Xunantunich or Lamanai or Cave Tubing

[monab]

I'll be on RCCL Splendour in December. I can't decide what to do in Belize. The cave tubing sounds interesting, but I'm afraid that the water will be too cold. Can someone recommend one of the ruins? I may never go again.:rolleyes:

[monab]

Thanks for taking the time to write. That really helps. Much appreciated!:)

[calflamesgirl]

We will be doing the Lamanai trip in early Dec, could let you know how it is if you are going after us.

[sportsterjohn]

I have both the cave tubbing and Lamanai on seperate trips to Belize. Both tours are fine but they are totally different types of tours. As far as which to go on, it all depends on whether you would rather spend your day seeing Mayan ruins or slowly floating down a river.

[monab]

Which one did you enjoy the most? would like to see the caves, since I can see Mayan ruins in Costa Maya. But, I do not like cold water, and I don't swim. Nice, huh?:(

[sportsterjohn]

I enjoyed the ruins more than the cave tubbing.

[PINKY&THE BRAIN]

WE ALSO HAD THE SAME DILEMMA, CHOSE TO GO CAVE TUBING WITH REGGIE(ACTUALLY IT WAS HIS SON) HAD A GREEEEAAAAATTTT TIME!!! IT WAS DEFINITELY SOME THING I WOULD DO AGAIN, (BUT WOULD NEVER DO WITH A SHIP TOUR.) THERE WERE ONLY 5 IN OUR GROUP, WE WERE ABLE TO GO AT THE GROUP'S PACE WHICH WAS ENOUGH FASTER THAN THE (WAIT FOR ALL 60 PEOPLE PACE THE) SHIP'S TOURS TOOK SO THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO MORE OF THE CAVE SYSTEM AND OPEN RIVER AND STILL GET BACK EARLIER THAN THE VERY LARGE GROUPS THAT WE PASSED ON THE WAY IN. IT WAS ALSO NICE TO HAVE A SMALLER GROUP SO THAT THERE WAS LESS LIGHT POLUTION AND THE CONTRAST THAT MADE IT cave TUBING WAS MORE EVIDENT. AS FOR BEING COLD, I DON'T LIKE BEING COLD EITHER, IT WAS A CLOUDY COOL DAY, BUT OTHER THAN THE FIRST SHOCK (AND THE ADRENALINE FROM JUMPING IN HELPED) IT WAS PRETTY COMFORTABLE UNTIL ALMOST THE END. WE DID BRING DRY CLOTHES WITH US TO CHANGE INTO (THE VAN IS LOCKED AND WATCHED WHILE YOU'RE ON THE RIVER) AND THAT ALSO HELPED WITH THE COMFORT LEVEL. THE CHANGING AREA BATHROOM (AT LEAST THE WOMEN'S SIDE) WAS BETTER( MORE MODERN AND CLEANER) THAN MANY US PARK (IE:NOT FANCY) FACILITIES THAT I HAVE BEEN TO.

 

WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO, GETTING OUT OF BELIZE CITY IS A GOOD CHOICE, THE COUNTRYSIDE IS BEAUTIFUL. WHEN YOU GET BACK TO THE CITY THOUGH, IF YOU HAVE TIME THE NATIONAL HANDICRAFT CENTER WAS A PLACE I WISH EVERY PORT HAD FOR BUYING LOCAL GIFTS/SOVENIERS IT WAS HARD TO FIND (ABOUT A BLOCK FROM THE PEIR), BUT REGIE'S SON DROPPED US OFF WHEN WE FOT BACKE TO THE CITY. FYI- WE BOUGHT SOMETHING THAT WAS BIGGER THAN WE WANTED TO CARRY, AND IT ARRIVED SAFELY LAST WEEK.

[monab]

Pinky & The Brain, I love your enthusiasm! This is the first board that I have EVER joined (I'm no spring chicken either), and I'm impressed with the time that members take to share their experiences. Thanks, you've made a very persuasive case. I may have to have my husband choose for us. :)

[phelina]

Just got back from the Oct 31st sailing of the Coral Princess partial Panama Canal transit. We took the Xunantunich ruin tour. It was a rather long bus ride (two hours each way) for a shortish tour of the ruins, might be longer with your ship's tour though. About four major structures are uncovered (the rest are mounds of vegetation) but the view from the top of the temple was breathtaking. The climb to the top was fun but steep, climb down a little unnerving.

 

Have a great trip!

[CaribbeanBound]

We had the same question about which to do. Cave Tubing does get good reviews. We wanted to see ruins however and opted for Lamanai. It was worthwhile and would do it again. Our complete review can be found here...

http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/westerncaribbean.html

Scroll on down to The Ports.

[gofeo]

We did Lamoni thru ship and the cave tubing with Reggie {Contact thru e-mail}Both good. We are taking NCL cruise Feb 12 and are thinking about doing the Lamoni tour again. Last time we went in august and it was mighty hot. Also our group had a couple with a 3 yr old [nuff said ] The tour includes a jungle style lunch which was very good. The boat ride over is kind of a travelog pointing out different animals and foilage. Ride back was really fun and I got the video to prove it. Ruins were really good and what I liked about it is they are still working on it. Either way you cannot go wrong.

[gofeo]

sorry about the spelling

[parrotheads]

We did the Lamani tour last March and it was fantastic. It doesn't come close to comparing with Mexican ruins because you can go all over these and they are in a rain forest. A howler monkey jumped out of a tree right next to me and scampered away! You can climb all over them and walk in the ball court. The lunch was wonderful and overall it was a great adventure! We loved it! The boat ride was way cool too! Also if you do Lamani, when you get off the bus at the covered dock for the boat ride, there are craftsmen selling their wares. If you see something, get it then. We waited until we got back and most of the things we had wanted to purchase were already gone. We did get a wonderful carved wooden sailboat which we treasure every time we look at it.

 

A quick note about cave tubing, we did a snorkle trip down an underground river in Xcaret and loved it so we were considering the cave tubing, but after reading about how your arms will get tired from paddleing and your underarms chaffed from the tubes, we reconsidered.

[carbon]

I have been considering cave tubing. Different than any other port activity. Chaffed and sore arms? I missed people talking about that, where was it?

[soprano]

The Princess website "shore excursion" guide says that you cannot.

Anyone been recently and know if this is true? THANKS!

[shansway]

We were just at Lamanai this past week, and we were able to climb the Jaguar Temple but none of the rest of the ruins. It was pretty cool.

We, too, encountered howler monkeys. Our guides, Emil and junior, were very good at finding the different animals; it was impressive.

If you do this tour, bring insect repellent. I'm still itching...

 

shannon

[lizstas]

2 questions regarding Lamani---we depart on Explorer this Sunday and was wondering if mosquitoes are a problem? Would this tour be too difficult for an 8 years old?

[sportsterjohn]

We did not notice any insects. An 8yr old should love this tour and he will be ready for a nap by the end of it!

[shansway]

Lamanai wasn't difficult at all. I think an 8 year old would love it-- I mean, there's monkeys! What's not to love? :)

 

I would bring insect repellant. My group, which toured Lamanai on 11/10/04, got eaten alive by mosquitos. i have no idea if the bugs die down a month later or not. Bring some just in case. If you don't need it-- great. If you do need it, at least you will have it on hand.

 

Our one regret was that we opted to not bring our video camera on that excursion. Bring one, if you can. It's just so beautiful there.

 

Have fun!

Shannon