Am planning a week on SunDancer in Jan and am arriving a day early. We are staying at the Radisson Ft George but i know nothing about the area. I'm exploring options but am considering diving sat morning the 15th. Any thoughts?
Belize in January
- Thread starter rialki
- Start date
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TremayneJohnson
Registered
Anywhere really decent (lighthouse / Turneffe / etc) will all be covered in your Peter Hughes itinery. If you do fix yourself up with a trip, I almost promise you, that halfway through the week on the boat you'll be saying to yourself - 'why did I bother'. If you are going to do something - then do it properly. And your week afloat will certainly be that!
How about a trip up river to see manatees or a jungle hike? Perhaps a trip to Tikal (Mayan ruins etc - featured in orginal Star Wars film). Just a thought.
TJ
How about a trip up river to see manatees or a jungle hike? Perhaps a trip to Tikal (Mayan ruins etc - featured in orginal Star Wars film). Just a thought.
TJ
Assuming you're in Belize City for a complete day, I think I'd book a trip to the Lamanai ruins. Tikal isn't even in Belize and is totally out of the question.
Doubler
Contributor
I always arrive a day early and stay at the Radisson and again on the way out. I leave the boat when she docks Friday and check into the hotel thereby eliminating the Saturday hustle to get off the boat. Relax in the hotel until time to leave for the airport.
There is nothing to do in Belize City. You could arrange something with the front desk or just hang out at the pool side bar. Friday nights they have a live band so it can be a little noisy.
You are going to love the diving. Have a great trip.
There is nothing to do in Belize City. You could arrange something with the front desk or just hang out at the pool side bar. Friday nights they have a live band so it can be a little noisy.
You are going to love the diving. Have a great trip.
Darnold9999
Contributor
I would spend a few hours wandering the streets of Belize City, (in the daytime) then either a trip to the zoo or the ruins depending on which you prefer. Have done both prefer the zoo. While Belize City is not a great tourist destination it is interesting to poke around a bit. Wander over to the swing bridge - walk up and down a few streets nearby. Have dinner at the Smokey Mermaid across the street from the Raddison at the Great House.
Go up the street from the Radisson towards town - take the first right walk 20 - 30 feet to a little shop that sells tourist stuff across from a park. I have three cutting boards we use every day from this shop. Never found a better place to get them.
Would not even attempt to go diving from Belize City.
Go up the street from the Radisson towards town - take the first right walk 20 - 30 feet to a little shop that sells tourist stuff across from a park. I have three cutting boards we use every day from this shop. Never found a better place to get them.
Would not even attempt to go diving from Belize City.
Damselfish
Contributor
I would not bother diving Saturday morning. Belize City isn't really a great base for diving anyway - it's a haul to the good stuff, which you'll be getting plenty of from the Sun Dancer. There's lots of interesting things to see on land in Belize so I'd plan whatever day trip appeals and fits in your schedule. Any time left I'd veg by the pool or wander (during the day) around the immediate area of the Radisson or over towards the cruise shopping complex. (Which will mostly only be open when a ship is in, but you might find a few shops open.) There's a few interesting shops to check out and you can get a little flavor of things.
Note that they often arrange trips for passengers Friday afternoon once back in port, usually to the Belize zoo (which is not your typical zoo and pretty interesting) or Altun Ha, maybe other places. So instead of doing the zoo before the boat, you might save that for the last day and there's decent odds you can go with a group of folks from the boat that you'll be friends with by then.
I see they now have a page of suggested land stuff at different destinations. You might consider contacting them, ask them which trips fit on Friday afternoon in port that people are typically taking, and have them book something for before the boat too.
I thought cave tubing was fun but I'd only do it on a day there were no cruise ships in port. We quite enjoyed canoeing in Barton Creek cave, which seems to be a trip you don't hear as much about. (We hadn't even planned on doing that, but we had a couple days when the water was too high after lots of rain to access some other things we'd planned - so it was a pleasant surprise.) Tikal was a good trip but I agree it's not easily doable by land from Belize City in the time you have, and most people can probably get their fill of ruins closer. Everything we did in Belize was good, it just depends what you're into.
Note that they often arrange trips for passengers Friday afternoon once back in port, usually to the Belize zoo (which is not your typical zoo and pretty interesting) or Altun Ha, maybe other places. So instead of doing the zoo before the boat, you might save that for the last day and there's decent odds you can go with a group of folks from the boat that you'll be friends with by then.
I see they now have a page of suggested land stuff at different destinations. You might consider contacting them, ask them which trips fit on Friday afternoon in port that people are typically taking, and have them book something for before the boat too.
I thought cave tubing was fun but I'd only do it on a day there were no cruise ships in port. We quite enjoyed canoeing in Barton Creek cave, which seems to be a trip you don't hear as much about. (We hadn't even planned on doing that, but we had a couple days when the water was too high after lots of rain to access some other things we'd planned - so it was a pleasant surprise.) Tikal was a good trip but I agree it's not easily doable by land from Belize City in the time you have, and most people can probably get their fill of ruins closer. Everything we did in Belize was good, it just depends what you're into.
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darkstar
Contributor
Belize City is not that interesting and you can easily check out all that's worth seeing on the Friday of the charter.
Besides the usual Zoo, tubing, jungle tour things that everyone mentions, why not enjoy the a day at the beach and a few Belikan beer. You can grab a water taxi to Ambergris or Caye Caulker for relaxing day at the beach and easy access to some nice places to get a drink and some food. They have boats leaving hourly from the water taxi terminal (about a 3 minute walk from the Radisson).
Besides the usual Zoo, tubing, jungle tour things that everyone mentions, why not enjoy the a day at the beach and a few Belikan beer. You can grab a water taxi to Ambergris or Caye Caulker for relaxing day at the beach and easy access to some nice places to get a drink and some food. They have boats leaving hourly from the water taxi terminal (about a 3 minute walk from the Radisson).
potato cod
Contributor
Hi Rialki,
I have no insights to offer on Belize City, but I thought I'd say "hi" because my husband Dan and I will be on the Sundancer Jan 15-22 with you! We're coming from Buffalo, NY, so we'll be fellow escapees from winter.
cheers,
Camille
I have no insights to offer on Belize City, but I thought I'd say "hi" because my husband Dan and I will be on the Sundancer Jan 15-22 with you! We're coming from Buffalo, NY, so we'll be fellow escapees from winter.
cheers,
Camille
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