Laid-back in Belize

During the middle of July ’04, my wife, Ione, and I spent two weeks in Belize City and San Pedro (on Ambergris Caye), Belize. Our American Airlines flights from Miami were comfortable and on time.

Due to flight schedules, we stayed overnight at La Quinta Inn & Suites Miami Airport West (8730 NW 27th St., Miami, FL 33172; phone 866/725-1661), which we found online at www.parksleepfly.com. We paid $95. The hotel offered 30 days of free parking with our room as well as a courtesy shuttle to and from the Miami airport.

In Belize City we stayed at The Great House (13 Cork St.; phone 011 501 223 3400 or visit www. greathousebelize.com), a landmark hotel built in 1927 reminiscent of early colonial times in Belize. Our room cost BZD192 (near $96) plus tax.

There were several restaurants in the immediate area. We preferred the Smokey Mermaid ($66 for two with wine) at our hotel, but pleasant dining was also available across the street at the Radisson Fort George ($70 for two with wine) and the Harbor View, a block away ($83 for two with wine).

The Great House and the Radisson Fort George arranged our day tours (totaling $340 and $220, respectively); however, one could probably obtain a better price by directly contacting Discovery Expeditions (phone 501 223 0748) or Belize Shore Expeditions (phone 501 203 0361 or visit www.belizeshore.com).

We booked tours to the Maya ruins at Lamanai; the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve; the Maya temple El Castillo at Xunantunich and the Belize Zoo. We went cave tubing as well. Tom Greenwood of Belize Shore Expeditions provided exceptional safety for us (two seniors) on the river cave tubing tour.

We also enjoyed the butterfly/moth collection at the Museum of Belize, within walking distance of our hotel.

It was a short flight from Belize City Municipal Airport to San Pedro on Tropic Air (phone 800/422-3435 or visit www.tropicair.com), the local airline. We stayed for a week at the Banana Beach Resort (Coconut Drive; phone 501 226 3890 or visit www.bananabeach.com). For the two of us, our full-water-view suite cost BZD240 ($120) plus tax daily, including full breakfast and round-trip taxi from the airport. It included a kitchen for guests who preferred meals in their room.

We tried several restaurants within walking distance of the Banana Beach, among them Banyan Bay ($87 for two with wine) — very nice indoor or outdoor dining, quality food, nice presentation and friendly staff. Lunch at Elvi’s Kitchen (Pescador Drive; www.elviskitchen.com), with its sand floor and a tree growing in the middle of the dining room, was fun ($20).

One day we took our golf cart that we rented at Banana Beach Resort’s Monkey Business Travel Shoppe and went across the split on Ambergris Caye via the ferry (which operators on board pull across by rope) to Captain Morgan’s Retreat for lunch at the poolside grill ($25 with drinks). Our waiter was very personable and the piña colada, excellent. There are several isolated resorts on this side of the island — a must for visitors.

We were completely happy with the Banana Beach Resort. Their El Divino restaurant was excellent and the service, friendly ($75 for dinner with wine and $20 for lunch). The Monkey Business Travel Shoppe arranged daily activities.

We snorkeled along Shark Ray Alley, in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, where we could touch stingrays and nurse sharks. We ended one day with a sunset cocktail cruise.

Belize has yet to become “Americanized” with fast-food franchises. Now is the time to visit this laid-back country. The locals welcome visitors, and we felt completely safe, even walking along the streets or beach into town at night. If you like sea, sand and serenity, this is the place to visit.

JOE GOLDEN
Ormond Beach, FL