Belize for 1 day next week - couple of questions

[davezwife]

Hi there,
We arrive on a ship for a full day in Belize next week. A scuba shop here in the states told me that anyone offering to take us out to the reef, is basically pulling our leg. Evidently some big winds from the east make it hard to dive outside the reef? And inside the reef stinks?
Facts? Fiction?

And what can you tell me about the cave floating thing? I read somewhere someone died recently. I love danger, but am I asking for trouble? Is it fun? Best company to use?

Thanks!!!

 

[hopefulist]

I think you may have to arrange through your cruise ship whether you dive or do a tour in order to fit your specific schedule - I've read a few "missed the boat" stories lately. You should have access to some good diving if that's what you want to do - Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker a practically on the reef but it's true weather can affect longer trips out to the atolls.

Yeah, someone died last fall on a cave float trip when several tour operators offered cave tubing even though high water contraindicated it; I heard that many operators knew better. I truly can't imagine only having 1 day in Belize - my 3 weeks this summer is seeming too short! You could try your questions on the Belize Forum, too. Sorry I'm not more help! The Belize Forums has Moved!

 

[hopefulist]

Ha ha! The link will still work even though it self-filled a less-than-helpful link tag.

 

[Papa_Bear]

Do Jaguar Paw and the cave tubing! Here are some pictures! Two Tanked Productions HD & SD Underwater Productions and video services

It takes more than one day to do Belize! And yes the wind can be a bummer and the inside is not as good!

 

[peterbj7]

Your cruise ship docks just to the south of Belize City. Some dive operators pick up from the ship, others require you to get to shore on the ship's tender first. Obviously the first is quicker. From there to the reef is a long boat ride, but inside the reef it shouldn't be rough - if it is I would think twice about diving. Your diving will need to be on the outside of the reef - it's too shallow inside. High winds would certainly affect it, but I haven't heard them forecast.

Cave tubing conducted responsibly is so safe it's tame. That "accident" was a result of poor judgement by an operator just after there had been heavy rain in the mountains - that's most unlikely for next week. I've done it and found it rather boring, but that's just me.

If you want something more adrenalin-pumping, try zip lining. Generally pretty safe, though again someone died doing it a few months ago when the cable broke. That wasn't in Belize, but in a neighbouring country.

But you'll have to choose, there won't be time for both.

 

[Papa_Bear]

Lamanai might take too long, but again that's why one day is not enough! Both the Zip line and cave tubing are at Jaguar Paw, and as Pete said, it is a matter of personal taste! I love the tubing, but I like Pirates of the Caribbean too!

 

[Damselfish]

It rained a lot just before we were there, cave tubing and some other affected activities were shut down for a couple days until it was deemed safe again. It was fun and definitely tame. It may seem like a fairly adventurous or exotic excursion to anyone who doesn't normally do anything like that. For someone who dives, or who generally does a lot of other outdoor and water stuff - they might find it fun, or might not think it's worth the long drive from the ship, hard to say. Of course, about everything worth seeing in Belize is at least a bit of a trip from Belize City anyway.

I'm not sure if I would do it on a cruise ship excursion. We did it while staying in the area on a day when there weren't any cruise ships there, mostly a few small groups which was nice. I'm not sure if it would be as nice if the place was really busy. There was one larger group and I can only imagine the place full of them. There sure was a big parking lot for the middle of noplace, and lots of tubes to handle a lot of people.

 

[davezwife]

thanks. for the record, we're bummed it's only one day, and have every intention of going back to dive more! We love Costa Rica, and imagine Belize is just as, if not, nicer !

 

[peterbj7]

I don't know what's available to you for your single and rather short day (most activities start quite early, and you're already too late for many). But in case it crops up as an option, don't dismiss the Belize Zoo as just another zoo. It's a wildlife sanctuary, initially for animals that had been used in a film and which were too tame to be released back into the wild afterwards, plus various animals that have been rescued injured and nursed back to health, which also can't be released for the same reason. And it doesn't look remotely like an ordinary zoo. Make sure to take a camera with a long lens.

 

[Damselfish]

I'll second that, the zoo was pretty neat. Just stay upwind of the warthogs!