RAMBLES AROUND BELIZE 2005

By LAN SLUDER

Text and Photos © Copyright 2005, 2006 by Lan Sluder

Times They Are A'Changing

I'm no Old Belize Hand like some of the long-timers in the country.  But I've been banging around Belize, off and on, for 15 years, and even in that time the changes are dramatic.  Here are some of the recent changes:

Invasion of the Boomer Snatchers We've been talking about it for years:  How the wave of retiring Baby Boomers - the first of us hit 60 in 2006 - will flood the warmer climes with bazillions of young codgers waving cash and looking for a bit of tropical real estate.  I pooh-poohed that for years, but it's finally, actually happening.  In Belize, they've just about bought up the affordable seafront land, and now they're plopping down deposits in developments like Progresso Heights and Cerros Sands in Corozal, Sanctuary Bay near Hopkins, Coco Plum on the Placencia peninsula, and others.   Whether they'll end up staying and building or buying, or, faced with the frustrations of daily life in a developing country, head back to St. Petersburg with tails between their legs, it's probably too soon to tell. If the Belize Experience pattern were to hold true, the developers who are building all these fancy subdivisions, condos, and timeshares for the Boomer Snatchers will end up broke and out of business.  Yet, maybe this time things are different.  If the Boomers really end up coming to Belize en masse, enough of them will stick it out, and the developers will end up doing okay at last.

Condo Madness   For years, the only condos in Belize were in San Pedro, with one or two in Belize City.  Then Placencia was approved as a condo zone, and Robert's Grove built a few deluxe units.  Now builders are putting up condos in Hopkins, Placencia Village and Caye Caulker, for heavens sake.  There are so many condos built, or at least planned, that the crane - the Building Crane - may replace the Keel-billed Toucan as the national bird.  If all the plans announced for condo developments in Placencia come to fruition - which of course they won't - the peninsula will have more than 1,500 condo units at The Placencia, Bella Maya, Chabil Mar, Ara Macao, Laru Beya and others.  San Pedro is awash with condo developments, from the Paz's Grand Colony with asking prices of up to US$700,000 to less grand projects.  Condos are coming to Sanctuary Bay Estates near Hopkins and are already in place at Belizean Dreams and other developments at Hopkins. Some developments, like Sueno del Mar on North Ambergris and Bella Maya (for some units) in Placencia, offer “fractional” ownership.  They sell “memberships” good for three months, six months or some other length of time.  It's kind of a glorified timeshare, but it does make sense, if expensive sense, for retirees and others who want to spend just part of the year in the Caribbean and the rest back home.  The question is whether these projects will actually sell in sufficient numbers.  The condo market, especially the resale market, already is softening, according to knowledgeable local observers.  The new real estate taxes, including the 15% stamp duty on foreigners and the 10% GST, which may apply to some new real estate sales, won't help.

Taxopan? The U.S. may have its “tax-and-spend liberals,” but Belize seems to specialize in grab-and-tax politicos. New taxes are blooming in Belize like bougainvillea on a wall. Businesses that are suspected of making a little money are being audited right and left by the tax guys.  Maybe the name of Belize's capital should be changed to Taxopan City.  The Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 10% will impact just about everybody.  Expect to hear a howl from restaurant owners, hotel operators and others when the GST goes into effect in mid-2006.  I happened to be in Canada when the GST was implemented therein the 1990s, and the impact on business was considerable, because consumers saw the price of restaurant meals, store merchandise and nearly every item they bought suddenly increased.  With the GST, the selling price of most items includes the tax, rather than being added on as a sales tax at the cash register, so buyers perceive it as a price increase.  Businesses such as hotels that already have quoted room prices for 2006 and 2007 are in a special bind, because they'll have to explain why their rates suddenly increased by 10%.  Real estate in Belize is getting hit especially hard.  First it was the 15% stamp tax (for non-Belizeans and non-Caricom citizens) on real estate transactions, paid by the buyer.  Now, the GST bill includes a provision for a 10% tax on first-time property sales, theoretically to be paid by the seller.  But of course in the end it is the buyer who pays, as costs are built into the selling price.  Belizean politicians may think rich gringos will pay anything for property, but that simply isn't the case.

More Motos Used to be, I rarely saw a motorcycle on the roads in Belize.  Now, they're fairly common, especially around Belize City and on the main, paved roads.  I guess the price of gas, which reached US$5 a gallon before it fell back a bit recently, is driving the interest in motorcycles.

Everybody's a Real Estate Agent Every time I look around, there are more real estate agents in Belize.  It's rare for a week to go by without somebody opening a new office.  Some of them are gringos trying to make a buck while waiting for a real job.  But a lot of the real estate agents are Belizeans.  Do they actually sell anything?  I don't know.  Some do, I assume.  There’s even a new Multiple Listing Service, of sorts, in Belize.  I take the mushrooming growth of real estate offices as a bad sign.  It's a leading indicator of a real estate bust.

Internet Everywhere Belize has been wired for a long time, but now the internet is ubiquitous in Belize.  Cybercafes seemingly are on every corner.  It's the rare hotel that doesn't offer internet access in some fashion, whether wireless or via a DSL Ethernet network or broadband satellite.  Even the smallest places offer connections.  For example, D'Nest Inn in Belize City with just three rooms and Coral House Inn in Punta Gorda, with four, both offer free and speedy wireless (and at D'Nest Inn you can also plug into their DSL Ethernet hub).  BTL is even promoting its WiFi Hot Spot at the international airport (there's a fee, of course).

Blowing Cold Air A few years ago, hotels started putting in swimming pools.  Now, everybody is putting in air conditioning.  Even the jungle lodges. Maruba and Jaguar Paw have had A/C for years.  Now, even fairly rustic lodges such as Lamanai Outpost Lodge offer cold air in at least some rooms.  Mopan River Resort has added A/C in all its units.  Air conditioning has long been a staple in the upmarket hotels in San Pedro, Belize City and Placencia.  But, now, even budget hotels routinely have A/C.

Anger Management It seems to me that Belize is becoming an angrier place than it used to be.  Belize has a reputation for being laid back, accepting, a no-shoes, no-shirt, no-problem kind of place.  In some ways, I fear, that's changing.  The guy robbing a store in Belize City gets the money and then blows away the shopkeeper, for no reason.  Drivers blow their horns to warn other drivers to get moving.  And have you seen the terrible blow offs and rants that go on over the internet?  Post a question on a Belize bulletin board and you risk that half a dozen irate, but anonymous, boarders jump on the poster, accusing you of every ecological, economic, and anti-Belizean crime on the books.

Things I Thought I'd Never See in Belize

Bridge Over the River Channel to North Ambergris Caye

Belize City Cleaned Up

Broadband Internet in the Bush

Traffic Jams in San Pedro

Million Dollar (US dollars) Homes on Ambergris Caye

Upmarket Restaurants and a Resort with a Swimming Pool on Caye Caulker

Real Estate Subdivisions in Sarteneja

A Night on the Town in San Pedro with Dinner and Drinks, US$200 for Two

Four Cruise Ships Berthed Off Belize City at One Time

Mas Fino en Belice

Here are some of my picks for the best in Belize, in a variety of categories.  Your mileage may vary:

Best Destinations to Stretch Your Dollars:  Caye Caulker; Tobacco Caye; Corozal Town;  Placencia Village

Most-for-Your-Money Budget Lodging:  The Trek Stop, Cayo; Hotel de la Fuente, Orange Walk Town; Casa Blanca Guest House, San Ignacio;  Martha's Guest House, San Ignacio;  Hotel Aguada, Santa Elena, Cayo;  Lydia’s Guest House, Placencia

Top Jungle Lodges:  Chan Chich Lodge, Gallon Jug, Northern Belize; The Lodge at Chaa Creek, Cayo; Blancaneaux Lodge, Mountain Pine Ridge;  Hidden Valley Inn, Mountain Pine Ridge;  Ek’Tun Lodge, Cayo

Top Jungle Lodges for Not a Ton of Money:  Black Rock Lodge, Cayo;  Pook's Hill Lodge, Belmopan;  The Lodge at Big Falls, Toledo;  Five Sisters, Mountain Pine Ridge;  duPlooy’s, Cayo

Greenest Eco-Lodges:  du Plooy's Lodge, Cayo; Mama Noots, near Dangriga;  Black Rock Lodge, Cayo

Most Romantic Hotels:  Turtle Inn, Placencia; Blancaneaux Lodge, Mountain Pine Ridge; Victoria House, Ambergris Caye;  Portofino, North Ambergris Caye

Most Romantic Restaurants:  Rojo Lounge, North Ambergris Caye; Capricorn, North Ambergris Caye; Harbour View, Belize City;  Rendezvous, North Ambergris Caye

Most Upscale Condotels:  Chabil Mar Villas, Placencia; The Phoenix, Ambergris Caye;  Grand Colony, Ambergris Caye;  Bella Maya, Placencia;  Sueno del Mar, North Ambergris Caye

Most Atmospheric Bars: Sugar Reef, Placencia; I&I, Caye Caulker;  Palapa Bar, North Ambergris Caye;  Rojo Lounge, North Ambergris Caye;  Putt-Putt, Belize City

Most Charming Small Hotels:   Coral House Inn, Punta Gorda;  Casa Blanca by the Sea, Consejo, Northern Belize;  Iguana Reef Inn, Caye Caulker;  Seaside Cabanas, Caye Caulker

Best Restaurants:  The Bistro at Maya Beach Hotel, Placencia;  Rendezvous, North Ambergris Caye;  Rojo Lounge, North Ambergris Caye;  Harbour View, Belize City;  Chon Saan Palace, Belize City

Most Deluxe Accommodations:  Azul Resort, North Ambergris Caye; Seascape Villas, North Ambergris Caye; Caye Chapel Island Resort (villas), Caye Chapel; Grand Colony, Ambergris Caye;  Cayo Espanto, near Ambergris Caye

Best B&Bs:  D'Nest Inn, Belize City; Villa Boscardi, Belize City;  Lazy Iguana B&B, Caye Caulker

Best Snorkeling:  Glover's Atoll; Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Ambergris Caye;  Silk Cayes, Southern Belize

Best Diving:  Turneffe Atoll; Glover's Atoll; Lighthouse Reef Atoll

Best Beaches That Don't Take Forever to Reach:  South Water Caye; Placencia Peninsula; North Ambergris Caye

Postcard-Perfect Little Islands:  Silk Cayes, Southern Belize; South Water Caye, off Dangriga;  Half Moon Caye, Lighthouse Reef Atoll

Best Beach Resorts:  Caye Chapel Island Resort, Caye Chapel; Inn at Robert's Grove, Placencia; Hamanasi, Hopkins;  Turtle Inn, Placencia

Most Memorable Belize Experiences (not requiring extreme physical effort):  Caving at Actun Tunichil Muknal; snorkeling with nurse sharks and sting rays at Shark-Ray Alley; diving with whale sharks at Gladden Spit; seeing the barrier reef for the first time

Uniquely Belizean Experiences:  Belize Zoo; Belize Botanic Gardens, duPlooy's;  cave tubing, Caves Branch River

Best Gift Shops:  Caesar’s Place, Cayo;  National Handicraft Centre, Belize City; Maya Centre Women’s Co-op, Maya Centre

Greatest Adventures:  Hiking to the top of Victoria Peak, Cockscomb Preserve;  skydiving into the Blue Hole, Lighthouse Reef;  going on Lost World adventure trip with Caves Branch Adventure Co.;  exploring the Columbia River Forest on the Maya Divide trip

Most Knowledgeable Travel Agents:  Katie Valk,  Belize Trips;  Barbara Kasak,  Barb’s Belize

Best-Run Hotels:  Banana Beach, Ambergris Caye; Lodge at Chaa Creek, Cayo;  Inn at Robert’s Grove, Placencia

Best Birding:  Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, Northern Belize; Chan Chich Lodge, Gallon Jug, Northern Belize; New River Lagoon, Northern Belize

Best Wildlife Spotting:  Belize Zoo;  Chan Chich Lodge, Gallon Jug, Northern Belize; Programme for Belize, Northern Belize;  (also, in the Petén, Tikal Park) 

Most Astounding Views: Views into Guatemala from El Castillo, Xunantunich; the Blue Hole, Lighthouse Reef Atoll, seen from above; views around Baldy Beacon area, Mountain Pine Ridge; also, panoramic jungle views from Temple IV, Tikal

Best Fishing Lodges:  El Pescador, Punta Gorda; El Pescador, North Ambergris Caye; Turneffe Flats, Turneffe Atoll; Belize River Lodge, Belize City

Scenic Drives:  Hummingbird Highway; through the Mountain Pine Ridge to Caracol; through Programme for Belize and Gallon Jug lands

Best Belize Web Sites:  Toucan Trail (www.toucantrail.com);  Belize Tourist Board (www.travelbelize.org); Ambergris Caye (www.ambergriscaye.com);  Destinations Belize (www.destinationsbelize.com)

Most Colorful Local Markets:  San Ignacio (Saturday); Punta Gorda (Wednesday, Saturday);  Belmopan (the old market, daily except Sunday)

Don't-Miss Mayan Sites:  Caracol, Lamanai, Xunantunich (plus Tikal in Guatemala, of course)

Interesting Off-the-Beaten-Track Spots:  Sarteneja Village, Northern Belize; Blue Creek Village, Northern Belize; Blue Creek Village, Southern Belize

Friendliest Villages:  Hopkins; Sarteneja; Crooked Tree

Banging Around Belize: 

What’s New and Different?

Here are some of the highlights of my time in several areas of Belize in 2005:

Corozal Town

Two of Corozal's best-known expats, Rick Zahniser (he started the www.belizenorth.com web site) and Margaret Briggs, (www.localgringos.com) got the heck out of Dodge in 2005, Rick going to Arkansas and Margaret to New Mexico.  They indicated they were fed up with crime, anti-gringo sentiment, and just generally with Belize, although other factors may also have been behind the moves. Me, I’m still among those who like Corozal Town and environs, and there are several hundred expats from the U.S., Canada, and Western Europe who live in Coro and nearby Consejo.  Whether I'm coming into Belize from Mexico or flying into Belize City, my first stop in Belize is usually Corozal Town.  There's nothing much to do, and little to see, except the beautiful Bay of Corozal (or Bay of Chetumal, depending on which country's map you use), but I always have a good time. 

You could debate on whether there’s really much development going on around Corozal.  Certainly bayfront land has been snapped up by speculators, and there has been an uptick in building activity at Consejo Shores, Mayan Sands, and other developments.  Outside of Corozal Town area, web marketing is going full blast at Cerros Sands, on the bay near Cerros Maya, where, starting in May 2006, lots will sell for US$99,000 and up.  Yes, that’s 99 thousand, not nine thousand.  There have actually been some sales at Progresso Heights, where lots start at US$11,500, and several houses have been built. Orchid Bay is another development being put together, by a Florida company. The first thing you do these days, before even buying a bulldozer, is to develop a web site.  The web sites always look great, but it’s important to come to Belize and see these places for yourself before you buy.  A lot of people are looking to buy around Corozal, and some have, but whether a many homes will actually be built in the next few years I think is still hard to predict.  Overall, I was most impressed by Progresso Heights, though it’s not for those who want to be able to pop out for a pizza or hit the shops.  It’s in a beautiful area, but definitely rural.  Still, to me, Consejo Shores, the longest established subdivision in the area, is the nicest development in the North.

In Corozal Town, I revisited some of my old favorites, including Patti's Bistro, where you can sit at a streetside table and enjoy a delicious fried chicken dinner with salad and mashed potatoes for only US$3.25 and a T-bone steak dinner is US$6.  13 4th Ave., Corozal Town; tel. 501/402-0174. Tony's Inn, the best-known hotel in Northern Belize, I understand is getting new management.  Best wishes to the Castillo family.  I enjoyed dinner a couple of nights in the windswept Y Not Bar and Grill.

Casablanca by the Sea out Consejo way doesn’t get as many guests as it deserves, but the  views of Chetumal across Corozal Bay are terrific.  The young women from Eastern Europe -- employed as dancers at the casinos in the Free Zone -- who come here to sunbathe are also a nice addition to the scenery. This little 10-room bayfront hotel is a great place to just relax and do nothing.  Rooms are around US$75 double, less in summer. Consejo Village; tel. 501/423-1018;  www.casablanca-bythesea.com I stayed a couple of nights at Corozal Bay Inn.  With its 10 thatch cabanas on a sandy bit of bayfront acreage, it’s as nice as ever, one of the most appealing hotels in the North.  Rates are around US$80 to $90 double. Almond Dr., South end of Corozal Town, next to Tony’s; tel. 501/422-2691; www.corozalbayinn.com. If you're looking for a place to stay while building your house or looking for real estate, Paradise Bay Villas could work for you.  These six apartments, formerly part of Corozal Bay Inn, have been upgraded some and repainted.  Fully furnished, two-bedroom units  here go for under US$700 a month, plus utilities.  They’re not air-conditioned, though.  7 Almond Dr., Corozal Town; tel. 501/422-0209. The budget-level Nestor's Hotel has been totally renovated and rebuilt, moving the whole property upmarket. It’s now called Las Palmas, with rooms going for around US$40 to $50 a night, double. 123  5th Ave., Corozal Town; tel. 501/422--0196;  www.laspalmashotelbelize.com Several hotels in Corozal are for sale, including Hok’ol K’in Guest House and Las Palmas.  

You can go into the Commercial Free Zone at the border to shop, but it’s hardly worth the trouble.   First, you must go through Belize immigration at the border and pay an exit fee of US$18.75, usually rounded up to US$19 as immigration officers rarely have change.  This is the same procedure you would follow if leaving Belize for Mexico.  Then, when entering the Free Zone, you must temporarily surrender your passport to a guard at the entrance gate.  You pick up your passport upon leaving the Free Zone.  Then, to return to Belize you have to go through Belize customs and immigration once again, though there is no fee.  Most of the stores sell the same assortment of inexpensive household goods and clothing imported from Asia.  The shoppers in the Free Zone are predominantly Mexican nationals, and you rarely hear anything but Spanish spoken here.  If you drive into the Free Zone, it's worth topping off your tank here, as gasoline costs about one-half of what you pay in Belize, although the savings on diesel is small. After you exit Belize but before you enter the Free Zone are three casinos:  the Princess Casino, the larger Royal Princess Casino (both are associated with the Princess Hotel & Casino in Belize City), and the new Las Vegas Casino. Again, to gamble here you have to go through Belize customs and immigration and pay the visitor exit tax. Across the New River on the shores of Corozal Bay is the charming little village of Copper Bank, which now has a real hotel, the Copper Bank Inn.  The Last Resort, a locally well-known collection of simple cabanas and a popular restaurant on the bay, has been sold, and at this writing it's unclear what may happen to it. The former owners of The Last Resort are building a new lodge near Cerros.  Near Progresso village, on the shores of the Progresso Lagoon, is another small resort, Fantasy Point, which is currently for sale.

Orange Walk

The new bypass around Orange Walk Town saves a little time and avoids some of the sugar cane truck slowdowns, but it’s still worth driving through town once in a while.  Not too much has changed in Orange Walk, but here are a couple of notable additions: I enjoyed the new El Establo Bar & Grill, a friendly, family-run eatery near the northern end of the Orange Walk bypass.  It’s run by Albino and Ada Vargas.  The escabeche was delicious!  Indian Hill, Northern Hwy; tel 501/322-0094. Orlando de la Fuente's and his wife have opened Hotel de la Fuente,  a nice addition to the very limited hotel scene in Orange Walk Town. The low rates (around US$25 to $40) put it among the best values in Northern Belize.  All 8 rooms have air-conditioning and DSL broadband, and there are also 2 suites with kitchenettes.  lobby doubles as a pawn shop, handy if you need a little extra cash. 14 Main St., Orange Walk Town;  tel. 501/322-2290;  www.hoteldelafuente.com. Out in the country, Lamanai Outpost Lodge, with its beautiful setting on the New River Lagoon, has switched to a near-all inclusive plan with all meals and activities, such as boat trips to catch and tag crocodiles, included, and rates are concomitantly higher.  One change that concerns me is the addition of air boats for trips on the lagoon -- they are insanely LOUD.  Lamanai South Lodge is a new spot that is a less-expensive option for overnighting near the Lamanai ruins.  On 52 acres right at the edge of New River Lagoon, the lodge has four rooms in a coral-colored building.  Rooms are around US$150 double.  Indian Church Village, tel. 501/615-1892; www.lamanaisouth.com.

Ambergris Caye

Ambergris Caye remains the most popular destination in Belize, and I guess the question is:  Is it getting too popular?  Every time I come back there are lots of new houses and condos and way too many cars.  Just look at all the development that’s going on, mostly condos and houses:  Sueno del Mar, the “fractional ownership” upscale membership development, The Phoenix condos where the old Paradise Resort used to be at the north end of town, Grand Colony south of town, Blue Reef Island Resort up north, Tranquility Bay, and others. There’s still plenty of room to spread out and develop, but, especially south of town, some of the development looks ill planned.   The island has the potential to become one of the great visitor destinations in the Caribbean, but it’s going to take local leadership to achieve that.  Organizations like the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce are doing a lot of good work, and some of the individual developments are first-rate, so perhaps the basis for strong economic leadership is already in place. With the new bridge open to the north, in my opinion now’s the time to implement logical, well-thought out land use planning systems for the miles of North Ambergris territory, to make this the best island it can be. I still miss the hard-packed sand streets downtown.  The paving stones I’m sure are a big improvement after rains, but a little of the unique charm of San Pedro has been lost for me.  With all the taxis and cars on the streets, it’s getting dangerous to walk or even drive a golf cart, especially on that stretch of Coconut Drive at the airstrip.   

I had a great dinner at Rendezvous, one of the very best restaurants on the island, and very good Thai food at Tastes of Thailand, which is however on the market.  I also enjoyed El Divino at Banana Beach, especially the terrific Mexican-style ceviche, Papi’s, Casa Picasso, and many of my old favorites on the island, including Jade Garden, Elvi’s, Caliente (with a new branch up north), JamBel Jerk (with a second location at the Coral Beach Hotel), Cocina Caramba,  and Blue Water Grill are still going strong.  I haven’t yet had a chance to eat at the new Wild Mango’s, where chef Amy Knox, who moved north from Victoria House, has taken over, but I hear great things about it--great food, big portions, fair prices.  On the other hand, Capricorn, unfortunately, is not what it once was, and Sweet Basil has closed.

Some of the new developments on Ambergris Caye: Seascape Villas is a group of six luxury homes on four beachfront acres, built by Bob and Diane Campbell.  Each villa has around 3,000 square feet, with a sunken living room, slate floors, outdoor garden with hot tub, and unobstructed views of the sea.   There’s a gorgeous swimming pool.  To rent one of these babies you’ll pay around US$900 a day.  The villa colony has no restaurant, but you can have meals prepared and served in your beach house. North Ambergris, 4 miles north of San Pedro, tel. 501/226-5203; www.seascapebelizevillas.com.   Azul Resort is where I’d like to stay if I had the money -- about US$700 a day.  This new resort has only two beach villas, but, man, they are nice. The two-level villas have 20-foot ceilings with beams of mylady wood.  Custom kitchens feature Viking appliances, and the cabinets and most of the furniture are made of zericote wood. Each villa has a Mac computer, 50" plasma flat-screen TV, and Bose theater system. On the rooftop, you can relax in your own hot tub.  The two beach houses share a beautiful pool, 400 feet of beach, and about 10 acres of prime property.  Rojo Lounge, run by the same couple, Vivian and Jeff, is next door for drinks in a romantic beachside setting and some of the best food on the island.  Conch pizza is US$19 and grouper stuffed with cashew-crusted lobster is US$31. Killer mojitos are US$8.  Not cheap, but then this is probably the hippest restaurant on the island, if not in all of Belize.  North Ambergris, 4 miles north of San Pedro, tel. 501/226-4012; www.azulbelize.com Grand Colony Villas, built by the Paz dynasty that also did Villas at Banyan Bay and other projects, are among the most upscale condos on the island.  The 21 two-bedroom, two-bath apartments, ranging from 1,100 to 1,900 square feet, rent for US$500 to $900 a day.  The tony condos have 10-foot ceilings, marble and  hardwood floors, and mahogany doors and cabinets.   Coconut Dr., 1 1/2 miles south of San Pedro tel. 501/226-3739; www.grandcolonyvillas.com.   The little yellow cabins lined up in rows at the Royal Caribbean Resort remind a lot of people of army barracks, or DFC by the Sea, but inside the 45 rooms are fairly spacious, with tile floors, wicker furniture, and kitchenettes.  There's a pool and 400 feet of beach next door (south) to Victoria House.  The price, US$125 double, is attracting some guests. Coconut Dr., 2  1/4 miles mi south of town; tel. 501/226-4220;  www.ambergriscaye.com/royalcaribbean/

Caye Caulker

With Ambergris Caye on steroids, ballooning to some 10,000 in population and new buildings going up right and left, for anyone yearning for the slower-paced, more traditional Caribbean, Caye Caulker is looking better and better.  Here you’ll still find sandy streets and almost no cars. Caye Caulker isn’t just for backpackers anymore.  It has new restaurants and some new and improved lodging.  Food and hotel prices here generally are one-third to one-half less than in San Pedro.

The newly rebuilt Seaside Cabanas turned out beautifully, I think.  It’s nice to at last have a hotel with a swimming pool on the island, and the little private rooftop nookeries on four of the units are a great idea.  Here and at Iguana Reef you can get an upscale experience at a Filene’s Basement price, only a little over US$100 double.  And there are many other excellent lodging choices on the island. A few of my favorites in the low-moderate to midscale range: Caye Caulker Condos, Tree Tops, Da Real Macaw, Auxillou Beach Suites, Morning Star Guesthouse, Lazy Lizard B&B.  Plus vacation home rentals, of which there are an increasing number, are a real bargain. 

And you can eat well on Caulker.  It’s hard to imagine a nicer over-the-water atmosphere than the Rainbow Grill & Bar, and the fish is excellent.  Habaneros, Don Corleone’s and Rasta Pasta are first-rate, and some of the old-time places like the Sandbox and Syd’s are well worth your time.

Cayo

Cayo is an interesting situation now.  It still offers great natural beauty, fabulous caving, and wide open spaces.  It has some of the great treasures of Belize, including the biggest forest reserve in the country, the Mountain Pine Ridge, the fabulous Actun Tunichil Muknal cave, the Mopan and Macal rivers, Caracol, Xunantunich, and El Pilar Mayan sites, a collection of remarkable jungle lodges including the Lodge at Chaa Creek, duPlooy’s, Hidden Valley Inn, and Blancaneaux,  and several wonderful attractions including Green Hills Butterfly Farm, the Belize Botanic Gardens, and the quirky Poustinia Land Art Park.  

The discovery of oil in Spanish Lookout adds a new twist, though the amount that actually will be pumped there is still not clear. I also worry what will happen to Spanish Lookout if avian flu ever hits Belize.  Belizeans are fools for chicken, and the Mennonites raise most of them. On the other hand, this inland area is not getting the tourism investment of the cayes and coast.  As beautiful as much of Cayo is, foreigners want to be on or near the water.  (Maybe one day the Chalillo Dam lake will actually prove to be a tourism asset.)  The perception that crime is spilling over from Guatemala into Cayo also works against the district. There hasn’t been a major new lodge or hotel built in Cayo since Mopan River Resort opened in 1999, and this highly successful all-inclusive is now for sale.  Several small lodges have opened, one hotel in Belmopan, the Chinese-owned Yim Saan, several budget places in San Ignacio Town, including an annex for Martha’s Guest House.  A few places, including Chaa Creek, Blancaneaux, Hidden Valley Inn,  and the San Ignacio Resort Hotel, have expanded or upgraded, but no big-time tourism investment has been made here for years. Among the tourism properties for sale in Cayo are:

Mopan River Resort, Benque Viejo, US$2,850,000

Eva’s, San Ignacio, US$150,000

Iguana Junction, Bullet Tree Falls, US$220,000

Parrot Nest, Bullet Tree Falls, Cayo, US$460,000

Roaring River Lodge, US$250,000

duPlooy’s Lodge, Cayo, US$1,300,000

Five Sisters Lodge, Mountain Pine Ridge, US$1,998,000

Windy Hill Resort, US$1,500,000

Casa Maya Eco-Lodge, San Ignacio, US$900,000

Los Cedros Lodge, Cayo, US$340,000

Touch of Class, Santa Elena, US$750,000

Downtown San Ignacio, however, is booming, with a number of new restaurants.  The town now supports, mas o menos, four Indian restaurants, both a German and a French bakery (both good, especially the Old French Bakery, where you can get authentic croissants and French bread baguettes), and a number of vegetarian and near-vegetarian spots.   The better budget and low moderate hotels in town, including Martha’s and Casa Blanca Guest House, are often fully booked.  San Ignacio seems to get generally a younger crowd than the cayes and coast, some of them backpackers and many coming from or going to Tikal.  The Saturday market in San Ignacio is my pick for the best market in Belize.

One of the under-appreciated assets of Cayo is the town of Benque Viejo del Carmen.  The Benque House of Culture there is just one of the little places that deserve more attention, not to mention Che Chem Ha and Poustinia.  On the way to Benque, do stop and have lunch at Benny’s Kitchen, near Xunantunich.  This little open-air restaurant, not far from one of my favorite budget spots in Belize, The Trek Stop (which now has the first “disc golf course” in the country) serves hearty Mayan and Belizean dishes at low prices. Most items on the menu are US$4 or less, including chilimole (chicken with mole sauce), cow foot soup, escabeche, and stewed pork with rice and beans and plantains.  San José Succotz village, across Benque Rd.  from the ferry to Xunantunich. Turn south just west of the ferry and follow signs about 3 blocks;  tel. 501/823-2541.

The Garifuna Coast

Dangriga is still Dangriga, but the new Gulisi Garifuna Museum, opened in late 2004, is definitely worth a visit.  Named after a Garifuna woman who founded the village of Punta Negra in Toledo, the museum has exhibits on the Garinagu migration from Africa to St. Vincent, then to Honduras and Belize.  Other displays are on Garifuna food, clothing, music and dance. On exhibit are a number paintings by Benjamin Nicholas and other Garifuna artists.  Mile 2, Hummingbird Hwy., Dangriga;  tel. 501/502-0639;  admission US$5, open Mon.-Fri.10–5; Sat. 8–12.

Hopkins is changing like crazy.  Considering that 10 years ago there was nothing here but a little Garifuna village without telephones or other conveniences of modern life, the transformation is amazing.  Besides Hamanasi and Jaguar Reef, which seem to do very well, Belizean Dreams is a new beachfront condo colony (the three-bedroom condos sold for several hundred thousand dollars each) where you can rent a complete villa or choose a one- or two-bedroom suite at US$225 to $500 a night. In addition to the big upmarket places, there are a number of charming little budget and moderate spots on the beach.  I still like Tipple Tree Beya Inn and Hopkins Inn.  Jungle Jeanies, relocated to the beachfront, looks delightful, and at around US$30 it is a bargain.

Beaches and Dreams has new owners.  Tony and Angela Marsico, who formerly ran a popular restaurant in Fairbanks, Alaska, purchased Beaches and Dreams with another couple, but are now buying them out.  Tony says:  “We do plan on expanding the food service operation to include a few more upscale items in mid to upper price range as well as keeping the Belizean comfort foods and pizzas in the lower to medium price ranges. We are going to be putting an outdoor show-kitchen in and have a feature of the evening. Thursday nights will be Belizean paella night, cooked outdoors over a big outdoor burner in a 2-foot diameter paella pan which I had especially made for me to bring down there.  Another night will feature a fresh shrimp boil-up. I have contacted the shrimp farm and made arrangements to get fresh shrimp in every Friday. On Saturdays, a Belizean style bouillabaisse, all these items cooked on our outdoor burner (it is an Alaskan fish cooker). I am also going to feature a steak, some chops with mango chutney and some vegetarian as well. As for pricing, pizzas with three ingredients about BZ$30 , lots for lunch in the BZ$16-24 range.  Dinners from casual at BZ$24 to BZ$50 for our specialty nights. As for the rooms, we are keeping the four we have now.  Plans are to move the two cabanas to another lot for weekly rentals and build eight new rooms from concrete and tile, but construction won't begin until April  2007.  All those foods and the outdoor cooking setup will be in place for the November season of 06 and rooms will stay the same for this year.” Rates are around US$95 double in season. Sittee Point, tel. 501/523-7259; www.beachesanddreams.com. 

Pleasure Cove also has reopened, under new management.

Real estate sales are blossoming around Hopkins, but there’s a lot of local concern over destruction of the mangroves.  Near Hopkins are some of the tallest mangroves in the hemisphere.  Sanctuary Bay Estates south of Hopkins, bordered by the Sapodilla Lagoon, the Caribbean, and the Sittee River, has one of the slickest web sites I’ve seen on a Belize property. Or any property anywhere.  It supposedly will have -- eventually -- a marina and yacht club, equestrian center and golf course, as well as a 35-room hotel and spa.  Let’s hope the development turns out to be as nice as the web site.  Not much has actually been done yet, despite the promises of the web site.  The project says it has 220 lots for sale, ranging from US$50,000 to $200,000.  According to the company, lot buyers will also be issued shares in the 10,500-acre Sittee River Wildlife Reserve.

Placencia Peninsula

The Placencia peninsula is hot, hot, hot ... at least in the real estate end.  Lots sales are booming, and people are actually starting to build houses and condos. If all the plans announced for condo developments in Placencia are actually built, the peninsula will have more than 1,500 condo units at The Placencia, Bella Maya, Chabil Mar, Coco Plum, Ara Macao, Laru Beya and others.  Chabil Mar, The Placencia and Laru Beya are already operating, and Bella Maya is nearly finished with the first phase of its plans.  I doubt some other projects will go forward in their present form, however.  Ara Macao is the least likely, in my opinion.

Bella Maya is being developed by a company in London that specializes in "emerging market" real estate, with other projects in Latvia, Bulgaria, and Brazil.  Bella Maya is expected to eventually have a total of 60 condominium apartments, most available for nightly rental. The 1100 sq. ft. apartments go for US$270,000 to $450,000, with one-quarter fractional ownership available for around US$86,000. Coco Plum is a mixed-use project near Seine Bight, with plans for single-family homes, condos, a condotel, and other development.  One of the principals in the project is Stewart Krohn of Channel 5 TV in Belize City, who was kind enough to show me around.

Ara Macao, ironically named for the endangered Scarlet Macaw, says it is a 582-acre master planned community on part of The Plantation lands at the north end of the peninsula.  If the project comes to fruition -- the latest is that the start has been postponed until at least mid-2006-- it will have 456 upscale beachfront condos, 296 villas, 260 seaview condos, and 59 golf course home sites.  The master plan calls for a marina, casino, an 18-hole golf course, multiple swimming pools, several restaurants, a spa, and retail and commercial space.  The developer is ioVest Development LLC, a low-profile Chicago company with some ties to EKRK, a Czech real estate organization.  The president is Paul Goguen.  ioVest has a development team that includes a Chicago boutique law firm, Handler, Thayer & Duggan, which has about two dozen attorneys, most of whom also have degrees in accounting, tax, or finance;  a PR firm (Richartz, Fliss, Clark & Pope) that also has worked for the Belize Tourist Board; construction management by Bush/Kowert Associates; and a trio of two U.S. (Linden Group, a Chicago area firm that has done projects such as banks, car dealers, small condos, expansions at two casinos, and hotels such as Holiday Inns, and Aria Group, another Chicago area firm), and one (Struckture Architects) Belizean architectural firms.

While real estate is hot, oddly the tourism business on the peninsula is still struggling.  The business is still more seasonal in Placencia than in San Pedro, and off-season, except at a few well-marketed and well-run properties such as Turtle Inn and Inn at Robert’s Grove, occupancy levels are low. 

More than a dozen hotels on the peninsula and nearby are actively for sale, including the following:

Manatee Inn, Placencia Village, US$375,000

Serenity Resort, Placencia, US$2,000,000

Maya Breeze, Maya Beach

Miller’s Landing, Placencia, US$1,500,000

Singing Sands, Maya Beach, US$890,000

Luba Hati, Seine Bight, US$2,500,000

Lost Reef, Riversdale

Macovy Blues Hotel & Restaurant, US$475,000

Soulshine Resort, Placencia, US$600,000

Rum Point Inn, Placencia, US$2,900,000

Mariposa Beach Suites, Placencia

Paradise Vacation Hotel, Placencia Village  

I was fortunate to be taken to dinner at Maya Beach Hotel and Bistro.  I’d been told by many that this Bistro by the beach is one of the best restaurants in all of Belize, and having eaten there I have to agree. Owners John and Ellen Lee (he’s Australian, she’s American) traveled the world and worked in over 20 countries.  They obviously figured out what travelers love.  The Bistro menu changes frequently, but among the standards are fresh ceviche, snapper stack, five-onion cioppino and cocoa-dusted pork chop on a risotto cake. You’ll pay around US$12 to $25 for entrees here.  The hotel, with six rooms, is small but charming.  Rooms are bargains at around US$65 to $100 double. There are some minimum-stay requirements.  Maya Beach Hotel also rents several apartments and houses nearby. Maya Beach, tel. 501/520-8040 or 800/503-5124 in the U.S.; www.mayabeachhotel.com.

Laru Beya is a nice addition to the lodging options.  It’s a condo colony on seven beachfront acres just south of Robert’s Grove.  The larger villa units, with up to three bedrooms, have full kitchens, and some have rooftop Jacuzzis and verandahs with sea views.   Rates start at US$100 for a garden view room, but you can pay as much as US$475 for a seaside penthouse.  Seine Bight, tel. 501/523-3476 or 800/813-7762 in the U.S. and Canada; www.larubeya.com

Chabil Mar Villas, a gated condo development just north of Placencia Village that opened in June 2005, has some of the most upscale and beautifully decorated condos I’ve seen in Belize.  The property was developed by Dianne Bulman, a Canadian. Chabil Mar means "beautiful sea" in Kekchí, and the beach here is one of the best on the peninsula.  Each unit is different, but they're all very upscale, with features like marble floors, original art, and four-poster king beds.  Each unit comes with broadband wireless, DVD, satellite TV, dishwasher, and washer and dryer.  Rates are US$260 to $550 in-season, a little less in summer. There's no restaurant, but you can have meals prepared and brought to your condo.   Just north of Placencia Village, tel. 501/523-3606; www.chabilmarvillas.com.

Turtle Inn and Robert’s Grove are still doing gangbusters business.  Saks at Placencia looks just like it did when it was Kitty’s, and in fact even better, but I don’t know, it just doesn’t seem like the same place.

Punta Gorda and Toledo

Every time I visit PG I think tourism here is finally going to take off.  There’s so much to see here, it’s so beautiful, the town of PG is so friendly and pleasant, with a gorgeous setting on the Bay of Honduras, and the Southern Highway, once a hellish road, is now the best highway in Belize, beautifully paved for all but 9 miles near Big Falls.  Prices are also far lower than in more popular resort areas of Belize. Things may be picking up a little in tourism, and there are several new lodging choices, but it’s a slow row to hoe. For some reason, PG is just not on the radar of most visitors to Belize. I guess it’s the lack of beaches and the perception that it’s remote.

One thing that may help a little is that a group of tour operators and hotel owners have banded together to offer a regular series of fixed tours around Toledo, with specific tours and trips always running on specific days of the week, as long as there is a minimum of two persons (three or four persons for a few trips).   This way, visitors to Toledo are assured there will be tours every day.  Hotels and tour operators involved in this program include TIDE Tours, TASTEE Tours, Sun Creek Lodge, Sea Front Inn, the Lodge at Big Falls, and others.  Contact any of these for details or to book.  The full-day trips usually involve a mix of activities, such as snorkeling and fishing. 

The specific tours are as follows, although the days, rates and tour descriptions may change:

Monday:  Port Honduras Marine Reserve, with manatee and dolphin spotting, snorkeling, swimming, and fishing; US$93 per person

Tuesday: Blue Creek, with cave swimming and hiking; US$76 per person

Wednesday: Same as Monday

Thursday:  Pueblo Viejo Mayan village, hiking, visiting a waterfall and Dem Dat's Doin' botanical gardens; US$84 per person

Friday:  Canoe trip on Moho River, with visit to the Garifuna village of Barranco; US$80 per person

Saturday:  Visit to Lubaantun Mayan site and Rio Blanco Park; US$84 per person

Sunday: Sapodilla Cayes, with snorkeling, fishing, and beach swimming; US$97 per person.

Two new lodging places I love in PG are Coral House Inn and Hickatee Cottages. Americans Rick and Darla Mallory bought and renovated a 1938 colonial-era house and turned it into one of the coolest guesthouses in Belize.  You'll recognize the Coral House Inn it by the coral-color and the vintage red and white VW van parked in front.  There are Confederate graves in the cemetery next door, a legacy of the Confederate immigration to Toledo after the U.S. Civil War. The four guest rooms, US$75 to $95, have tile floors, good beds, air-conditioning and wireless high speed internet. There's a small swimming pool. 151 Front St., Punta Gorda; tel. 501/722-2878; www.coralhouseinn.net

A British couple, Ian and Kate Morton, built Hickatee Cottages lodge, a little over a mile south of PG.  It opened in late 2005.  The three Caribbean-style cottages, with zinc roofs and private porches, are nestled in lush foliage.  Rates are an affordable US$60 double.  Meals are available (dinner is US$15, and full AP is US$25 per person), with fruits and vegetables from the owners' organic nursery next door.  A hickatee, by the way, is a river turtle, Dermatemys mawii.  Ex-Servicemen Rd., Punta Gorda; tel. 501/662-4475; www.hickatee.com

Another addition to the hotel scene in PG is Beya Suites.  You can’t miss it -- it’s painted a bright pink.  It’s Belizean-owned and very nice, with six rooms with air-conditioning and TVs.   Rates are around US$75 to $90 double.  Front St., #6 Hopeville, Punta Gorda; tel. 501/722-2188; www.beyasuites.com

El Pescador PG, the most upscale lodge in Southern Belize, and ably run by Jim Scott and his wife, seems to be doing beautifully.  Emery Restaurant and Grace’s are still good places to eat. I stopped by Sun Creek Lodge, which I had not seen before.  I missed Bruno Kuppinger but met his beautiful Belizean wife, Melissa.   Bruno, from Germany, runs tours, including a new high-adventure tour to the remote Columbia River Forest Reserve, called Maya Divide.   Melissa focuses on the lodge and does the cooking, and I’m told she’s an excellent chef.  The thatch cabanas at this budget-level lodge are simple but look comfortable, with outdoor showers surrounded by plants.  The grounds are nicely landscaped. Car rentals available.  14 miles from Punta Gorda, off Mile 86, Southern Hwy.; tel. 501/604-2124; www.belizenet.de

Farther north, The Lodge at Big Falls has added a swimming pool.  This is a wonderful little lodge, with six thatch cabanas, a great spot for birding and wildlife spotting.  Owners Marta and Rob Hirons are working hard to make this lodge successful.  In-season rates are US$155 double, plus US$44 per person for three meals.  Off Mile 79, Southern Hwy.; tel. 888/865-3369 in U.S. and Canada; www.thelodgeatbigfalls.com

Belize City

Belize City still has a bad rep among tourists, and even among some Belizeans.  True, crime continues to be a problem in some areas of the city, but, surprisingly, visitors actually have a lower risk of crime in Belize City than in some popular tourist areas of Belize.  With hundreds of thousands of cruise ship daytrippers, plus many overnight visitors on their way to somewhere else, the tourist and regular police have done a good job making the Fort George and surrounding sections a safer place. 

The city is also looking better these days, with new paint, cleaner streets, and lots of directional signs.  There are plenty of great dining options, from the upscale places like the Smokey Mermaid at The Great House and the romantic Harbour Inn to budget eateries like Big Daddy’s Diner and Nerie’s to touristy but good spots like the Wet Lizard.

It’s not Disney World, but Belize City is worth exploring, and it’s the kind of place where Evelyn Waugh, Graham Greene, or Joseph Conrad might have felt at home. There’s a lot going on in Belize City, and also along the Western and Northern highways near the city, notably Old Belize, Gran’s Farm, and Orchid Garden west of the city.

Let me tell you about two nice and fairly new lodging options in the northern “suburbs.” D’Nest Inn is a B&B run by Gaby and Oty Ake. Gaby is a retired Belize banker, and Oty is originally from Chetumal. The two-story, Caribbean-style house is on a canal 50 feet from the Belize River. It’s in an area called Belama Phase 2, a safe, middle-class section between the international airport and downtown. Oty’s gardens around the house are filled with hibiscus, roses, and other blossoming plants. The three guest rooms are furnished with antiques such as a hand-carved, four-poster bed, but they also have modcons like wireless internet, air-conditioning, and cable TV. With a private entrance and your own key, you come and go as you like.  Rates are US$60 to $70 double and include a delicious full breakfast. 475 Cedar St. (from the Northern Hwy., turn west on Chetumal St., turn right at the police station, go 1 block and turn left, then turn right on Cedar St. ); tel. 501/223-5416; www.dnestinn.com .

If you have an early morning flight out or you’re overnighting en route somewhere else, the Global Village Hotel (actually it’s more of a motel than a hotel) is a good new choice near the international airport.  The 40 rooms are sparkling clean and modern and are only US$50 double.  This Chinese-owned place is located just south of the turnoff to the international airport, and the hotel has a free shuttle to and from the airport.  You can also arrange to leave your car in the hotel’s fenced parking lot with 24-hour security.  Mile 8 1/2, Northern Hwy.; tel. 501/225-2555; www.globalhotel-bz.com.

Not too far away, on the way to Bermudian Landing via the Boom Road, Belize ‘R Us is an attractive, Belizean-owned restaurant and hotel on the Belize River.

New Resorts in Belize

I recently made a list of new resorts, hotels, and lodges that have opened in Belize in the past three years.  It's surprising how many new places there are, and I'm sure I've missed some.

AMBERGRIS CAYE

The Phoenix (under construction)

Blue Reef Island Resort (under construction)

Sueno del Mar (under construction)

Seascape Villas

Grand Colony Villas

Royal Caribbean Resort

Salamander Hideaway

Azul Resort

Pedro's Backpacker Inn

Tranquility Bay Island Resort (under construction)

Victoria House (condo expansion under construction)

CAYE CAULKER

Seaside Cabanas (rebuilt)

Caye Caulker Condos

Maxhapan Cabanas

PLACENCIA PENINSULA

The Placencia, north end of peninsula

Chabil Mar Villas, near Placencia village

Bella Maya, north end of peninsula

Laru Beya, Seine Bight village

South Waters Resort, Placencia village

Coco Plum (starting to build), near Seine Bight village

Ara Macao (maybe starting to build), north end of peninsula

Sugar Reef Cabanas, Placencia village

Ocean's Edge, Maya Beach

Beachfront Suites, Maya Beach

Baineann O'sage Cabins, Placencia village

Diving Pelican Seaside Suites, Maya Beach

Turtle Inn, Placencia

Inn at Robert's Grove (expansion)

HOPKINS AREA

Sanctuary Bay Estates

Belizean Dreams

Whistling Seas Vacation Inn

Jungle Jeannie's (relocated)

PUNTA GORDA/TOLEDO

Hickatee Cottages, PG

Beya Suites, PG

Coral House Inn, PG (renovation of existing building)

El Pescador PG, PG

Lodge at Big Falls, Big Falls

Indian Creek Lodge, Belize Lodge & Expeditions, Indian Creek -- main lodge and three satellite operations

Sun Creek Lodge, 14 miles from PG

Cuxlin Ha, near PG

Tranquility Lodge, Jacinto

OFFSHORE CAYES

Manta Resort, Glover's Reef Atoll (rebuilt)

Off the Wall Dive Center, Glover's Reef Atoll

Isla Marisol, Glover's Reef

Long Caye Island Resort, Long Caye

Calypso Beach Retreat, Long Caye

Pleasure Island, St. George's Caye (formerly Cottage Colony)

Robert's Caye Resort, Robert's Caye (operated by Robert's Grove)

COROZAL TOWN/COROZAL DISTRICT

Copper Bank Inn, Copper Bank

Las Palmas (rebuild of Nestor's), Corozal Town

Mark Anthony Hotel, Corozal Town

Corozal Bay Inn, Corozal Town (new cabanas)

Fantasy Point, Progresso Unnamed new hotel, Corozal Town

CAYO DISTRICT

Belize Jungle Dome, Belmopan

Yim Saan Hotel, Belmopan

Los Cedros, Macal River

Martha's Guesthouse Annex, San Ignacio

ORANGE WALK DISTRICT

Hotel de la Fuente, Orange Walk Town

Lamanai South, Indian Church

BELIZE CITY/BELIZE DISTRICT

Global Village Hotel, Ladyville

D'Nest Inn, near Belize City

Belize ‘R Us Resort, near Burrell Boom

Caribbean Palms Inn, Belize City

Cabanas at Cheers, Western Hwy. near Belize Zoo

LAN SLUDER is the author of seven books on Belize, including Living Abroad in Belize,  Fodor’s Belize (coming summer 2006), Adapter Kit Belize, Fodor’s Belize & Guatemala 2006 (co-author), San Pedro Cool, and Belize First Guide to Mainland Belize.  He also has written other guidebooks for Frommer’s and Fodor’s and has contributed to many magazines and newspapers around the world, including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Caribbean Travel & Life, Where to Retire, St. Petersburg Times, Globe and Mail, and Bangkok Post.  He founded Belize First Magazine and runs the www.belizefirst.com web site.