First trip to Belize... suggestions?

[LarryHinDC]

My wife and I want to take our first trip to Belize at the beginning of 2023. We're looking for suggestions on where to dip our toes in the water, so to speak. We are not interested in live-aboards, and would like somewhere there is at least a little night life. We'd like to do a week of diving. We have both logged over 150 dives, if that is helpful.

We are also interested in some land based exploring of Mayan ruins and culture. We expect that that will be a second week apart from the diving, but if any of you good people have suggestions for that, too, it would be appreciated.

Larry

 

[Hank49]

San Pedro, Hopkins or Placencia are the only places with diving and any night life. (Bars?)
San Pedro is the Waikiki of Belize. The most bars etc. Diving is decent but not as good as down south. The dive sites are, however, a short distance from the resorts.
Down south, Hopkins is close to Southwater Caye area, which to me, is very nice diving. Also relatively clost to Glovers Atholl, which is probably the best in Belize (except for Turneffe Elbow)
Placencia has night life and great diving but is 20 miles from the barrier reef. Splash is an excellent dive op there.
Hopkins may be your best option since you want to do Mayan ruins....cave tubing?....zip lining?....kayak Sittee River...Jaguar reserve, nice hiking. Bird watching...

 

[Edward3c]

Check out ReefCI.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I stayed in Hopkins Bay. I would not recommend it for nightlife. The beaches are not that great either if the staff isn't cleaning seaweed every day. Placencia is supposedly bigger with more chances of nightlife. Be aware, things are expensive. Bring your own reef safe sunscreen with you as you won't find any there. Definitely rent a car, and make arrangements prior. Driving there, despite what people warned us about, was a breeze. Easier than southern Europe or Dominican Republic.

 

[Hank49]

I stayed in Hopkins Bay. I would not recommend it for nightlife. The beaches are not that great either if the staff isn't cleaning seaweed every day. Placencia is supposedly bigger with more chances of nightlife. Be aware, things are expensive. Bring your own reef safe sunscreen with you as you won't find any there. Definitely rent a car, and make arrangements prior. Driving there, despite what people warned us about, was a breeze. Easier than southern Europe or Dominican Republic.

Hopkins Bay is at the north end of town. It's a mile or so from the bars, although Driftwood Pizza is fairly close.
The seaweed problem is nation wide, even up to Cancun. It's been going on for a few years now.
The Sargassum Sea is getting over fertilized from somewhere....maybe that oil spill in the Gulf that's been flowing since 2013 or so?

 

[drrich2]

We are also interested in some land based exploring of Mayan ruins and culture. We expect that that will be a second week apart from the diving, but if any of you good people have suggestions for that, too, it would be appreciated.

Years ago, on a cruise ship stop, my wife, brother-in-law, a buddy and I visited Belize and did a boat tour up New River to Lamanai (which means 'submerged crocodile'). On the river, we saw crocodiles, rainforest, and bats in a sheltered area on a tree trunk. On a foot tour through the rainforest, we visited Mask Temple, Tall Temple and Jaguar Temple; we were allowed to climb atop the first two. Beautiful. Would recommend it.

Richard.

Oh, Belize City has a reputation for being 'rough,' so be aware.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Definitely see some ruins and go to the Belize Zoo, especially if you have kids. All animals are rescues and are in the process of being rehabilitated to return to the wild or have a permanent sanctuary. We saw Cahal Pech and Xunantunich. We did enjoy the Blue Hole National Park (the other Blue Hole in Belize). There are a lot of things to do on land in Belize.

 

[ibj40]

Just to add a couple of comments.

For land tours, strongly support the recommendation to visit the Belize Zoo. We’ve been to Belize twice and to the Zoo both times.

For Maya experience, and if you have the time, we took an overnight trip to Tikal, arranged for both transportation, lodging at Tikal and a guide.

On the way back to Belize we stopped at Xunantunich as well.

Having researched the Maya even more since then, we should have spent another day in the Tikal area and toured Uaxactun, which is further away but reportedly an amazing Maya archaeological site also in Guatemala.

On diving, first time we went out to Turneffe Flats Resort, second time we stayed in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye.