Back from Belize--Ambergris Caye and Cayo District

Old Mar 26th, 2009, 04:47 PM
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Back from Belize--Ambergris Caye and Cayo District

Well, the shillmacs ventured out from Costa Rica for a foray into Belized as a surprise to Mr. Shillmac. It was fun watching him walk toward the gate at DFW with his eyes peeled for the destination sign. He was surprised (I worked hard to keep it that way for almost a year!) and delighted. That began a really nice adventure that I must say was one of our best vacations ever! Can you believe I just said that? Me, Mrs. Costa Rica?

Our flight to Belize was uneventful, and we were thrilled upon arrival to learn that we could catch an earlier Tropic Air flight to Amberbris Caye than was reserved. Our hotel, Ramon's Village, had booked our transfer for us. So we spent almost no time at BZE and arrived very quickly in San Pedro, Ambergris. 45 min. ahead of schedule. The flight was beautiful over the gorgeous turquoise water and other cayes. There is a water taxi as well, takes about 1.5 hour as opposed to 15 minutes by air.

We had a beachfront cottage at Ramon's. The price was $225 each night--we were there 3 nights. The rooms were a bit outdated and had dark wood, but were clean and comfortable. During our stay we noticed lots of properties on the beach that were surely less dinero, but Ramon's had virtually the ONLY nice little stretch of beachfront to be had--for laying out with a nice view (comfortable beach chairs, too). Most of the other places had concrete retainers at water's edge or pier and boat view in front of them. Also Ramon's had deliciously powerful hot water showers that felt wonderful after a day of snorkeling or just being out and about in the sun. The one thing I didn't like was that the restaurant charged in US dollars. No one else on the island did. The rate is $2 BZ to $1 US. So everywhere we went, we halved the price to know how much US. Not at Ramon's. If it said $10 for breakfast, that's what it was. And the breakfast we had was nothing to write home about. We only ate there that first morning. I thought the practice was a bit deceitful. We'd stay there again, but there were a LOT better options for dining.

North from Ramon's just a few steps is a funky little bar called BC's. We met Jean (jeanH on Fodors) and her husband here that first night. They own a condo on the beach south of town and, like us, will soon be retiring and spending about half their time there. BC's is more of a locals bar; I don't remember seeing many tourists there. Jean and her husband knew a lot of the folks who stopped by for drinks in the evening, many of the ex-pats.

Through previous conversations and Jean's goodwill, she had booked a fishing trip for the guys that very first morning. They went out to the reef to catch a few snappers and she and I took a little walk before going our separate ways for the day--she to do some shopping for the fish cookout that evening and me to rest on the beach, use the internet, and select some wine to take to the "party". Fishing was over by noon, and sure enough, the guys returned with lots of fish. That night we met at their place for delicious grilled fish. It was out of this world and if I remember correctly (the wine was good) DH and I ate way too much. Jean and Bruce seemed to show more restraint! And we didn't put a dent in it. She had prepared delicious fried potatoes with green pepper and a salad. It was a perfect meal eaten out on their balcony. The whole evening was a real tribute to the Fodor community and the friendships formed on this board!

Before dinner, DH and I took rented bikes at Ramon's and rode northward through town, across the bridge and over the cut to do a little sightseeing north of San Pedro. It was a fun afternoon as we saw a couple of new birds on the way and ended up at the Palapa Bar, at the end of a pier, where we sat looking out to the sea for a couple of drinks.

That sums up the first of many perfect days. Everything about everyday was just right. The planning had been a little haphazard, so the turn out was a real blessing!

About San Pedro--it's a fun little town with lots of very good restaurant from the Sunset Grill where they feed the tarpon by the pier to a little place called Caramba's, where Jean and Bruce took us the night we arrived for a great meal. I had the jerk shrimp with coconut milk rice and beans. Delicious! We enjoyed breakfast at Estel's, a popular breakfast all day place (and other stuff as well) and also at the Blue Grill. We had a great lunch at the Wild Mango (probably our favorite--would like to have tried everything on the menu there as it all looked fabulous!). That first day, when the guys got back from fishing, DH and I went to the square (Central Park, Bruce called it) on the oceanfront and bought chicken and beans and rice from a vendor for $5 US. We split it. Lots of typical little tourist shops, internet cafes, grocery stores, wine shops, etc. Transporation is primarily by golf cart as the streets are quite narrow. There were a few cars. And bicycles. I would like to have had a couple of more days to explore some of the side streets. The further one got from the ocean and more toward the lagoon, the more one was in local territory. Everyone was quite friendly, and we liked the Carribean vibe, mixed with a bit of Latino vibe.

The language--don't go expecting to practice your Spanish. No one wants to help you with that! English is the official language, so Spanish is pretty much spoken only between the locals. That is why Jean and Bruce chose Belize. We are choosing Costa Rica for the opposite reason.

We loved Ambergris Caye. There was always a gentle, cool tradewind blowing on the beach. One block behind the beach, in town, it was probably 10 degrees warmer. The second day, our last, was beautifully calm--perfect for a snorkel day. Hot on the beach, though, with no breeze. We were glad to be on the water. We had debated about whether to do the all day catamaran tour over to Caye Caulker, stopping at Hol Chan on the way over and Shark Ray Alley on the way back. Instead we decided to just do a half day Hol Chan/Shark Ray Alley trip so we would have the afternoon free.

The snorkeling was lots of fun, so much to see. I wish the reef were in better shape, but it was what it was--a few pretty colors, but mostly not the vibrant reef it had once been. The fish, though, were magnificent. Can't even begin to name all of them--lots of barracuda, though; parrot fish, angel fish, jack, tarpon, rays, etc. There were 7 of us on the tour and we stayed right with our guide as there is a break in the reef with a current that was flowing out on that day at that time. I'd read that one had to be a strong swimmer to do Hol Chan. Well, I'm not, but it wasn't a problem as his instructions were excellent before we got in and he guided us across the current and pulled a life saver ring along with him. We could feel it, though, in places. From there, it was over to Shark Ray Alley, which was really cool as well, although not so many sharks. Our guide said they have been "skittish" lately, perhaps because some people manhandle them too much, too many people. There were several around our boat as it came to a stop, one very large. We saw a couple after getting in the water, but they were soon outta there. Lots of beautiful rays, though; they didn't seem to mind our attention, and we all got to pet them. The spotted eagle ray that was cruising around was gorgeous.

That afternoon, when we returned, DH went to bed to catch up on some sleep (we'd had one of those 3 hour sleep nights before we flew down there) and I rested on the beach with a book before renting a bike and touring around by myself. I went back north to the Palapa Bar with the intention of taking some photos inside as we'd not had our camera the day before. It was too crowded, so i was content to photograph it from the shore. That night we met Jean and Bruce at BC's again before having dinner together, then saying our farewells.

Next morning, we had a 10:00 flight back to Belize City, this time to the municipal airport which, by the way, is a cheaper route than BZE. We chose municipal because we were taking the public bus to the Cayo District and it was only 10 minutes by taxi from the municipal airport. We had the pleasure of flying in a smaller Tropic Air plane--this one a four seater, including the pilot. We and one other passenger got in and away we went. I asked the pilot how long before beverage service would begin, and was informed that it would begin at the end of our 17 minute flight when we landed and could buy our own drinks! He was a very professional guy, and I was grateful. Again, the views were magnificent from the air. The passenger in front with the pilot pointed out dolphins and a manatee from the air. That was neat.

Next installment: Riding the public bus to Cayo District and 4 nights at Chaa Creek. I'll soon have some photos uploaded to go along with the report. Waiting for my snorkel photos and hoping there are some good ones.
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Old Mar 26th, 2009, 04:52 PM
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Correction: That's BLUE FISH GRILL, not Blue Grill. Shoulda previewed.
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Old Mar 26th, 2009, 05:28 PM
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It was certainly great to meet you guys, and thanks for all the kind words.

I'm so pleased that you enjoyed your short time in San Pedro. Bruce and I are home, as of today, and missing our little 'piece of paradise' on the beach.

I can't wait to read your report on the Cayo.

By the way, it's Blue Water Grill......
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Old Mar 26th, 2009, 05:28 PM
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shillmac - THANKS! I'm really enjoying your travelogue and will - as my mother used to say - hold my breath for the next installment.
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Old Mar 26th, 2009, 07:39 PM
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Jean, thanks for the correction--is there even any such thing as a Blue Fish? And can it be grilled?

I wondered if you were home yet, couldn't remember when you were leaving. What's it like in IA right now? We are waiting with bated breath for 10-36 inches of snow that is supposed to come in sometime in the wee hours or perhaps a little later. A real doozy of a late season storm with high winds causing lots of drifting predicted. The grocery store was jam packed today after school with people stocking up. I didn't get much--figured we could live quite well on fruit, wine, crackers and cheese in case of no electricity. Of course no school (we don't know yet) would rob us of our 4 day Easter break coming up. DRATS!

We miss it all, especially with the promise of such nasty weather. We really had it good every single day in Belize.

hopefulist, Jean and I talked about you and your plans to visit Panama perhaps. I laughed about how you seem to avoid Costa Rica like the plague! After being in Belize, though, I can see the attraction to the fantastic leavings of long ago cultures. For sure, CR has none of that. Belize really has a nice combination of nature and history. Of course I was impressed with the birds. Exhale--I may not get a chance to post again until first of next week.
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Old Mar 26th, 2009, 07:41 PM
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So how good was the wine? Looking forward to the rest and the pics (I may have to skip the caves part though!)
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Old Mar 26th, 2009, 08:03 PM
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Guilty as charged, I'm afraid. CR just doesn't call to me like countries with more indigenous culture and history, inexpensive 1-on-1 Spanish instruction, and great, accessible diving. I believe every word people say about the beauty of Costa Rica - I may just have to check it out someday. ;-)
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Old Mar 27th, 2009, 04:20 AM
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"is there even any such thing as a Blue Fish?"

Well, there are bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix). This is a hard fighting staple of the east coast fishery. Some people find them too strong tasting. Not me. And yes, you can grill them.
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Old Mar 27th, 2009, 07:25 AM
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Loved reading your trip report shillmac. What did you think of the Cayo district? I see it was your first time there. Our family will be there this Summer. I have been on the verge of choosing a different destination several times this past month. Kids and husband want to do the jungle, not I. Just curious, because we will have kids with us for our trip, if you felt safe while there, on tours of the ruins, driving along the highways? Did you get to the zoo or bamboon sanctuary? Those are at the top of our list.
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Old Mar 27th, 2009, 07:49 AM
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Thanks Jill! I love that you totally surprised your husband -- what a great idea (don't think I could ever get away with something like that, but it's inspiring). Belize -- as well as Guatemala, Nic, Honduras -- are all on my list eventually. Great report. Looking forward to the Chaa Creek section.
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Old Mar 27th, 2009, 08:28 AM
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Love your report. It DOES seem strange to read a report from you that isn't about Costa Rica! Sounds like a delightful trip. Will be watching for the rest!
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Old Mar 27th, 2009, 11:55 AM
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Great start! Glad you enjoyed Belize and looking forward to your Cayo installment and photos!
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Old Mar 27th, 2009, 12:13 PM
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Yes Jill, it seems strange to see shillmac on a non CR forum!
. Sounds like a wonderful and relaxing trip. Plus a surprise, how special is that?
It is amazing the wonderful people on this board that we meet either via Cyberspace or in person.

I'll be looking for the rest and really anxious to see your pics!
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Old Mar 28th, 2009, 05:21 AM
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Thanks, everyone. The Cayo District was awesome. Yes, there are some safety issues with local road travel, but we didn't encounter any. There are problems going down to Caracol and I believe they are using police escort and caravan now. Also still some problems en route to Tikal. The occurences of tour group robberies has, I believe, decreased, but there was an incident earlier in the month. Our driver says he's been driving it for 20 years and "knock on wood" it has never happened to him. However, it would make me think twice about taking children. There were, however, LOTS of families at Chaa Creek, having a great time.

I'll do that report early in the week. We are dealing with quite a storm in western OK and the Texas Panhandle this weekend. The panhandle more or less shut down on Friday, so we got out of town early in the a.m. and drove to Okla. City where the grandkids are-- ahead of the weather. Kind of unusual this time of year.

Have a good weekend, all!
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Old Mar 28th, 2009, 03:52 PM
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Great report so far shillmac -- Sounds wonderful! I wish flights were more affordable out of SEA to CA, I'd travel a lot more! Looking forward to the rest and pics too!
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Old Mar 28th, 2009, 05:09 PM
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chick - I hear you, our closest airport is PDX in Portland. Flights have been $416 for this summer between SEA or PDX and SAP Honduras, though - unbelievable. I looked just now and they've climbed a bit but are still well under $500 from Seattle. I could hardly stand to not take advantage but I already have big plans for this summer. Happy trails!
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Old Mar 29th, 2009, 05:25 AM
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Excellent report shillmac!!! So happy you enjoyed your trip and were able to carry out your surprise! Can't wait to read about the rest of the trip and see some pictures. Belize is definitely on our short list! Thanks for sharing!!
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Old Mar 30th, 2009, 06:02 PM
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http://www.kodakgallery.com/ViewSlid....1238462166061

Hoperfully the link above will take you to a very mediocre slideshow!

Final installment: Cayo District, Chaa Creek

Bus ride was uneventful, and the countryside was fairly nondescript, flat most of the way. We were the only tourists on board, which didn't surprise or bother us. The fare was $3.50 US, collected in transit by a young man who was first off the bus when we arrived at San Ignacio 2 hours and 45 minutes later (ride was tolerable if not comfortable). He must have very quickly notified a taxi driver that there were gringos on board because one was knocking at my window before we even got up.

Once outside the bus, I asked the taxi fare to Chaa Creek. $25 US. I asked how long it would take. "Depends". Depends?
Finally got out of him that the road was very rough and the ride would take about 45 minutes. Well, the road was fine and it took 17 minutes. Oh well. Found later that the typical fare is $15 US. I had checked on how long it would take many months ago, but could not remember for sure. My mistake. Anyway, he got us there with no problem and we were glad to be there in 17 minutes!

We chose Chaa Creek for 1 reason: Chan Chich was booked when I checked first of last July. They asked me to check back in September because they had a birding group reserved and their final confirmation wouldn't take place until then. I chose not to wait (seriously doubted anyone would back out), and they recommended Chaa Creek. We were not disappointed. It was wonderful, if a little overpriced. The location, my opinion, was better than Chan Chich for the things we were interested in doing (Actun Tunichil Muknal Caves and Tikal).

I booked Chaa Creek and Ramon's separately and a couple of days ago was horrified to discover Chaa Creek offered packages (how had I overlooked that?!!) for 7 nights to include all meals, tours, and a beach destination for 3 of the nights. About $2000 less than what we paid by booking separately. Yikes. That caused a bit of nausea to tell you the truth, and I dare not tell DH. . .he'd choke and croak. BUT, I wasn't familiar with any of the beach locations offered, though they were probably fine. Something for those of you planning to go to Belize to be aware of for sure.

Chaa Creek offered a delicious breakfast (included), sandwiches and pizza for lunch, and a nice dinner with appetizer, bread, soup, salad, entree, and dessert. We skipped lunch except the days that we were on all day tours: ATM, took a packed lunch; Tikal, bought lunch there. For dinner we had a choice of 2 entrees; things like lamb chops, pork ribs, tilapia, snapper, filet mignon, pasta, eggplant (always a vegetarian choice was included on the menu). The soups and salads were all excellent as well, creative and grown on the property.

The Actun Tunichil Muknal cave tour we did the first full day--and it WAS a long day. We left at 8:00 and got back about 3:30 or 4:00. We spent 3 hours inside the cave. It was totally fascinating. We wore helmets with headlamps as it was, of course, totally dark inside. We "hiked" through water that was midcalf to chest deep a little more than a half mile into the cave. The formations were amazing, the water was cold. Our group had a ball; 8 adults, we were the oldest, a brother and sister (college kids) were the youngest. Our guide was excellent. As a youth leader, I've done a lot of group building exercises, so I couldn't help but notice how quickly we all bonded under the circumstances of shared excitement, nervousness, and general conditions. It made for a marvelous day. Being in the water half the time and in dry upper cave the other half, it required some planning of what to take and how to arrange the wearing of it. We left our shoes and walked in stocking feet in the dry section.

The next day we went to Tikal with one of the college students from the previous day and another couple about our age from Chicago. Again, everyone in the group meshed well and we laughed and visited and marveled together all day. Imagine 2 grandmothers together swapping stories and taking in the majesty of Tikal all at the same time-- for the most part we confined our stories to the 1.5 hour drive into Guatemala. The border crossing was logistically planned and all went like clockwork. Our driver gave us instructions before taking the vehicle over. We followed them, crossed without incident and met him on the other side. This was an even longer day, from 7:15 until about 5:00 p.m. Amazing doesn't begin to describe it. We derived a huge amount of enjoyment from both Tikal and Actun Tunichil, but I wouldn't want to do either of them with young children. There is still the occasional hold-up of a tour vehicle, although our driver had never experienced this in many years of back and forthing.

We had one full day remaining, and we "scheduled" relaxation for that day. We hiked some of the trails, took the canoes upriver to DuPlooy's for a drink before returning. The canoeing took about 3 hours and was so peaceful with beautiful weather and a gentle breeze--perfect! Also booked massages in the spa-- I had the 90 minute "Coma" and it was spectacular, deep tissue, this gal really knew what she was doing--$100 which I though a bargain for her expertise. In addition, we did an early a.m. birding outing that day. No sleeping in, but we did both manage to read a book and chill some during the week! The deck of our cottage at Chaa Creek overlooked the Macal River and was huge. There were big hooks to hang our 2 hammocks, and I spent every second I could squeeze out there. It helped that there was birding action in the trees surrounding our deck!

The birding on the property was quite intense--they were everywhere and I got to add about 20 new lifers. Also, there was a nice facility with 2 computers offering high speed internet, games, books, comfy furniture, etc.

At breakfast each morning, I had the locally made granola and yogurt--both were so good. We left about noon on our last day, and let the hotel transfer us back to Belize City ($150 US) for about $160, including tip. We got there in 1 hour and 55 minutes, allowing us more time at Chaa for morning hiking, etc. Our driver stopped in San Ignacio so I could buy some of that great granola to bring home--they were sold out, seems it is quite popular.

You've heard the highlights; probably way more than you needed to hear! It was a really lovely vacation with just the right weather for each day's activities and just the right mix of action and chilling. We'll go back again one day. Thanks to all (mostly jeanH and Katie Valk) who helped in my 2 day planning blitz last July! It worked out about as well as it could have.
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Old Mar 30th, 2009, 06:07 PM
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We're in Belize right now - at Caves Branch...Having a blast (although there are weather, snake and robbery issues, which fortunately have not affected us). I'm very impressed by your prompt trip report. Will try to live up to your example.
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Old Mar 30th, 2009, 06:31 PM
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Thanks, shillmac - I really enjoyed your writing and your photos. Must say I about choked when I read about the $2000 - that's nearly half of what the 5 of us spent in nearly a month in Belize in 2003, including airfare.

I especially liked reading about your ATM cave experience since we'll be checking it out this summer. Our trip will include a return to some favorite spots (the zoo, Hopkins, Glover's Atoll) and some new ones (Baboon Sanctuary, ATM cave, Caye Caulker).

Thanks again for sharing!!
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