Belize City

[Otter]

OK, we leave tomorrow for Belize...diving on Peter Hughes. We have a little more than 24 hours in Belize City to do activities. Some are going cave tubing, some the ruins (Altun Ha), and some the Canopy Tour (zip lines).

Has anyone done any of the above...and if so was it good/bad?

I have heard that Belize City is 'the pits'....how bad is it really? Is there anything to see?

How bad is the crime 'really'?

TIA

 

[Damselfish]

Our last afternoon on the boat (Nov 02) we checked out the hotel that's by the dock and their gift shop, and then strolled around town in the area for a while. There was a nice local crafts shop a few blocks away that they told us about on the boat. My only other activity was watching the fish in the open storm drains along the streets which go right to the sea. (I amuse easily.) At least the area we were in, in the afternoon, didn't seem any more of a pit than many tropical towns in other places, and we didn't feel unsafe or anything.

We did the zoo after we got off the boat and it was pretty interesting. They wrapped a giant snake around my neck for pictures and the Howler monkeys were fun to watch. And we learned that warthogs smell really bad, a fact only hinted at in the Lion King! We toured the zoo while trying to remain upwind of them whenever possible.

 

[Pamdiv]

The zoo was a great day trip. We had a good guide, but whatever you decided to do in Belize, bring GALLONS of mosquito repellent. Don't venture too far on foot from the tourist areas in Belize City, the place is really the pits.

 

[Damselfish]

oh yeah, I second the mosquito repellent

 

[SueMermaid]

We took a trip up the river to see Lamanai. It was one of the best days I have ever had.

 

[SterlingDiver]

.......Altun Ha is fair to good at best. A pretty good trek to get there. The guides on site tend to rush you through. We also did a "jungle" river trip. Pretty relaxing. We saw manatees, river dolphin, cayman, howler monkeys, iguanas, termite nests, bats, etc. They picked us up at the main Belize City pier. You can also do this trip with a side trip to Altun Ha.

Haven't done any of the others, but have heard the tubing trip is a lot of.

Not too much to see in Belize City and it is a little rough.

Ditto on the repellant if you get away from the city.

Have a great trip.

Dave

 

[Otter]

.......Altun Ha is fair to good at best. A pretty good trek to get there. The guides on site tend to rush you through. We also did a "jungle" river trip. Pretty relaxing. We saw manatees, river dolphin, cayman, howler monkeys, iguanas, termite nests, bats, etc. They picked us up at the main Belize City pier. You can also do this trip with a side trip to Altun Ha.

Haven't done any of the others, but have heard the tubing trip is a lot of.

Not too much to see in Belize City and it is a little rough.

Ditto on the repellant if you get away from the city.

Have a great trip.

Dave

Can you snorkel with the Manatees? Apparently Altun Ha is the closest, others not possible due to our time constraints. Is the zoo worthwhile or just a convenient past-time?

Oh ya, I am bring lots of DEET

 

[riverdiver]

Hi, did the river tubeing,was awlsome, water is deep and very good vis,would have loved to dive it! also did the zoo, we stayed on Ambergeese kye did a day trip,we took a small boat from the island to Belize city van to zoo and tubeing,did withthe family, wife made me do famly time to break up my diving.
Ed

 

[Otter]

Thanks for the info....

 

[jakubson]

I second the comment about Altun Ha - fair to good. If you have never seen ANY Mayan ruins, it is a way to see some.

Cave tubing is a blast. About 10 of us from the Aggressor went together. Wear a shortie of full 3 mm suit (you can put it on when you are about to get in the water) to really enjoy the trip without getting chilled (we went in December).

LOTS OF BUG SPRAY!!!!!!!!

If you are leaving to go home the next day on the 3 PM flights, you can go to Altun Ha first thing in the AM and return by lunch - the tour desk at the Radisson (at the end of the pier where the Aggressor and Dancer dock) can help.