Belize Travel Blog

Reef Shark in Belize

One last country for my 2025 Caribbean adventure.  This year has been hectic..  Hotels, planes, ferries, rental cars, dive boats.  Almost 7 months island hopping.

Belize is on the list, Belize is on everyone’s list.

It has a fantastic reputation; holds a Wynia family legacy; and has so much potential !!

No more delays; It’s time to explore this Central American jewel.

*****

To Captain Don:  thanks for the gift of wanderlust.

*****

... I come to Belize for diving.  Thinking I will join a live aboard dive boat..at the last second,, Fail !!  My last minute plan is a bust; the dive boats are booked ..  Time for plan B.

With only two nights reserved in Belize City ... I need a plan.  Now.

Luckily for me!! Belize is the easiest place to explore - anywhere!!  I’m here during a low tourist season..  Plenty of hotel rooms and dive centers available. Easy.

OK.. rent a car at the Airport.. Drive the interior of Belize for 10 days.. then back to the coast for diving, diving, diving.. Alright, that’s the plan.  Get started Bruce.

Belize is a Breeze.

First discovery; Belize has a tiny population.  Only 400k people.  It feels empty everywhere I travel.  Best part of that ,, I feel welcomed and appreciated.  I encounter almost zero difficult situations or bad vibes during my entire 3 week visit.. Hotels, restaurants, dive shops.. everyone treats me with friendship and respect.

Called British Honduras for almost 200 years..  Its name changed to Belize in 1964.

Belize City:  is a let down.  There is NOTHING to do here. One small but nice museum.. one tiny Cathedral, after that.. absolutely nothing. Astonishing. It’s just a port/transfer location.  I didn’t know!!   Ok - Belize lesson #1.  Skip Belize City if possible.

After that slow start in Belize City … I’m finally off on adventure.. leaving the coast; driving to the interior..exploring Belize. Empty roads, easy driving.

Northern Belize looks exactly like South Florida.  Some marsh lands; like the Everglades.  While other lands look like scrub Pine/palmetto prairies; this could be a few miles from my Florida home!!!

First stop; a jungle zoo .. Featuring Tapir’s and a great Cat collection.

At the zoo: I discover an interesting old photograph - of the late iconic Steve Irwin (Australia) and Sharon Matola – the original Belize zoo owner .. both Private Zoo owners.  Love that connection.  Makes the matrix real for me.

Reaching San Ignacio later that day, I find my hotel is perfect!! 

I luck into this one. West House Boutique Hotel. Quality room. Downtown location.  A short one block walk -  are two breakfast restaurants… and another block over is ‘downtown’ – with several dinner restaurants..  tiny San Ignacio quickly becomes an easy, welcoming stop.  Add in a first-class expresso shop…I’m set.   This is an outstanding local Belize experience.

All that hospitality ,,  with ancient Mayan pyramids a few miles away.   Wow..  San Ignacio is a great location to explore Belize and Northern Guatemala.

One morning, from San Ignacio I drive to a nearby river ferry crossing.  A barge:  drive on .. drive off.  Once across the river, a short road leads to the Xunantunich Ruins.  My first official Mayan pyramids. 

It’s early morning.. and these ruins are empty.  I pay the small entrance fee.. and I have the entire place to myself !!   Fantastic!!!  4 giant pyramids and central plaza.  Steep pyramids ....  but one is climbable.  Along 1-2 ledges, stairs cut into stone,,  be careful!!  The top gifts me views of the surrounding jungle and plaza below..  This looks like the Amazon or Borneo .. jungle every direction,, into a mist.

While wandering this Mayan site,,, I meet an archeologist working there.. ..  I quickly ask 100 questions!!!  A Real archeologist with a full-time passion.. I see several students coming and going. .. they are unearthing another pyramid  – tents covering their work.   What a fantastic opportunity  – working as a student archeologist.  Living life as Indiana Jones.

I reverse direction from the Xunantunich Ruins;  drive back to the ferry,  and onward to a second Mayan site,,, Cahal Pech.

Each Mayan ruin is more amazing than the last.. There might be a dozen+ sites to visit in Belize… With many more in Mexico and Guatemala. 

Cahal Pech feels more of a palace home than only the classic Mayan pyramid design ..… like I found at Xunantunich.  Both these sites are easy to explore without a guide.

From San Ignacio - I arrange a private guided one day tour into Guatemala.  A great last minute plan!!

My tour includes;  Walking across the land border from Belize into Guatemala..  where a driver and guide take me to Tikal !!  I spend the day touring this UNESCO site, then back to Belize … in a single day.   I blog about my Guatemala trip separately.

Plan B is going well,,,, but needs some work,,  so I spend a few off days in San Ignacio;  working onward travel arrangements ,,, and resting up between Mayan Ruin adventures.  I’m enjoying the vibe here.  Uncomplex.

Unfortunately, while at San Ignacio - I miss the popular Cave tubing adventures and jungle hiking.  Next time.

With so many adventure and culture tours .... at cheap costs … with good stuff happening everywhere ..  San Ignacio is a great place to explore the interior of Belize.  Time well spent.

Ok,, Back to Plan B …. time to move ... time to dive Belize’s Caribbean reefs.

The Belize reef system is considered the second longest in the world.. Only the Great Barrier Reef being larger. Spanning Belize and southern Mexican Yucatan.

Placencia:  Caribbean Caye life.  Southern Belize coast. Located on a long island-hopping road.. exactly like the Florida Keys. Old school.  With a vibe to match..  Absolutely cool place.

In Belize; Caye is pronounced like Key in the States.  As we would pronounce Key West.

Along my drive to Placencia, the landscape is beautiful rural rolling farmlands - along a well paved 2-lane road.  It’s a 3.5 hour drive from San Ignacio.

Curiously – a large Mennonite community lives and prospers here.  Crazy to see them dressed in their conservative 1800’s styled farm clothes .. and to find them in Belize?  Who knew ?  they have a long history there..  and appear to be thriving in Belize.

From Placencia – I’m diving the far southern reefs of Belize.  Using Splash Dive Center.  Sadly,  the weather is not cooperating. Too much wind and rain.

Under raining rough seas…  I’m still working Plan B; diving the Belize reefs.

Each Placencia dive is good, but not fantastic.. the viz a challenge.  Penty of sharks.. and good soft coal.. And a reasonable variety of reef fish. 

Laughing Bird Caye, South Waters Caye.  Long difficult full-day boat rides to these dive sites,, a lot of work.  And due to high fuel prices in Belize… the long trips are expensive.

Weather canceled my trip to Glovers Reef. ☹  - maybe the best southern reef in Belize? My loss.

I think with better weather conditions – diving here could be 10x better.  As the saying goes; Timing is everything.

I stay at Sea Glass hotel;  it worked perfectly.   Simple, easy, nearby restaurants, expresso shops. Island vibe.   Just walk outside;  ocean, bars, boats, dive shops, festival tents.    My kinda place.

By coincidence;  It’s Belize Lobster season !!! Each year,  for 3 weeks – a Lobster festival moves from Placencia, to Ambergris to Caye Caulker.. 

My current and next destinations!!!  Lucky me!!

Looks like I’m eating lobster..  Every day 😊 - Plan B is working out.

Wrapping up my Placencia visit,, I drive north - back to the airport, return my rental car,, then a taxi ($30) to the ferry port.   I’m on the move again!

Once at the Ferry.. The Belize Express.. I buy a one way ticket to San Pedro.. on the island of Ambergris Caye.  Just $25-30.  1 hour ride.  Comfortable, fast. Fun.

San Pedro:  Ambergris Island is Belize Tourist central.  And the subject of Madonna’s hit song La Isla Bonita.  I have a different opinion of San Pedro than Madonna. ☹

San Pedro is golf cart crazy!!  Golf Carts are a requirement here!!!

Not realizing this,, at the last second - I decide to rent a cart at the San Pedro ferry dock.  Bad plan.

Ugg!!! I get the price Hussle..  Arguing, Eventually I get to a ‘proper’ price.. but I’m not here to negotiate and get hustled ☹   Sadly,  It even happens in paradise sometimes.

An experienced Ambergris Island traveler;  would pre-book their golf cart.. with a reputable, high-quality provider… My cart is a piece of junk.. the first cart they rent me breaks down…  Not fun on the horrible roads.

The vibe of San Pedro is not very welcoming.  Finding food a battle. Finding expresso a battle.  And with unlucky timing …. horrible sorghum seaweed is piled up at the waterline ....  25 yards of seaweed lining the shoreline and docks. Smelling.  Ugg.  Reminding me of Punta Cana of Dominican Republic.

… this isn’t going well!!

Only thing I like about Ambergris,, is the dive shop – Belize Pro Dive Center ..  A well run, professional dive operation.

I get out diving the local nearby reefs the first 3 days..  Canyon’s,  Sharks, Grouper.   But again, poor viz.  Overall Good dive experiences,,just 5-10 minutes from the dock,,,  but unfortunately,  not such good  viz. 

But then,,, the weather clears,,  and I get out to the Great Blue Hole and Half Moon Caye..  And fantastic diving .. world class. Full long day trips. 2.5 hours one way,, but 100% worthy.

The outer reefs offer better viz..  Including a 140foot Blue Hole dive - a unique experience.  With stalactites in caverns and a hammerhead sighting.

But it’s my Half Moon Caye dives that are off the charts fantastic ...world class dives and experiences.

- with great Shark and Grouper encounters.  Then lunch on Half Moon Caye island, with bird watching  ... marching Hermit Crabs.   Wow,, this is wildlife central!!  

I love this Caye..  I should camp here one day ...   I think that’s possible..   High priority if I ever return!!

Finishing up my Belize dive plans – Time to dry out and pack up.  Just enough time for one last island hop.   One more adventure.

Caye Caulker - by ferry.  30 minutes. $25.

A home run decision.  I adore Caye Caulker.  And will out of dive here next trip to Belize. …. I’ll skip Ambergris.   Caye Caulker is 100x more my style.

Dirt roads,, a tiny place, golf cart not needed, great vibes, great food choices..

Think…..Lobster every day!!

Hang at the Split bars,  Big Titty Rum Bar,  Frenchie’s Dive Shop, Tarpon Cove.. and a dozen more great spots.  It’s like a version of the old Florida Keys.. like a tiny Key West crossed with Big Pine Key.

I stayed at Barefoot Hotel – an OK option. But I think Amanda’s Place will be my choice next visit to Caye Caulker.. 😊

One last ferry.  Back to mainline Belize …. A taxi to the airport and a flight home.

Plan B rocked.

My pace during this year’s Caribbean island hopping has been hectic. It’s time to catch my breathe,  do some paperwork, check on home..

Another adventure is never far off.

Onward.

A Belize Travel Blog.