What to do with children 2,3,6,13

[heatherlsi]

What would you suggest in Belize for 4 children 2,3,6 and 13? We are also trying to keep the expense reasonable.

Thanks,

Heather

[JenDalessan]

we have 5 kids and I have to tell you.....I have a million jokes in my head to answer your question "what to do with the kids?".....I am behaving myself though:D

[heatherlsi]

We are looking at the Zoo - but we have some really nice Zoo's around here. I emailed Victor Bodden and it will cost us $195 for a three hour trip to the zoo. Has anyone been to belize with kids that can recommend something?

[heatherlsi]

Ok - Jen I guess maybe "what to do" is the wrong way to word it =) I don't think locking them in the cabin is an option, they're pretty resourceful.. and I like them so I don't want to just leave them in Belize either....

[phopte]

Try contacting Trevor and Cathy at Smuggler's Run. They can customize a day for you that might include jungle horseback riding and food to die for, river tours, ruins tours, most anything you want. Their pricing is *very* reasonable and they are super nice people. Search on Smuggler's Run to learn more about them. If you go to the plantation, they can probably do a wagon ride for the younger and horseback riding for the older kids. It is a really cool, natural place!

[heatherlsi]

Do they have a website? What's the best way to reach them?

I'd like to take a look at what they have....

Thanks,

Heather

[heatherlsi]

Thanks PHopte - I did find their website. Did you tour with them? Or has anyone? What did you do?

[phopte]

Thanks PHopte - I did find their website. Did you tour with them? Or has anyone? What did you do?

 

I reported on it in a previous thread but here goes again. Yes, we did the horseback ride with them. There were 6 of us and we happened to be the only ones there that day. 5 of us rode for about 2-2 1/2 hours. They had a guide in the front, in the middle and at the end so they could control the horses if anything got out of hand. The horses are very well behaved and I had a good time. I had not been on a horse 40+ years and had a bad experience then so I was somewhat apprehensive but they do a great job of matching the horse to the rider. My wife has a bad back so she stayed at the palupa and read her book while laying in a hamock in the shade.

 

The palupa was clean as could be as were the restrooms. They cooked a typical Belize meal and it was to die for! :D Chicken, rice and beans, fried plantains, fresh bread, fresh limeaid from the plantation lime groves and a lime pie that they could sell for big bucks at any five star resturant. Fresh fruit was available and it really does taste better than what we get. Compared to the bananas we had there, what we get in the States has no taste at all.

 

Cathy picked us up at the pier and drove us out to the plantation in a 15 passenger minibus/van. She gave us a pretty good tour of the city and talked about the city and country life. Once we got there, ~ 20-30 minutes tops, we stretched our legs and then got on the horses. It was single file through a jungle trail around the plantation. Trevor was behind me and told me many cool things about the plantation, the area and the local flora/fauna. As I said, they had guides front, center and rear so that if anything startled the horses, they could make sure it did not get out of hand.

 

They have some pretty cool critters around as well as the horses. I think your kids would enjoy them.

 

While I don't think we are supposed to discuss prices here, I can say that they were very affordable and significantly less than the ship tours. Both families thought it was way cool and it was possibly the best thing we did on the cruise and was certainly the best food we had bar none!

 

Be sure to take jeans and bug spray. We did not have any problems with bugs but I have heard that others have. You will be glad you have the jeans during the ride. If you want you can take shorts to change into after the ride. As I said, the restrooms we very clean - even better than many of the publics restrooms on the ship. ;)

 

Contact Trevor directly at J. Trevor Miles [trevor@smugglersrunplantation.com] and give him an idea of what you might be interested in and let him come up with something. I know that they have several options of things to do both at the plantation and other tours. We went in April '07 and he and I still trade emails every month or so. Tell him Perry said "hi!"

 

By the way, the approach into Belize on the ship will take an hour or more and is stunning. Make sure you get up early enough to see the approach. I don't know what time zone you are in so it may not be an issue of too early but it is really worth it. I have some photos from the sunrise through the clouds with small islands in the foreground that will take your breath away!

[heatherlsi]

Thank you for all of the information.