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What To Pack and Bring
Belize is a very casual country. You don’t need evening clothes or even a coat and tie or other U.S.A. style business dress. You’ll live in tee shirts, shorts, loose-fitting slacks and shirts.
A really dressy occasion for men might require a guayaberra or collared long-sleeved shirt and long pants; for women a simple skirt or dress. Leave all your fancy jewels and Rolex watches at home. They will impress only thieves.
Here are ideas for your packing list: - Lightweight cotton clothes or quick-drying cotton or synthetic blends. Comfortable walking shoes.
Extra swimsuits. Maps, guidebooks and reading material. If available at all in Belize, these will cost more than back home and may be out of date.
Cap or hat, be sure it’s one that won’t blow off in windy conditions on the water. Sunglasses - the darker the better. Small flashlight with extra batteries, baggies in various sizes, a roll of duct tape, a large garbage bag, pen and writing pad, and Swiss Army-style knife — with these you can go anywhere and do anything.
Extra film or the digital equivalent, plus spare battery - you’ll shoot many more photos in Belize than you think you will. Film is readily available in Belize, but it’s expensive.
Health kit consisting of your prescription medicines and a copy of your eyeglass prescription, plus aspirin, insect spray with 30% DEET, sunscreen (more than you think you’ll need), baby oil or Avon Skin-So-Soft for sand flies, Pepto-Bismol or other tummy medicine.
Best Belize Resorts and Hotels Directory
Above: Lunchtime at Belize Tourism Resort in Western Belize
We present the Best of the Best Belize Hotels and Restaurant 2010 as compiled with assistance from U.S. based travel writer Lan Sluder. Remember, your mileage may vary. Be wary of foreign review sites - some review sites have dubious ways of collecting review. So make your own on the ground assessment before committing to an establishment. Our promise - the Best of the Best Hotels and Restaurants have maintained high standards for many years.
The Best of the Best
Here are our picks for Belize’s best accommodations and dining establishments, in several categories. Remember, your mileage may vary.
Belize’s Best Jungle Lodges
Blancaneaux Lodge, Mountain Pine Ridge. Chan Chich Lodge, Gallon Jug, Orange Walk District. duPlooy’s Lodge, Cayo. Hidden Valley Inn, Mountain Pine Ridge. Lamanai Outpost Lodge, Indian Church. The Lodge at Big Falls, Toledo. The Lodge at Chaa Creek, Cayo.
Belize’s Best Lodges for Not a Ton of Money
Cohune Palms, Bullet Tree, Cayo. Crystal Paradise, Cayo. Macal River Jungle Camp, Cayo. Hickatee Cottages Lodge, Punta Gorda. Sun Creek Lodge, Toledo.
Belize’s Other Notable Jungle Lodges
Black Rock Lodge, Cayo. Caves Branch Adventure Camp, Belmopan. Ek’tun Lodge, Cayo. Five Sisters Lodge, Mountain Pine Ridge. Jaguar Paw, Belmopan. Machaca Hill Lodge, Punta Gorda. Pook’s Hill Lodge, Belmopan.
Belize’s Best Deluxe Beach Resorts
Caye Chapel Island Resort, Caye Chapel. Cayo Espanto, off Ambergris Caye. Hamanasi, Hopkins. Placencia. Almond Beach Resort, Placencia. Turtle Inn, Placencia. Turneffe Island Lodge, Turneffe Atoll. Victoria House, Ambergris Caye.
Belize’s Best Barefoot Beach Hotels
Barnacle Bill’s, Maya Beach (Placencia). Beaches and Dreams, Hopkins. Maya Beach Hotel, Maya Beach (Placencia). Tradewinds, Placencia.
Belize’s Best Value-Priced Beach Resorts
Banana Beach, Ambergris Caye. Corona del Mar, Ambergris Caye. Mata Rocks, Ambergris Caye. The Tides, Ambergris Caye. San Pedro Holiday Hotel, Ambergris Caye. Seaside Cabañas, Caye Caulker. Westwind, Placencia.
Belize’s Most Romantic Hotels
Blancaneaux Lodge, Mountain Pine Ridge. Mata Chica, North Ambergris Caye. Maruba Spa, Belize District. Portofino, North Ambergris Caye. Turtle Inn, Placencia. Victoria House, Ambergris Caye.
Belize’s Best All-Inclusives
Cotton Tree Lodge, Punta Gorda. Kanantik, Hopkins. Mopan River Resort, Benque Viejo del Carmen.
Belize’s Best Condotels
Belizean Dreams, Hopkins. Belizean Shores, North Ambergris Caye. Blue Island Reef Resort, North Ambergris Caye. Chabil Mar Villas, Placencia. Grand Colony, Ambergris Caye. The Palms, Ambergris Caye. The Phoenix, Ambergris Caye. Xanadu, Ambergris Caye.
Belize’s Best Most-for-Your-Money Lodging
Cahal Pech Village, Cayo. Casa Blanca Guest House, San Ignacio. Clarissa Falls, Cayo. Copa Banana, Corozal Town. Hotel de la Fuente, Orange Walk Town. Jungle Jeanie’s, Hopkins. Lydia’s Guest House, Placencia. Martha’s Guest House, San Ignacio. Rubie’s, San Pedro. Tipple Tree Beya, Hopkins. Tobacco Caye Paradise, Tobacco Caye. Tree Tops, Caye Caulker. The Trek Stop, Cayo. Yim Saan, Belmopan.
Belize’s Best Small Inns
Casa Blanca by the Sea, Consejo. Coral House Inn, Punta Gorda. Great House, Belize City. Iguana Reef Inn, Caye Caulker. Seaside Cabanas, Caye Caulker.
Belize’s Best Deluxe Beach Houses
Azul Resort, North Ambergris Caye. La Perla del Caribe, North Ambergris Caye. Seascape Villas, North Ambergris Caye Caye. Chapel Island Resort (villas), Caye Chapel. Cayo Espanto, near Ambergris Caye.
Belize’s Best Deluxe Inland Accommodations
Blancaneaux Lodge, Mountain Pine Ridge. The Lodge at Chaa Creek, Cayo. San Ignacio Hotel, Cayo.
Belize’s Best Bead and Breakfast Accomodations
Changes in Latitudes, Ambergris Caye. D’Nest Inn, Belize City. Lazy Iguana B&B, Caye Caulker.
Belize’s Best-Run Hotels
Banana Beach, Ambergris Caye, The Lodge at Chaa Creek, Cayo. Ramon’s Village, Ambergris Caye
Belize’s Best Fishing Lodges
El Pescador, North Ambergris Caye. Machaca Hill Lodge, Punta Gorda. Turneffe Flats, Turneffe Atoll.
Belize’s Best Restaurants
Blue Water Grill, Ambergris Caye. The Bistro at Maya Beach Hotel. Maya Beach (Placencia). Harbour View, Belize City. Rendezvous, North Ambergris Caye. Rojo Lounge, North Ambergris Caye. Palmilla, Victoria House, Ambergris Caye.
Belize’s Other Notable Restaurants
Barracuda Bar & Grill, Beaches and Dreams, Hopkins. Casa Picasso, Ambergris Caye. Chon Saan Palace, Belize City and Belmopan. Cerros Beach Resort, Cerros, Corozal. French Connection, Placencia. Habaneros, Caye Caulker. Mambo, Mata Chica, North Ambergris Caye. Papi’s, Ambergris Caye. Patti’s Bistro, Corozal Town. Rainbow Grill & Bar, Caye Caulker. Rasta Pasta, Caye Caulker. Riverside Tavern, Belize City. Running W Steak House, San Ignacio Resort Hotel, Cayo. The Smokey Mermaid, Belize City. Tony’s Inn, Corozal Town. Tutti Fruiti, Placencia. Wendy’s, Placencia. Wild Mangos, Ambergris Caye.
Belize’s Most Romantic Restaurants
Capricorn, North Ambergris Caye. Harbour View, Belize City. Rojo Lounge, North Ambergris Caye. Rendezvous, North Ambergris Caye.
Belize’s Most Atmospheric Watering Holes
BC’s, Ambergris Caye. I&I, Caye Caulker. King Kassava, Hopkins. Lazy Lizard, Caye Caulker.
Research by Lan Sluder Belize First.
Air Travel To Belize
At present, five international airlines fly to Belize: American, Continental, Delta, US Air and TACA.
US Air has daily flights from Charlotte. Continental has two non-stop flights a day from Houston and a weekly flight from Newark. American has one daily non-stop from Dallas Fort-Worth and one from Miami.
Delta has daily flights from Atlanta and a weekly flight from Los Angeles. TACA at present has a non-stop from Houston. Its Miami flights to Belize City require a change of planes in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and its other flights stop in San Salvador, where TACA hubs.
The airlines use mostly 737 or other smaller equipment to Belize, with the usual tight seating in coach and grossly overpriced seating in first or business class.
Flights from Miami, Dallas, Charlotte and Houston take about two hours to two and a half hours.
At present there is no scheduled non-stop or direct service from Canada or Europe. In-season, there is one weekly charter from Toronto.
With the lengthening of the main runway at the international airport near Belize City, some service is expected to begin from Europe, perhaps in late 2008.
One of the chief complaints from Belize travelers is the high cost of airfare. Tickets from the U.S. to Cancun or Cozumel often are one-half the cost of tickets to Belize City.
From the chief gateways of Houston, Charlotte, Miami and DFW to Belize City, you can expect to pay US$350 to $800 round-trip.
Several airlines flying to Belize, notably US Air, occasionally have Internet specials with prices as low as US$300, but you have to act fast as the windows for purchase and travel are narrow. Our advice: Sign up for Internet fare notices on the airlines that fly to Belize.