Danger of going outside of gate at belize city

[CENTEX CRUISER]

We were there last March and did not go outside the tourism village gate, but this April our tour meets just outside the iron gate..I spoke to some locals there , and it just did not seem so dangerous as some have posted like hands sticking through the fence and all. So , is it all that "dangerous" to go outside the gate ?

[thescot123]

We were there last March and did not go outside the tourism village gate, but this April our tour meets just outside the iron gate..I spoke to some locals there , and it just did not seem so dangerous as some have posted like hands sticking through the fence and all. So , is it all that "dangerous" to go outside the gate ?

 

I was like you and concerned about going outside the gates. On my Dec cruise, the private tour operator coral Breeze Tours, decided to start operating outside the gates. It made me nervous about going outside but all was fine. The tour operator met us outside with a sign and showed us where to go. After the snorkel tour, I decided to go into town with two others and was not harassed.

 

See the video below for what it looks outside the gates.

 

[CENTEX CRUISER]

Thank you.. Very helpful..:)

I was like you and concerned about going outside the gates. On my Dec cruise, the private tour operator coral Breeze Tours, decided to start operating outside the gates. It made me nervous about going outside but all was fine. The tour operator met us outside with a sign and showed us where to go. After the snorkel tour, I decided to go into town with two others and was not harassed.

 

See the video below for what it looks outside the gates.

 

[Colorado Kat]

It's not as dangerous as some people make it sound. My daughter (16) and I went for a walk, and some shopping. Bought a few little things. Had an offer to buy my daughter, but turned it down.

[michael123]

For some of you who are unaware about Belize, here is the proof (6th deadliest country in the world). The sad part is that almost all of these can be linked to the Belize government. I have cruised may places, but this is just scary.

 

http://www.caribbean360.com/index.ph...#ixzz2JfrTV4Ti

 

http://www.guardian.bz/index.php?opt...d=54:highlight

 

http://www.sanpedrosun.com/crime-and...d-in-his-home/

 

http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/81226

 

http://ambergriscaye.com/forum/ubbth...essman_at.html

 

http://www.guardian.bz/index.php?opt...rime&Itemid=73

 

http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/81413

 

http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=24589

[luvcruzing]

Last April, my son, daughter, daughter-in-law, three grandchildren, and myself walked through downtown Belize to an old church and then further to a restaurant on the water that was recommended by someone on CC. We had no problems. There's a cop on every corner. It was great for the kids to see a "real" foreign city, not just the tourist area. My only suggestion is that if you want to do some shopping, make sure you take lots of smaller bills so that you have the exact amount of the purchase. My daughter bought a pair of sandals, and the shopkeeper tried to give her change in Belize money.

[crewsweeper]

michael123, I assume that the reason Bill Gates is touring Belize! Loves to risk his rich neck in dangerous countries. You'll find nearly every Caribbean/Latin American country visited by cruise lines up for the these most dangerous awards. Amenesty International considers the United States more dangerous than Iran or Sudan or Mali. Go figure.

 

CenTex....go and have fun! If you're jsut departing outside the crusie center, other than the tour hawkers, who are much less aggressive than their counterparts in Jamaica or Tortola, you won't have any problems. And the tour guides will escort you to their bus/van.

[CENTEX CRUISER]

Thanks for the reply...I have been in quite a few foreign countries , and to me the important thing is to always make eye contact with anyone suspicious looking so they are aware you see them..Jamaica, like you say is one of those places..

michael123, I assume that the reason Bill Gates is touring Belize! Loves to risk his rich neck in dangerous countries. You'll find nearly every Caribbean/Latin American country visited by cruise lines up for the these most dangerous awards. Amenesty International considers the United States more dangerous than Iran or Sudan or Mali. Go figure.

 

CenTex....go and have fun! If you're jsut departing outside the crusie center, other than the tour hawkers, who are much less aggressive than their counterparts in Jamaica or Tortola, you won't have any problems. And the tour guides will escort you to their bus/van.

[Luke gs Daddy]

We are planning to walk out the gates, head to the water taxi and take it to Caye Caulker.

I am not really stressing over it, I will report after we return. We leave the 24th, this Sunday!!

[crewsweeper]

We are planning to walk out the gates, head to the water taxi and take it to Caye Caulker.

I am not really stressing over it, I will report after we return. We leave the 24th, this Sunday!!

 

 

 

 

have a great cruise. On CC, grab a cup of coffee at Caribbean Colors, on Front street. and then look for Budgetman (whatever he's cooking that day) or Terry's Grill (stick with seafood, snapper is good, beware the jerky sauce). Both are on the beach up near the split. For the kiddos there's a pretty decent pizza place on Pasero Street, one block up toward the split from the main pier.

[Luke gs Daddy]

have a great cruise. On CC, grab a cup of coffee at Caribbean Colors, on Front street. and then look for Budgetman (whatever he's cooking that day) or Terry's Grill (stick with seafood, snapper is good, beware the jerky sauce). Both are on the beach up near the split. For the kiddos there's a pretty decent pizza place on Pasero Street, one block up toward the split from the main pier.

 

 

Thanks for the info.

[elpasomom]

We just got back from Belize. We did a ship excursion in the morning and took the tender into the tourism village for some shopping which I found disappointing. If you follow the yellow train tracks to the outside of the gates there is a small flea market to do some shopping.

We bought a few pieces of wood carvings and learned a Belizean dance. I was not scared at all. The people are very friendly and happy to see visitors to their country.

[CENTEX CRUISER]

When we were there last March I talked to local about what we hear about it being so dangerous. His reply was, how do you think we make our living here ? We want you to come back again..

We just got back from Belize. We did a ship excursion in the morning and took the tender into the tourism village for some shopping which I found disappointing. If you follow the yellow train tracks to the outside of the gates there is a small flea market to do some shopping.

We bought a few pieces of wood carvings and learned a Belizean dance. I was not scared at all. The people are very friendly and happy to see visitors to their country.

[zipnover]

We are going back to Caye Caulker in a little over a week (Norwegan Dawn- March 31st departure). We have been there before and done both the water taxi and Coral Breeze. Both worked out fine. But this time we chose to do Coral Breeze because my two children will be with us. Mark has assured us that someone will be there to meet us when we leave the gate so I'm not so worried. Some day maybe we will be more adventurous and venture in to the city..but we love Caye Caulker!!

[dnj1]

I was like you and concerned about going outside the gates. On my Dec cruise, the private tour operator coral Breeze Tours, decided to start operating outside the gates. It made me nervous about going outside but all was fine. The tour operator met us outside with a sign and showed us where to go. After the snorkel tour, I decided to go into town with two others and was not harassed.

 

See the video below for what it looks outside the gates.

 

 

Thanks a lot. Nice video.

[MaddyMom]

I have a good friend who has emmigrated here from Belize, along with her mother and daughter. When I asked her what we should see in Belize, her response was to "stay on the ship or be with a tour group."

[OCruisers]

I have a good friend who has emmigrated here from Belize, along with her mother and daughter. When I asked her what we should see in Belize, her response was to "stay on the ship or be with a tour group."

-----------------------------------------------

 

At our favorite restaurant a part time bartender from Belize told us the same thing. He goes to the university here. Says his dad is making arrangements to bring the rest of his immediate family here as soon as he sells his restaurant there.

 

We have been to Belize several times ... but have always either taken some sort of water/beach excursion or stayed within the gate the time we over slept and missed our excursion.

 

We always enjoy having a port stop in Belize!

 

LuLu

~~~~

[spleenstomper]

Our tour picked us up outside the gates and I don't know if the vendors "profile" who is most likely to buy, but we were swarmed and the guard intervened and now I know what it is like to have a body guard push you through a crowd.

 

It was rough, but it ended as soon as we were in the van, which was waiting for us steps away. We are a family of 5 and I guess we look "high end" so to speak. I think we are really going to have to do a better job next time blending in more.

 

We had a GREAT time in Belize and I would totally go again. I see why people say it is dirty, all the windows have bars on them, etc... But I thought the people were *fantastic* and most welcoming.

 

I have some videos of our Belize-Roatan-Cozumel trip on YouTube under the user name "spleenstomper"

[pdmlynek]

For some of you who are unaware about Belize, here is the proof (6th deadliest country in the world). The sad part is that almost all of these can be linked to the Belize government. I have cruised may places, but this is just scary.

 

http://www.caribbean360.com/index.ph...#ixzz2JfrTV4Ti

 

http://www.guardian.bz/index.php?opt...d=54:highlight

 

http://www.sanpedrosun.com/crime-and...d-in-his-home/

 

http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/81226

 

http://ambergriscaye.com/forum/ubbth...essman_at.html

 

http://www.guardian.bz/index.php?opt...rime&Itemid=73

 

http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/81413

 

http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=24589

 

Thanks, Michael. I think that there are unfortunately too many tourists who are clueless about traveling in third world countries, and are under the impression that “if it would be dangerous, then the ships would not go there”, and that people in the Caribbean exist for their enjoyment. It is great that there are many experienced cruisers like crewsweeper or luvcruzing who do not stress about it, but I am just worried that some newbie will see Belize City as Disneyland.

 

If you don't know what you are doing and you look like some rich tourist, yeah, they'll take advantage of you. You need to know what you are doing, act like you know what you are doing, don't ask any stupid questions, be comfortable in your surroundings, and above all, don't tell anyone that you are from a cruise ship. Belize is a wonderful country, to which many Americans flock, and people are warm and friendly and have a laid back view on life that many adore. But, yes, it is supposedly the 5th most dangerous country in the world. http://www.belizeforum.com/belize/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=214050&page=1

According to those posts, yeah, it is statistically safer in warzones in Afghanistan or Syria, than in Belize, and the most dangerous part of Belize happens to be Belize City. Heed, for example, what the Bureau of Diplomatic Security advised on this issue:

https://www.osac.gov/Pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=12320

 

I’ve never had a problem in Belize, whether backpacking through Belize, and sleeping in a hostel in Belize City when I was a college student, or taking my kids on a vacation through Belize in 2011, including leaving our car full of our luggage in BLZ for 2 nights.

[mitsugirly]

Our tour picked us up outside the gates and I don't know if the vendors "profile" who is most likely to buy, but we were swarmed and the guard intervened and now I know what it is like to have a body guard push you through a crowd.

 

It was rough, but it ended as soon as we were in the van, which was waiting for us steps away.

 

It was pretty much the same with us, but actually on our way back. I'm kind of confused about us going out. I remember standing out on a sidewalk, there wasn't very many people around other than tour guides with signs and asking you where to go. There was the choo-choo train bus. Is this considered outside the gates? We walked over to the vans down the road and stood for awhile waiting for everyone in our party to get there to leave for our cavetubing tour. No one bothered us.

 

Here's a picture where we were at on the road. Is this considered outside the gates or not?

 

 

However, on the way back, it was an entirely different situation. It felt like we went back in a different way?? Is this right? I remember getting out of the van and we were swarmed. We pretty much had to push our way through the crowd and the gaurds pulled us toward the door (which was up some steps with a railing and threw the doors. Now normally I can cope with something like this, however we had our 3 year old who was all but 2 foot tall and having people swarm you and keep ahold of her (and lift her up to carry) was a little freaky to me. :(

[cruiseguy456]

We are planning to walk out the gates, head to the water taxi and take it to Caye Caulker.

I am not really stressing over it, I will report after we return. We leave the 24th, this Sunday!!

 

 

We did just that our first time to Belize and had no issues. However, Caye Caulker? We must have got off on the wrong side or something. I wasnt to impressed when we got there.

[crewsweeper]

We did just that our first time to Belize and had no issues. However, Caye Caulker? We must have got off on the wrong side or something. I wasnt to impressed when we got there.

No Caye Caulker is NOT a bustling tourist overan hoty spot with lots of fancy/schancy places to hang out at. It is laid back and purposeflly laid back. Not for everyone. Which is why the wealthy head for San Pedro.

[eclue]

We ( me, my husband and a friend) were in Belize last week. We booked the cruise at the last minute so were not able to get snorkle trips so we just walked out the gate, found several small vendors along the way with prices much better and more able to bargain than in the port. We kept walking to the bridge that goes into the city area and walked there, bought some snacks at the open market a few blocks down...we walked for a long way. Never did we feel any danger....sure we were ocassionally asked to take a tour, but we would just start talking to the people and they would alk a bit with us, turn around and go back....

There were security people on the corners ....it started to get pretty warm so we headed back....

I see no need for fear ...

 

eclue:)

[mzwalruz]

I am just back from a wonderful day in Belize. We were 2 women traveling with 2 teenage girls. We had a great time! I believe the reason why some are afraid to venture beyond the gates is because of the "greeting" you receive when you are about to cross the line from the port to the Town. There are numerous vendors (tour guides, taxi drivers) trying to grab your attention to go with them for the day. They are absolutely desperate to earn our money. They were NOT violent or mean or physical.....just very anxious to get our business. It could mean the difference between feeding their families that day. The guard at the gate made the men stop shouting at us, and simply stated, "he is a tour guide, he is a taxi drive, etc." All we wanted was a taxi driver to take us to a beach, which turned into a day-long adventure I will never forget.

 

Our wonderful taxi driver was named Lloyd. He drove an old Plymouth Bonneville with no air conditioning, but we toughed it out. Lloyd suggested we go to "Old Belize Beach." The cost would be $15 pp for the round trip taxi ride...and he would stay there at the beach and wait for us. It cost us $10 pp to enter the beach and use the facilities, huge waterslides, etc. There was a restaurant and bar which we did not use. This is a man-made beach area they created...allows water to flow in but is protected by a man-made reef. There was also a water swing. Keep in mind, this place was rustic, not fancy or high end at all. The loungers were wooden, but we were fine. They played pretty good dance music and the girls played volleyball with some other tourists on the beach. After we showered and changed up, we met Lloyd and he promised to take us to a local grocery store which was located in the worst part of town. But we were with Lloyd and never once did we feel in danger or uncomfortable. Everyone we encountered had big smiles and they were just as curious about us as we were of them. Our mission was to purchase some organic, locally produced cane sugar. What a great item to bring home from Belize! The cost was $2.25 (Belize dollars! which I think is 2 to 1 US.) for 5 lbs of evaporated cane sugar. It looked and smelled exactly like the cane sugar I buy at Trader Joes. We also picked up some candy and spices. The girls had a great time sharing there bags of candy with many of the young kids who were hanging around the port here in Belize as well as in Roatan.

 

People need to understand that Belize is a mostly coral island...there are no natural beaches. If you want to get into that gorgeous blue green water, you'll need a boat ride to a reef to snorkel. The other important thing is that this is indeed a Third World Country. The people are very poor and very much depend on our tourism dollars. We took our chances and had a great experience and learned a LOT from a very nice taxi driver named Lloyd.

 

He even gave us a hug goodbye when he walked us to the gate.

 

Bon Voyage!

 

~Wendy

[Youngen2505]

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