Hello. I'm looking into going to Belize in June or July next yr with my husband. We went to Costa Rica this yr and it was great but my husband wants to relax a little more- we were very busy with activities. I was thinking of staying at Crystal Paradise for a few days then going to Ambergris- where to stay there?? The three that look good to me are Victoria House, Xandau?sp, or Mata Chica.
My husband wants the relaxing nice place- I want more activity/adventure place. Any suggestions for compromise on these or others places? Thanks

CPR is fine and you'll love the Cayo distrcit for all its great trips and adventure. Take a look at the Placencia peninsula for beach and adventure. All the inns you mentioned on Ambergris are all good and different from one another. In Placencia, look at Kittys Place, Roberts Grove and Turtle Inn.

Thanks for your response. What is the difference between Ambergris and Placentia? VH vs Turtle inn? They both look great on the websites. Are the beaches much different?

Differences between Placencia and Ambergris Caye:

A few of the differences between Ambergris Caye and Placencia:


AMBERGRIS CAYE (often referred to as San Pedro):

* The biggest island in Belize (originally a peninsula jutting down from the Yucatan) -- northern Belize

* Settled by Mestizos from Mexico

* Most popular destination in Belize (for many good reasons)

* 7,000 residents on the island

* Mostly sand streets, no building over 3 stories -- significant new development taking place in the zone from town to about 2 miles south of town

* By FAR Belize's widest selection of restaurants and hotels

* Among the best top-end hotels: Victoria House, Mata Chica and Portofino and condotels Villas at Banyan Bay, Banana Beach, The Palms, Xanadu

* Among the best mid-range lodging: Mayan Princess, Corona del Mar

* Among the best budget lodging: Ruby?s, Pedro?s Backpacker Inn

* Some shops, sizeable groceries, lots of bars and places to hear live music

* Very nice beaches though like all beaches inside the reef somewhat narrow and with some goop bottoms and a good deal of seagrass

* Beaches along most of the Caribbean side (20+ miles)

* Reef just a few hundred yards offshore

* Decision about locations -- more remote North Ambergris requires water taxi, south end or in/near town

* Lots of snorkel tours and day trips to the mainland to visit ruins

* Good diving locally and excellent diving on day trips to Turneffe or Lighthouse atolls

* Get there by flights from international (US$47) or municipal airstrip (US$26) or by water taxi (US$14)

* Safe and friendly (though usual cautions are in order)

* Transportation on the island -- bikes, rental golf carts, cabs, water taxis

* Hotels from US$15 to $500+ a night

* Small condos and vacation rental houses available US$100 to $500+ a night

* Golf available on nearby Caye Chapel (but expensive -- US$200 a day)

* Tennis available at sports club and at a couple of hotels

* Water -- safe to drink from municipal system or RO/wells

* Good fishing -- tarpon, bonefish and other

* Very little snorkeling from shore (best snorkeling requires a short boat ride to Hol Chan Marine Reserve (including Shark-Ray Alley)

* About the same amount of rain as Atlanta, Ga.

PLACENCIA:

* 16-mile long peninsula in southern Belize (Stann Creek District)

* Access from Belize City via road by rental car (3 1/2 hours, US$55+ a day), bus (6+ hours, US$8), air (40 minutes, US$70 from international, US$55 from municipal)

* Placencia village is 25 miles from the Southern Highway on an unpaved road

* Two villages on peninsula -- Placencia (Creole) and Seine Bight (Garifuna)

* Peninsula population about 3,000

* Wide choice of hotels from budget hotels in Placencia village to upscale resorts farther north

* Hotels from around US$15 to $400+

* Few condos but some vacation rental houses, US$100 to $300+ a night

* Among the best to-end lodging: Inn at Robert's Grove, Turtle Inn

* Among the best mid-range lodging: Kitty?s, Mariposa, Barnacle Bill?s, Nautical Inn

* Among the best budget lodging: Tradewinds, Ranguana, Seaspray, Manatee Inn

* Some restaurants in Placencia village and elsewhere, though most of the better restaurants are at hotels

* Transportation on peninsula -- taxis or your rental car (taxis are fairly expensive, especially if going way north)

* 15+ miles of very nice beaches along Caribbean side -- best beaches on mainland but not much different from those on Ambergris Caye

* Day trips to mainland to visit Cockscomb jaguar preserve and to Maya sites near Punta Gorda

* Day snorkel trips -- reef is 15 + miles out, though snorkeling is also available at islands and patch reefs closer in

* Little snorkeling from shore

* Few shops, only small groceries

* No golf; tennis for guests at Robert?s Grove

* Safe and friendly (though usual precautions are in order)

* Water from municipal system safe to drink

* Good fishing for permit, bonefish, tarpon and other

* Access to small islands offshore for day or overnight visits

* Good to excellent diving on day trips

* Limited nightlife

* Usually more rain than Ambergris Caye (especially during rainy season June - November)

* Sandflies can be irksome

--Lan Sluder <Fodor's Belize & Guatemala, San Pedro Cool, Adapter Kit Belize, Belize First Guide to Mainland Belize, etc.>

I've stayed at both Victoria House and Turtle Inn, and both are great but in different ways. Turtle Inn is more exotic, with seaside thatch cabanas with amazing baths, furnishings imported from Bali, a "houseman" for each guest, masseuses from Thailand. Victoria House is a bit more like a British colonial resort in the tropics, but updated to an American barefoot-deluxe style.

But the biggest difference is where they're located -- see my reply above.

--Lan Sluder

Thanks- you're very helpful Lan.

Going to Belize is a fabulous idea. We were there last summer I believe, and stayed on Ambergris the whole time. It was just amazing. We stayed at The Blue Tang Inn, and we could not have picked a better place. It was right on the beach too, and a very good and reasonably priced restaurant was right on the dock infront of the inn too, called Wet Willys. Anyways whereever you end up, have fun!