rio Frio Cave and  Rio On Pools (also waterfalls)

Complimentary use of pool and mountain bikes

• Tours/Activities at Turtle Inn

Full day guided fishing, including gear

Complimentary use of pool, kayaks and bikes

• Other: 9% hotel tax, 10% sales tax on meals, tours and ground transfers, 10% hotel  service charge, 10% restaurant service charge

Not included:

• International air
• Belize departure tax (US$39.25 per person)
• Alcoholic beverages
• Gratuities for guides and drivers
• Personal items and incidentals
• Souvenirs
• Trip cancellation insurance

These are just a couple of sample Belize honeyoons to give you an idea of what you can  do and how much it costs  (and discounts may apply at some locations for summer/fall 2009).  Many, many Belize honeymoon options are available to be tailored  specifically to what you want to do, where you want to do it, and your Belize honeymoon  budget.

To learn more, see www.destinationsbelize.com/honey_sail.htm

Belize Honeymoons: Is Belize Right for Your Honeymoon?

Turtle Inn, Placencia, Belize

Belize is on the top-ten exotic tropical honeymoons list for a lot of couples – it may be on yours.  If it is, how much do you know beyond its exotic-sounding name, that it has Caribbean beaches, some jungle and some Mayan ruins mixed in there somewhere?

Much the same is true for other honeymoon destinations such as Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, so how do you know if  a Belize honeymoon is the right choice for you, and why?

Chaa Creek's Romantic Tree Top Suite

First, and let’s get this over with right off the top, Belize is not cheap – - at least not as inexpensive (more politically correct than cheap) as Guatemala or Honduras, or some parts of Mexico.  A 7-night honeymoon at the upper tier of Belize beach resorts and jungle lodges can (and probably will) cost over US$6,000 per couple.

But, compare a Belize honeymoon to a Caribbean island honeymoon with similar kinds of lodging, meals and activities, and Belize suddenly seems much more affordable.  And, of course, Belize offers many attractive, comfortable moderate lodging options if upscale luxury isn’t on the absolute necessity list.  (US$3,000 – US$4,000 for a 7-night honeymoon is definitely doable, and you won’t feel as if you’ve skimped.)

Thatch Caye Cabana Exterior

Second, Belize resorts and lodges do not offer truly complete all-inclusive packages — if you absolutely have to have a full all-inclusive package, Belize may not be the place for your honeymoon.  (An anniversary or family vacation maybe?)    Rarely are alcoholic beverages included, and if they are, the selection is usually limited to Belize rum drinks, Belize beer and maybe a house wine (house wine is not even commonly included).

Also, all-inclusive packages (whatever that may mean at a specific resort or lodge – make sure you understand the details), tend to be offered only at the more expensive places.  (An all-inclusive package with the aforesaid Belize liquor and house wine included at a moderately upscale beach resort will run US$5,000-US$6,000 for a 7-night honeymoon, depending on season.)

Third, if your heart is set on refined culture,  with a few museums interspersed with some snorkeling or diving, you probably ought to consider another honeymoon destination.

Maya Deer Dance, Toledo Cacao Fest

Don’t get me wrong, Belize is chock-full of culture, but its culture is in its people, on its streets, at its cayes and in its jungles, where fishermen still fish from a wooden dory with hooks and lines, where extended families gather on the river to swim and eat and tell tall tales, and the Maya still dance the deer dance to celebrate man’s relationship with animals and nature.

And, you have to get out into Belize to learn about its incredible diversity of cultures and peoples – a stew of just about 300,000 people including Belize Creole (a mixture of Europe and Africa), Garifuna (a World Heritage culture from Africa and the Caribbean), Mennonites, East Indians, Maya (yes, real live Maya do walk and breathe with us in Belize), Taiwanese, Palestinian, British, Mestizo, American and Canadian.

Curasow

Fourth, Belize’s tag-line is Mother Nature’s Best Kept Secret, and Mother Nature will be all around you, held at bay, yes, but if you look closely, you’ll see her creeping about at the edges, just waiting to slip in.  So, if you faint away at the mere idea of fruit bats flitting among the guava or mango trees eating mosquitoes, you may be better off elsewhere than in the tropics.

Finally, if the unexpected ruins your day, then Belize may not be a good honeymoon idea for you.  And by unexpected, I don’t necessarily mean bad unexpected.  Your guide might spot some jaguar tracks on the way to a waterfall, so you follow them – - and see a jaguar in the distance, making you late for the waterfall, and late getting back to your resort.  Or, the kitchen is out of blackberry jam, so you have to settle for home-made guava jelly (send me some!).  Or, you’re on the way to a caye for lunch when you run into a pod of 30 or 40 dolphins, which your guide stops to watch play.

Of course, the less then idyllic unexpected can happen – a flat tire (Belize has some terrible roads – but what’s at the end of them makes their memory not so bad), service can be slow (not excruciatingly slow, but sometimes slower than you’re used to expecting) and sometimes some things just aren’t available, especially if they’re imported (cargo ships held up by bad weather, a broken crane for unloading the ships, etc.).

Bottom line?  If you can roll with the flow, like your culture up close and personal, don’t need a minute-by-minute schedule and enjoy nature, then maybe Belize is right for you.

To learn more:  www.destinationsbelize.com/honey_sail.htm

Next:  Where in Belize Should You Honeymoon?