Safety in Belize?

[chynavette]

:confused: My husband and I leave this Friday morning for Orlando for the Carnival Glory sailing on the 20th. I was wondering if renting a car in Belize and going off on your own is something that anyone has done. This will be our first time there and I wasn't sure about the safety of this. We have done this before in Cozumel, Grand Caymen, Barbados, Aruba, St Croix, & St Thomas and never had any problems. Any input is appreciated!!

[clackey]

I don't know what is going on in the country now, but 2 years ago we had a little civil unrest there. Someone had dumped trash on one of the bridges in town in protest of the government and there was military everywhere. They stopped our tour bus twice.

 

We are going back in Nov. but we will stick with a guide. From what I've seen there is not that much to see on your own. You nearly have to have a local with knowledge of the area to see the good stuff.

[pog27]

I wouldn't recommend it in Belize. I was just there on the Miracle and its pretty run down. I'm not sure what the crime rate is but the port area is gated with armed guards (not a good sign) and like clackey said there isn't anything worth going to on your own, its definitely a developing country if not 3rd world.

[Zeno]

I would not rent a car in Belize.

[chynavette]

Thanks for the input!! I have decided that we will just book a tour and not go off on our own.

[math_teacher]

Just returned from the May 6th Glory sailing that stopped in Belize on May 9th. I would definitely NOT rent a car here. Once you get outside the port area, this is a scary place, or at least it was to us. We went cave tubing, which is about an hour ride to the resort, and went through some of Belize City and this is a place where you would not want to get lost and ask directions. Guards were standing alongside the road holding M16 rifles. Our guide said it was for safety. Also, we never saw anything that would make us want to take a tour (self or guided) of the place.

 

Hope this helps.

[rwilymz]

You are most likely going to be personally safe. That is, no armed groups of locals will kidnap you, and the government won't go out of its way to make you miserable. It's Venezuela that hates us, not Belize. And the locals all want to braid your hair.

 

BUT... it's also not the US and the customs and practices are all different. They don't have cops as we know them; they have roadblocks. If you are on a tour group that's marked as a tour group, they will let you pass unmolested -- that is: without stopping you, asking you for papers, looking in your trunk, etc. Tour groups bring them money and even if you're there being drunk and rowdy, at least you're leaving cash behind, and you can get away with it.

 

If you aren't on a tour group and you hit one of these roadblocks ... you stop [or they shoot, probably], you show them your papers [and a sail-n-sign don't cut it], and they look in your trunk. If you're late for the tender ... oh well.

 

Rent the car in Cayman or Cozumel.

[Zeno]

Thanks for the input!! I have decided that we will just book a tour and not go off on our own.

 

This is your best bet. There are MANY good, interesting tours in Belize.

[chynavette]

Thank you all for the great information. We have definetly decided not to go off on our own. We are going to catch the ferry to Caye Caulker and hang on the beach all day. We are not into "tours" really so hanging on a beach is right up our alley!! :)

[chris2597]

We were in Belize in Feb. I think this is going to develop into a wonderful tourist destination but it has a ways to go. The port area is very safe and secure. However I insisted that we take a look at the market outside of the secured. We didnt venture far from the gates, but I still felt very uncomfortable...we were constantly approached and when we tried to reenter the gate a couple locals tried to block us...they didnt want us back in the gates as that meant no more $$. The gate gaurd quickly removed them from our path...There was a post awhile back about a family that had taken a taxi to the beach, left their teen daughters there to sun and had a problem with the taxi driver wanting 300 for the ride back and held one of the girls, sending the other one back to the ship for more $$. It all turned out ok butit sounded very scary.

[twiceblessed]

I discovered this article today. I had been wanting to travel to Belize for the past 3 years now and stay at an eco resort. I don't thinnk I will be heading their anytime soon now. How sad!

 

http://www.belizefirst.com/current.html

[chris2597]

YIKES....that is scary....