I'm planning a trip to Belize next year and I am just just now planning it. I know it's early but I just want to make sure I study the country thoroughly before I make any big decisions as to where to stay and what to do.<BR><BR>Can anyone give me their input on how they liked Belize so I may gauge how long I should stay for? If you can tell me what you did, that would be great too. I am especially interested in hanging with the locals so you have anything on that too. Thanks a bunch.

Belize is like most destinations -- you could spend almost any period of time there and still find new things to see and do. I've been traveling around Belize for 12 years and have written or co-written six books on the country (including the Belize section of the upcoming Fodor's Belize & Guatemala Guide) and I still haven't been to all the places I'd like to go.<BR><BR>I'd say three weeks would be the minimum just to cover the highlights.<BR><BR>--Lan Sluder

Depends how much holiday you get, I guess.

We were there for 2 weeks and wished we could have stayed longer. Here's where we went and what we did - spent 3 nights in Cayo (ruins, canoeing, caving, etc.), 3 nights in Dangriga (took a day trip out to Southwater Caye to dive/snorkel and went to the Cockscomb preserve), 3 nights in Placencia (snorkeling, canoeing, relaxing on the beach), and 5 nights on Ambergris (diving, more snorkeling w/manatees and rays, kayaking). For us it was a very active/adventure type trip but you can make it as active or relaxing as you want. Hope this helps.

No it doesn't

i'd recommend 3 weeks. spend time in the cayo, placentia & caye caulker and ambergris (short water taxi between the two). placentia is a good place for meeting locals.