I am headed to Belize City for 5 days next week. Has anyone been there that would have some insight to this town other than what Universal has provided?
Its been over 5 years since I flew in there, but the people at the airport were really nice. Belize is the only country south of the US where english is the offical language. (in the americas). I remember that we never left our hotel except to cross the street for dinner. You still have to be careful of where you go and stay out of trouble. (you dont want to be kidnapped). The other thing that stood out is that there is no beach. It is a rocky coast and there wasnt a beach within 100 miles of the hotel. If you get a chance to go to some of the islands I hear that is the way to go.
Good luck and have fun...PS Universial didnt call customs for me and they were kinda mad they didnt know we were coming back to the US.
Pretty 3rd world. People are friendly and most if not all speak excellent English having been a former British Colony, I believe? The hotel that Universal set us up with was a Marriott associated property and okay. Couple of okay resturants very close by. If you have a car and the freedom to do so drive a ways out of the city back into the jungle areas and look at some of the ruins. The US Embassy is in the middle of town should need their services. After day 3 you will probably be ready to leave unless you are inclined to watch a lot of Survivor type TV. Good cable at the hotel we were in and more important, good airconditioning.
I spent a week there for my brother's wedding two years ago. See if you can stay on San Pedro. (Resort key about an hour boat ride from Belize city.) Some of the best diving and snorkeling in the world. You can drink the water, (The beer - Belikin is even better) and the people are friendly. Everybody speaks English and US dollars are okay everywhere.
If you get a chance go cave-tubing. Ask around for it...one of the coolest things I have ever done.
I was there 4 years ago and the first thought I had of Belize was "Poverty". The cab ride was scary, an old 70's model Ford van with no a/c and every rattle known to man. The streets and town look like something right out of the pages of National Geographic. Small dirt roads, bars on the windows and kids darting across the street.
I think we stayed at a Sheraton, but it may have been the Marriott. The previous posts are correct, the hotels are right on the water, within feet actually, but it is nothing but large rock boulders. We decided to walk around the neighborhood, but quickly found out that it wasn't an area for pastey Americans.
The people are nice and love the American dollar. When I was there, the exchange rate was 2:1. The island resorts are Americanized and this is where you will want to spend your time, if you can. Lots of water activities, snorkling, scuba, etc. The island areas are just like America and they will cater to you.
Overall, not a bad experience, just be aware of your surroundings.
Hop on Tropic Air, or Mayan Air, and go over to Ambergris Key for the day if you can. Great atmosphere, entertainment, and bars. If you ever watched Temptation Island, that's where it was filmed... thatched roof hotels and such. If you show your pilot cert's the pilot will let you ride up front going over(C208). If you dive, all the better. Good luck.
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