What to do in Belize besides diving?

[WOODMAN]

This is not really a scuba question, but I figured that someone here might have some insights for me. My wife and I am seriously considering a liveaboard trip out of Belize City this fall, and my lady wants to take a couple of extra days and see what is down there. Any suggestions? I hear that the Crooked Tree sanctuary is rather interesting, and fairly close, but... Anyone have any info? Woody

 

[Footslogger]

There are some Myan ruins near the city called "Altun Ha". Great side trip. Also ...there is the Belize City Zoo. If you have the time and are more adventursome there are river rafting trips but I've never been able to try it - always had a flight to catch.

Headed to Belize myself on 3/11. After a week on the Nekton we're spending the night in town and checking out the zoo. Did Altun Ha last year and really enjoyed it.

Enjoy ...

'Slogger

 

[Damselfish]

If you're taking a few extra days maybe stay at one of the jungle lodges, see the rainforest, canopy tour, waterfalls, animals, caves, ruins, tubing/rafting/canoeing, riding. Some have spa stuff. We always do the plane->liveaboad->plane thing with a little sightseeing the last day, but one of these times I'd like to do it. Someplace like http://www.chaacreek.com/ or http://www.hamanasi.com

 

[ffestpirate]

Have to highly suggest cave tubing! we had a ball!

 

[ticokitty]

I rode into San Ignacio and went in a crazy cave and saw 2,000 year old skeleton of a Mayan girl that had been sacrificed! There was a lot of climbing around in there.

There is a rasta guy named David that has tours out of San Ignacio to waterfalls and canoeing in a cave. I stayed at his "jungle lodge" that was rugged and roughing it (bath in river) Be sure to bring an extra sheet if you are staying in hostels though, a chick I met that stayed at the Tropical ended up with almost 100 bed bug bites! AHHHH!

Have fun!

 

[vjh]

If you are adventurous you HAVE to do the Black Hole Drop, but naturally I'm not at home where I could then tell you which lodge does it. A real rush, after a very hot hike up into the jungle, passing jaguar scat, one gets rigged in rappeling gear, goes backward over a cliff, and drops (you control your own descent) through the rain forest 300 feet. It is over way too quickly, but was fantastic...not for the faint of heart. Other than that, listening to the howler monkeys at 3 a.m. was unique. Caves Branch, I remembered...not the greatest spot to stay though.

The zoo was interesting, and less strenuous. We were told the ruins nicknamed "ATM" were great.

Good luck!

 

[pigletfish]

Belize has tons to do topside. I would second Damselfish's recommendation to head from Belize City out to one of the jungle lodges for a couple of days of hiking, rafting/tubing, horseback riding, visiting Mayan ruins, etc. We loved the ruins at Xunantunich. The Belize Zoo was also a lot of fun. Have a great trip!

 

[ScubaBabe22]

ditto... I've never been to the Zoo (after 5 trips...) but the waterfalls, Carocol is another place to check out (rumored to have even been bigger than Tikkal in Guatamala, which was pretttttyyyy big)...there are waterfalls, pine reserves. The whole country is great-- I loved San Ignacio. I just love the beach better

 

[LBR]

I'd recommend a quick side trip to Tikkal in Guatamala, which is easy to get to from San Ignacio. Personally I thought Belize City was horrible so the less time you spend there probably the better. For the diving portion of our trip we stayed on Caye Caulker and loved it.

 

[RockyHeap]

AWESOME PLACE.........remote, yet comphy, and the waterfall river tour is incredible where you climb several waterfalls while hundreds of feet below granite bed rock.

http://www.cavesbranch.com/