Visiting Belize City

[9summit]

We'll be in Belize on Carnival's Valor in a couple of weeks and I'm wondering about spending some time checking out the town itself. I always like to get a feel of a different culture by wandering its towns, stores, parks, etc, to get a sense of what the lives of the residents are like. We will have already ziplined, swum with the stingrays, snorkeled, etc., in other ports, and will be ready for a change.However, I don't get the feeling from these threads that Belize City has much to offer, or possibly it isn't safe for daytime exploring on our own. Any opinions? It's our first cruise.

[driftwood]

. . . after Hurricane Hattie came ashore in 1961. The Belize government moved the capital inland to a made from whole cloth "Belmopan," and evidently thought Belize City would heal itself in time or disappear altogether, as virtually nothing has been spent on repair of the infrastructure--evidently all loose cash in Belize was needed to line the pockets of the now-deposed prime minister, Said Musa, and his relatives and cronies (sound familiar?). Even the American Embassy has folded its tents like the Arabs and silently stolen away--to Belmopan--leaving its empty shell inhabited only by other rats and rusting high-tech security cameras and other CIA paraphernalia as evidence of our domination of the world in this rather washed-out corner. Belize City as I found it was quite safe--before dark, anyway--but in order to avoid breaking your neck on the uneven, broken, missing or otherwise unpredictable sidewalks, you might well consider carefully trotting two blocks from the Cruise Ship Terminal (aka Diamonds International Rubber Stamp Doodad Bazaar/Supermarket/Bar Complex--very clean--) to the Radisson Fort George Taxi Association on the corner and asking Daniel Itzá or one of the other fine and reliable taxi drivers to run you around town and show you the highlights of the remains. All of them speak English and all of them are very intelligent, so save your pidgin for Dominica. The most VALUABLE use of your time in Belize City might probably be spent in The Museum of Belize, especially on the second floor, which has a world-class exhibit of Mayan bas reliefs and ceramics. The first floor is devoted to a pretty good discussion of the modern history of Belize and its penal system, postage stamps, insects and a lot of other curiosities. But the admission fee is $10 BZ per adult, or $5 US. Spend wisely! [No photography allowed.]

[tweety33]

We were in Belize last march, We did a tour offered on the Valor, we were bored to death at the museum, the tour did also drive us thru the actual town to show us how the locals live and see the porverty. Some found this offensive and didn't like that part, but we enjoyed that part the best to see the real life there. Our guide did not recommend tourist going there on there own. I personally would not have wanted to be wandering around the town on our own after seeing it. We only saw one tourist walking around there that the driver pointed out and commented on. It is a fascinating place to visit with a guide to show you around.

[driftwood]

. . . and I'm sorry you did not enjoy it, tweety!

 

On days when cruise ships are in Belize City, it is also possible to take a tour of the city in a horse-drawn carriage. The horses are very cheerful, strong, and travel at a good clip, so I thought it might be fun to try sometime. But DW and I never had the time while we were there.

[9summit]

I really appreciated your thoughtful responses, Driftwood and Tweety33. I will definitely take your suggestion of hiring a taxi guide. As I understand that the Belize Zoo has animals unique to Belize and not likely found elsewhere, I thought we might check that out, too. And the guide could take us there as well?

[driftwood]

You may have hit on an excellent idea--before I went to Belize I was warning people that the Belize Zoo is thirty miles inland, which it is; and I had an idea that the cabs were metered and much in price like our hometown cabs. This is NOT the case. But in fact there IS a flat rate for virtually every location in the country, and the flat rate to any given place is a bargain! The Belize Zoo is a place that the taxi drivers themselves love to visit, and they are VERY valuable in pointing out to you animals which are concealing themselves very ably in their spacious and comfortable environments. You may not believe how difficult it is for you to spot an animal even as large as a tapir or a jaguar--even if you are pretty good at spotting animals in your home environment: but the Belize Zoo was built for the animals first, and the visitors later.

 

We went ourselves with Daniel Itzá, one of the Radisson Taxi Drivers' Association tour guides/taxi drivers, and we had a very enjoyable and safe trip for what I thought was a VERY reasonable price (private treaty, NOT through the Radisson or any other middleman, which is an important thing to remember)--I think I tipped him as much as he charged, although if I didn't I am sorry I didn't. I think the package price is good for three passengers, with a slight surcharge for each additional passenger, but I am not certain of this as only Sheila and I took the tour--and he was with us every step of the way!

[SunSeeker45]

We did the Calypso Train Tour last year and really enjoyed it. It takes you all around the city with a guide in an open air trolley. Great information for those who really want to see what Belize city is like and how the people live and work. I highly recommend it as an introduction to Belize.