Belize
Day 1 - San Pedro
We flew in to BZE and originally allotted for 2-3 hours in customs, butt the lines went smoothly and we were able to be put on an earlier flight to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. We flew Maya Air and they were very accommodating and we were very impressed with the airport efficiency. The other domestic airline option to the islands is Tropic Air which our local taxi driver said was more reliable compared to Maya Air which he thought was more prone to delays; however, we had a great experience on Maya. Our flight to San Pedro was amazing, only 15 minutes but we saw great views of the clear blue/green water around the islands.
A taxi was unexpectedly waiting for us to take us to our hotel Mahogany Bay which was about a 15-20 minute drive. There were lots of golf carts available to rent right next to the airport and they would bring yours to the airport for you if you arranged ahead of time however, be mindful of ability to transport luggage in the golf cart.
Since we got to the hotel early we were able to enjoy the afternoon at our hotel's private beach which was a 15 minute boat ride from the property with stunning clear water which only reached a depth of 4 feet. They had free kayak and paddle board options at the beach as well. On the boat ride back to the property, the captain stopped so we could enjoy a stunning sunset.
Places in eat in San Pedro:
Elvi's Kichen - our favorite restaurant in San Pedro; live music, great food, cute vibe inside. Order the coconut curry. Drinks were good too
Caramba's - Totally touristy and very overpriced but super fun concept where you choose your items from the catch of the day and they can each be prepared differently, for example you can do a whole fish, a few shrimp, 1 scallop, 1 crab claw. We loved the Hogg Snapper with blackened preparation.
Pineapple's - this is the hotel retaurant at Ramon's which is an enchanting property wiht tree houses and tons of amazing jungle landscaping. There is also a beach and pool so could be a fun place to stay.
Estel's Dine By the Sea - great breakfast spot. Must try the Fry Jacks and we loved the fry jack nachos with stewed chicken on top. Try to snag a spot along the water
Neri's - for breakfast this place had super fresh and affordable fry jacks, tacos, burritos. Lots of locals eating here as well so you know it's good and authentic.
Day 2 - Hol Chan Snorkel & Caye Caulker
We did a full day tour through Ride & Reef Adventures to Hol Chan Marine Reserve where we saw tons of fish, barracuda, lobster, octopus, rays, sea turtles and then went to shark ray alley where we swam with lots of nurse sharks (up to like 14 feet probably). We stopped at a few other snorkel stops where we saw more turtles, rays and sharks. Then we had lunch at Caye Caulker and walked around and had time at the Split which is a cool channel between two islands were people hang out in the water and drink. Caye Caulker has a very laid back islandy vibe and is what Ambergris Caye was supposedly like 20 years ago before all the development started. We ended the tour with stops a Tarpon cove to feed the fish which was a little scary and then at the beach of the Iguana Reef Inn where there are alwaus stingrays that hang out and come up and go over your feet and legs.
Day 3 - Relaxation
We had a leisurely morning in town and then spent the afternoon relaxing at our resort beach.
Day 4 - Transfer to San Ignacio
We spent the morning in town having breakfast and walking through local markets then regrouped for our flight back to BZE; Maya Air put us on an earlier flight again which worked out well! Once we got to BZE we had a driver pick us up and take us to Table Rock Jungle Lodge. It was a bit rainy that day so we spent the evening at the resort. I cannot say enough good things about Table Rock - there are only 10 cabanas so it felt very intimate, the whole staff knows all of tthe guests names and addresses you personally, they have a farm on property so all of the food is very fresh and made to order so you can customize your meals, the grounds are amazing and so serene with the feeling of being in beautiful nature with the main dining area surrounded by hummingbirds at all times, the pool is gorgeous, there is canoeing and river tubing available and some small hikes on the property as well as bird watching and night animal spotting hikes led by their staff, the happy hour and Piña Coladas are fantastic.
Day 5 - Xunantunich & San Ignacio
We took a taxi to Xunantunich, a Mayan site and walked around enjoying the structures. There are guides available for hire for $50USD at the entrance if desired. From the top of the highest structure, we could see into Guatemala.
We took a short stop to visit the San Ignacio market on our way back to our hotel and bought Recado, a belizean spice used in their stewed chicken. When we got back to the hotel we did a short canoe trip up the river; if we went further and earlier we could have stopped at Chaa Creek, another resort that has its own butterfly farm that you can tour.
Things to do in Cayo District:
Visit the market in San Ignacio, visit Barton Creek where you can canoe in a cave, do a horseback ride along the mountain pine ridge trail (MET company was recommended), visit Caracol and many tours stop at Rio on Pools and Rio Frio Cave along the way, zip line at Calico Jack's, visit Green Hills Butterfly farm (seemed like a rip off to us though), visit the butterfly farm at Chaa Creek and eat lunch there (the british royals recently stayed here), Excursion to see Jaguars at the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, visit the botanic gardens, day trip ot Tikal Mayan Site in Guatemala.
Day 6 - ATM Cave
We visited the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave which was an absolute highlight of the trip. There are untouched archeologic artifacts within the caves which give a glimpse into how the Mayans used the cave for religious activities including using human sacrifices with visible skeletons. the guides are knowledgeable. There is a 1.5 mile hike to the mouth of the cave through 3 rivers and then about 1 hour hiking 500 m in the cave (and then reversing both of those distances to get back to the lunch area). We used Mayawalk Tours which we booked on Viator for $145 USD per person which included pickup/drop-off from our hotel. It is possible to get a tour for $120 if you shop around in town but booking ahead saved us time while in the country. Each guide is allowed to take up to 6 people. When we got back we relaxed and enjoyed Table Rock and made friends with a lovely British couple who also did the cave tour that day.
Day 7 - Bird Watching, Zip Lining & Enjoying Table Rock
We did not have anything planned this day so decided to join our new friends on the bird watching tour around our property. We saw Keel-billed Toucans, Mot Mots, Baltimor Orioles, Aracari, and many more species! It was an unexpected highlight and may have started a new interest in birding.
We decided to go zip lining at Calico Jack's which was easy to just drop in and do for an hour which was fun zipping through the canopy. Recommend wearing closed toed shoes as there were fire ants.
Our lovely taxi driver Mario took us to a local small waterfall near his home in Cristo Rey which we never would have found or visited without his guidance and it felt so magical and exciting to see something off the beaten path.
Spent the last evening/night enjoying our hotel and hanging out with our new friends.
Day 8 - Back Home
Spent the morning at our hotel enjoying the nature before heading back to the airport (2 hr drive).
If we had more time in Belize:
I would have visited Placencia - could do a trip to Laughing Bird Caye from here
Also heard great things about Hopkins which is supposed to be the culture capital as there are lots of mixed ethnic groups of people that give a comprehensive representation if the Belizean people and there is supposed to be good food there.
Lamanai is a site of an ancient Mayan city. The boat ride here is apparently amazing with great wildlife spotting.
Driven along the Hummingbird Highway
Tips:
If visiting San Pedro recommend arranging for a golf cart rental ahead of time (a good rate would be $35-50/day)
If visiting Caye Caulker stop at the seafood bbq stands on the main road - we already ate before we saw those and wished we ate there instead
Belizean stewed chicken is amazing and the coconut curry is also a great preparation (especially at Elvi's)
Renting a car would be easy - the main roads are well paved. Otherwise, it is easy to find taxi services
Stay at Table Rock if you can!
Do the ATM Cave tour. Wear pants to minimize scrapes and you must cover shoulders. Do not wear bug spray or sunscreen.
The Belizean dollar is pegged too the US dollar such thatt $1 USD = 2 Belizean dollars. Always clarify if prices are listed in USD or Belizean when paying or before arranging taxis. US dollars are widely accepted and it is not necessary to convert money unless smaller bills are desired.
Try Soursop fruit or ice cream in San Ignacio
If you stay at Table Rock you get a perk of being able to feed the animals including jaguars if you go to the Belize Zoo
When choosing tour operators you can probably always find something cheapest by shopping around when you are there but you run the risk of things being sold out. I recommend finding companies with good reviews on get your guide or viator and then also comparing the price directly on their websites.
Everyone speaks English - it is one of the national languages so it is super easy to get around and visit from USA. Most tourists are american which I found a bit strange when abroad.
