Cave-tubing with Coral Breeze

[Nukesailor]

Hi Folks!

We just returned from the Carnival Glory 8/27/05 Western Caribbean cruise that included Belize City. We had booked the cave-tubing tour with Coral Breeze about 1 week before we left with no problems. While the website asks for a deposit on credit card with the rest in cash, you can arrange to prepay the entire amount if you wish. On the day of the tour, you need to get tender tickets to get off the ship, as they anchor out. Get there early to ensure you get off on one of the first tenders. We met the Coral Breeze people in front of the Wet Lizard, between Terminals 3 & 4 (the dock area isn't large and they had a sign and polo shirts with Coral Breeze, so no problem in finding them). They will have your name(s) on a list, so you don't have to feel uneasy handing over the cash.

 

Once everyone has shown up, they introduce your tour guide - we were guided by "Junior" - and bring you over to the 14-passenger van. Junior made us feel more like friends than clients and patiently answered many questions.

The drive to Jaguar Paw, where the river and caves are, takes about 1 hour and gives you a chance to see some of the countryside. We also got a chance to see one of the large tour busses from Carnival broken down at the roadside. The last several miles is on a rock surfaced road. While it doesn't have large potholes, you do hear a lot of rocks hitting the underside of the van. Especially since they drive the road at 45 - 50 mph!:eek:

 

By the way, the park is called Jaguar Paw because in the past, people have seen jaguar paw imprints on the muddy trail on top of the footprints of the people in groups ahead of them. So there are jaguars in the area.

 

Once there, we were given an innertube, lifejacket and miner's headlamp. Then, we hiked on a fairly wide trail parallel to the river through the jungle. Junior pointed out several interesting things, like a rock shaped exactly like a bear's head. The hike is not overly strenuous and took about 45 minutes. Warning - there are many plants with thorns along the way. Thorns and inflated innertubes do not go well together.:D

 

The launch area is basically a stony beach on the river between two cave systems. Here you board your tubes for the ride down the river. For those wimps who hate cold water, like me (from Florida, I'm used to water in the 80's), the water is COLD initially. About 70 - 75F. After a few minutes, though, it feels really refreshing.

 

Once we started, we almost immediately entered the cave systems and turned on our lights. When fully inside, Junior had us turn off our lights just to see how dark it was (pitch). Floating through the caves was great fun. We did bounce off the walls a few times and had to lift our butts up in several places, but no damage. I ran aground a couple of times, but managed to push off without having to stand up.

 

After the caves, we floated for about 20 minutes down the river until we reached the area we started the hike in. When we tried to get out of the tubes, we discovered that the river was actually flowing more swiftly than we thought - it's very deceptive.

 

Once we returned the tubes, lifejackets and headlamps and changed into dry clothes, we went over to the open-air restaurant at Jaguar Paw for a lunch of bbq chicken, herb bread, and some unrecognizeable things that were very good. If you go there, ask for more bbq sauce; they make their own and it is really great! We asked Junior why they switched from lunch at Amigos and were told the food quality at Amigos had declined from what it was.

 

When done, Junior drove us back to the dock to catch a tender back to the ship at about 3:30. The last tender was at 4:15, so we really didn't have any time for shopping:( . All in all, Coral Breeze did a great job.

 

There have been several questions about tipping - my suggestion is a few dollars for the wait staff at the restaurant and perhaps $5 per person for the tour guide.

 

Don't hesitate booking this tour. It's the most popular tour in Belize, and with good reason. You can't do this anywhere else in the world!

[Bunkie103]

Thanks for the review. We're booked for the first week in November and looking forward to it! :D

[didan]

Nukesailor,

 

We are thinking of booking with them in November. But I thought they left from the tourism park? Now it's Jaguar Paw resort? That was a selling point from another, more expensive group. Just want to check that point.

[Susky]

You meet them near the tourism park gates, and they pick you up on the street nearby. They take you to Jaguar Paw, which is where all the cave tubing operators go.

[made in usa]

We booked coral breeze and they showed up late, hassled the women on the trip and overcharged us.........I would not recommend them:eek:

[Susky]

Interesting. Everybody else (including myself) gives glowing reviews about them. Give us some details about your experience.

[Bunkie103]

We booked coral breeze and they showed up late, hassled the women on the trip and overcharged us.........I would not recommend them:eek:

 

How could they "overcharge you"? I have a receipt stating the deposit and amount due.....don't understand. Please explain

:confused:

[Nukesailor]

We met the Coral Breeze folks on the dock right in front of the Wet Lizard. Once everbody had assembled, they took us to the van parked at the main entrance to the tourist village. All cave tubing excursions seem to go to Jaguar Paw. I'm not sure you could call it a "resort" - I did not see anything resembling a hotel or such. There were several small buildings, including a large restroom facility, and the open-air restaurant. Nothing fancy. However, there may be another area of Jaguar Paw we didn't go to.

The Coral Breeze folks were very pleasant to deal with on our excursion. I, too, would be interested in hearing the whole story about the bad incident. I know that the Coral Breeze people monitor this board.

[Susky]

Jaguar Paw is an eco-type park, not a resort.

[Bunkie103]

Looks like the poster who encountered the "problems" wasn't interested in telling us anything more about them.....just hit and run! Oh well! :rolleyes:

[vicocala]

Thanks for the report, Nuke, it felt like I was right there with you. ;)

 

 

Actully, the water was nice probably around 75 degrees. The other items we had during lunch were a small piece of fried banana, a piece of grilled sugar beet, a pasta salad with pineapple and a banana/pineapple muffin we were also served a small cup of punch (no rum in it). My only complaint with the resteraunt is they charge a buck for each extra cup of punch, and you are thirsty after the excursion. No fault of Coral Breeze, but it would be nice to had free refills.

 

Junior was great, I tipped him eight dollars and the waitress two dollars if anyone is interested in tipping info. I sat in the front passenger seat and he answered a lot of questions for me about local economics, transportation and the like.

 

I did think we would go through two cave systems instead of just one, but it may of been due to how long it took us. A couple of teens were lagging the group during the walk which may have eaten up valuable time.

 

I strongly suspect the individual who was critical is just trolling, as I really enjoyed myself and everyone was very nice.

 

Hi Nuke! :D

[Tarheelbelle]

We booked coral breeze and they showed up late, hassled the women on the trip and overcharged us.........I would not recommend them:eek:

I looked at this poster's other posts---only 3 of them---all were some criticism about Coral Breeze---I am not going to base my choice on what he/she said.

[Tarheelbelle]

Nukesailor,

Thanks for your review---I am thinking of booking this trip in November!

[islandlittleleague]

We went on an excursion for $45.00 each person with Yoni which was with

http://www.cave-tubing.com and we had an awesome time and also we went to Amigos Rest. after that for $5.00 each person for a great meal which was chicken, beans and rice and the tea we had with the meal was great compared to the same old tea from the boat. The tour guide Gilly and Yoni also took us to a warehouse outlet to buy souveniors and paid almost 60 percent off than the outlets in around the area where the boat drops us off and my family and our group had an awesome time.

[JJOYCRUISER]

IslandLL,

how many people were in your party, and how long did the tour actually take?

I want to go with them but there is only me and my husband, we will be there on Oct 19th on the Norwegian Dream which has been having some engine problems so I am a little worried about what time we will actually get there. I have emailed them today to get some info. By the way, if anyone else reading this is also on the Dream Oct 15th and are interested in this tour, let me know, we would like to go with more people if possible.

thanks

JJOYCRUISER

[islandlittleleague]

IslandLL,

how many people were in your party, and how long did the tour actually take?

I want to go with them but there is only me and my husband, we will be there on Oct 19th on the Norwegian Dream which has been having some engine problems so I am a little worried about what time we will actually get there. I have emailed them today to get some info. By the way, if anyone else reading this is also on the Dream Oct 15th and are interested in this tour, let me know, we would like to go with more people if possible.

thanks

JJOYCRUISER

 

 

We joined a roll call and it was my self and my husband and we met four other people and they joined the trip with us. I dont remember how long we got there but he has at least 2 other vans that take people and he will definetly wait for you. This one will last as long as the one you purchase on the Ship Excursion. Start A roll call like we did. We met some really nice people that way.