Is Belize Safe?

[cds62]

I just booked a cruise for next year for my family and my brother-in-law/sister-in law. When speaking with my brother-in-law he said that a coworker of his said that Belize is not safe to leave the area around the port and that it is fenced off with armed guards. I believe he was talking about Labaddee but any help and experiences for those that have visited Belize would be appreciated. From everything that I have seen on this board it seems like a nice place to visit but we are having some concerns now with what was said.

Thanks for the help.

[Toyz711]

belize has some great excurions...it's knows for it's "blue hole" for scuba diving, great spots for snorkeling...wonderful mayan ruins.

BUT the port area is fenced off and guarded. within the fenced area, there are restaurants and some shops.

i never felt "un" safe there, but without knowing the langauge and area..i would not just go for a walk outside the fence. i would, any time, take an excursion to enjoy this wonderful area.

we did the lamanai and river safari...loved it, had a great tour guide (through NCL). the mayan site is in great condition, not all falling down..in a jungle with howler monkeys in the trees. just an wonderful day!!

just outside the port area it's very 3rd world, much poverty..not a pretty area. once the port area, going out to the country side..it's totally different.

[swampfox28]

Everything Toyz said is true, but as for the language part, I believe that Belize's official language is English...

 

 

-Sarah

[LA_FadeAway]

Yep, they speak English. Belize is not as bad as everyone says. I traveled throughout the country for a couple weeks and never felt unsafe in any way. Even in the Belize City bus station ;) They do have some crime, so just use common sense.

[tha sista]

What is outside the "gates"? Is there a town, restaurants/bars? Places to just hang out? beaches? I don't like doing excursions and just like to venture out. Anyone have any experiences they can share?

[GORDONCHICK]

Belize is a developing 3rd world country. The area right outside the fenced port area is not a safe area to be wondering off in. We found a wonderful guide at the pier who took us to see his beautiful Belize. He took us to the ruins and told of the great history and how the ruins were only found within the last 15 years (had been covered by jungle). He drove into the jungle to find the howling monkeys for us, and he did! He was very careful to show us the "good" parts of his city/country and we always felt safe with him. Before finding him, we had encountered a policeman who was inside the port area to keep the tourists safe. His recommendation was to use a licensed guide (they wear their badges around their necks). When we encountered Maurice, the policeman said we could not have a better guide. Part of the guides being licensed is that they actually take a test, have background checks, have insurance, etc.

 

Belize is a beautiful country to visit, but it's not a port to roam around outside the gated area without a guide.

[MDSue]

What is outside the "gates"? Is there a town, restaurants/bars? Places to just hang out? beaches? I don't like doing excursions and just like to venture out. Anyone have any experiences they can share?

I think the people who come back and post about how they don't like Belize are the ones who chose not to do an excursion. To have an enjoyable stop, you really need to read the boards, get an idea of what you'd like to see and book an excursion. After all, you are travelling a long way and if you stay right around the port area you will be disappointed.

There are plenty of ports that are great for winging it on your own, but this isn't one of them. The area around the port isn't very nice and there is so much to see if you take a tour. :)

[ronkay]

I have been there numerous times and not just on a cruise but for a week at a time on fishing trips. Just use common sense like you would walking down the street in NY or Miami. I feel safer in places like Belize, costa rica, Jamaica then I do in Miami or NY. treat the people with respect and do not insult anyone. and USE COMMOM SENSE!!!

[tha sista]

I think the people who come back and post about how they don't like Belize are the ones who chose not to do an excursion. To have an enjoyable stop, you really need to read the boards, get an idea of what you'd like to see and book an excursion. After all, you are travelling a long way and if you stay right around the port area you will be disappointed.

There are plenty of ports that are great for winging it on your own, but this isn't one of them. The area around the port isn't very nice and there is so much to see if you take a tour. :)

 

My favorite way to enjoy the islands whether on a cruise or land vacation is to just roam around and stop in little bars/restaurants and sample the fare. Are you saying around the port area, outside the gates there is nothing like this? If not, my next choice is to hire a driver and tour the area, making stops at beaches, bars, restaurants, shopping etc. We did this in manzanillo mexico, and it was wasn't that great because there wasn't much to stop at and enjoy. The driving was too far away to enjoy anything but a ride in a van...

 

Thats why I am asking. Thanks for your info!!:)

[GORDONCHICK]

My favorite way to enjoy the islands whether on a cruise or land vacation is to just roam around and stop in little bars/restaurants and sample the fare. Are you saying around the port area, outside the gates there is nothing like this? If not, my next choice is to hire a driver and tour the area, making stops at beaches, bars, restaurants, shopping etc. We did this in manzanillo mexico, and it was wasn't that great because there wasn't much to stop at and enjoy. The driving was too far away to enjoy anything but a ride in a van...

 

Thats why I am asking. Thanks for your info!!:)

 

Yes, hire a guide or driver. Otherwise your view of Belize won't be very favorable simply based on what you saw. But there is so much more. We had this same experience in Puerta Limon, Costa Rica - not much right outside the fence (except extreme poverty) but a guide took us on a great tour. Without that tour, I would not have had a very good view of Costa Rica and would not have wanted to return.

[Pssunshinegal]

My favorite way to enjoy the islands whether on a cruise or land vacation is to just roam around and stop in little bars/restaurants and sample the fare. Are you saying around the port area, outside the gates there is nothing like this?

 

If this is the case, find a way to get to Caye Caulker or San Pedro (Ambergris Caye) and then you can roam and sample and mingle to your heart's content. You can take the water taxi or airplane to either island. Caye Caulker is more laid back. San Pedro has more bars, food, interesting people to mingle with.

 

Janice

[tha sista]

If this is the case, find a way to get to Caye Caulker or San Pedro (Ambergris Caye) and then you can roam and sample and mingle to your heart's content. You can take the water taxi or airplane to either island. Caye Caulker is more laid back. San Pedro has more bars, food, interesting people to mingle with.

 

Janice

Any idea how long of a trip on the water taxi it is to San Pedro??

[MDSue]

My favorite way to enjoy the islands whether on a cruise or land vacation is to just roam around and stop in little bars/restaurants and sample the fare. Are you saying around the port area, outside the gates there is nothing like this? If not, my next choice is to hire a driver and tour the area, making stops at beaches, bars, restaurants, shopping etc. We did this in manzanillo mexico, and it was wasn't that great because there wasn't much to stop at and enjoy. The driving was too far away to enjoy anything but a ride in a van...

 

Thats why I am asking. Thanks for your info!!:)

I'm alot like you also. In many ports we just like to find our own way. One of my favorite cruise days was in Costa Maya when we took a $4 taxi ride to town and hung out at a beach bar all day. I've only been to Belize once, so I can't claim to be an expert, but I personally would not of liked hanging around the port area. To me it was not very nice and a little scary [i'm not saying unsafe cause I don't know]. I'm going back in April and am looking forward to doing some snorkelling and then finding a nice place to shop and hang out.

I can't recommend the right place for you and there may be a nice place within walking distance that I don't know about, but I really feel you'll enjoy your visit more if you find a nicer area to hang out for the day.

That's what so great about these boards is getting a chance to get ideas from others who've already been there. Best wishes for a great cruise:)

[misguidedangel]

I loved Belize!!!!!

 

The comments from people were that they could have just walked a block or two and found shops/restaurants, but any further and they said not to bother.

 

NO men with guns at the port area where the buses drop off/pick up passengers. The roads are extremely narrow, so it was a very tight squeeze for the bus that took us to Altun Ha.

 

The port area has an amazing amount of shops for just about everything. It also had a restaurant bar called the Green Iguana right overlooking the tendering area. There are Diamonds International there that you have to walk through to get to other stores. The Del Sol location is a wee small, but I was looking for nail polish and they had it in stock.

 

GO, enjoy yourself, and you need n ot worry about language-English rules!

[LHT28]

We found a guide outside the fenced area that took us & another couple on a tour of the city ...it was fine .

We did about 2 hrs tour with a stop at the T-shirt factory

The only warning is to ask to see the car before you commit to the tour. He told us he had A/C but it was not working well ;)

A lot of Central & South American ports even some of Caribbean islands/Mexico have guards with BIG guns ...nothing new

Just be aware of your surroundings etc... just like travelling anywhere.

We have been to some scary places in the USA:eek: but that does not mean that we will not go there again.

 

What we sometimes consider poverty is just their way of life ...they do not have mega homes with a t.v. in every room, a car for every person in the house.

It is not important to them... they just live differently from us.

[Pssunshinegal]

Any idea how long of a trip on the water taxi it is to San Pedro??

 

Sorry I don't because I have only taken Tropic Air over to the island. You could ask the question on Ambergriscaye dot com if you don't get an answer here. You could also ask for bar recommendations if you want.

 

I love San Pedro and go there as often as I can.

 

Janice

[MDSue]

I went to a Belize website that posted the water taxi schedule. It runs often but shows that it is an hour and a half ride to San Pedro/ Ambergris Caye. That seems like alot of travel time to visit on a cruise stop. My sister really wanted to go there mainly to sightsee and snorkel.

It looks like we may be looking for somewhere a little closer to go.

[tha sista]

I went to a Belize website that posted the water taxi schedule. It runs often but shows that it is an hour and a half ride to San Pedro/ Ambergris Caye. That seems like alot of travel time to visit on a cruise stop. My sister really wanted to go there mainly to sightsee and snorkel.

It looks like we may be looking for somewhere a little closer to go.

 

I did look up the water taxi schedule and prices $40.00 round trip and 75 minutes each way. it does seem a little lengthy for a cruise day...not even sure how long we are there...I am disappointed about that, but perhaps a land vacay is in order to this place....with a little diving!

[Pssunshinegal]

Caye Caulker would be closer if you still want to go somewhere and not all the way to San Pedro. You can get there in 20 minutes by air and I think it is 104 R/T unless you pay cash and then I think they have a discount. Mayan Air may be less than 80 R/T with cash, but you would have to check.

 

Janice

[MDSue]

Caye Caulker would be closer if you still want to go somewhere and not all the way to San Pedro. You can get there in 20 minutes by air and I think it is 104 R/T unless you pay cash and then I think they have a discount. Mayan Air may be less than 80 R/T with cash, but you would have to check.

 

Janice

How does Caye Caulker compare to Ambergris Caye? I have been thinking about doing an excursion that includes snokelling and then sometime at Caye Caulker. The main thing I don't like about doing excursion is that the time is so limited, but if we did it on our own, I'm not sure if we'd be rushed for time or if we could find someone to take us to the reef for snorkelling once we got there. I would prefer a water taxi over air [i'm a little but plane phobic]

[Pssunshinegal]

How does Caye Caulker compare to Ambergris Caye? I have been thinking about doing an excursion that includes snokelling and then sometime at Caye Caulker. The main thing I don't like about doing excursion is that the time is so limited, but if we did it on our own, I'm not sure if we'd be rushed for time or if we could find someone to take us to the reef for snorkelling once we got there. I would prefer a water taxi over air [i'm a little but plane phobic]

 

Someone else will have to provide the answers. If you get no answer on this board, you may try ambergriscaye dot com which has many local expats who can provide accurate information. I have never snorkled off Caye Caulker and have just gone there for lunch and libations.

 

Janice

[rabbit 188]

Caye Caulker is great... but this is based on my wife's and my own experience. You may have a different opinion. We booked a snorkel and Caye Caulker trip with Coral Breeze Tours: http://www.coralbreezetours.com/belize/tour/snorkeling/diving/index.html

We opted for the included lunch. It was fantastic. The boat met us at the dock in Belieze City. It was on time and we got underway promptly. Twin Yamaha outboard engines moved us quickly to Caye Caulker. We would do this again in a heartbeat! I didn't realize that the boat would set anchor such a distance from the snorkeling site. So, you have to swim several hundred yards from the boat. (This is to protect the coral and sealife.) The fact is, I have Multiple Sclerosis and have limited energy and physical ability. I had "assumed" that I would only have to get off of the boat and then snorkel around close to the boat, in shallow water. Not so. I decided to stay on board, but the great guide said that he would swim in front of me and tow me! He wouldn't take no for an answer and we set off. I will be forever grateful to him as he made the experience a lifetime memory for me. He told me that I had paid for the experience and it was his job to see that I got what I paid for. I will always remember that trip! We had time to spend on Caye Caulker but it was limited. If I do this again, I will opt for the drop off at Caye Caulker and skip the snorkel tour. That way, you can lay in the sun, on the beach, and sip a tropical drink and relax. But, that's me. I highly recommend going to Caye Caulker and would go back anytime.

Peter (and Tammy)

[MDSue]

Caye Caulker is great... but this is based on my wife's and my own experience. You may have a different opinion. We booked a snorkel and Caye Caulker trip with Coral Breeze Tours: http://www.coralbreezetours.com/belize/tour/snorkeling/diving/index.html

We opted for the included lunch. It was fantastic. The boat met us at the dock in Belieze City. It was on time and we got underway promptly. Twin Yamaha outboard engines moved us quickly to Caye Caulker. We would do this again in a heartbeat! I didn't realize that the boat would set anchor such a distance from the snorkeling site. So, you have to swim several hundred yards from the boat. (This is to protect the coral and sealife.) The fact is, I have Multiple Sclerosis and have limited energy and physical ability. I had "assumed" that I would only have to get off of the boat and then snorkel around close to the boat, in shallow water. Not so. I decided to stay on board, but the great guide said that he would swim in front of me and tow me! He wouldn't take no for an answer and we set off. I will be forever grateful to him as he made the experience a lifetime memory for me. He told me that I had paid for the experience and it was his job to see that I got what I paid for. I will always remember that trip! We had time to spend on Caye Caulker but it was limited. If I do this again, I will opt for the drop off at Caye Caulker and skip the snorkel tour. That way, you can lay in the sun, on the beach, and sip a tropical drink and relax. But, that's me. I highly recommend going to Caye Caulker and would go back anytime.

Peter (and Tammy)

Thanks for your great review. We may consider this tour also.

[curiousx]

I took a self-guided walking tour from the port area all the way into the heart of town and back. No hassles whatsoever. Just a lot of friendly people and interesting colonial architecture (my interest). The guys with guns are official tourist police and they were very helpful too.

 

A female friend travelling solo did the same thing. She had a great time - even found a tucked away job selling local crafts made by the indigenous Mayans. As a shopper, she said she much preferred what was available 'outside the fence'.

 

Be as cautious as you would at home and all should be well. Restricting oneself to the port area is a great way to miss the vibrancy and colour of this classic West Indian city. IMO

[OttoCal]

Caye Caulker is better for a 'do-it-yourself' adventure. The water taxi area is just to the left of the cruise ship tender area. You go in, read the boards for departure times, buy a round trip ticket, get on the ferry.

Caye Caulker is much more laid back than Ambergris Caye (San Pedro's Caye), and much, much quicker to get to for a day trip.

 

Caye Caulker is beautiful and has some charming areas to walk around. It is also small. There are some restaurants and small bars. Or you can book a snorkel tour.

 

Plan to take the return ferry earlier than you really need to be back, just to be on the safe side. You can easily plan a 2-4 hour excursion there and have enough time for wandering and relaxing and some food. In Belize, the more sketchy looking the establishment, quite probably the better the food. It's just one of those things.

 

It is not fancy. The 'beach' is smaller than small. Like room for 20 people.

 

But... there is no public beach in Belize City, and the water is all abutted by breakwall type things, so you wouldn't get any beachy feel by staying in the city. There are about 3 decent restaurants and the bars are not of any note. The shopping is only 'cruise ship' shopping, there are a couple of small stores with local crafts, but it is certainly not like Cozumel ;)