jenny19

I'm trying to plan a vacation for June and I'm really struggling with where to go! My husband and I are in our early 30's, no kids - we love the outdoors, sun, beach, excellent food, and low key luxury. We went to Costa Rica last year and LOVED it. We particularly loved the country's natural beauty, the laid-back atmosphere, the people, charming small inns, and the combination of both jungle and beach (and the monkeys!!!). I think deep down I'm trying to replicate that trip, but I don't want to go to the same place 2 years in a row. So far I've come up with Hawaii and Belize as alternative spots. I fully realize that these are two completely different places, but I still can't seem to decide btwn the two.

So - in your opinion, how does Belize compare to Costa Rica? What's similar/different?

Since I'm on a Latin America forum I won't ask about Hawaii, but if you do have opinions on how HI stacks up, I'd love to hear them. My biggest concern with HI is that it will be too touristy and crowded.

Katie_Valk

Belize and CR are similiar in some wayss. You'll see more widlife in CR. Belize has the largest reef in the hemisphere, Maya sites, caves wth artifacts, is multi cultural and English speaking. Also has small initimate beachfront inns and lodges, no large chains, less populated.

MissO

If you do go to Hawaii, go to Kauai. It's the most comparable to Costa Rica. Good luck with your decision!

dmcnama

I haven't yet been to CR, but going next month and can't wait. I have been to Belize and spent time on Ambergris Cay (town of San Pedro). Belize has that beautiful ice blue clear water of the Caribbean Sea. San Pedro is a very laid back but fun small fishing village. The reef is about 100 yards or so off shore and a boat is necessary to access. There are tons of very inexpensive small (4 people) tour boats that will take you out to Shark-Ray Alley. There are also day trips on to the mainland for Mayan pyramid exploration. Very well worth it to go to Belize. As for Hawaii, we have been to the Big Island, Maui and Kaui. With schools out and lots of folks on vacation, you are going during a popular time. Both have their positive attributes, but you just can't beat the calm, crystal clear waters of the Caribbean. Good luck.

suze

Why not go back to Costa Rica, but head to different areas? I know you say you don't want to go the same place twice, but I do it ALL the time. If I find a great vacation destination that I love, I return every year. That said, Costa Rica's a fairly good size, surely you haven't seen it all.

I think if you choose Hawaii you'd want to go to Kauai, Molaki or Lanai, possibly some parts of the Big Island. I'm guessing not Maui or Oahu for you as they are more developed than what you seem to seek.

locolowe

One thing to also consider is the weather. HI doesn't have the rainy green season in the same way as Latin America, so that may be a consideration for you. Granted June doesn't bring constant everyday pouring rain to Belize or Costa Rica, but you will encounter it.

Honestly you can find what you are looking for at all 3 places - just know where to look.

Good luck!

voyager61

I haven't been to Costa Rica or Belize, but may be planning our first trip to either Costa Rica or the Yucatan Peninsula for beaches and Mayan ruins. However, I've been to Maui and Kauai several times and the Big Island once. Kauai is more laid-back, although the Big Island is spread out and offers a lot of different landscapes and doesn't feel crowded to me. Maui has beautiful beaches, and also offers plenty of places to explore if you get off the beaten path; it just has more traffic and bustle in tourist areas. What we love about Hawaii are the incredibly beautiful mountains right behind most beach areas (there are day trips available into these areas), the great boogie/skim/surf boarding (we have a teenage boy); the sound of the surf at night; and the Hawaiian aloha, culture and music, which are appealing and relaxing. My husband is a discriminating fan of music and loves many Hawaiian slack key guitarists and singers. You feel like you get away, but you can still talk to the grocery clerk about something that happened on the mainland. Food is wonderful in Hawaii, although expensive, but all the condo developments have great grilling areas so you can buy your own fish and grill every night if you want to. No monkeys in Hawaii, but if you snorkel regularly, you can see beautiful fish, turtles and moray eels. You can sit on your lanai and watch whales jump and spout in the distance, or a school of dolphins herd other fish. It's not the calm clear water of the Caribbean, which we traveled to 3 times many years ago, but Hawaii has its own magic. If you've never been, go at least once, and read some of James Michener's Hawaii before or during to understand the history of the islands. We love Hawaii, and know we can't replicate what we get there somewhere else, so the same goes, I'm sure, for Costa Rica.

makai1

I've not been to CR, but Ambergris Caye, Belize & Kauai are night and day different. I'd choose Belize in winter months. In June, north shore Kauai is spectacular.

We spent all day, every day on/in the water in Belize, where as in Kauai we hike, beach, sight-see explore... here's a photo comparison from a few years ago... enjoy.

http://makai.funtigo.com/?cr=1&rfm=y

mkcjessup

If price would be any determining factor, I have been researching Belize for a future trip and went to Costa Rica and Hawaii last year. Costa Rica is very reasonably priced with a ton of options. Belize appears to be significantly more expensive but offers scuba diving for my brother-in-law, otherwise we would definitely go back to Costa Rica and Hawaii is a BIG jump in price.

Costa Rica/Belize are completely different experiences from anywhere in Hawaii. There is absolutely nothing rustic about Hawaii, but it is perhaps the most beautiful place I have ever seen. Golf was incredible and dinners incredible but expensive. I would bet our vacation to Hawaii was 3 times as much when you added what we spent. Also Hawaii has a really long flight. My husband loved Hawaii, but enjoyed Costa Rica more. It depends on what you want for a vacation.

hopefulist

I think whether Belize is significantly more expensive than Costa Rica depends on where you're staying. There are lots of great budget and mid-priced options in Belize, though not as many as in Guatemala or Honduras.

mkcjessup

You will always be able to find cheaper places to stay, but when you compare an apple to an apple I believe that Costa Rica was very reasonably priced.

We took 7 people to dinner at a restaurant near Manual Antonio with dessert, great meals and a ton of drinks and the bill was just over $100. It is hard to beat that.

hopefulist

Our family of 5 had a month-long vacation of adventures including scuba diving, rapelling, caving, ruins, and a wonderful variety of lodging options for less than $4000 TOTAL, about $25/day/person counting absolutely everything. We've done some really budget-style vacations to CA, too, and this wasn't one of them! Must admit that we greatly prefer staying in villages and eating tipica food or cooking for ourselves over any sort of a resort or hotel; I realize that is not everyone's cup of tea.

I'm not saying there aren't reasonably priced places to eat and sleep in CR - I haven't been but assume that's so. I'm just saying that Belize doesn't have to be an expensive destination.

Melissa5

jenny19: Hawaii cannot compete with Costa Rica's unspoiled beauty, in my opinion!

Maui does have amazing food, however. You mentioned food. But Maui is built up, full of high-end resorts, etc. Very different than Costa Rica. Maui is touristy and high-priced. Have a look at the Maui Prince resort if you are thinking of Maui...for Maui it is low-key and is on a good beach for snorkeling. Hotel Hana Maui is also great but expensive.

Kaui does have a laid-back atmosphere and we enjoyed the fact that there aren't many high-rises in Kaui, instead it has a nice small-village feel...it has the low-key luxury you are talking about.

But if you went into rainforest withdrawal after you left Costa Rica, like I did...you won't get that same rainforest fix in Hawaii...Hawaii is green but relatively speaking the vegetation is much more disturbed than it is in Costa Rica. Not much native flora and fauna left in Hawaii...In fact at the resorts it is all landscaped pretty much, not native forest...

New Zealand is amazing however June is winter in New Zealand, I think...we just came back from New Zealand (February 2007) and it's equally amazing and very different than Costa Rica, if you ever have a January or February vacation...

Good luck!