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January 7th
We had an early morning flight so we woke up at 3am and left at 4am. Luckily Alaska Airlines flies out of terminal 3 which was a breeze. We landed in LAX and had a 4 hour layover which besides being boring, was uneventful. The flight to Belize was about 5 hours and smooth. I bought a new trtl neck pillow and actually slept for about 3 hours. The Belize airport was super efficient and we had our bag and got out of there in about 30-45 mins. Finding a taxi was also easy (and not scammy) and we got to the hotel in about 25 minutes. We stayed at the Belcove Hotel which was a cheap budget stay and I would only recommend it for the same purpose that we had: spending a night and getting to the San Pedro water taxi. We checked in and walked a block to the Old River Bar and Grill which was just okay. The seating was limited to outside and it was hella windy with very loud club-like music. We decided to order the food to go and ate it in the room. The hotel did have a descent shower but it did lack a towel for the floor which was also very close to the toilet. The beds were uncomfortable however they at least had a lot of pillows. It also had a fridge and a\c. The worst part was how paper thin the walls were and hearing outside noise. It did serve it’s purpose though.
January 8th
We headed toward the San Pedro water taxi around 7:30 and had tickets reserved for 8am. The process of checking our bags, getting the paper tickets and onboard was easy. The water taxi took about 1.5 hours and they were equally efficient with disembarking. After we got out bags, we inquired about a taxi and one was already sitting there. It cost $10 USD to get to the hotel. Funny thing about taxis here, almost any local is magically a taxi, this one was an unmarked van with construction equipment inside but hey, he quoted us before we got in and didn’t play any games. We arrived at the Belize Budget Suites where Jose met us outside and helped with the bags. Our room wasn’t ready but Jose and his wife took care of the bags so we could go out and explore. Jose also arranged for us to get a golf cart and it was delivered to the hotel. San Pedro is mostly a golf cart and taxi city, we had tried to pre-arrange one but we were told they were sold out. So I wouldn’t worry if you are told the same thing, it worked out perfectly. We were also recommended a snorkeling tour for the next day. We just had to follow the guy back to the Pro Dive shop to pay for both the golf cart and the tour (golf cart was $50 USD/day and the tour was $74/person. From there we headed to the Angler for a seafood lunch, we both ordered a lobster tail which was fantastic. I also had a fisherman’s cocktail which was similar to a shrimp cocktail with homemade cocktail sauce, it was amazing.
We headed toward the Iguana Sanctuary which is donation based and basically a mans house that dedicates his time and effort to provide a safe space for these prehistoric looking creatures. We went on an overcast and rainy day so the iguanas were in the trees but we did get to see them. Apparently on sunnier days they are on the ground and you are able to feed them bananas. If tomorrow has better weather we may stop back. I just love all things animals and this place is cool because there isn’t fences or cages to keep them in, they are just there because the choose to be. We spent about 10-15 minutes staring up at them and watching them move around in the branches.
Afterward, we headed toward the Belize Chocolate shop. They had delicious chocolates, teas, coffees, brownies, cookies and milkshakes. In addition they have a beautiful and peaceful sitting area in the back overlooking the ocean. It was a great place to enjoy the tasty treats. They are sell coffee beans, cocoa beans, tea, chocolate body and bath products, and other vinegar and lip balms. I would definitely check this place out.
We then walked around to the gift shops in the area and found some pretty cool artwork made of butterfly wings. We decided this was the big souvenir for the trip and paid up for it… (spoiler: later we found it in an art gallery for wayyyy less so we got scammed for the 1st time on this trip on day 1 😕). As we wandered we happened upon the Central Park which still had decorations for Christmas and a large San Pedro sign.
Across from the parks was the clock tower and to the right the San Pedro Roman Church which we missed the 1st time but did see it later. At this point we decided to head back the the hotel to access the room. They had the room set up and the luggage inside. The room itself was spacious and adorable, fish themed. It is one of the better budget places we’ve stayed and the staff was super friendly and helpful. I 100% recommend staying here.
We decided to head out again and check out a marina area which was pretty and had more cute shops and if you like art: Belizean Art is a great store with good prices (aforementioned cheaper prices on the piece we had already bought). It just had some cool pieces and I picked up a hand painted magnet which is what I collect from the countries I’ve visited. We headed to the San Pedro Roman Catholic Church which was eccentric and brightly colored.
Then we shopped a bit more, picking up water and caffeine before heading to the Blue Water Grill to overlook the ocean while we ate dinner. We ordered a bunch of fresh seafood and although good it wasn’t as good as the Angler but the view was gorgeous. We snuck in here without a reservation right when it opened for dinner but had to be out by 6pm. So reservations are probably good here. They had a lot of creative drinks and even had some drink specials.
It was dark at this point so we navigated back to the hotel and relaxed a bit before heading to bed.
January 9
We had reservations for the Chan Ho snorkeling adventure today so we headed toward the Pro Dive Center and signed in, we also extended our golf cart for the day. We were provided the equipment and waited until 9 am to board the boat. It took off promptly at 9am and we rode at high speed for about 15 mins to the first location. We were provided optional floatation vests, masks, flippers and mouth pieces. We had to jump off the side of the boat and had small groups of 4-8 with a guide. We swam around seeing different types of fish and coral. The grand finale was a sea turtle. The water was beautiful and clear but the place was busy and it was hard to fully enjoy the snorkeling without running into another person. The water was a touch cold but overall comfortable as today was warmer and sunnier than yesterday. We climbed back in and were provided fruit and water. Then we headed toward Shark Ray Alley where we had the option to snorkel with the sharks as the crew on the boat feed them sardines. There were several of them but as promised by the crew, they left the second they were done feeding. Again the water was crystal clear and we were permitted to swim for about 10 minutes before heading back to the Dive Shop. We again were on high speed to get back. Overall, it was a good experience.
Tips: have a dry bag, everything you bring will probably get wet at the very least bring water resistant bags. It is expensive and difficult to find dry bags on the island. Bring sunscreen as there is little shade. Bring a full size towel, we had baby ones and it was tough to get dry.
Once on land again, we hopped on the golf cart and drove to get lunch at Palapa Bar and Grill its located at the end of a long dock and had a lot of tasty options. I opted for the smoked fish dip appetizer and the fish tacos both were delicious. Both were big portions and I didn’t stand a chance at finishing them. The view was nice and they also have loungers and inner tubes to spend some time in. Afterward, we attempted to go to another iguana sanctuary but it didn’t exist but it did give us a chance to try Casa Pan Dulce Bakery which had a lot of fresh baked sweets, cakes, buns, and cupcakes and was along the route. After the tasty treat we headed back to the Iguana Eco Sanctuary to see if we had any luck at seeing them on the ground and boy did we. From the moment we entered, we found some and were able to attempt to feed one of them a banana. This little guy also let us give him a little scratch. It was awesome and I’m so glad we went back. Apparently, mornings are the best time to come here on a sunny day, as it gets cooler, they head for higher ground. We donated a few more dollars and headed back to the hotel where we kinda lounged as both of use weren’t feeling the best for very different reasons.
We have a lot of activity in the next couple days so it was probably good to lounge there for a bit and an early start tomorrow. Later, we ventured back out for dinner and tried a place called the Ol’ Tackle Box bar and grill. I tried the Poke Tostados and it was good. The bar itself was located at the end of dock and pretty windy. The environment was laid back and the staff was really friendly. Afterward, we stopped at Paradise ice cream and had a bowl of peanut butter cup and cotton candy crunch, both were delicious and the shop was cute with some indoor and outdoor sitting areas. We headed back to the hotel and went to sleep.
January 10
We woke up early and our taxi we arranged arrived at 6:20 am to take us to the water taxi for our 7am ferry. The station wasn’t busy and they were efficient again, taking our bags and sending us on our way to the line. Apparently, the water taxi moved locations in San Pedro on Monday so the place lacks a lot of things including shops, drinks, etc. They apparently have a bathroom somewhere near the entrance. We boarded promptly at 7 am and headed back to Belize City, the first bit was a pretty empty boat but on the 1st stop in Caye Caulker, we picked up a substantial amount of people and the boat was pretty tightly packed. However, they were efficient and we got our bag quickly and found our rental car person easily heading on the way to rent the car.
We rode with our driver to the rental place in Ladylove and rented a jeep as we learned our lesson in Guatemala. From there, we drove to the hotel to drop our bags. The manager was super accommodating and helped us with our bags. We filled out the paperwork and left for some adventure since the room wasn’t quite ready at 10am.
The first stop of the day was Altun Ha: It was a major trading and ceremonial center between 200 BCE and 900 CE during the Classic Period of Maya civilization. The site is known for its large temples, including the Temple of the Masonry Altars, and the discovery of the famous Jade Head, a carving of the Maya Sun God, Kinich Ahau. Altun Ha played a significant role in regional trade, connecting the Maya to coastal and inland networks. Its name means “Rockstone Pond” in Yucatec Maya. It was easy to find and the road was okay with some pretty massive potholes one of which threw our car out of gear and shut the car off abruptly. Luckily, it started fine and we continued on our way also luckily no one else was coming down the road at that time. The ruin had a descent parking lot size with a few restaurants. We were hungry and a guide that approached us recommended his Aunt’s place: Mayan Sunrise. We had fried fish (red snapper) and rice with beans both were deliciously seasoned and about $30 USD for two meals. With fuel in our bellies, we headed to the site and walked around. They have two areas that you can climb staircases for Ariel views and pyramids in fairly good condition. We walked around and then headed toward the exit. Note: they have tour guides you can hire on site but we opted not to as we’ve seen a lot of Mayan ruins and this one was pretty small. If this is your first one or you are really into Mayan history, it may be worth your while.
We headed out and stopped at the Baboon Howler Monkey Sanctuary. This seemed a bit off putting at first as we caught them eating and seemed to be this tiny museum but, were we wrong. After they finished eating (understandably), they arranged for a guide to take us about 1/4 mile up the road to the jungle. Inside this area are 6 howler monkeys in their natural habitat. The land is private and the owners all collectively agreed to allow their land to be used as the sanctuary as the monkeys didn’t cause an harm. We were able to see 5 including a very curious 1 year old male. He came pretty close to use in the trees. Apparently these monkeys never come to the ground and get enough water via fruits. They stay in the trees to avoid the wild cats and other predators. The 6th monkey was a pregnant female that wondered off to give birth and will return a few days after the baby is born. The adult male of the group also howled for us with a little encouragement from our guide. Apparently, when they get older and a younger male decides to challenge for dominance the monkey that howls the loudest and longest wins. They very rarely resort to violence. The losing male is shunned and has to finish a life in solitude (in most cases the elderly one). We took a short, flat hike through the jungle and learned about the natural habitat and even got to see another green iguana hanging out in a tree. It was thoroughly enjoyable to experience this in their NATURAL habitat.
It was still fairly early so we headed to the Belize Zoo. This place is a jungle that was transformed into a zoo which is unique in its own right. It’s more of a rescue and many animals have their stories posted (orphaned tapir, one eyed jaguar, tapir saved from a forest fire, gifted animals, confiscated animals, stork that fell out of its nest, etc..). Many animals they attempt to re-release but if they are unable to survive in the wild, they find a permanent home here. It was really shady and was enjoyable to walk around. The one-eyed jaguar and river otter were the stars of the day, hamming it up for us. It wasn’t busy around 3pm on a Friday so it was peaceful as well.
We headed back toward the hotel and stopped at Lucca’s. It’s a bar/restuarant on the ocean. It was windy out and it mostly had outdoor seating. I tried shrimp nachos and it was so-so… a lot of chips and sauces, too much IMO and I mostly tried to pick out the shrimp and eat that. Then we headed to the hotel to get the keys and key fob to park inside the gate. The room is luxurious and huge. We have a mini kitchen and fresh coconut bread on the counter. The bathroom is big with a fancy adjustable anti fog mirror, the water is hot. The place is clean and still smells new. The beds were comfortable with extra pillows. Honestly, at first glance, the place may be perfect and the staff is nice. Our bags were already in the room. It was such a great way to spend our last 4 nights in Belize.
January 11th
We left the hotel around 7 am and headed towards the SE to the Xaibel Shell Gas Station in Hope Creek to see the local snacks that they had to offer, this place is advertised as being a place to get unique food and fresh juice. The building was wrapped and in Coca Cola Christmas decor and it was pretty hard to miss, conveniently we also needed gas so we killed two birds with one stone. Then, we attempted to find Marie Sharps which is known for her hot sauce and jams. This is the first google map discrepancy where the point we saved took us to the wrong location causing us to backtrack about 5 miles to the actual location which is marked with signs. Follow the signs not the google map, the turn off is well marked but the road is complete trash. It is a gravel road that you have to follow for about 1 mile. We arrived to a closed gate, a guard came up to us and told us that the girl was busy with a tour and we had to wait 20 minutes. We weren’t there for the tour but he wouldn’t let us shop or look around so we decided to leave as the sauces and jams are sold elsewhere and we had a lot of see this day. We carried on to Hopkins where we attempted to get to Palmento Grove, again this was on a gravel road that was worse than the first one and very narrow. We arrived and noted the pond that we needed to cross, we didn’t see a way across and were hungry so we headed into town. We stopped at Semiti Griffiti and ordered lunch. This had prime beach front access. I ordered shrimp creole with curry rice, it was fantastic. We inquired about where we could take a cooking class and found out we could in fact take one here. We learned how to make Hudut which is a Garifuna classic. It required us to peel plaintains, which were boiled in the kitchen then mashed in a large mortar and pestle. We had to chop onion, prepare garlic cloves and cut up oregano which would be used later. We then learned to remove the husk shell from a coconut, open it with a machete and then shred it with a rotary tool. Next, we milked the coconut shreds in water to make coconut milk. This then went on the stove and was mixed with our spices, onion and whole hot peppers. The whole fish was seasoned and started to cook in oil and the plaintain mash was rolled into balls and served on the side. It was an extensive process and took over an hour. The meal wasn’t my favorite but I appreciate the lesson and learning about another culture as she shared some of their customs and beliefs with us while cooking.
The lunch, cooking and whole process took longer than expected so we had to skip the hike to a waterfall but we left Hopkins and carried on to the Hummingbird Highway. We attempted to stop at Ms Berthas for tamales but they either weren’t open today or just simply sold out. It was easy to locate on the highway though. Just a few miles up the road, Ana’s fruit stand where we were greeted by a really friendly woman that sold us a full bag of bananas, tangerines and oranges for $1USD which you most definitely can’t beat. A few more miles up the road was The Country Barn which offers cheese, milk, yogurt, ice cream, etc. The ice cream was some of the best I have ever had and luckily our car rental place offered us a free mini cooler and the nice lady at the creamery offered some ice so we were able to buy some yogurt and milk. I HIGHLY recommend stopping here for ice cream. They sell scoops $3 BZD, double for $4 and it is excellent. They also sell quarts and gallons.
Next stop was Sleeping Giant Mountain which takes you to a guarded booth which allowed us to pass through easily. The guard told us to stop at the lobby and ask for further directions only we couldn’t find the lobby. I will say the resort was absolutely stunning and I did finally stop an employee that was able to give directions. It is a 20 minute hike which we opted to skip but considering this area was stunning, it was probably worth the time and effort. We just decided that the highlight of the day the the cultural experience and needed an early night to prepare for tomorrow and had a few more must stop locations. St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Monument was next and this had a convenient well marked pull off and cost $8BZD/person to enter. There is a changing area which a steep set of stairs down to a very blue body of water. Beware: it’s cold but quite pretty. The blue hole is quite large and you can swim toward another area with a rock canopy. Just a bit further up the road is another parking lot for the Cave which is also included in the admission.
A few miles down the road is Lamanai Chocolate which again has a crappy dirt driveway with pot holes. This mostly sells nibs, chocolate bars, truffles, coffee/tea, smoothies and milkshakes. It has a cute little sitting area and as evidenced by the van full of people on our way out, seems to be a tour spot. The people were nice and they provided free samples. Our final stop for the day was Art Box, this is such a cool place in the heart of Belmopan. It has all kinds of souvenirs, a cute cafe and unique finds. It also carries Marie Sharp products, Belizien alcohol and most of the art work we saw in other stores but seemed to have very fair well marked prices.
After we finished the Hummingbird Highway (which was a beautiful drive) we headed to the hotel and touched base with our tour guide for tomorrow then we ordered pasta to the room. It was an early night in preparation for the ATM cave which is a long tour.
January 12
We got on the road at 6:30 am and headed toward our meeting spot which was Benges in Teakettle. We arrived early and waited for our guide to show up. We got lucky and our guide prefers small groups so we were it. His name was Basillo and I’m going to place his contact here in case you skip the rest. The cost was the same as the big tour groups and was PRIVATE. When we priced out private tours with Mayan Walking tours it was going to be $500 for the two of us and $125 for each person in a 6 person group. We paid $125 USD/each. His contact is:
Basilio Mes
WhatsApp: +501-624-1470
I highly recommend him if you aren’t the best climber because he will tell you exactly where to place your hands/feet, he has been doing the tours for years and is Mayan, providing us with a lot of first hand cultural experiences and gave a lot of insight into the cave. He also really likes his job and it shows. The other larger tour groups guides lead but didn’t seem to offer much assistance to some of their people but that was just my observation.
So we met him at Benges and followed down a bumpy dirt road for 7 miles. This road did have some water crossings but the Jeep we rented handled them fine. The road leads to a parking area and this has some modern restrooms that you can use. Our guide preferred us to not have backpacks and took our socks and snacks in his dry bag. We carried our own bottles of water (these are not allowed in the cave but you probably want it for the hike). Our phones/cameras aren’t allowed and cameras are strictly prohibited because one dumb person dropped a camera on a skull. We saw it, I don’t even understand how it could have happened because the skull is in a corner and very visible but some people can be dumb. Within the first minute of the hike, you hit a water crossing, it’s deep and you will get wet but have no fear, more water follows. It’s cold but after the initial plunge it wasn’t bad. We then walked on a flat path for a while and reached a more shallow water crossing that we had to traverse. Then a bit more hiking and the final water crossing before approaching the cave. On all the water crossings, there is a rope to hold. The difficult part is that several people are using it and if one person jerks it, you could lose your balance. The current wasn’t terrible but the rope did help. Just before the cave, there is a large area with a basic toilet and picnic tables. You kinda hang out here for a bit until the other groups go in so the path isn’t congested and this is where you leave your water bottles behind. Because we were a small group, we didn’t wait long and headed to the entrance and here you have to swim against a mild current to get in. It’s mandatory to wear a life jacked for the whole tour so if you can kinda paddle then you should be fine. You walk, boulder and climb a bit. I’d say it’s all pretty easy with a good guide. You don’t need to be in excellent shape and likely will get more tired from the constant activity then from lack of strength. However, there are some tight squeezes which really can’t be avoided and may trigger claustrophobia. After walking 1/3 of a mile in and out of water, you reach a spot that requires a small amount of climbing into an upper “dry” chamber. This isn’t exactly dry as it has some water in the uneven floor and a clay like consistency on the ground. Before entering the chamber is a large area where you must remove your shoes and enter with socks on (socks are mandatory, not water shoes). We spent some time in the crystal chamber, cathedral chamber and in these dry chambers is where you will see the human remains which is believed to be from sacrifices. Most of the bodies are young or teenage boys. One in particular is well preserved. Since we had a small group, we had a bonus area which included the remains of a baby. Most of these remains suffered blunt force trauma to the head and one appeared to be hog tied when he died, which may have been a prisoner. This one is located very close to the well preserved remains that seems to be disemboweled. The thought is perhaps he was left to watch the other one die so his tears would bring rain. Other items inside the dry chambers include copious amounts of pottery, which was carried in and then destroyed, stelagtites and stelagmites, and signs of ancient fire where ash has been carbon dated. The guides give a lot of information which I will leave for you to learn while there. The hiking/bouldering in the dry chambers was not too bad if your guide is helpful with telling you where to place your hands/feet. At this point, you circle back to the 1st part of the cave and collect your shoes and hike back down to the wet chambers then hike/boulder/swim the 1/3 mile back to the picnic table areas to rest prior to hiking back through the trail and water passages. The water is equally as shockingly cold as the first jump in. I read/heard a lot of things about being cold in the cave, with the life vest I was hot/comfortable. I have sensitive skin and wore quick drying tight hiking pants, a swim top and long sleeve shirt with closed toe quick drying mesh sneakers that are like water shoes. I am glad I had the long sleeves and pants because they protected me from the rock. My friend did a tank top and ended up with scrapes and a slight allergic reaction to something. Inside the cave, I only saw a cave cricket and the trail had a few mosquitos but it wasn’t as bad as other areas. The trail is mostly shaded so sun wasn’t a problem either. In traditional tours, there is a meal after the hike in the parking area which has picnic tables.
We pre-arranged to skip this and headed down the 7 mile road to Warrie Head Restuarant at a resort nearby. It was a peaceful setting in nature with toucans, hummingbirds and friendly staff/owners. We initially sat at the 1st indoor table until a staff member told us to move outside where there are picnic tables and better views. I ordered the chicken cordon blue and peanut butter m&m ice cream. Both were excellent and well worth the stop. From there we drove back to the hotel where we had prearranged massages. We rinsed off and headed down to the hotel’s spa which was the perfect way to end the night. They don’t have a person on staff but can get someone in about an hour. I sent our contact at the hotel a message while we were in Warrie Head and he arranged it for 2 hours later. It was a wonderful way to end to he day. Our lunch was at 3pm so we just skipped dinner and ate some fruit and other goodies we picked up over the last few days.
January 13th
We started off the morning at 7am and headed to a little peninsula: Placencia. We weren’t sure what we would find but we set a point of the sidewalk which was the villages only road until 1984 and is known as the worlds most narrow Main Street. It has been expanded over the years but it’s still narrow. There are several shops, vendors, restaurants, bars along the pathway and many signs guiding you to things just beyond the sidewalk. We wandered to Barefoot Beach Bar which was a very colorful bar with beach front views. It didn’t open officially till 11am but they let us sit down and peruse the menu until the kitchen opened and it’s quite an extensive one. I ordered lobster soft tacos and they were pretty good. They had breadfruit fries on the menu and since I had never seen this nor heard of breadfruit before, we decided to try it. They are basically really long wedge fries with a tiny hint of sweetness but otherwise similar to French fries. This place had pages of drinks and specials and I imagine the nightlife might get a bit wild here. The service was great. We walked back toward the car down the sidewalk and cut back to the main driving road to hit Tutti Frutti which is a gelato place and boy was this good. It was basically a revolving door of people which tells you just how good this place is and the main patrons were locals that the owner seemed to know. I would highly recommend trying it and it seems they have rotating flavors so each day could be different. We walked back toward the car and decided to leave the area, we passed a few points of interests along the way and this peninsula reminded us of San Pedro but lacked a little bit of the charm of San Pedro. We also wanted to stay dry today as we needed to pack later and didn’t want to chance having wet clothing.
We drove back up to the northern part and out to Ya’axkin butterfly farm. This place was well marked and we just happened upon it. We paid $15USD and received a visual education on butterflies from the stage of eggs to Chrysalis. They even have visuals of all the stages and it was actually pretty interesting and educational. I learned quite a bit about butterflies. Then we walked across the street to the butterfly house and got to spend as much time as we wanted with butterflies fluttering all around us, landing on us and learning even more about their mating habits and aging process. Butterflies with tattered looking wings are generally in their final lifecycle. The really cool part of this whole experience is that we bought souvenirs which were made out of butterfly wings and this is the butterfly farm that the artist gets them from. Once the butterflies die from old age, they are used to create the artwork. So we kinda came full circle in the whole experience.
Just a short jaunt down the street was another chocolate factory: Che’il Mayan chocolate which had chocolate bars, truffles, tea, beans, etc for sale. It apparently does offer tours but the guy there didn’t try to sell us one or offer. The chocolate was okay but not as good as the Chocolate shop on San Pedro. We headed back to the hotel and touched base with Marlin for our departure tomorrow and to get recommendations for somewhere to eat dinner. We packed/showered and then headed to Midpoint Bar and Grill to enjoy one last meal on the water with fresh seafood, I decided to end the way I started with 15oz of lobster. It was pretty good but not quite as good as Angler’s that first day. I will say, if you eat here, absolutely skip the pita bread. It was terrible. I know cardboard is thrown around loosely but I could barely chew this. I was sad because I love pita bread. The rest of the meal was good and the waitress was tentative and nice. From there, we returned to the hotel to mentally prepare for the travel day… the worst part, the travel home, at least when it’s a good vacation.
Here is a link to the google maps with most of the places above marked to help you plan your trip. Google Map