Belize it or not!

Advantages: The Blue Hole, rich with history
Disadvantages: beggars following you around town asking for money

...I visited Belize in 2006 on a diving trip so this is a review of both Belize and the diving. What Made me Choose Belize? I am a keen diver and had just finished watching champion freediver, Tanya Streeter, in a programme about scuba diving and skin diving in Belize. I was so fascinated and taken by the place that I decided I must go and spent time researching my different options. I settled on a liveaboard experience (7 days at sea) and a week spent in Belize. Getting to/from Belize I live in Berkshire so I flew from London Heathrow to Belize City. There are no direct flights from the UK so I had to fly via Miami and stay in Miami overnight. It was Virgin from LHR to Miami and American to Belize. Coming back I did not have to do an overnight but spent a lot of time waiting at Miami International...

jupiter28 29.03.2008 · Read review
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Review of General: Belize

Belize Barrier Reef "A World Heritage Site"

Advantages: Second largest mass of living coral in the World!
Disadvantages: For divers only

...?Deterioration or disappearance of any item of the cultural or natural heritage constitutes a harmful impoverishment of the heritage of all the nations of the world. It is incumbent on the international community as a whole to participate in the protection of the cultural and natural heritage of outstanding universal?. ? quoted from UNESCO?S World Heritage Convention. In keeping with the above words, the Belize Barrier-Reef Reserve System was inscribed as a World Heritage site in 1966. It was thus accorded the same status as Machu Picchu in Peru, the Grand Canyon in the United States and other such wonders around the world. So what makes this site of ?Universal Value?? ******************************* A Heritage Worth Preserving ******************************* The Belize Barrier Reef is the second largest mass of living...

quan 09.08.2007 · Read review
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Review of General: Belize

"Last night I dreamed of San Pedro"

Advantages: Amazing wildlife, Mayan temples, cheap day trips & food
Disadvantages: Run down, ghettos, high visible unemployment & homelessness

..."It all seems like yesterday not far away" or so Madonna sang anyway in 'La Isla Bonita'. For me it all seems like 3 weeks ago, and so I decided, to get busy writing up my experiences of my honeymoon in Belize. The reason for the Madonna quote, if you were wondering, is that, just off Belize is the island which inspired Madonna's song, Ambergris Caye (home of San Pedro), and it is in places truly beautiful. But more about that later. General Point on this review ************************************* Just as a warning before I do begin, the way I've done this review is to write an account day by day of our experiences in Belize. Because this review would be 50 pages long if I went into real detail of each trip I have mentioned each place in summary, but will be writing specific accounts in separate reviews of all places...

Shoka 18.10.2006 · Read review
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Review of General: Belize

Safety warning in Belize City

Advantages: Local culture
Disadvantages: Local crime

...I visited Belize City on business. I was warned Belize City can be dangerous, particularly at night. This may well be the case if you venture in some parts of the city in the shanytowns. I went out only once in then night, with one of the local colleagues of my company. We headed for Freetown Rd and managed to isit a couple of clubs without any trouble whatsoever, although I was impressed by the amount of people drunk. Apparently Belize City is plagued by drugs and local police do little or nothing to stamp down. Although the tropical climate can be a bit suffocating, I enjoyed the 2 days I spent there. Since I was there on business, I had a chance to meet quite a few local people. In frankness, I never felt 100% relaxed, and always felt a bit uneasy. Concerning food, I went in the area around King Street and had chinese...

CICLISTALOCO 28.04.2001 · Read review
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Review of Belize City

Unbelizable

Advantages: Stunning diving and snorkelling, very laid back
Disadvantages: Not that cheap

...- or thats what the t-shirts would have you believe, anyhow. I spent two weeks there earlier this year on an adventure trip with my best mate, and was really quite impressed. The first thing to note is that unless you're on a mammoth regional trek it's a pain in the arse to get to. The airport's tiny, flights get booked up by rich americans wanting a local getaway and they're really expensive anyhow. You can fly into Guatemala and sign up for a ten-hour boneshaker bus trip, or trek down from Mexico (lots of cheap flights go to Cancun) - it's a long way, so plan on breaking the journey somewhere or hanging out in Mexico for a while. Once there, the best bit of Belize is easily the coast. It's got the second longest barrier reef in the world, which runs parallel to the coastline, and the islands inbetween are superb. Low, flat, sandy...

ImogenW 29.12.2000 · Read review
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Review of General: Belize

Up the New River

Advantages: Adventure on the river
Disadvantages: Sad feeling

...Lamanai is in the North of Belize, an area which had been inhabited by the ancient Mayas and still retains a lot of its past. It is possible to get there on a daily trip, or to spend the night there, although accomodation can eb a bit pricey. If you can afford it, though, I would recommend you spend the night there, since it is very athmospheric Most tourists get there by river, and so did I. We managed to spot 1 crocodile on our trip. Once we got there, what stuck me most is the local forest. You can visit the ruins at Lamanai only during the day. Our group was relatively small, only 6 of us, including a couple of German lesbians, I suppose, who felt particulalry out of place there. Apart for the ancient ruins, what each tourist visit, including myself, is the Indian Church. The strongest recallection I have of this trip...

CICLISTALOCO 28.04.2001 · Read review
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Review of Lamanai (Belize)

Belizian Paradise

Advantages: idyllic setting, sun, sea and beer by sunset.
Disadvantages: gets a bit windy.

...A 45 minute boat ride took us away from the hustle and bustle of the small port in Belize City, and out to the idyllic island/islands of Caye Caulker. Arriving at sunset gives you the feeling that you don't want to go anywhere else...........ever!! We stayed at the Rainbow Hotel, which provides rooms that all have a sea view. In fact you didn't even have to get out of bed to watch the sun rise! Highly recommended is a snorkelling trip out to the reef, a conservation area that offers a huge range of marine life. Our snorkel guide, Carlos, took us out to 3 different spots to enjoy the corals and fish. The highlight being Sharkray Alley, having plyed the local Nurse sharks and Stingrays with fish, we were then allowed to swim in amongst them, or rather for them to swim all over us, an amazing experience, almost on par with swimming...

davenewitt 04.01.2005 · Read review
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Review of Caye Caulker (Belize)

A little piece of paradise....

Advantages: Cheaper that the other beach resorts/ great beach
Disadvantages: Not that easy to get to.

...I've just returned from spending 6 months in Central America and was lucky enough to spend some time at Placencia... the caye attatched to the land. Placencia is a down to earth travellers beach resort, which has not yet become as over run by tourists to as great an extent as San Pedro and Caye Caulker, the better known cayes have. So ok it isn't particually easy to get to Placencia... 6 hours down the unpaved Southern Highway followed by an hours boat ride in a decidedly dodgy boat may not appeal, but it is well worth the hassle! Belize is not known for its beaches (due to the distinct lack of them!), and Placencia will plesantly suprise you in this respect! It is a sandy peninsular off the mainland, surrounded on one side by a lagoon, and on the other by the Caribbean Ocean- stunning! The beach stretches for miles, and it is...

Banshee 26.07.2000 · Read review
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Review of Placencia (Belize)

Carnival valor fantastic

Advantages: size of ship, destinations, entertainment, food........
Disadvantages: none

...We have been on a carival cruise once and i would have to say i could not fault it in anyway. We boarded the carnival valor in miami for a 7 night trip to cayman islands, mexico cozumel, honduras and belize. The ship was large on eleven floors and had entertainment day and night for all ages. This cruise line especially caters for families and kids have so much going on including their own camp carnival where there is activities, ps2's, games and discos. The food was great and in abundance and midnight buffet not to be missed. Cabins a bit cramped bit are adequate and cleanliness and cabin service second to none. Staff on board very helpful and friendly and captain always keeping passengers informed. If looking for a posh cruise this isnt for you it is very casual and not at all what i expected a cruise to be. Trying to get off...

gemrocks1 21.08.2007 · Read review
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Review of Carnival

fast paced action at its best!

Advantages: everything
Disadvantages: nothing

...there with them,which in my view is the mark of a good book. ---- easy to read? ---- Yes.this book is targeted to teenagers,and as the characters are all teenagers it is easy to relate to their thoughts and feelings in different situations.The characters are all very different and this gives it a positive twist as it can inspire all sorts of people to try new things. ---- storyline ---- 'Alpha force are a team of teenagers dedicated to fighting injustice around the world. When they are training in the Belize jungle,the team uncover a raid of an ancient Mayan tomb.They have to abort their training and return to the city.But when a devastating earthquake hits the area they are left racing against time to locate and rescue survivors .... I found the storyline very compelling and ,at some points, quite gory.It is very unpredictable...

Karri123 16.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of Fault Line - Chris Ryan