CLeanliness and safety of Belize

[cruzdreamin']

Hi all!

 

My husband and I were thinking of going to Belize in December, but I have heard people say that it is not a very clean place or very safe. Can someone give a me little general information and maybe post a picture or two? Thanks!

[cantwait2cruize]

I did feel abit unsafe in Belize. And I am a person who loves Jamica. I think I would pick another vaction spot to visit.

[cruzdreamin']

cantwait2cruise...

 

Thank you for your response. I was afraid of that. We were in Jamaica in 2005 and other than Dunns River Falls, I found it to be a bit frightening, so I guess Belize is worse? Maybe we will re-think this trip. The cruise we were looking at taking also included Cozumel, which we really enjoyed when we were there, and we would be on Royal Caribbean (which we have never done before), so even if we stayed on the ship in Belize the trip won't be a total waste...thanks again!

[Toyz711]

look into the excursions....no, i would not recommend just walking around the town. but otherwise, there are many things to do.

we did the lamanai and river safari...except for the bus being "not the best" (but ran good) the trip was excellent. staying around the port:

they have a safety zone. an area just for tourist/shop/restaurants/excursion pick up. that area is fine, no problems. going out of that area, it's a very poor area of town. on the excursions, you never get close to that poverty.

for lamanai, the bus ride was about an hour...our tour guide kept it interesting. the rest stop was at a thatched area, a restroom that was OK, a few vendors. the boat was excellent, saw wildlife...then we got to lamanai. the mayan ruins is far away from any city, except for the wildlife, there isn't anything there to hurt you.

belize has a very interesting mayan culture..besides that, there are many local vendors with great reps, besides the ship's tour.

next trip is fishing. belize is knows for it's "blue hole" for diving and snorkeling reefs. sport fishing is excellent there.

[thesawch]

The excursions are all safe.If you walk around town by yourself it may be dangerous just as in downtown Detroit,LA or NYC etc..I was in Belize and the people were the best and most polite on our 4 ports of call.I am going back in Febuary again just for Belize and Major Tom's cavetubing bunch..Thesawch

[driftwood]

. . . and if you walk around the area north of the Cruiseship Terminal as I did in January for two weeks, you should not run into any sort of trouble. You are essentially in the higher income district. To get to what is perhaps a "troubled" area you would have to walk rather a long way, south of the Swing Bridge and then west or south for a while--then you reach a rather depressed area. Even then you would have to be very annoying to get yourself in trouble. Trust me, you look like a tourist: and tourism is Heavy Industry in ALL of Belize.

 

The real danger in Belize City is not from any of the citizens (although some near the Swing Bridge/Caye Caulker Water Taxi Terminal area are rather desperately importunate for minor sales),--this is a city that shuts down its major arteries twice a day so schoolchildren can safely walk to and from school--but from the sidewalks--WATCH YOUR STEP--which have not, essentially, been repaired under the corrupt former government of ten years' duration--which ended with a very wholesome and cleansing election on February 8, 2008. Belize is a very poor but honest country where a simple "No, thank you!" will go a long, long way. And of course a small purchase or thoughtful tip will go even further. I feel roughly ten or eleven times safer in Belize City--or any part of Belize, for that matter--than I have felt in Jamaica on any occasion, and I have been to that blighted but physically attractive country several times without event. But of course if you are planning on running drugs your odds of getting killed anywhere are pretty good these days, as the United States supplies the weapons and the ruthlessness. ;) Otherwise don't worry.

 

I did not find a great deal that was attractive to see in Belize City. Not much of it is "quaint," just "shabby." It has been severely impacted by major hurricanes over the years, from which as I mentioned the previous government has not bothered to rebuild the city, preferring instead to create a new inland capital city, Belmopan, where government corruption could be carried on virtually uninterrupted by the elements. But as that government has now changed with a party sweep to a 25-6 majority for the UDP and against the corrupted PUP (now at last hastily reforming itself), and the former prime minister and his cronies and relatives are in public disgrace, if not yet prison, you may safely assume that the people of Belize are, as in the United States, essentially a great deal more honest than their representatives. And of course they do not engage in torture or other war crimes, officially or unofficially. Be of good cheer, and help where you can. [We ourselves will have an opportunity in November.] These people (and their usually religion-sponsored schools) are deserving! :D They scramble very hard to make you happy--and to stay alive themselves, even on their daily rice'n'beans! [if you want to try this national dish in Belize City--or if you are just hungry for actual good food--I recommend dining and/or drinking in The Smoky Mermaid, directly across the street from the Radisson Fort George. PLEASE DON'T buy food from a street vendor, as my poor DW did. But if you are going on a tour outside Belize City, look to your tour guide to recommend a good place to eat. He knows every one in the country, and if your tour group eats there they will give him a free meal--so let him handle the finances!]

 

If you drop me a line at dreynolds@aol.com I would be happy to email you "a picture or two." I have "several," even of Belize City . . . .

[patches12]

Driftwood,

Since Belize is such a poor country, would the schools welcome some school supplies for the children? I teach 4th grade and I always have some extra supplies that I purchase. Would it be possible to get supplies to the children or school without putting myself in danger? I also do not want to get mobbed by children! LOL. Thanks,

[driftwood]

I wish I had a comprehensive answer for you--I am inclined to say ANYTHING HELPS AND IS GREATLY APPRECIATED! Certainly you will encounter no DANGER in any Belizean school--strangely enough the schools seem to be devoted to education, the kids seem healthy and happy, and the ones I have met want to learn. My impression is that Belize is a happy place in which to teach!

 

In fact, however, I only had occasion to enter one school, to speak with one principal, and to donate a painfully little bit of cash for their general purposes--so I do not know their specific needs. Many of the schools are supported by various religious denominations, and my overall impression is that all schools, public and privately operated, are doing a good job. It is quite possible that you are already contributing to education in Belize through your own religious denomination. Certainly the children--and adults--that I met and spoke with during my two-week stay could read, write, and speak English at a level which I found quite impressive (as a former English professor), especially if compared with our own scholars and graduates in the United States; and I understand that much of the population is multilingual, which as you know is NOT true of most of the denizens of our own Sacred Homeland.

 

I realize it would be best if I could give you a name and address of someone who would advise you of specific needs and contacts in Belize, and of course it might be good for you to open up a sort of channel for such things as pen pals for your class members. I certainly believe you have struck a very rich vein with your question, and with the help of a few searches on the Internet, you should be able to open up a mine that will become deep and prove even richer over time. If there was ever a "deserving poor" population, IMHO Belize has it! But you may also be surprised at the connections Belizean educators already have with the United States--for only two examples, one of Belize's most gifted novelists is presently a professor at Kent State University, in Kent, Ohio; one of Belize's most gifted violinists is studying at a major university in Florida with, thank heaven, a FULL scholarship; and as I said above, many religious denominations are very generously committed to education and welfare in Belize, and the encouragement of student exchange. It might also be good to note that for well over half a century various American universities have been cooperating on excavations and studies of the Mayan antiquities in Belize, which is one reason we are able to visit Altun Ha, Lamanai and Xunantunich as astonished tourists today. Those are only three of over SIXTY MAJOR MAYAN SITES ALREADY IDENTIFIED IN BELIZE!

 

I found it convenient while on the spot to donate some of my cash to a school and to a public library, as cash is portable and can of course be allocated by the principal or librarian as she recognizes the needs of her school or library; but as you are a teacher, you have an excellent perspective on what supplies are needed in the classroom--and every classroom I have ever been in anywhere in the world has been in short supply of everything!

 

All you need--as in the United States--is to ask to be shown directly to the Principal's Office. Everyone will be happy to see you! :D

[Travel Angel]

Hi all!

 

My husband and I were thinking of going to Belize in December' date=' but I have heard people say that it is not a very clean place or very safe. Can someone give a me little general information and maybe post a picture or two? Thanks![/quote']

 

I am unclear if you are speaking of a cruise and will visit Belize as your port of call, or a vacation destination to Belize ?

 

If a destination to Belize for a # of days, I would certainly fly into San Pedro and stay on Ambergris Caye rather than staying in Belize City......San Pedro is beautiful, laid back and no less safe than anywhere else a tourist can travel in my opinion ! Just remember you are a tourist and to watch your back, but no more or less than anywhere else you may have travelled to in the past i.e. Jamaica, Cancun, Cozumel, etc.....

 

If taking a cruise and visiting Belize for the day... stick to a reliable vendor (as many are mentioned on this board to use) or cruiseline shore excursion and you will be just fine !

[wadethegringo]

 

Since Belize is such a poor country, would the schools welcome some school supplies for the children? I teach 4th grade and I always have some extra supplies that I purchase. Would it be possible to get supplies to the children or school without putting myself in danger? I also do not want to get mobbed by children! LOL. Thanks,

 

Not sure the best way to get stuff to the school. I Always bring some down with me to Caye Caulker, San pedro and ship to Dangriga, BELIZE.

I brought the above stuff las week. shoot an e mail to these great people... djean32 at yahoo.com and http://tacogirlblog.blogspot dot com/

change the "at" and "dot"