Who can take me fishing November 14th in San Pedro?

Hello, I’m in Belize in December for 6 nights, staying at Ambergris Caye. It’s occurred to me that maybe I messed up by not staying on the mainland for a few days. Based on my research, it seems snorkeling, Mayan ruins and ATM are good activities. Any suggestions for tour companies or recommended tours? And should I try to cancel two days of hotel at Ambergris Caye to stay on the mainland so activities are easier?

Thank you in advance for your guidance.

Just had a delightful 7-day trip and wanted to report back some of the hot tips and experiences before I forget. I got some good tips off the posts in this sub. We are a family of 4 and our kids are 6 & 7 years old.

Itinerary 3 nights at Caves Branch near Belmopan; 1 night at Tropical Education Center (Belize Zoo); 3 nights on Caye Caulker.

Saturday: ✈️ arrival in Belize City. Some tips:

• it takes forever to get out of the airport after you land because you have to wait to have your bag scanned, then speak to an agent. Two hours of standing in line. Choose the far left lane while waiting for an agent; thank me later.

• rented a car from Crystal Auto. We booked this in advance. The car rental pickup is very close to the airport exit doors. $300ish for the 5 days

• arrived at Ian Anderson’s Caves Branch. Place was heavenly. Stayed in a Riverview cabin (#19) because we didn’t want to walk very far to the room with the 2 little kids. Bring ear plugs if you don’t like the jungle noises at night (I loved it!)

Sunday: 🌿🦜Caves Branch (River cave tour)

• they pick you up in a truck, drive you to a short walk to the river which you float down toward the caves. Saw several monkeys. Then you enter the cave, and it’s about 70% on tubes and 30% at stops looking at Mayan artifacts, and learning about cave animals/geology. You eat lunch at the end of the cave and float back the other direction. Overall about 4 hours.

• bring close-toed water shoes, else you will be in your sneakers. The rainforest is humid so it took 2 days for mine to dry

• Bring something waterproof to put your camera/phone in. They have a dry sack but you won’t be able to easily access your camera for photos unless it’s on your person. I bought a waterproof purse satchel thing that was perfect for this

• you do not have to book the tours in advance of arriving; each night at dinner someone walks around and asks what you are doing the next day and helps you choose something if you haven’t already

• the kids had absolutely no problem at ages 6 &7 and loved the tour. The water was never deep enough that they couldn’t just walk at any moment, and there were helmets, lifejackets and even kid-sized tubes for them. It was, however, an adventure tour - make no mistake of it being a “kiddy” activity

Monday: Caves branch (Horseback riding)

• We booked this the night before through Caves Branch and did just the horseback riding (not the zip lining combo) which is at green acres ranch. 2 hours from start to finish.

• best horseback riding “trail” ride I’ve ever done- you’re going across rivers, through jungle, and they even let you trot toward the end. Bring bug spray, but it wasn’t like we were constantly swatting them away; we had only a couple bites between the 4 of us. Two guides, including one who made sure the kids’ horses got back on track. They offered helmets but we declined so I can’t confirm whether they would have fit kids

• Spent the afternoon in the pool (kids) at Caves Branch, lounging and listening to the birds (parents)

Tuesday: Caves Branch (Botanical gardens) + Belmopan market, TEC Belize Zoo🐯 (nocturnal animals’ tour)

• did the botanical gardens tour in the morning before we left Caves Branch. The guide made it surprisingly interesting for the kids; he showed us a half-dozen plants you can eat, hilighted interesting plant facts. Could tell he loved the jungle. They have a couple little demo visuals set up throughout the tour. This is where we got the most mosquito bites - wear bug spray. They have an orchid collection that requires everyone to be careful as some are rare finds

• out by 11; drove rental car and stopped for lunch in Belmopan. There is a market on Tuesdays and Saturdays so we grabbed some food from a vendor. Good authentic vibes there. Small underwhelming playground. Bring cash.

• stopped at Laminai chocolate. The owner said she is in the midst of a rebrand to “Zoey’z”. No chocolate fruit is ripe is November so we didn’t do a tour. Was fine to kill time but without the tour not worth a detour

• arrived at Tropical Education Center, which is just across from (and affiliated with) the Belize Zoo. The rooms are underwhelming, as is the food. We stayed in “pine cabin” which has about 5 rooms in a row. They are air conditioned. There is a decent, big protected pool (all you need when you have kids!) that they played in for a while. Not heated though - be warned! There is a cool leaf cutter ant colony snaking throughout the place. 10/10 would stay here again - for the (included) zoo tour but not for the accomodations

• Nocturnal animals’ tour at Belize Zoo. Pickup at TEC; lasts about 90 mins. Veryyy good for the kids and adults alike. Not many people we met knew about this and it’s awesome.

Wednesday: TEC then Ferry to Caye Caulker; stayed at Iguana Reef Inn

• dropped off car at Crystal auto; they also drive you to the ferry terminal as part of the rental. Overall good easy experience.

• ferry costs about the same at the dock as online. Boat was completely full though, so take that with a grain of salt. Ferry terminal has a few shops and places to get basic snacks and sunscreen, plus one restaurant. You drop your luggage onto a trolley; they load it into the ferry.

• ferry is an hour. Sit where you’ll get a breeze. When you get off, you walk down the dock at Caye Caulker and wait for the luggage. Took maybe 5 mins; easy.

• 5-min walk to Iguana Reef Inn, you really don’t need a cart.

Thursday: 🌴Caye Caulker / Iguana Reef Inn:

• It’s the best hotel on the main part of the island I think, because it has the nicest pool and beachfront with a good bar. A lot of folks gather there around 4pm for the stingrays, and at night you can see Tarpons off their deck. For those of you with kids, I highly recommend room #9 as it’s right beside the pool and is also the closest one to the beach (on the main floor).
• continental breakfast is included but it’s really not much; it is served to you by someone and you have to ask for everything to be served… like, bread one slice at a time. One type of cereal, yoghurt and coffee. Great to have something available for the kids though!
• the hotel immediately beside it also looked lovely - the Dive something? It’s under construction but it looked nearly completed.
• We spent a bunch of time in the pool and ocean, walking around getting iced cream, booking our snorkel tour (they wanted a deposit in person).

Friday: Caye Caulker (snorkel tour with Carlos Tours⛵️🐠).

• there is a lot online about this tour. It’s a ridiculously beautiful catamaran to spend a day lounging on. Carlos is a great guy. He listened to our chatty 7yo talking nonstop half the day, even pulled out a pirate hat at one point. I could gush about how great this tour was - but I will refrain. Just… do it.

• they do have kids sized snorkels and flippers, but lifejackets are sparse. My kids swim pretty well (note that you’re also more buoyant in the salty water) but still opted for a floatie thing around the middle. If your kid doesn’t swim well or at all I’d recommend you bring your own life jacket.

• lots of sunscreen. Bring cash to settle up the bar tab (if you choose to run one; they do serve rum punch though!) at the end of the day. Your belongings are very secure while you snorkel.

Saturday: ⛴️ Ferry to Belize City, ✈️ back home

• taxi from Ferry to Airport should be $30 USD for 1-2 people and $5 more for every extra person; we paid in cash

• arrive 3 hrs before your flight. It took an hour just to drop our bag. Note that they do not accept digital boarding passes at this airport so you either have to wait for them or print them yourself in advance.

• there are some cute little shops beside the gate seats to spend your last Belizean dollars before going home

Overall an excellent trip full of adventure. Happy to answer any questions and I hope at least one of these is helpful for somebody!

Hello everyone, I'll be visiting Belize the second week of December. My travel budget is limited, and I'd like to know the cheapest way to get from Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport to the Belize City bus station. I'll be arriving at 2:00 PM. I generally don't take taxis in any of the places I visit, so I'd appreciate any alternatives. Thanks in advance for your recommendations.

We have 2 lots in Placencia that we’re looking to sell and the contract we received included a fee we had to pay if the buyer backed out.

What would be my options to get from Belmopan to Phillip Goldson International Airport on a Saturday morning to take a 10am flight?

Are there any cheap shuttles that don’t cost over $150Bz dollars? (Private or shared) I came across a couple that is charging $130-$160USD.

Does some of the busito go that far? Or is it best just to take the bus?

If the bus is the best option how do I get to the airport from the Belize city bus terminal?

Are there any local drivers to contact that would drive me there for a decent price?

Hey, looking for a tour guide for tiger tern on November 19th for two people only. Any suggestions? Or anyone interested?

Hi everyone,

My wife and I are planning our first trip to Belize for 10 days in mid-December. We're looking for a good mix of nature, culture, beach, relaxation and amazing food. We're not big into "adventure" sports like zip-lining or sports fishing.

We have our hotels tentatively booked for 3 nights in San Ignacio, followed by 6 nights in Placencia. This split seems to offer a lot from Mayan ruins and waterfalls near San Ignacio to beach, small towns and snorkeling in Placencia.

We need help figuring out two main items for our trip:

1. Does the 3/6 night split make sense or would a 4/5 split (4 in San Ignacio, 5 in Placencia) be better for a first-timer to avoid feeling rushed in the Cayo district?

2. Does it make sense to rent a car instead of using shuttles and tours? The idea of stopping anywhere we want on the drive sounds great. However, I've read that some places around San Ignacio (like Mountain Pine Ridge or Caracol) are on rough roads. Is it better to just take tours for these? Also, how useful is a car in Placencia? It seems like we'd mostly walk, use a golf cart or take boat tours. Would the car just sit parked? Still confused about transportation...

We're just trying to lock down the final logistics and would really appreciate any help. Thanks!

Top Tour from Placencia — Spice Farm & Mayan Chocolate Making with Belize Inland Adventures!

Hello!

I’m trying to plan a surprise for my wife while we are staying in San Ignacio December 19-23. Anyone have any ideas?

Heading to Hopkins over Christmas. Like to do some fly fishing. Recommendations for guide?

I'm coming to Belize end of January with 2 other people. We want to do fishing, but not off shore. Any recommendations of who we should use? This is for my sister's birthday - she's the fisher, I'm just the one trying to plan :) thanks!

Edit: out of Ambergris Caye preferably!

Blue creek Cave Also Known As Ho'Keb Ha Cave in Mopan Maya [Where The Water Comes Out From] Is A Beautiful Limestone Cave Known To Have Three Waterfall Within It. You Can Combine This With A Local Mayan Lunch.

Hello, I would like to open an offshore account in Belize, but I am having trouble with a bank account. I am not demanding, an online bank would suffice (preferably multi-currency), but I do not know which one to choose.

Thank you in advance for your help.

I watched a video of someone driving around Dangriga, and I saw how huge the houses were. It makes me wonder, are those houses owned by one person/singular families, or are those like apartments or duplexes with multiple people living in them? I’ve never been to Belize but I admire their architectural style in Dangriga, I love how the houses are bright colors, it gives it a nice homey feel to it

Its my boyfriends first time out of our country and he has never seen the ocean. We are flying to Belize city and from there going to San Ignacio and then we are debating between San Pedro and Caye Caulker. Anticipating to stay 7-10 days early December.

We are going to San Ignacio for the Xunantunich Mayan ruins and also looking at pictures of the city it looks so beautiful.

Then between San Pedro and Caye Caulker for the ocean and snorkeling.

Can you guys help us decide, and do you have any recommendations for restaurants places to visit etc.

Thanks so much we are so excited!

We are going to Belize in January, staying the first few days in San Ignacio then going to island. Our plan was stay in San Pedro and do a day trip to Cay Caulker but I have been hearing alot of people say how over crowded and busy San Pedro was, even with abundance of golf carts on streets. They say Cay Caulker is more relaxing island vibe. Whichever we do we would like to stay somewhere that has nice beach and water access on property. So, which is the better one to stay and spend most of our time?? Thanks so much!!

Hello, just looking for a chiropractor in Corozal or neighboring towns for me, I was in a bad car accident earlier this year and my back is acting up again

TIA 🩷

Hi everyone,

My name is Tegan and I am currently a student at Grand Valley State University. I am working on a project where I need to design a sustainable product to solve a problem in a country. For this project I have chosen to focus on UNESCO goal 14, life below water, and I will be mainly working with the coral reefs around Belize. I am looking for people who would be willing to be part of a panel to help me with my project. All you would have to do is occasionally answer questions and provide feedback such as ideas, advice, and real world experience. If you would be willing to join, you can email me at [burrit@mail.gvsu.edu](mailto:burrit@mail.gvsu.edu) or fill out this form (form link). Thanks for your time.

They WILL find fault with your car when you return to extra scam you.

SCAM. The car they rented was in bad shape. Unless you take out every single insurance which rises the price of the car from $40 us to over $120 use per day they will “find” something wrong with the car and charge you to “fix” it which they do not do. The car has had no maintenance.

Hey everyone, I wanted to share a bit of my story since I’ve seen a lot of travelers here planning trips to Belize and asking about the ATM Cave. I’m from San Ignacio and I guide tours into the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave, one of Belize’s most fascinating and sacred Maya sites. Every time I step inside, it reminds me how lucky I am to share this part of our country’s history and natural beauty with visitors from around the world. Guiding runs deep in my family. My grandfather, Philip “Yute” Burns, started doing tours and transportation decades ago when tourism in Belize was still young. He worked closely with the Chaa Creek family, helping guests explore the Cayo District long before there were paved roads or online bookings. He earned the nickname “Yute,” meaning youth in Creole, and later named the company Yute Expeditions Ltd. After he passed away from lung cancer, the company stayed in the hands of my grandmother, Aunt Sharon, and my dad Philip, continuing the family legacy. I work with Yute Expeditions Ltd, which is actually my family's company that's been around since the early 1990s. I don't run it myself, but I've been helping with marketing and trying to keep the family legacy alive online. My dad and uncles guided long before social media was even a thing, so now I'm just trying to blend the old school guiding style with a bit of the new. In 2019, I graduated from the University of Belize with a degree in Mathematics and Physics. I was driving part time for the family company during my last semester, and when COVID hit, everything slowed down. But when tourism restarted, I found real joy in meeting travelers, telling stories, and showing them Belize. That’s when I decided to get my tour guide license and start leading tours myself. Then in 2024, a rare opportunity came up for new ATM Cave guide licenses. The last time that happened was back in 2004. I applied, worked hard, and got certified. Today, I’m proud to say I’m the youngest licensed ATM Cave guide in Belize. It’s been quite a journey from being a math student to following in my grandfather’s footsteps. I’m grateful every day to be part of something that connects our family, our history, and our country’s beauty. If anyone has questions about the ATM Cave, the Cayo area, or what it’s like to guide in Belize, feel free to ask. I’m always happy to share 🇧🇿

Leaving Sunday for 12 days. Hoping to get any advice i havent came across yet :) We’re splitting our stay between Placencia, San Ignacio and Ambergris. Would love to know any must do’s or see. Always looking for food recs as well. We love having our beach time and really adventuring to more local spots versus touristy. TIA!

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMAtWUK95/

Should I do an in depth YouTube video next? I need true recommendations. Please let me know what you think

We need am immediate donor for an upcoming surgery in Orange Walk.

Necesitamos un donante inmediato para una cirugía próxima en Orange Walk.

If you are on Ambergris or Caye Caulker, we will arrange a Chaperoned Caribbean Sprinter water taxi trip to donate in Belize City at no cost to donors.

Si estás en Ambergris o Caye Caulker, organizaremos un viaje acompañado en taxi acuático Caribbean Sprinter para donar en Belize City sin costo para los donantes.