Belize - need help with planning our 10 days

Old Feb 9th, 2016, 07:58 AM
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Belize - need help with planning our 10 days

We (family of 4 - 2 adults, 2 teens) are fine tuning our trip to Belize in April. We have 10 nights in Belize. We are trying to figure out the best splitting of time. We go back and forth whether we should have 5 nights on the boat or 5 nights in the jungle. 1 night is in a hotel the first night, as we arrive in the evening.
Right now we have the following planned:
Day 1: arrive in Placencia at 4pm - spend night in hotel
Day 2: Charter a catamaran in Placencia bet 9am-12p (we're sailing ourselves - no crew) - sail
Day 2 - 6: sail around - we'd like to make it to Glover's Reef and visit several Cayes, snorkel a lot etc.
Cayes we think we'd like to visit: Coco Plum, South Water, Hatchet, South Long Cocoa, Laughingbird, Man O' War -open for suggestions!
Day 6: at 1p - get a ride to Table Rock Jungle Lodge
Day 7 - 11: 5 nights at the lodge. We want to do the all day tours at Tikal and ATM Cave, as well as visit the Mountain Pine Ridge area, and take advantage of the canoeing, tubing, biking, and hiking right from the lodge.

I'd love to hear from people who have done a trip similar to this. My husband feels we need one more night on the boat - and one less at the lodge. I don't want our time at the lodge to feel rushed - with 2 all-day trips (that we have all decided we want to do), we aren't left with much wiggle room to explore and change plans etc. However, I see my husband's point about the distances between the Cayes and not wanting to feel rushed on that end either.

Any advice would be appreciated. Also - has anyone stayed at Miller's Crossing Hotel on Placencia? We were being steered to Laru Beya by Moorings, but we didn't want to spend the $400 for one short night. So, I found this place on my own - and Trip Advisor had good reports.

Also - is there a side trip you'd recommend on our drive to the lodge from Placencia? The Zoo seems out of the way and the lodge persuaded me against it. I really wanted to visit - but I also don't want to over plan our time.

Thank you!
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Old Feb 9th, 2016, 09:35 AM
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Run your itinerary by Moorings. They can offer best schedule and timing. Do they allow boats outside the reef without a captain? Not sure why the lodge would dissuade you from visiting our grt zoo.
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Old Feb 9th, 2016, 09:46 AM
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Hi Katie,

Thanks for your reply. Moorings offers itinerary on their site for 7 days. When looking at maps and online trip descriptions, there are SO many Cayes that sound amazing to visit. I am looking for advice from someone who has done this kind of trip in 4 days - or 5.
Also - the lodge's reason for not visiting the zoo was timing. We'd be picked up at 1pm and the drive is close to 4 hours - and they thought it was too squeezed for time. But, again, if you've done this drive and think it is doable and not too rushed, I'd love to know.
Thanks!
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Old Feb 9th, 2016, 10:50 AM
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Stick with the cayes on or near the reef for best snorkeling. Glovers is an atoll and farther outside the reef and not sure you are allowed to take the boat there
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Old Feb 9th, 2016, 12:10 PM
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I respectfully suggest that you read the previous Belize posts of others, including my own, for information and suggestions. ZZ
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Old Feb 9th, 2016, 12:28 PM
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Thanks ZZ! - I checked out your report - and others and while I find them interesting and helpful ... I can't find any where people have chartered a sailboat or catamaran from Placencia on their own.

I'd love to hear from these travelers - and their experience with the Cayes they visited and the time it takes to navigate the area etc. And where they would suggest going for a 4-5 day itinerary.
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Old Feb 9th, 2016, 05:26 PM
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JeanineMR---Have you considered whether the Belize waters are desirable for sailing? Could it be that shifting sandbars (as in the Chesapeake Bay) with the attendant dubious charts, strong winds, or other factors make it a risky proposition? I know nothing about sailing in that area, but the fact that you are having difficulty getting information sends me a message. ZZ
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Old Feb 10th, 2016, 10:35 AM
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JeanineMR---Out of curiosity, I checked on sailing charterers in Belize and the very first business that I studied, Raggamuffin, has crewed trips from Caye Caulker to Placencia, one way only for reasons explained in this paragraph:

"The boat is not an option of returning! The fundamental reason is pure and simple – safety. The return leg for the crew only is undertaken (weather and equipment permitting) at night. The sea is more rough as the boat travels against the current and in the darkness navigation becomes more difficult. The crew are immensely capable of this journey but we do not permit passengers to come back with the crew to ensure that the boat and the crew are fully focused on their task and therefore safe."

While the return voyage is at night, perhaps we can extrapolate that, even in daytime, navigation in southern Belize is more challenging than elsewhere along the route. ZZ
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Old Apr 11th, 2016, 05:37 PM
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I would love to hear what your final plans were or a trip report. I'm in the middle of planning a similar trip.

Thanks,
Holly
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