Belize or Costa Rica?
 

Debating between taking a trip to Costa Rica or Beliza in late May... any advice or feedback on your experiences in these two locations at this time of year? We are looking for a good mix of relaxation on a beach and adventure (hiking, rafting, wildlife, etc). THANK YOU!!

Both countries are great,so you really can't go wrong with either choice. Personally, I slightly preferred Belize because I found it a little less "Americanized", but some people prefer CR for that same reason. (Though I was only in the touristy areas of CR... I'm sure there are lots of great places more off the beaten path). A few other differences that may help you make your choice:
-Belize offers Mayan ruins, CR has volcanoes
-CR is a bigger country and offers a wider variety of options if you plan to visit several locations; Tikal in Guatemala can be a great side trip from Belize.
-Belize better for scuba/snorkeling; CR better for surfing
-Belize is English-speaking; CR Spanish (though you'll find plenty of people who can speak English)

This is a good problem to have... choosing between 2 wonderful locations!

Check out the Jaguar Reef Lodge. The website is www.jaguarreef.com. It is a true adventure lodge & is off the beaten path of major tourism.

We were there in late March 2006. The Jaguar Reef Lodge sits on the Carribbean and the Rainforest is at the back door. There is excellent snorkeling, hiking, kayaking, tubing in caves, & much more. You get to see the "real" country & animals etc - it is fascinating. We even had a Puma (red lion) run across the road in front of us. The lodge has a variety of tours available every day & great guides. You are in a small group on the tours which makes it even better. The place is very very nice (not plush but excellent) and the people are wonderful. Everyone we spoke with there raved about the value -- you got sooo much for your money! A week is not enough time to do everything.

I am considering going to jaguar lodge in a few weeks! Do u have any pics from there? Did :) they offer a couples massage? is it a nice beach? is the water warm? Im going on a vaca with my boyfriend and trying to decide between belize, st lucia, and tortola! hard choice, but jaguar seemed cheaper

1. I do have some pictures - have never posted them on the net. Will figure it out & let you know where to go.
2. I saw people getting massages in the evening out on the dock but do not know if there were couples massages.
3. The beach is very nice & not crowded day or night. The water was the perfect temperature - not cold but refreshing.
4. There is little snorkeling off the beach. However, the lodge offers trips to the reef (short boat ride) every day. The snorkeling is awesome - second only to the Caymans. Be sure to have Terry & John as your snorkeling guides.
5. This was the most exciting trip we have been on as far as seeing things we have only seen on TV before. I love to just lay on the beach but did not cuz did not want to miss the tours - needed more than 1 week so I could have my beach days. Most tours are onsite or close - don't turn down the tours which are 2 hours by van (such as the tubing through the cave) - it is facinating to see the countryside.

Sarah (and anyone else interested),
To see the pictures from our trip to the Jaguar Reef Lodge, goto http://webpages.charter.net/cvechkol...zeTrip2006.htm .

There are 3 pages, first is of the lodge & others are of some of the tours. You can get to the other pages by by clicking on the navagation bar arrows. This is my first attempt at creating anything out on the web - so sorry if the pictures take a minute or two to pop up.