Belize Cruise Stop - What To D0?

[North Coast Cab]

Taking a cruise for Spring Break with my wife and 10yo son. One of the stops is in Belize and I'm trying to figure out exactly what to do. Any suggestions?
We enjoy the beach life and a little adventure, but want to avoid a 6 hour stint on a bus to some remote beach.

John

[dhoward]

Find a local to take you on a Jungle / Ruins tour.

[89911]

Avoid Malaria! You will most likely be hitting a port on the ocean so I don't know if a jungle tour is likely. (Or if you are willing to take a bus ride with 150 people on a one lane road in the mountains).

[plain fan]

My friends and I hired a private snorkel tour in the reef preservation area. Hopped off the cruise ship, took a taxi to the commuter airport, hopped on a plane and flew to the island. It was a lot of fun and beats the heck out of any cruise ship snorkel event. We got some great pictures of sea life. We absolutely would do it again.

[North Coast Cab]

Yeah, that's the idea. I guess I'm trying to figure out if I can dissembark and troll myself or if I'm stuck with the cruise excursions? I'd love a 20 minute trip to a beach etc. as long as there are facilities there. Sometimes you can even buy admission to a resort.

John

[Mo_Gearhead]

Try and find that Natalee Halloway chick so my wife can stop watching Greta

(what?....where?....Aruba??)

Oh forget it.

[RoninLB]

great diving offshore if you're certified.

tarpon fly fishing if in season

the river hike up to Guatemala is intense

great bird watching if you're a buff.

Should still be a jaguar preserve there.

get med shots for all

[John_AZ]

Here is a site for shore excursions. One of many.
http://www.belizecruiseexcursions.com/

The cruise line will offer one as well. Disembarkation with a ship load of people is like a stuffed subway in Tokyo.
Stay on the main streets in Belize City if you explore. The back streets have barbed wire compounds where the wealthy drug lords stay with bodyguards.
Check out the American retirement villages if you have a desire to locate and of course snorkel where permitted if possible.

Have a great time!
John_AZ

[Dueller]

Went on my honeymoon to Belize..actually San Pedro, Ambergris Caye which is a 20 minute airplane hop ($120/pp R/T) from BC. Or you could take the 90 minute ferry over which is an adventure in itself (c. $15/pp each way). Once you get there you can walk around the area, shop, lots of good local places to eat but not so overrun as the touristy areas around the port. We stayed a few miles up the Caye in a private villa so we did all our snorkelling and diving out on that end.

If you want something a bit more off the beaten path, go to Caye Caulker which is about a 10 minute hop from BC by plane (c. $80/pp RT)....great swimming, snorkelling, and home of the world famous Green Lizard bar.

BC itself is safe as long as you don't get off the beaten path...can be rough in some places. I would recommend going with a pre-booked tour guide rather than finding a local if your going to the ruins, jungle etc. There have been isolated cases of highwaymen in remote areas.

Look around thios site for ideas:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g291961-i1457-k1690441-Water_Taxi_or_Airplane-Ambergris_Caye_Belize_Cayes.html

[Rondinone]

If you like coffee, go to the local tourism office (can't remember the real name, but the gov't sponsored place) and pick up some of the local organic coffee. The shop is just a few blocks from the pier. I bring back a few bags every time we stop there, mmm.

[Dueller]

I did this search for you on trip advisor...lots of good ideas for day trips if you're only in on a cruise:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/SearchForums?ff=1455&geo=291959&dt1=2&returnTo=%2FTourism-g291959-Belize-Vacations.html&q=cruise+day+trip

[LakeCleElum]

Once you walk out of the fenced in Cruise Ship shopping area, vendors will swarm on you like locusts. Many will have a 3-ring binder with pictures of what they supposedly offer. Most don't look very reputable. I wandered around Belize City for a few hrs. Like said above, stick to the main streets and keep an eye on your wallet...

[914GT]

Try the cave tubing.

[TechnoViking]

Belize city is a hole. The Cayes are nice.