Belize/Guatemala (Cayo, Lake Peten/Tikal, Ambergris Caye) for 10 Days
Mar 17th, 2011, 11:43 AM
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Belize/Guatemala (Cayo, Lake Peten/Tikal, Ambergris Caye) for 10 Days
We (married couple in early 30s) recently returned from an amazing 10 days traveling to – San Ignacio (Cayo District), Lake Peten Itza/Tikal in Guatemala and Ambergris Caye. We had sunshine for 10 straight days which was the icing on the cake. Wanted to post our itinerary and reviews of the places we stayed and things we need to help others plan. All prices are in US dollars.
Cayo District – 3 nights at Mystic River
Lake Peten Itza, Guatemala – 2 nights La Lancha (Coppola’s lodge) with a day trip to Tikal
Ambergris Caye – 4 nights at Victoria House
<b>Cayo District & Mystic River</b>
We flew direct from Atlanta to Belize City which was a breeze. Mystic River arranged transportation for us from the airport to San Ignacio. The drive took about 1.75 hours. The road from San Ignacio to Mystic River reminded me of the road to Arenal Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica – SO bumpy!
Mystic River is a secluded 6 cottage place on the Macal River that, frankly, I want to promote here on this forum because it doesn’t appear any Fodorites have stayed there. We chose it because it gets great reviews on Trip Advisor and they are about half the cost of Chaa Creek (I think we paid $195/night), and we liked the feel of it better. I communicated directly with the owner as I was booking and it made me feel good about our choice.
They have lots of land, and the owners Nadege and Tom are wonderful. Our cottage (#5 Cabbage Bark) was beautiful – the place is only 2 years old so the furnishings and everything look brand new. The food was delicious here and the service was excellent, especially from Leo the bartender.
We spent our first full day doing the ATM cave which was arranged through Mystic River. Don’t go to San Ignacio and miss out on this – it’s is one of the coolest and most interesting things we’ve ever done!!! Our guide Ben was awesome. This was way more adventurous than they describe – maybe it’s so the fun isn’t spoiled or maybe it’s just because the safety regulations are different in Central America (I really can’t believe we didn’t have to sign a waiver for this). Regardless, we are avid swimmers and hikers so we loved it. I wore a one-piece swimsuit with lightweight shorts, husband wore his swim baggies with a dri-fit t-shirt, and we both wore Keens which were perfect for this adventure. Don’t forget to bring socks.
The next day we canoed from Mystic River down to San Ignacio. This trip took 2.25 hours; HOWEVER, we were padding pretty constantly – it would take MUCH longer if you just floated. It was a great workout, but I would not recommend doing if it’s too hot. The river is pretty and there is lots of wildlife to be seen. Mystic River picked up the canoe when we arrived to town and we stuck around for some lunch at Hanna’s (yummy traditional meal) and we cabbed it back to the lodge for around $17 I think.
In the afternoon we hiked around the trails at Mystic River and went up the steep climb to the lookout where you get a really nice view of both Belize and Guatemala.
Cayo District – 3 nights at Mystic River
Lake Peten Itza, Guatemala – 2 nights La Lancha (Coppola’s lodge) with a day trip to Tikal
Ambergris Caye – 4 nights at Victoria House
<b>Cayo District & Mystic River</b>
We flew direct from Atlanta to Belize City which was a breeze. Mystic River arranged transportation for us from the airport to San Ignacio. The drive took about 1.75 hours. The road from San Ignacio to Mystic River reminded me of the road to Arenal Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica – SO bumpy!
Mystic River is a secluded 6 cottage place on the Macal River that, frankly, I want to promote here on this forum because it doesn’t appear any Fodorites have stayed there. We chose it because it gets great reviews on Trip Advisor and they are about half the cost of Chaa Creek (I think we paid $195/night), and we liked the feel of it better. I communicated directly with the owner as I was booking and it made me feel good about our choice.
They have lots of land, and the owners Nadege and Tom are wonderful. Our cottage (#5 Cabbage Bark) was beautiful – the place is only 2 years old so the furnishings and everything look brand new. The food was delicious here and the service was excellent, especially from Leo the bartender.
We spent our first full day doing the ATM cave which was arranged through Mystic River. Don’t go to San Ignacio and miss out on this – it’s is one of the coolest and most interesting things we’ve ever done!!! Our guide Ben was awesome. This was way more adventurous than they describe – maybe it’s so the fun isn’t spoiled or maybe it’s just because the safety regulations are different in Central America (I really can’t believe we didn’t have to sign a waiver for this). Regardless, we are avid swimmers and hikers so we loved it. I wore a one-piece swimsuit with lightweight shorts, husband wore his swim baggies with a dri-fit t-shirt, and we both wore Keens which were perfect for this adventure. Don’t forget to bring socks.
The next day we canoed from Mystic River down to San Ignacio. This trip took 2.25 hours; HOWEVER, we were padding pretty constantly – it would take MUCH longer if you just floated. It was a great workout, but I would not recommend doing if it’s too hot. The river is pretty and there is lots of wildlife to be seen. Mystic River picked up the canoe when we arrived to town and we stuck around for some lunch at Hanna’s (yummy traditional meal) and we cabbed it back to the lodge for around $17 I think.
In the afternoon we hiked around the trails at Mystic River and went up the steep climb to the lookout where you get a really nice view of both Belize and Guatemala.
Mar 17th, 2011, 12:54 PM
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Yay - great report! In 2003 we (husband and I and kids aged 17, 18, and 20) canoed down the Macal from Macal River Jungle Camp (Chaa Creek's jungly, great value cousin) to San Ignacio and learned the same lesson. It was HOT the day we did it and we were glad to arrive and find some shade. Still a great experience, though!
Can't wait for more!
Can't wait for more!
Mar 18th, 2011, 04:27 AM
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hopefulist - The folks at the lodge told us it would take 2 hours if the river was high which it was at the time, but it wasn't moving AT ALL. Thank goodness the weather was pleasant or I think I would have swam the rest of the way - ha ha.
xelas - The meals at Mystic River were not included. They have specials each night - two appetizers (usually a soup and salad) around $10 and two entrees to choose from (usually a meat and a fish) around $20, BUT they also have an a la carte menu with variety and less expensive options. We found the food in Belize overall to be very expensive, but I had read about that before we went so at least we were prepared.
xelas - The meals at Mystic River were not included. They have specials each night - two appetizers (usually a soup and salad) around $10 and two entrees to choose from (usually a meat and a fish) around $20, BUT they also have an a la carte menu with variety and less expensive options. We found the food in Belize overall to be very expensive, but I had read about that before we went so at least we were prepared.
Mar 18th, 2011, 05:54 AM
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<b>Lake Peten Itza/Tikal – La Lancha</b>
Nadege arranged transportation for us to La Lancha in Guatemala – it was $150, but I believe the price went up to $250 (due to rising fuel prices) after she originally quoted me, but I was pleased she honored the original quote. The drive to the border took about 40 minutes. Once there, our driver explained the border crossing process to us and waited with our bags while we paid the exit fee ($37 each I think) and went through passport control. He then introduced us to our Guatemalan driver who helped with the entry process ($20 quetzales each) and then drove us the rest of the way. The drive from the border took another 1.5 hours but was really pretty and the road went from paved to bumpy back to paved then bumpy and so on. The road down to the lodge from the “main” road took about 20 minutes but it wasn’t as bumpy as the road to Mystic River. I should mention that I get fairly motion sick and the bumpiness of the roads in Central America (and other places I’ve been) are really rough on my stomach. Speaking of, I forgot to mention how awful that road to the ATM cave was in Belize. I had to lay down on that one!
Anyway, we pulled up to La Lancha and were not disappointed with what we saw. La Lancha is one of 3 Coppola lodges in Belize/Guatemala – Blancaneaux is in the jungle in Belize about an hour from Mystic River and Turtle Inn is in Placencia. We met a couple along the way who was on their honeymoon and were staying at all 3 – lucky them!
La Lancha is gorgeous!!! If you are staying overnight near Tikal – stay here! It is in a beautiful and serene setting on Lake Peten Itza, and the pictures on the website are totally accurate. There are only 10 rooms, and they weren’t at capacity so once again we felt like we had the place almost to ourselves (except during mealtime when everyone gathers to eat around the same time – you sit separately but it had a nice feel to it, much like Mystic River, where you exchange stories about what you’ve seen and where you’ve been but don’t have to dine together). We had booked a rainforest room ($145/night) because we didn’t want to spend extra for lakeview (quoted at $225/night), and we were so happy with our choice because our rainforest room had an awesome view of the lake from the porch! The room and bathroom were a little small, but I think that is partly due to being on the side of a cliff over the lake. The service at La Lancha was impeccable without being too in-your-face. The staff were so friendly and they work so hard – we would see the same guys at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Speaking of breakfast, lunch and dinner – the food was amazing – the best on our trip.
After we got there and settled in we went upstairs for some lunch. Oh, there are a lot of stairs at La Lancha so if you are injured, handicap or just plain lazy this wouldn’t be the place for you. The lunch was amazing and then we explored the lake (they have canoes but we were a little tired from the previous day so we only went out for about 15 minutes) and relaxed by the pool as we waited for happy hour to start. I have to admit, one of my favorite things about La Lancha was the wine list – it was all Coppola wines of course, and it was nice to be able to get good wine in a developing country.
The next day we took La Lancha’s organized tour of Tikal with 5 other travelers ($110/each which included entrance, lunch, museum, transportation -- was less expensive than what I was quoted by other guides in the area). The guide (Antonio Jesus) was fantastic and works solely for La Lancha. The drive was about 1 hour (no more than that) and we were the first group to arrive at Tikal. We immediately saw toucans (yay!) and spider monkeys. Antonio was very knowledgeable and moved us along at a nice pace (not too slow but not too fast that we couldn’t absorb what we were seeing and hearing). Like ATM cave in Belize, Tikal is a must-see in Guatemala. The place is amazing and the fact that it is in the middle of the jungle makes it that much more interesting. Crazy to think there is still so much yet to be explored at the site…which is humongous by the way. We walked around for about 4 hours or so and then it was time for lunch which the driver had nicely laid out for us back near the van. What a great lunch – fruit, chips/salsa, sandwiches, beans and a cookie! We got back to La Lancha in time to enjoy some relaxation.
Nadege arranged transportation for us to La Lancha in Guatemala – it was $150, but I believe the price went up to $250 (due to rising fuel prices) after she originally quoted me, but I was pleased she honored the original quote. The drive to the border took about 40 minutes. Once there, our driver explained the border crossing process to us and waited with our bags while we paid the exit fee ($37 each I think) and went through passport control. He then introduced us to our Guatemalan driver who helped with the entry process ($20 quetzales each) and then drove us the rest of the way. The drive from the border took another 1.5 hours but was really pretty and the road went from paved to bumpy back to paved then bumpy and so on. The road down to the lodge from the “main” road took about 20 minutes but it wasn’t as bumpy as the road to Mystic River. I should mention that I get fairly motion sick and the bumpiness of the roads in Central America (and other places I’ve been) are really rough on my stomach. Speaking of, I forgot to mention how awful that road to the ATM cave was in Belize. I had to lay down on that one!
Anyway, we pulled up to La Lancha and were not disappointed with what we saw. La Lancha is one of 3 Coppola lodges in Belize/Guatemala – Blancaneaux is in the jungle in Belize about an hour from Mystic River and Turtle Inn is in Placencia. We met a couple along the way who was on their honeymoon and were staying at all 3 – lucky them!
La Lancha is gorgeous!!! If you are staying overnight near Tikal – stay here! It is in a beautiful and serene setting on Lake Peten Itza, and the pictures on the website are totally accurate. There are only 10 rooms, and they weren’t at capacity so once again we felt like we had the place almost to ourselves (except during mealtime when everyone gathers to eat around the same time – you sit separately but it had a nice feel to it, much like Mystic River, where you exchange stories about what you’ve seen and where you’ve been but don’t have to dine together). We had booked a rainforest room ($145/night) because we didn’t want to spend extra for lakeview (quoted at $225/night), and we were so happy with our choice because our rainforest room had an awesome view of the lake from the porch! The room and bathroom were a little small, but I think that is partly due to being on the side of a cliff over the lake. The service at La Lancha was impeccable without being too in-your-face. The staff were so friendly and they work so hard – we would see the same guys at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Speaking of breakfast, lunch and dinner – the food was amazing – the best on our trip.
After we got there and settled in we went upstairs for some lunch. Oh, there are a lot of stairs at La Lancha so if you are injured, handicap or just plain lazy this wouldn’t be the place for you. The lunch was amazing and then we explored the lake (they have canoes but we were a little tired from the previous day so we only went out for about 15 minutes) and relaxed by the pool as we waited for happy hour to start. I have to admit, one of my favorite things about La Lancha was the wine list – it was all Coppola wines of course, and it was nice to be able to get good wine in a developing country.
The next day we took La Lancha’s organized tour of Tikal with 5 other travelers ($110/each which included entrance, lunch, museum, transportation -- was less expensive than what I was quoted by other guides in the area). The guide (Antonio Jesus) was fantastic and works solely for La Lancha. The drive was about 1 hour (no more than that) and we were the first group to arrive at Tikal. We immediately saw toucans (yay!) and spider monkeys. Antonio was very knowledgeable and moved us along at a nice pace (not too slow but not too fast that we couldn’t absorb what we were seeing and hearing). Like ATM cave in Belize, Tikal is a must-see in Guatemala. The place is amazing and the fact that it is in the middle of the jungle makes it that much more interesting. Crazy to think there is still so much yet to be explored at the site…which is humongous by the way. We walked around for about 4 hours or so and then it was time for lunch which the driver had nicely laid out for us back near the van. What a great lunch – fruit, chips/salsa, sandwiches, beans and a cookie! We got back to La Lancha in time to enjoy some relaxation.
Mar 18th, 2011, 12:14 PM
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volcanogirl - I think I need to take back what I said because, in retrospect, it was mostly birds (nice birds, though - blue herons, egrets, something that looked like a kingfisher, etc.) and iguanas. We had hoped to see some monkeys in the trees but no luck...or maybe we were concentrating too hard on our paddling.
Someone at Mystic River had told us a story about a couple who canoed down and saw a deer drinking from the river...and then a puma came along and attacked it! I don't know if that it a true story but that would be crazy.
Oh, but we did see a few locals washing their cars in the river - like the car would be sitting out into the middle and they'd just be there soaping it up and rinsing.
Someone at Mystic River had told us a story about a couple who canoed down and saw a deer drinking from the river...and then a puma came along and attacked it! I don't know if that it a true story but that would be crazy.
Oh, but we did see a few locals washing their cars in the river - like the car would be sitting out into the middle and they'd just be there soaping it up and rinsing.
Mar 21st, 2011, 07:14 AM
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<b>Ambergris Caye & Victora House</b>
The driver from La Lancha drove us to the airport in Flores ($45 for both) early in the morning which was approximately 1 hour away. The Flores airport is TINY so you really don’t need to get there very far in advance. I think we arrived an hour before our flight and were seated at the gate 55 minutes before our flight. Again, we had to pay a departure tax of $30/each (I think). Yes, the departure and entry fees were killing us, but we were happy to have done the trip in this order.
We flew Tropic Air, and the plane was tiny with only 4 passengers on board. My husband was terrified of the size of the plane and to be flying a Central American airline (these fears were unfounded). Again my stomach was in my throat because you feel everything on that small plane. Thankfully the flight was only 45 minutes to Belize City where we changed planes for our flight to Ambergris Caye. Note that we had to go through immigration and customs upon arrival to Belize City, but it took less than 5 minutes (though I could see how it could take longer if you arrive after a large commercial airline). The flight to San Pedro was a smooth 15 minute flight with a quick stop to let two people out on Caye Caulker.
The driver from Victoria House was waiting for us upon arrival in San Pedro and gave us a mini-overview of the island as he drove. We loved Victoria House – the ground are impeccably maintained (I think I said the same about La Lancha but so true in both places) and the service is wonderful.
I had booked a stateroom – at the time of booking it was the only one left and they offered me a 10% discount saying it was down a hallway and the windows looked out to the back of the property. I responded and asked for a 15% discount and we had a deal - $153/night. It wasn’t until just now that I realized they upgraded us to a plantation room (#18) for the same rate!! The whole time we were there we kept trying to figure out what was wrong with our room that they gave us a discount (at the time we were there I couldn’t remember exactly what they had said was “wrong” with the room) because it was gorgeous and had a patio looking out toward the grounds, pool and beach. I am still not sure where the staterooms are on the property, but I love Victoria House even more for hooking us up!
We spent a lot of time just relaxing and hanging out by the pool during our 4 nights there. We snorkeled Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley which were great (not quite as good as Hawaii, but everything pales in comparison to the reefs there as far as I am concerned). We also used the bikes quite a bit and one morning we rode up to the North Island just past Captain Morgan’s resort. This was a nice bike ride (took about 45 minutes each way), though the road is incredibly bumpy so definitely not a smooth bike ride. Later that day we walked along the beach into town for a little more exercise, had lunch, and walked back (maybe 30-45 minutes each way). I think this was the same day as the bike ride – what can I say, we are gluttons for punishment? Ha ha.
We ate mostly at Victoria House because it was easy. The food is very good but of course expensive. The continental breakfast was kind of a joke (at least I thought so since I like to eat protein with breakfast), but you can inexpensively get an egg or beans or pancakes, etc. We split a breakfast burrito or some other local concoction a few times which was good, and splitting it was plenty of food with the continental bread and fruit on the side.
We ate at Palmilla 3 times I think. It’s a “fancier” place – some people get dressed up and some people don’t. The first time we went I wore a sundress, but then I noticed how many other people were just wearing nice shorts so I dressed down the next two times. We had lunch at Caramba in town which was good and we ate at Wild Mango’s one night for dinner and liked it some much that we returned for lunch the very next day!
The driver from La Lancha drove us to the airport in Flores ($45 for both) early in the morning which was approximately 1 hour away. The Flores airport is TINY so you really don’t need to get there very far in advance. I think we arrived an hour before our flight and were seated at the gate 55 minutes before our flight. Again, we had to pay a departure tax of $30/each (I think). Yes, the departure and entry fees were killing us, but we were happy to have done the trip in this order.
We flew Tropic Air, and the plane was tiny with only 4 passengers on board. My husband was terrified of the size of the plane and to be flying a Central American airline (these fears were unfounded). Again my stomach was in my throat because you feel everything on that small plane. Thankfully the flight was only 45 minutes to Belize City where we changed planes for our flight to Ambergris Caye. Note that we had to go through immigration and customs upon arrival to Belize City, but it took less than 5 minutes (though I could see how it could take longer if you arrive after a large commercial airline). The flight to San Pedro was a smooth 15 minute flight with a quick stop to let two people out on Caye Caulker.
The driver from Victoria House was waiting for us upon arrival in San Pedro and gave us a mini-overview of the island as he drove. We loved Victoria House – the ground are impeccably maintained (I think I said the same about La Lancha but so true in both places) and the service is wonderful.
I had booked a stateroom – at the time of booking it was the only one left and they offered me a 10% discount saying it was down a hallway and the windows looked out to the back of the property. I responded and asked for a 15% discount and we had a deal - $153/night. It wasn’t until just now that I realized they upgraded us to a plantation room (#18) for the same rate!! The whole time we were there we kept trying to figure out what was wrong with our room that they gave us a discount (at the time we were there I couldn’t remember exactly what they had said was “wrong” with the room) because it was gorgeous and had a patio looking out toward the grounds, pool and beach. I am still not sure where the staterooms are on the property, but I love Victoria House even more for hooking us up!
We spent a lot of time just relaxing and hanging out by the pool during our 4 nights there. We snorkeled Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley which were great (not quite as good as Hawaii, but everything pales in comparison to the reefs there as far as I am concerned). We also used the bikes quite a bit and one morning we rode up to the North Island just past Captain Morgan’s resort. This was a nice bike ride (took about 45 minutes each way), though the road is incredibly bumpy so definitely not a smooth bike ride. Later that day we walked along the beach into town for a little more exercise, had lunch, and walked back (maybe 30-45 minutes each way). I think this was the same day as the bike ride – what can I say, we are gluttons for punishment? Ha ha.
We ate mostly at Victoria House because it was easy. The food is very good but of course expensive. The continental breakfast was kind of a joke (at least I thought so since I like to eat protein with breakfast), but you can inexpensively get an egg or beans or pancakes, etc. We split a breakfast burrito or some other local concoction a few times which was good, and splitting it was plenty of food with the continental bread and fruit on the side.
We ate at Palmilla 3 times I think. It’s a “fancier” place – some people get dressed up and some people don’t. The first time we went I wore a sundress, but then I noticed how many other people were just wearing nice shorts so I dressed down the next two times. We had lunch at Caramba in town which was good and we ate at Wild Mango’s one night for dinner and liked it some much that we returned for lunch the very next day!
Aug 6th, 2011, 10:59 PM
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My family and friends (3 adults & 2 teens) just returned from a Belize/Guatemala trip. Ours was a bit lower budget. We are pretty frugal and willing to skip some amenities. We also went in the rainy season and skipped making reservations.
Upon arriving in Belize City, we took a cab to the bus station and a bus (not express) to San Ignacio. It was a long hot trip with many stops along the way but it was a good experience (and cheap). We stayed at Parrot Nest for less than $50 a night per cabin. No A/C but this was an experience all of its own. There were 10 visitors total and we got together each evening to discuss our excursions. The friendship we shared was one of our highlights. ATM was great and Hodies is a must-eat stop! a local guy in Bullet Tree Falls (Tony Chuc, brother of the cook at Parrot Nest) took us on a great tour, where we cave canoed/swam and a waterfall, where we swam some more.
We took a colectivo to Flores, Guatemala and stayed there for a couple of days. Tikal was great and we were able to take a private tour (of sorts) into a pyramid to see hieroglyphs and bones - Way cool! Our hotel in Flores charged us $55 for a room with three beds, which the 5 of us shared.
Another colectivo to Belize city and a water taxi to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. We splurged there and rented 2 suites on the beach. We were there for 4 days and caught up on our rest. We did, however, take some time for snorkeling (Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan with Lil' Alfonse as out guide) and sailing a small catamaran with the kids. We flew a single engine prop back to Belize City but not to the international airport (sort of), to the municipal airport. That saved us $35 each. We then took a cab to the international airport for $5 each. The funny thing is we had to stop at the international airport first but weren't allowed to get out.
Great time! I defiantly recommend it. The rainy season means no reservations are required. We have always talked about just showing up but this was our first time to do so. We only got rained on once. It did rain just about every night but not until after we were safe in bed.
Upon arriving in Belize City, we took a cab to the bus station and a bus (not express) to San Ignacio. It was a long hot trip with many stops along the way but it was a good experience (and cheap). We stayed at Parrot Nest for less than $50 a night per cabin. No A/C but this was an experience all of its own. There were 10 visitors total and we got together each evening to discuss our excursions. The friendship we shared was one of our highlights. ATM was great and Hodies is a must-eat stop! a local guy in Bullet Tree Falls (Tony Chuc, brother of the cook at Parrot Nest) took us on a great tour, where we cave canoed/swam and a waterfall, where we swam some more.
We took a colectivo to Flores, Guatemala and stayed there for a couple of days. Tikal was great and we were able to take a private tour (of sorts) into a pyramid to see hieroglyphs and bones - Way cool! Our hotel in Flores charged us $55 for a room with three beds, which the 5 of us shared.
Another colectivo to Belize city and a water taxi to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. We splurged there and rented 2 suites on the beach. We were there for 4 days and caught up on our rest. We did, however, take some time for snorkeling (Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan with Lil' Alfonse as out guide) and sailing a small catamaran with the kids. We flew a single engine prop back to Belize City but not to the international airport (sort of), to the municipal airport. That saved us $35 each. We then took a cab to the international airport for $5 each. The funny thing is we had to stop at the international airport first but weren't allowed to get out.
Great time! I defiantly recommend it. The rainy season means no reservations are required. We have always talked about just showing up but this was our first time to do so. We only got rained on once. It did rain just about every night but not until after we were safe in bed.
Aug 14th, 2011, 03:29 AM
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great report and detail
www.coppolaresorts.com are awesome
although I did lose la luncha at La Launcha once
food mostly good after that could have been the water or virus
Victoria House is awesome from personal experience
robertsgrove.com nice also closer to jungle ruins
cavesbranch.com also great for adventure
www.coppolaresorts.com are awesome
although I did lose la luncha at La Launcha once
food mostly good after that could have been the water or virus
Victoria House is awesome from personal experience
robertsgrove.com nice also closer to jungle ruins
cavesbranch.com also great for adventure
Aug 14th, 2011, 08:22 AM
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sessa,
A few quick questions and I'll pick your brain later when I have more time.
We're considering a very similar trip in May or June of next year. Did you consider staying inside Tikal and if so, what persuaded you to stay at La Lancha? It seems like a 6 hour trip with an hour drive each way, and lunch, doesn't leave enough time to explore at Tikal.
I also just looked at Mystic River the other night and it does look awesome. I'm glad you posted this review because I wanted some first hand feedback.
I think we'd prefer Caye Caulker to Ambergris, although quite a few peeps have very good things to say about VH!!!
A few quick questions and I'll pick your brain later when I have more time.
We're considering a very similar trip in May or June of next year. Did you consider staying inside Tikal and if so, what persuaded you to stay at La Lancha? It seems like a 6 hour trip with an hour drive each way, and lunch, doesn't leave enough time to explore at Tikal.
I also just looked at Mystic River the other night and it does look awesome. I'm glad you posted this review because I wanted some first hand feedback.
I think we'd prefer Caye Caulker to Ambergris, although quite a few peeps have very good things to say about VH!!!
Aug 15th, 2011, 05:12 AM
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You won't 'hear' it on either caye. The waves break on the reef, about a mile (perhaps a bit more on Caulker) from shore.
On Ambergris, if there's no wind, you can hear the dull roar faintly, but it's more like 'white noise'.
On Ambergris, if there's no wind, you can hear the dull roar faintly, but it's more like 'white noise'.
