* We stayed at the BANANA BEACH RESORT for a week

in early May 2006. I give the facility good, but not great reviews. The room was clean, and the AC and fan made it very cool. The in-room fridge is also nice. However, the
bathroom was too small, and the outside sitting area left a little to be
desired. One nice feature of the resort is the free breakfast. Apparently
it is the only hotel that offers this (we were once identified as staying at
Bananas because we mentioned that we had a free breakfast), and the food at
the restaurant is very good. The staff at the hotel was professional, but
not overly friendly. This goes for the front desk, the travel service, and
the restaurant (except for Sergio in the restaurant--he was a blast). No
complaint here, just nothing special either. The best part of the Banana
Beach is its beach. At first we were a little disappointed because of the
beach grass, but we soon learned that all of the beaches in San Pedro are
grassed in. But the Banana Beach has the best area that I saw (except maybe
for Victoria House), and there is a great sandbar just off the pier to the
left of the Banana Beach. This proved to be a great swimming area,
especially at low tide. Another nice feature is its proximity to the water
tower. Why? Because every day at 4:30 some local teens feed frozen
chickens to huge saltwater crocodiles. Not to be missed! Also, when
walking north on the beach from the Banana Beach, look left shortly after
you pass Banyan Bay and check out the San Talmo Living Arts display. Very
kitschy! All in all I was not blown away by the Banana Beach, but I also
did not see any other hotel in the under $100 price range that I would have
chosen over it (and there were many over $100 a night that did not look as
nice). I would stay here again.  (May 2006)

* Just a quick note on a few new, or relatively new hotels, inns, and lodges in Belize that I can recommend (except one or two), based on my recent stays (December 2005) or at least tours of the facilities:

Toledo:
Coral House Inn, PG -- lovely guesthouse, nice American owners, pool, wireless internet ... and the owners have a cool vintage VW van! Moderate

Hickatee Cottages -- three beautiful cottages about a mile from PG town, owned by a nice Brit couple -- delightful setting. Moderate.

Beya Suites -- Belizean-owned small hotel on the water. A little over-the-top color scheme, but nicely done. Moderate.

Belize City:
D'Nest Inn -- charming B&B between the international airport and downtown, safe area, lovely hosts, wonderful breakfasts included. Moderate.

Global Village Motel -- handy spot if you're overnighting near the intenational airport, as it's right at the entrance road, with free airport shuttle. No atmosphere, but clean and modern. Low moderate.

Ambergris Caye:
Azul Resort and Rojo Lounge -- Hippest place on the island. Two amazing beach houses with every modcon, including Viking appliances. Excellent restaurant and bar. Very expensive.

Royal Caribbean --Just south of Victoria House. I guess I don't understand this place. Exterior wall coverings are 1/4th inch fiberboard.

Orange Walk Town:

Hotel de la Fuente:  New, modern place, best value in town

Corozal Town:
Las Palmas. Formerly Nestor's. New owner has done a nice job with the property. Near budget.

Placencia:
Chabil Mar Villas -- among the most tastefully done and upscale condos in Belize. Great beach. Very expensive.

Laru Beya -- more condos, next to Robert's Grove, not quite up to Chabil Mar, but very nice. Expensive.

South Waters Resort -- condos in Placencia village!? Who would have imagine it? Moderate to expensive.

Hopkins:
Belizean Dreams -- nice condo colony, though everything is exactly the same in every unit, which I don't quite get. Very expensive.

Lamanai/Indian Church:
Lamanai South Lodge -- much less expensive alternative to the excellent Lamanai Outpost Lodge. Moderate.

--Lan Sluder

*  We had an oceanfront suite at the TRADEWINDS PARADISE VILLAS in March 2005.
We were not told in advance that construction was going on not 30 feet from
our front door. Hammering and power sawing began weekdays at 6:30 a.m.
(this was just after dawn in March, the earliest workers could start) and
began Saturday and Sunday, yes Sunday, at 7 a.m. Given the small number of
men working and the size of the project, I would expect construction to
continue for several months if not years at this location. The air
conditioning system made my companion, who had never suffered from a mold
problem in the past, sick--coughing all night. I asked to have the air
conditioning system cleaned out; I was TOLD that it was cleaned out with
bleach, but my friend continued to cough hard every time the air conditioner
was on. At the same time I had asked for the rattle in the air conditioning
to be fixed: that certainly did not happen. In addition the ceiling fans
were balanced so poorly that the metal chain clanked rhythmically again the
fan's metal base, making sleep when the fans were running impossible. I
asked that tape be applied to the metal chains so they would not clank--this
is cheap and fast to do--and that did not happen either. I ended up using
Band-Aids to hold the chains against the bases. The only window in the
bedroom did not open because the window crank was missing. The windows that
did open, in the living room, had screens that were broken. Oh, and the
pool's advertised "swim-up bar" is really a place where you can serve
yourself drinks you make yourself. While right on the ocean, there is very
little beach, and it is used as a pathway for walkers; we were there for a
week and did not see anyone swimming in the ocean in front of the VILLAS.
The location is good; you can easily walk to restaurants, markets and the
snorkel provider HUSTLER, but the quality of the room was so poor I would
never return.

Food: Best meals at best value were at the JERK PIT--we ate there twice.
Separate yourselves from the smokers when you sit down. BLUE WATER GRILL
also very good, much more expensive, we also ate there twice; first meal was
outstanding, second meal arrived after having cooled for a while before
being served; if the second meal had come first we probably would not have
returned. Make reservations. We found ELVI's OK, nothing special,
especially at the price. CARAMBA's OK also. Eating at the park in San
Pedro is very cheap but mixed in quality. The barbecued chicken right off
the grill was quite good, better than some meals we had at five times the
price.

Went snorkeling almost every day with HUSTLER or SEADUCED, they were both
good. The coral at Hol Chan was damaged because of a hurricane in 2000.
Take some trips to other snorkeling locations to see better coral--we saw
the best at Goff Caye. Be alert that your snorkel or sightseeing trip may
cancel if the company does not get enough folks to sign up--that did not
happen to us but to others--make sure that your company will get you to trip
that will run with another company. Buy your disposable underwater cameras
at home--the price triples in San Pedro. Also, very important, buy
polarized sunglasses before you come. You will then be able to see fish,
turtles, sharks, rays, especially manatees underwater where otherwise the
glare off the water would render them invisible.

R. Margulis, Cherry Hill, NJ, March 2005.

* After spending 5 days 4 nights I would like to give you our assessment of SALAMANDER. It is very remote [on far north Ambergris Caye] with few options of leaving the resort/compound. Although the staff will go out of their way to get you anything or anywhere you want to go, there are still limits. The best part of our stay was the staff. They truly did everything in their power to make our stay enjoyable. From the owner to the construction/maintenance workers, they all went above and beyond. They had kayaks, snorkeling gear, a hobie cat, and some hammocks. That's it. There is absolutely nothing else to do at the resort. They only serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a very limited selection. Breakfast is very good, lunch is average, and dinner was never the same. One night it was good, the next night not so good. They have a good connection for tours. We took a morning snorkeling trip with Greg and had a great time and then an all day fishing trip with SeaDuced. Both were very good although we did not catch much on the fishing trip.The accommodations were sparse but comfortable (except for the mosquitoes). Absolutely no where to put your things in the cabanas. Not one shelf or drawer. 3 hangers and that's it. We had a great time and I attribute that to our kids snorkeling for the 1st time and going spear fishing. Two of the resort employees (young kids) took our boys spear fishing for 3 + hours. It must be the highlight of our boys' lives. If you are looking for nothing to do but get away from everything Salamander might be the place. Probably too remote for us to return. If they had fabulous food I might be inclined to return. I also got eaten alive by mosquitoes and had no way to get any repellent. I had over 300 bites and my son had well over 400 by the time we left. Sandy Spengler, March 2004

* We needed to fly from the mainland to the Cayes. We got on a 6-seater puddle jumper by Tropic Air. I wanted to sit beside the pilot but lost my spot to a 350-pound Belizean woman due to distribution of weight reasons. We had to drop her off at Caye Caulker, the cheaper and less crowded baby sister of our final destination, Ambergris Caye. It was a scenic flight looking down at the cayes and barrier reef. The landing strip was lined from east to west and the cold front was naturally blowing from north to south. When the time came to land, I could see the pilot's arm muscles throbbing as he attempted to control the landing of this turboprop at an angle. I thought we were going to flip! If it wasn't for the engine noise, my video cam would have recorded our screams, "We're going to die!"...Luckily we didn't. :-)    So it took a puddle-jumper, then a van, then a boat to get us to our beach resort in the northern part of Ambergris Caye. Since it was high season and our planning was sort of last minute, we settled for a beach nook that opened up directly on the beach. Like our hosts in the jungle, our hosts in the cayes were Canadian. Fortunately, this was the only unpleasant aspect of the entire trip. Both sets of hosts didn't give that personable service that we've become accustomed to in luxury properties. No offense meant to my Canadian friends. Belize is a hot spot for honeymooners. PDA's (no, not the electronic gadget) was everywhere, that you would think they would get a room or something. Most guidebooks indicated that the food in Belize is nothing remarkable. Well, I gather in the past years they've accumulated 10 of the top chefs in the world. The food we had in the jungle and cayes was awesome. My only regret is that we arrived the day before the last day of lobster season. As we explored the beach, we began to look into real estate. Bill was thinking more for retirement, while I, on the other hand, was thinking more on the lines of having our own beach resort to cater to both "happy" couples and "breeder" couples.  There was a cold front when we arrived, thus the sun was taking a siesta on this tropical Caribbean paradise. I didn't want to imagine spending the rest of our trip locked in our beach nook hiding under a mosquito net. So we braved the cold weather and went kayaking to the barrier reef. The water was choppy and challenging, but it was well worth it when we got there. Fortunately, the sun started to come out in the middle of the day and we were able to take a boat trip to Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark/Ray Alley. I was thinking I was going to regret not having enough time to go scuba diving, but we ended up being more than satisfied with the awesome snorkeling. We swam with the rays, eels, manatees, beautiful colored fish like Nemo and his friends. I tried to chase after a sting ray and Bill wrestled with a baby great white...aahh...nurse shark. As we were leaving Bill threw the remaining shark feed around me and so the sharks started nibbling. It's a good thing I wore my wire-mesh thong.  LAsean869@aol.com, March 2004

* My wife and I, and another couple, spent a week this
past January on Ambergris Caye.  Based in large part
upon your own recommendation and other readers'
recommendations, I stayed at BELIZEAN REEF SUITES
managed by Kenneth Krohn.  I would happily recommend
this place to your readers,
Belizean Reef is a small, six-unit condotel right
outside of town past the airport.  It has no pool or
restaurant, which was no problem for our group.  The
condos were very nice, and cleaned daily by the
housekeeping.  We had air conditioning in our bedrooms
only, but the sea breezes kept our unit cool and
comfortable.
Another reader has remarked about the airplane noise
from the nearby airport; this didn't bother me, and I
didn't even notice it.  However, because we were so
close to town, I had to close my windows at night to
keep out the noise of tourists walking along the
beach.
Ken is a very affable, accomodating host, very eager
to talk to you about Belize.  He provided us with
shopping, restaurant and tourism info, as well as
making certain suggestions when we told him we were
interested in looking at real estate.
The view on our second-floor veranda was hard to beat,
and one of my fondest memories is waking up early,
sitting out on the veranda, and watching the sun rise
as I listened to the local radio station.  Drawbacks?  Well, the lack of a pool and other
facilities may be to some people (especially families
with children) but it didn't bother us.  We were also
worried about the lack of central air conditioning,
but that proved not to be a problem (at least in the
winter, when temps hovered around 85 during the day).
The only real drawback is its closeness to town means
more pedestrian traffic coming by.  Its biggest pluses?  Its location, at the edge of
town, made the restaurants and shops in town within
easy walking distance. I liked its quaintness as
well--because it was so small, and because Ken was
always around, it felt like we were neighbors rather
than tourists.   Wesley Deaton, January 2004

* * CAYO ESPANTO. You've heard about it. You've seen photos of it in the glossy travel mags -- most recently on the cover of Travel & Leisure. You've looked at the prices, and perhaps gasped. Cayo Espanto is definitely not for everyone, and it's definitely not the Belize most of us know, but having now stayed there a few gloriously slothful and relaxing days, I can better appreciate its raison d'?tre and why honeymooners or a stressed-out exec would stay here.

The thing that strikes me most about Cayo Espanto is the level of service. It's truly unmatched in Belize, and possibly anywhere in the region. A few small examples: When you leave the island, say for a visit to San Pedro or for a snorkel trip, when you get ready to come back, the boat captain bringing you back radios to the hotel your exact time of arrival, down to the minute. Awaiting you at the dock is your houseman (or butler) and a few other staff. They have your favorite drink waiting for you at the dock and offer you a face cloth to refresh yourself. And not just a face cloth, but your choice of a hot or a cold face cloth. Or both. And, of course, on the boat trip out and back you don't have to sit on the hot plastic seat. There's a folded towel on the seat to protect your sensitive fanny.

Cayo Espanto sends you a detailed guest survey before you arrive, to determine your preferences in food, drink and such. And, at the resort, the staff does pay close attention to what you like and don't like. One day we used the paddle boats (complimentary, as are sea kayaks), and we discovered each boat was furnished with a cooler, which had been stocked only with the drinks that the houseman noticed we had favored - red Fanta, Diet Coke and Belikin.

As at Turtle Inn, upon arrival you're given a walkie-talkie, and you can call your houseman who stands ready about anytime night or day to bring you whatever your heart desires -- your favorite cocktail, a snack, fruit, ice. Not, to my knowledge, dancing girls, but, short of that, most anything.

Meals are mostly served at your villa, overlooking the water. Before dinner the chef comes by to inquire about your preferences for the evening. There are usually a couple of entree suggestions, but if you'd rather have something else, the chef can whip it up for you. Your own personal menu is printed, and you're welcome to take it with you as a memento. One evening the menu was thus: an appetizer of seared scallops with rice-stuffed cabbage rolls, and a choice of Belizean lobster tail smothered in mango butter with a green papaya salad, or charred strip loin with shoestring potatoes and tequila mango salsa (I had both, of course), and for dessert coconut cake with pineapple chutney and mango coulisse.

Though the private island is quite small, and there are five villas on the island, privacy really is the watchword. Most of the time we were there the island was near its capacity of around 14 people, but we rarely saw another guest, except from a distance on an adjoining villa's private pier.

We stayed in Casa Estrella. The star house. Ahh!

The villas are airy, with cleverly designed doors that fold back almost completely to provide panoramic views of the water. These are very pleasant spaces, but the villas furnishings are not extraordinary, nor are the finishings remarkably luxurious. The floor first floor of our villa, for example, was a kind of finished concrete, which is understandable given how close the houses are to the sea -- literally only a few feet. Our villa was more like a comfortable, well-designed beach house, rather than a designer home. I did love the upstairs bedroom, with its king bed, Egyptian cotton sheets and lovely down comforter. With the folding doors pulled back, the view was glorious.

And, yes, this is the bed that Tiger Woods slept in when he was at Cayo Espanto. Or so I was told. As I understand it, Woods was at Cayo Espanto only one night, spending the rest of his Belize trip time on his private yacht anchored off Lighthouse atoll.

At night, if you like, the staff will go around and close all the folding doors, shut the windows and turn on the air-conditioning. Air-conditioning is available only at night, as A/C tends to trip the island's smaller daytime generator. Although Cayo Espanto is on the back side of Ambergris, in the lagoon rather than in the main Caribbean, there was a good breeze all the time we were there, and it was cool enough without air-conditioning.

Each villa, except one, has its own zero-effect plunge pool. These are indeed splash or plunge pools, more the size of a hot tub than a swimming pool. But they're fun, and private. The swimming in the lagoon here, however, is not so good. The water is shallow and there are often a lot of sea leeches.

All this privacy, service and personal attention comes at a price: US$895 to $1,750 per day year-round in 2003, except Christmas when rates are a little higher. Rates are going up $100 a day for each villa in 2004. Usually there's a five-night minimum stay. These rates are plus 21.5% service and tax. Lodge, meals and most drinks are included, but not champagne, wines and cognacs. Fishing, diving, snorkeling and most other trips and activities are extra. For information, see www.aprivateisland.com or telephone toll-free 888-666-4282.

Now, back to reality:

San Pedro and Ambergris Caye were, as they have been on my last few visits, bustling with visitors. Tourism to Belize is up, and Ambergris Caye, as the most popular destination in Belize seems to be getting much of the benefit from that increase. I talked with several hotel managers who said that their occupancy rates had been 70 and 80% and higher almost all year, except for June which traditionally sees a fall off. The island seems more prosperous than ever, with new condos, new buildings on Front Street and other new construction going on everywhere. I never thought I'd see the day when there was a tennis and fitness club on the island, but there it is. If you're in tourism and can't make money in San Pedro, you need to rethink your business plan.

I did a whirlwind tour of many of my favorite digs on the island. Banana Beach looks fantastic these days. I love what Tim Jeffers has done there. It's still a great value for what you get. The staff is so friendly and helpful, and the new restaurant is wonderful. I saw Wil and Susan Lala at Caribbean Villas. They're delightful people and have done so much for tourism and for San Pedro and Sanpedranos. Villas at Banyan Bay, always my first recommendation if you want spacious, upscale condo-type two-bedroom accommodations, looks as beautiful as ever, and I'm told the new condos next door by Se–or Paz have sold well, at prices around a cool half million U.S. I hear the Hideaway has sold, with new condos planned for that space. The grounds of Victoria House are amazingly beautiful now, and I understand VH has added some more suites in a villa a bit south of the resort. Caribe Island is looking as pink and pretty as always. Butch was on the same Maya Island flight as I was, but I didn't get to say hello to him. It looks like construction is still going on at Xanadu. The spruced-up Coconuts costs a good bit more than it used to but is still a pretty good buy in the moderate category. For about the last ten years every time I'm in this area I'm told about the barge dock finally moving -- is that really going to happen?!?. In the value department, Corona del Mar is hard to beat.

In town, Front Street is looking more like a sandy Fifth Avenue these days, with all the new shops and bank buildings. Wish I'd had time this trip to stay at Mayan Princess, my pick for in-town space and value. I'm a pretty tough critic of hotels, but it's really hard to go wrong with almost any hotel in any price range on Ambergris Caye, and having written about travel to many different parts of the world, I can tell you there aren't many places about which you can say that. The few bad ones have either sold or aren't hotels any more.

I only saw it from the outside, but San Pedro's first hostel-type guesthouse, Pedro's Backpackers Inn, is brought to you by the inimitable Peter. His new place, a short hike south of town, is designed to appeal to Euro-style travelers. Rates start at US$12.50 for a dorm bed with shared bath. Ten new rooms with baths are being added, with rates from the low US$20s depending on the season. Peter, who also runs Coconet Internet cafŽ and is involved in publishing the Green Guide to Ambergris Caye, is British. Moi, I think it's great that San Pedro can have a big variety of places, from glitzy Cayo Espanto to spots for travelers on a budget. Diversity is in, guys. For information on Pedro's Backpackers Inn, visit www.backpackersbelize.com or e-mail ">pedroback2000@yahoo.com or call 501-226-3825.

North Ambergris is growing, too. There are lots of new houses under construction, and the North resorts seem to be sharing in the island's prosperity. I got the cook's tour of Portofino, and it's a jewel. Jan Van Noord and his lovely bride are doing a fantastic job here. Don't miss the gorgeous view and the frozen lime pie at Portofino's restaurant. I've visited Mata Chica on several occasions, but I'd never before seen inside two-bedroom villas, and they are special. They would be my choice if I were staying at Mata Chica. I'm told that Philippe and Nadia are building several new houses nearby, which will be sold and then managed as vacation rentals when the owners aren't in residence. Belizean Shores is still looking fine and dandy, and I like the casual, barefoot ambiance of SunDiver. I hear that, at last, maybe some good things are going to be happening at the former Avalon/Casa Caribe. Let's hope that it works out. I got another tour of Journey's End. Sad to say, it just doesn't have the sparkle of some of the other resorts on the island.

I'm biased, but I believe San Pedro is unique, one of the truly original resort destinations in the region. I hear all these people talking about going to Cancun or Playa del Carmen, and I think, God, what do they see in those places? They're packed with cruise ship daytrippers and jammed with American franchises. Is that what tourists want, to be somewhere that looks like a little Orlando with beaches? Why don't they take a chance and try a place with a real personality? Like Ambergris Caye. Lan Sluder, July 2003

* Lan, Just want you to know your book (San Pedro Cool) is EXCELLENT. Right on the money about Ambergris Caye. We stayed a week March 22-March 29, 2003. Stayed at TROPICA, would not recommend that hotel. Wooden beach chairs in disrepair, metal hand rail on pool shocks you when touched, poor management, they lost our reservation and had to stay at MATA ROCKS first night (which is great!) Anyway, we rented a golf cart for the week, which was great fun. Loved Sweet Basil and the pull ferry, what an experience! My husband got food poisoning on Wednesday, so we did not get to Caye Caulker, but I got him Cipro and he was a bit better by Friday. I think he ate some bad sour cream. Look out for things that need refrigeration! The food was excellent, I was so dissappointed that he got sick. I did eat at Jerrys Crab Shack, across the street from Ramons, I did not see it mentioned in your book, GREAT pizza! I ate there twice when my husband was sick. Oh, Ambergris Delight has great lunches. Really, everywhere we ate was good. The people were friendly and the food/alcohol was very reasonable in price. We will defintely go back. Oh, we flew in on Maya Island Air. On a return trip, we would fly Tropic Air. They seem to be much more efficient. We had to wait 2 hours for our flight to Ambergris, never really found out why. Thanks again for your great information and wonderful web site! Donna Mills, Apex, North Carolina, March 2003

* We stayed 4 nights at AQUAMARINA SUITES and would highly recommend this hotel to anyone traveling to Ambergris Caye. Very friendly, helpful staff; spacious suites w/kitchen (fridge, stove, oven, sink,
coffeemaker, etc.), sitting room, bedroom, private bath, and balcony w/ocean view; air-conditioning; pool, complete with poolside bar and awesome bartender (Duane); and a restaurant to boot (we did not eat at
the restaurant, so cannot comment on that, but the food looked good). The location is great-right at the northern edge of the town, just steps away from restaurants, stores, etc. If you want a clean, comfortable
base right near the "action" of San Pedro (it's a pretty laid-back town), Aquamarina Suites is the place. The hotel is associated with Aqua Dives for all your snorkeling/diving needs, and also can get you golf
carts at a decent rate. And the beach in front of the pool is wide enough for sunbathing (maybe 20 feet wide?). Personally, because San Pedro is such a funky, friendly beach town, I really wouldn't want to
stay at one of the more remote, upscale resorts on the northern end of the island (you have to take a water taxi to get into town at night-and trust me, the water taxis are weird-no lights on the boats, irregular
stops, etc.). A few caveats: The water pressure at Aquamarina Suites is a little low, there aren't really many cooking implements in the kitchen, and at the time of this review (March 2003), there is a hotel being built right next door, so you do hear loud construction sounds from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. I'd guess that the construction will be finished by June or July 2003, though. Still, though, minor things-Aquamarina
Suites is a great place, and I would definitely stay there again. Chuck Tobler, March 2003

* Lan, you gave my husband and me some great advice for our recent trip to Belize, so I thought I would offer you some thoughts (for what they're worth) about our trip. We spent the first half of our trip at CHAN CHICH, which we loved. As we expected, the wildlife was fantastic. The accommodations, however, exceeded our expectations. We thought the cabanas were nicely appointed, the staff was great, and the grounds were well-manicured but retained the lush look of the jungle. The restaurant was okay, but I never expect much from places like this in terms of the food. We spent the second half of our trip at PORTOFINO, where we stayed in the honeymoon suite. At US$320 per night, its very expensive but the room itself is worth every penny. Its got an expansive view of the ocean that is incredible. I'm willing to bet its once of the nicest rooms on the island. However, many other aspects of Portofino were disappointing. I expect top rate service, dining, etc. when I'm paying that much money, but I think Portofino falls short in many regards. The restaurant leaves much to be desired. They have recently brought in a chef from Boston to "fix" things, but frankly I think he has made them worse. The lunch menu is extremely heavy for a Carribean resort, and all but one of the dinner entrees is made with a heavy cream sauce. All of the appetizers are made with seafood, so if you don't eat seafood, you're out of luck with appetizers. Also, service at the restaurant isn't even close to top notch, which I would expect it to be. Most meals we had to ask for silverware and napkins. Our orders were frequently wrong, and the server wasn't particularly friendly. And the Boston chef sat in the small dining room constantly smoking, which was annoying and, frankly, it disgusted me to think of him working with the food I was going to be eating. I suspect many of the guests, as we did, wander down to Mata Chica's restaurant. In addition, some things are missing from the room that are standard now even in turnpike motels - such as a hairdryer, shampoo and kleenexs. Also, the lights in the room are wired so that if you want a light on, you have to have all of the lights on. A reading lamp on a night stand would be a good addition. None of these things is a huge deal, but if you're going to call yourself a luxury resort, you better be prepared to meet that standard. I know its relatively new, but many of these things don't require time to figure out. I know it sounds like I didn't like Portofino, but actually I would probably go back there because of that honeymoon suite and its fabulous view. Its got great views and pretty landscaping. I'm just disappointed that, for what we were paying, there seemed to be so many little details overlooked. We learned while there that the owners had originally intended to be silent partners, not to be running the place, so I think maybe that's part of the problem. Melissa J. Tea, January 2003

* Just returned from a 12-day trip to Belize (Ambergris Caye and Cayo district). Wanted to write and tell you how much help you were in assisting us in planning our trip. EVERYTHING went well. It was a
wonderful trip and we had a great time. We had to come back home (Oregon and St. Louis) to rest!!! We stayed at PARADISE VILLAS on Ambergris Caye ( Caye Management, unit 22B) and it was VERY nice. The grounds are lovely and I will be happy to recommend it to anyone. It was one of three choices we were contemplating prior to booking and as it turns out we were so happy with that choice. Another of our choices was Coral Bay Villas (nice complex but not as nice location) and Belizean Shores (way too far up north). We loved being close to town and the grocery stores and restaurants. The golf carts were a blast. In Cayo we stayed at AGUADA HOTEL. Can't say enough about that place. Bill and Kathy were WONDERFUL. Lenny was so helpful and although the rooms are not luxurious, they are totally adequate for all needs. Who spends time in the room anyway. The food in the restaurant was the best in Cayo!!! The mainland part of our vacation wore us out. They kept us hopping. Did Caracol, the Ultimate Jungle Experience and Tikal, as well as cave tubing at Jaguar Paw. The local pet monkey wrapped herself around our necks and it was wonderful. Lynn Wagoner, Portland, Oregon, November 2002

... My name is Lana Spillane, and I just returned from a trip to Belize with Carol Lynn Wagoner. Like Lynn said, Unit 22B of Paradise Villas, handled by Caye Management, was fantastic. Clean, air-conditioned, with a wonderful breeze, close to everything! I also highly recommend that. Lana Spillane, St. Louis, November 2002

* We just returned on Monday 9/9/02. We stayed at Ramon's and just loved it. I had emailed you
with a couple of questions and you answered them. I just wanted to say thanks. We went with another couple and that is why we had picked RAMON'S VILLAGE We stayed in the Beachfront rooms. A little small but did the job. The showers need a little work on. Next time we go we would try to get the upstairs unit just for the room. We did get to check in the Honeymoon suite - more room but you were right they wanted too much money. You did stay Ramon's was a little pricey, but we believe it is the location and the action. It seemed that all the visitors to AC from the different Cayes were coming to Ramon's bar. We checked out some the other places and nothing was going on. Well, yes it is the slow time of year. We loved the pier with the seats.

We did do a few things while we were there. One of the things I don't think I would recommend was the cave tubing and the Zoo. Zoo was hot and the poor animals was still confined too electric cages and nothing out of the ordinary. Too much brush that you could not see them. Except for the Howler Monkeys were pretty neat. Sorry. The cave tubing was kind of neat but everyone said agreed we did it just so we could say we did it and will not do it again. We went to see the Sharks - Stingrays. Loved It! Went to the Maruba Resort and loved it. We were the only ones there beside another couple. Next time we go we will check out other places. But for our first time we just loved everything and the people were soooo nice. Anyway, I wanted to thank you for your restaurant recommendations. All was soooo good. A lot of them are shutting down for a couple of weeks. They said they shut down during slow season and let everyone take their vacation. Liz in Texas, September 2002

* We just got back from Belize and with your assistance it was a wonderful Christmas-time 2-week trip. Thought I would give you a brief update on the places we stayed:
BLACKBIRD CAYE - everything was what we expected, or better concerning the diving. We also had two fishing packages and that was disappointing. They should stick with diving and snorkeling packages only. Personnel was delightful and food good.
BANANA BANK (Belmopan)-Unfortunately it rained but the trip to Tikal is well worth it! There is a Christian undertone that was not appropriate, prayers before each meal....or the other option is to advertise as a Christian facility.
BELIZEAN SHORES (Ambergris Caye) was very nice. We were traveling with a large group and the facility was perfect. Clean and new. Very nice pool and nice restaurant. It is run by a lady named Heather that does a wonderful job of accommodating everyone! One of the people in our group was on the Tropic Air flight that crashed. He is OK and so were the other 13 people on the flight. It is a amazing dealing with a situation like this in a country where liability does not exist....BUT it is a trip we will never forget! Thanks for your help! Phyllis K. Schwindt, Rock Island, Illinois, December 2002


* My family and I had a marvelous vacation on Ambergris Caye in June thanks to the information we obtained on the BELIZE FIRST Web site. We followed all your advice and were totally satisfied with all aspects of the trip. We loved BANANA BEACH --service was great, rooms were clean, air conditioning was good, location was perfect for us. Would definitely stay there again. Tim even refunded some money to us because the pool was out of commission for 2 days of our stay. The desk at Banana Beach booked a fishing trip for us--very reasonable price--picked us up at our dock, cleaned our fish--had a terrific time.
Again--thanks so much for your good advice--hope to return there in the future. Carol W, June 2002

* Went to BANANA BEACH for the 3rd time in less than 2 years, I have never been to a hotel where they treat you like family. EVERY person that worked at Banana Beach remembered my name from being there before. The staff did not even give me a hard time when I walked a beach dog out through the lobby and stuck him in a taxi, they simply smiled and told me to have a safe flight. These people were genuinely nice. Thank you so much Lan for your tips about San Pedro. Becky, July 2002

* We stayed at the MAYAN PRINCESS in San Pedro. We were there 7 years ago, and it is
still my favorite place. Cooking facilities, air-cond, cable TV, Clean beautiful room with a view to die for and the most helpful people. US$100 a night. I loved it. Dean Acevedo, Montebello, Calif., July 2001

* Down south, the oft underrated but really attractive SUNSET BEACH is building new three-bedroom units for the family market. VICTORIA HOUSE is looking spiffier than ever, and the new pool is a beaut. Tim Jeffers is still running a good ship at BANANA BEACH and COCONUTS. Nobody in Belize has friendlier staff, or offers better value. The new reception area and office at Banana Beach looks great, and I especially like the banana trees in the breezeway. Coconuts has added a room or two, much needed given the high occupancy these two well-run places deservedly enjoy. I stopped by XANADU and got the cook’s tour from owner, who hails from South Africa by way of Canada, and his son. Xanadu, as you probably know, is that collection of weird looking concrete domes with thatch coverings, as if Buckminister Fuller married a Maya girl. Building these babies involves inflating a a kind of balloon, then spraying on a special concrete mixture. The foam insulation core cuts energy costs substantially. Construction costs for these structures run 30% or more higher than regular concrete, but they’re said to be able to withstand winds of 300 miles an hour (how they’ll hold up to a 15 foot sea surge, who knows?) Inside, they’re surprisingly upscale. Xanadu is building two new three-unit domes, and I’m told the units stay pretty well booked. Lan Sluder, August 2001

* Just back from two weeks at CARIBBEAN VILLAS. Eleven snorkeling trips in 14 days! The trip of a lifetime! Caribbean Villas was a delightful oasis, the people of San Pedro a joy to meet. Your Web site and books are very useful and informative. Carlton Newton, Richmond, Virginia, July 2003 * CARIBBEAN VILLAS was everything we had hoped for. We stayed in a one bedroom plus loft from Dec 29, 2001 - Jan 12, 2002. The room was beautiful, comfortable and very clean. The daily housekeeping was performed by an angel named Adele who always managed to sneak in and perform her magic while we were out exploring the island. The beach and gardens were immaculately maintained by the grounds-keepers. All the staff at Caribbean Villas, without exception, were the most professional and pleasant individuals we have ever had the pleasure of dealing with on any of our many worldwide vacations.
It is true there is no restaurant, no bar, no pool, and no gift shop at Caribbean Villas, .. but nor did we want them. All amenities were a very short beach walk away when we were in the mood. Caribbean Villas offered the peaceful, serene vacation we were looking for in what we thought to be a perfect location on the island. There are many wonderful resorts on Ambergris Caye but we will not only return to Caribbean Villas, but would recommend them without hesitation. .

Diane Kerley and Craig Krentz, Edmonton Alberta, Canada, January 2002

* We stopped in to revisit CARIBBEAN VILLAS. This has always been one of our favorite hotels on the island. Susan Lala showed us around, and everything still looked pretty good to us. The Lalas are redoing the small rooms and plan an annual “fall cleaning and spruce up.” To be candid, though, some of the newer places on the island, with freshly minted rooms, swimming pools, hot tubs, cable TV and other spiffy amenities, may appeal more to today’s generation of San Pedro travelers. Older properties like Caribbean Villas, even with their lovely and quiet settings, may need to make some investments to keep up with the Joneses. Lan Sluder, August 2001

* THANK YOU for all the great info when I was planning my trip. Almost all my planning and “doing” was based on info provided by Lan Sluder and BELIZE FIRST. Lan provided extraordinarily valuable information which (together with my computer) made the job of putting the trip together very easy. We three mature (ages 40+) women stayed at BELIZEAN REEF SUITES. I recommend it highly. Small, 6-unit hotel, directly on the beach - 30 steps to the water; highly helpful, personable landlord, willing to go the extra step. Immaculately clean; terrazo floors; large one-bedroom apartment with full kitchen, large living room, fully furnished, nice veranda overlooking the sea. And only US$68 a night! Belize itself was so hot in August that, even though the hot water failed, we had no problem. Virginia, the landlord, said we should immediately have told her. One minus to that hotel is that we were informed that we could use the pool at Ramon's Village -- a half-block walk away -- but a security guard at Ramon's noticed we came from the beach to enter the pool, and he evicted us. Virginia says it happened because in the past some Belizean Reef guests brought young children there who were not behaving appropriately. Diving in Belize is excellent. AND - very inexpensive. Much cheaper than anywhere else I've been. Cozumel has reefs; Bonnaire has exceptional wall dives right off the shore, but Belize has sharks all over the place. You barely dive into the water from a dive boat and friendly sharks are there looking for a handout. The very accommodating dive-masters carry large, sealed jugs filled with fresh-caught, cut-up fish to feed them and the sharks immediately circle around the dive-master, actually bumping into his head and circling his chest. Sting-rays are frequently swimming with the sharks on the shallower dives -- they range in size from about 18" in diameter to 3 to 4 feet, friendly, hungry creatures of the deep - just wanna get fed!! Visibility during August -- when there was a hurricane threat in Texas -- was excellent - you could easily see 70 to 80 feet on the vertical and - about as far as your eyes could see on the horizontal. Water is consistently warm which means you really do not need a wet-suit -- although most divers do seem to wear them. One unusual thing about Ambergris Caye is the large number of dogs walking about; all friendly; thin -- but not begging for food -- very unusual for a third world country, where stray animals are rare. Restaurants: We ate most of our meals in our apartment but one night went to a fun Belizean place - FIDO's. On the beach, welcoming to bare-foot guests in shorts (even tho it was 8 p.m.) The menu, tho not extensive, had usual steak, chicken and half-dozen fish dishes. We all ordered fish -- wise decision! Two of us had snapper -- fresh caught, cooked perfectly and the Key Lime pie was the best I have eaten anywhere, ever!! The waitress was a Canadian with a Belizean mother who had been working there for about a year. She seemed very happy to serve us, a real "professional". The check came to about US$30 for three - including drinks and tip. Excellent value. Following dinner a band set up to play - after 9 p.m. the place turns into a disco and there was a cover charge. The speakers were the size of NY refrigerators and the volume was beyond our ability to listen. Though I have seen complaints about prices, I was very surprised to find things extremely cheap. In the supermarket, prices were very, very close to what I pay in a NY store. Which is remarkable because everything has to be shipped in - it's an island. We also ate at the restaurant at the Sunbreeze Hotel. Again, very good value, inexpensive, good food -- only problem is the service is achingly slow. Friendly, personable but oh-so-slow! Maybe it's my NY rush-rush ways, but I hate to wait 20 to 30 minutes from order to food in front of me. Sheila Slezak, Hicksville, NY, August 1999

* We spent five nights at BANANA BEACH. The hotel is a newer condotel located about 1 1/2 miles south of town, and each unit is pleasantly decorated and well equipped with cable TV, a kitchen, and a/c. They upgraded up to an ocean front unit for free, which seemed like a good deal for $75 per night. The pool is lovely, and I think they are going to add a bar/restaurant at some point. There is no shortage of bars nearby, so we didn't miss it. They also don't charge you for the night you are out on the dive boat if you decide to do an overnight trip, which is very nice of them. I think Coconuts does the same thing. The units are around 500-600 square feet. You could sleep four, but there is no separation between the bedroom area and the living area, so you wouldn't get much privacy. I had two minor quibbles, which is that the a/c is quite loud and the hotel seem overly fond of a powerful cleaning product that makes the whole unit smell like Ajax. We had no doubts that the room was clean, but it was a little too strong (my clothes still smell like it). We ate at ELVI'S twice and enjoyed it both times, although the service variedbetween excellent to minimal. The lobster/shrimp saute in wine sauce is great, and my husband enjoyed the Mayan style chicken wrapped in banana leaves. The key lime pie was also excellent. We had dinner at the TROPICA the first night, and the food was plentiful but way too expensive (more than Capricorn). We had lunch at Ramon's once, and I had a very tasty fish sandwich, and had some excellent banana bread and cinnamon rolls from CELI'S. Our last night we went to CAPRICORN and really enjoyed it, although we got pretty wet on the boat ride out. Excellent food and service, and a very romantic spot. My husband and I hadn't dived for a while and we did a short refresher dive course with the BLUE HOLE DIVE CENTER. It was helpful, although shorter than we would have liked because of weather and our late arrival. We didn't do as much local diving as I would have liked although we did get out to Hol Chan and snorkeled Shark-Ray Alley. A highlight of our trip was the overnight Blue Hole dive trip. We did some great diving and enjoyed staying overnight at Half Moon Caye. Saw tons of sea life including dolphins, fish, coral and sharks! We felt so bonded with our fellow divers that we all headed to BIG DADDY'S the night we got back, including the dive master. We were a little sad to leave San Pedro the next day but packed up and headed off for Jaguar Paw. Vali Frank, Berkeley, California, July 1999

* We spent nights at SUNBREEZE. Nice pool, large, clean room US$120 a night for four people. A step down from Chaa Creek, leaky showers, etc., but decent basic accommodations. Had our first two meals at RASTA PASTA and the food was decent but the service was so slow we decided not to go back. (Editor's Note: Rasta Pasta has been replaced with an Italian restaurant, eventually to be called Caruso, about which we are getting mixed reviews.) We saved lots of money by having breakfast and lunch at the takeout windows of CELI'S and RUBY'S. Super cinnamon rolls, juice and coffee at Ruby's and the lunch specials of local foods were cheap and delicious at Celi's. Great dinner at ELVI'S KITCHEN. LITTLE ITALY was overpriced, slow and bad food. Again, thanks for being such a great source of information -- we love Belize and are telling everyone we know to go there! Cindy Marsh, Woolwich, Maine, February 1999

* SUNBREEZE, P.O. Box 14, Coconut Drive, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Tel. 501.26.2191, fax 501.26.2346, e-mail sunbreeze@btl.net; www.belizenet.com/sunbreeze. Rates for doubles, Dec. 1-Apr. 30, US$100-$135; May 1-Nov. 30, US$90-$120, plus 7% hotel tax and 5% service. Extra person US$10. Children under 12 free. VISA, MC, AMEX accepted with no surcharge. After a very pleasant stay here, SunBreeze is now one of my favorites on Ambergris Caye. The location at the edge of town is ideal, the rooms are big, the A/C is icy cold, and the new pool is wonderful. GAZ COOPER'S dive shop is on site. Julia Edwards, in her no-nonsense style, has done a great job in shaking up this place and improving standards. I'd like to see some additional upgrading, including new furnishings and TVs, maybe fridges in the rooms, and I understand some of this is planned. Lan Sluder, BELIZE FIRST, August 1998

* I took a group of 15 people to Orange Walk for a mission trip. After spending five days in Orange Walk and seeing the Lamanai ruins led by archaeologist Wilfredo of Lamanai Tours, we boarded a plane from Corozal Town to San Pedro. We stayed at SUNBREEZE HOTEL on the beach for a steal: US$70 a night. It is next to Rasta Pasta restaurant, which has great breakfasts including McRasta Muffin. The hotel has a new pool. We enjoyed the spacious rooms with Spanish tile and air conditioning. The downstairs rooms cooled better. We surprised my wife with a birthday party while at dinner at Ramon's. I recommend their restaurant and beach and gift shop. Terrific place, and the owners, from Mississippi, happened to be there when we were. Michael Jordan was to come to Ramon's the week after we left! We went to Elvi's one evening but thought the lobster was tough, and it was very hot inside the restaurant. The waiters were friendly, but I wish we had stayed by Rasta Pasta and the pool. We used AMIGOS DEL MAR snorkeling tour to see Hol Chan and Shark-Ray Alley. The entire trip was a wonderful experience and we will be back in February 1999. Tom Sikes, Madison, Mississippi, June 1998

 * Got some snorkeling in at San Pedro while we were at MAYAN PRINCESS. The manager there is named, I swear this is true, Rusty Nale. He and his wife run the place. Very nice. Had more lobster and margaritas than the law allows at FIDO'S. Also managed to over-sample the difference between Belikin (some say Battery Acid) and Belikin Premium. Kathy and I would both like to go back to San Pedro and spend a couple of weeks. George Self, Asheville, North Carolina, January 1999

* E-mail from HOTEL DEL RIO: Hello and good day to you! This is Brook Seale, the new owner of the Hotel del Rio on Ambergris Caye in San Pedro Town. Hotel del Rio is located on the Boco del Rio Drive in San Pedro, on the beach. It features cabanas and rooms with art and the view to die for at reasonable rates. We offer a swimming dock, fishing and diving trips, Mayan ruin trips, and the oldest sea grape tree on the island. Air conditioned rooms, full kitchen in Cabana Grande and Chica Grande on the beach. Rates are as follows: May-October -- US$45 to $75 per night, with weekly rates, triple occupancy, families, couples or groups. Also weekly rates are discounted. November - April -- US$55 to $85. E-mail us at: hodelrio@btl.net or call us at 011-501-2-62286 Brook Seale, Hotel del Rio, MAY 1999

* My wife and I just got back from two weeks in beautiful Belize...what a great holiday. We stayed two nights at BILTMORE PLAZA in Belize City, nice hotel, then traveled on to San Pedro and 12 nights at the PLAYADOR HOTEL. What a disappointment the hotel was. We paid enough for a first class hotel and ended up what can be best described as budget lodgings. Our room was supposed to have a mini-kitchen but had nothing. However, we did end up with a fridge & microwave but no utensils, dishes etc. The poor lighting in the room made it difficult to read in the evenings, something we were looking forward to with no TV to distract. The hotel manager was very unfriendly only talking to us the day we checked out. There is a whole list of negatives about this hotel, no restaurant, very uncomfortable bed but the one big disappointment that the promised "on site dive shop" was, according to a letter posted in our room, not recommended for use by hotel guests. Further investigation revealed that there is an ongoing dispute between the new owners of the hotel and the dive shop operator, not a good scene. I would not recommend the Playador and feel sorry for people that own condos there -- beautiful location but management ? However we didn't let this spoil the holiday. (Editor's Note: Since receiving this Update we have heard from several people who have stayed at the Playador/Exotic Caye Resort under its new ownership, and their comments generally have been positive.) Favorite tour operator: SEADUCED BY BELIZE, excellent service. Favorite dive shop: AMIGOS DEL MAR. Favorite restaurant: FIDO's. We really enjoyed the people of Belize, friendly & helpful. Will be back! George and Val Croome, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, February 1999

* After Placencia, we flew to Ambergris to spend the rest of our stay at RAMON'S VILLAGE. Ambergris is by far the most commercial of the places we stayed. This isn't a criticism, though, it's just a different atmosphere than the rest of the places. We really welcomed the change because we were ready to sit back, relax and be pampered. The rooms are smaller than Rum Point Inn in Placencia, but they were still nice and were really all that we needed. We didn't spend much time in them anyway. They have a brand new pool that is really neat. They were also building a brand new extension to their dock. They had already rebuilt part of it due to damage from Mitch. Now they are extending it and adding a big hut for people to sit under and an area to swim off of. We took a snorkeling trip out to Shark Ray Alley and had a wonderful time. We got to touch the sharks and the rays. Even my mom loved it. My sister joined us for the last part of the trip to do some diving. She went out to the Blue Hole for an entire day and said that she really loved it. She has dived all over the world and felt like this was a truly unique experience for any diver. She wouldn't recommend it for snorkelers though because you can't see much unless you dive it. Two days my dad and I went fishing for a half day trip. Our guide Lewis was so much fun and a super fisherman. We caught tons of barracudas. The best part was that when we brought the fish back at noon, Lewis filleted all the fish and then the cooks at Ramon's cooked all of it for us for lunch. They only charged us $5 per person and that included salad and fries. It was amazing! We also had dinner at RASTA PASTA and ELVI'S KITCHEN. My food at Rasta Pasta was great, I had a pizza with shrimp on it. My mom had a wonderful curry dish. My sister and my dad had some sort of fried shrimp, and I don't think they were too impressed by it. The service was fine, but it was kind of windy sitting out on the porch and the no see 'ums were horrible. I looked like I had the chicken pox at the end of the trip. Elvi's Kitchen was a blast. The atmosphere was so fun and the service was super. We loved the live music and the sand floor. I had the Caribbean chicken and loved it. My mom and sister had the crab. They enjoyed it, but it was a little overcooked. I can't remember what my dad had, some sort of fish I'm sure, and he really liked it. It was so fun to sip fancy drinks and sing along to Jimmy Buffet style music. We went into town several times during our stay. It's just a beach walk away from Ramon's. We bought all kinds of silly souvenirs ranging from t-shirts to snow globes. We had really good luck at a little jewelry shop called Eva's. The guy there, Bernabe, was great. He gave us all kinds of deals because we bought so much stuff. He even got my mom to buy a toe ring! We loved Ambergris and of all the places we stayed we are most likely to return to Ramon's. We got a chance to meet Ramon and we had such fun visiting with him. My mom is a big Jerry Jeff Walker fan and it turns out Ramon knows him. He gave my mom a copy of Jerry's new CD that was autographed. Talk about customer service!! I think our trip allowed us to get a good flavor of what Belize is all about. My whole family is already planning to return next year to see what new adventures Belize might hold for us. Meghan Alexis, Champaign, Illinois, March 1999

* My diving trip was wonderful. I used RAMON'S VILLAGE DIVE SHOP -- ask for the dive master named Donovan, as he is attentive and will take you to places you want to go. Gives you freedom to dive your own plan and the security of a watchful eye while in the water. ESTELLE'S is the perfect place to take the children for cheeseburgers and great grilled fish (grouper is my favorite). If you have had your fill of grill, try the fried shrimp -- hmm hmmm good with a cold Belikin. For an evening treat, have a Purple Parrot from the bar at Ramon's. There is a band, the Caribbean Shells on Friday nights. Tell them the Soca Lady said hi and have Aaron give you a dance lesson. Cheryl Dennis, New Orleans, Louisiana

* I just returned from Ambergris Caye. I was my first visit to Central America. We stayed at RAMON'S VILLAGE. The accommodations are okay, but rather expensive. They do have the best beach and very friendly waiters!!!!! Also , we ate breakfast every morning, and it was good, if rather pricey. Their bar is great and is one of the few places with any action at night. I also checked out the BELIZE YACHT CLUB, very nice and much more modern, with all units A/C -- they don't have a restaurant to speak of, just a little outdoor cafe and bar. We snorkeled twice out at Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley, WONDERFUL. Highly recommend that. As far as restaurants, we found Rasta Pasta to be very good, conch fritters to die for, and prices reasonable! They have little bit of everything from HUGE burritos, jerk chicken, and fish to home made chili rellenos. We also liked DUKE'S across the street from Ramon's, prices good and food was good -- nothing fancy but good. Vita Hall, El Granada, California, May 1997

* Add CARIBE ISLAND RESORT to your BELIZE FIRST recommended list! For people who want a little isolation, but not the hassle of being on the north end of the caye, Caribe Island is perfect. We visited Banyan Bay (already starting to look a little run down), Royal Palms, The Palms, Casa Caribe and several others, and would not stay at any of those when we go back to Belize. The service, cleanliness (immaculate would be a better term), and convenience of having a bar, small restaurant, and the shuttle to town were exceptional. John Michel, Jacksonville, Florida, May 1998

 * I wanted to recount to your reader's my magical trip to Belize. I arrived in Belize City on TACA (Take a Chance Airlines) on an enjoyable flight. I then transferred to Ambergris Caye on Maya Island Air. A tiny old plane which made me very nervous. Tropic Air had newer planes, but they were also small, so I don't know if that would have made a difference in my comfort level. I was greeted at the "airport" by my host from CARIBBEAN VILLAS, Susan Lala. Since we arrived late (7 p.m.) she transported us directly to our room. It was very nice, with a full kitchen (including percolator) and was clean and comfortable. We toured San Pedro early the next morning with Javier from the Villas, who was candid and informative about where to go and what to do. He stopped at Rock's for us to pick up a few groceries, dropped us at Estel's for a terrific breakfast. Javier took our groceries back to the Villa and even put them away for us. We explored town after breakfast and came back to arrange our activities with Beth the desk clerk at the Villas. Beth was extraordinary, she even changed flight times and arranged for another room at Coconuts when we decided to extend our stay. The reef (Hol Chan and shark/ray alley) with Alphonse were breathtaking. Alphonse is fearless around aquatic creatures and went to every extreme to insure we got to see all the animals and fish. He even swam to the reef and grabbed a nurse shark and brought it to us. Another memorable all day trip was the one to Lamanai with Elito. I found he and his associates knowledgeable and candid about Mayan civilization, Belizean flora and fauna. Elito was a wonderful host, charming and funny, with plenty of drinks, snacks and lunch to make our day enjoyable. Lamanai was very spiritually moving, even though I am not religious. I felt awed at all the jungle had swallowed up when the Mayans abandoned it. My recommendations for restaurants are TROPICA, FIDO'S, CELI'S, LA MARGARITA, ESTEL'S, RASTA PASTA AND EL PATIO. I found the people of Belize wonderfully friendly. The only negatives were 1) young children wandering alone through the restaurants selling various wares late at night. Maybe my American paranoia found this a pedophile's dream. 2) Sub-standard pay for service personnel 3) A confusing Value Added Tax on restaurant checks. I was never sure whether this included tip or not, so I always added one. My vacation was magical and I definitely want to go back and explore the mountains (Pine Ridge area) and other Maya archeological sites. I highly recommend you visit Belize, particularly Ambergris Caye, if you ever get an opportunity. Susan Calhoun, Lexington, Kentucky (Susanc3@prodigy.net), March 1999

* My room at CARIBBEAN VILLAS was clean, cool and comfortable. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The downside is the lack of food and drink at the hotel. There is a convenience store (ROCK'S) 2-3 blocks away. You can buy fruit and drinks to stock the small refrigerator in the room. The nearest cafes/bars are about a 10-minute walk north along the beach or 5 minutes south. The TROPICA (south) serves an excellent breakfast, a little pricey but very tasty and generous portions. Breakfast can be delivered by the BUN MAN. He delivers fresh, hot-from-the-oven cinnamon rolls, coffee, orange juice. My two-roll breakfast-for-one was $10. Very good rolls but too expensive for a daily indulgence. Dinner at the TROPICA was also good: typical Belizean stew chicken with rice and beans. Big portions again. I ordered conch ceviche as an appetizer and there was enough for three people. Dinner downtown at CELI'S was underwhelming: US$18 for a mediocre seafood platter. I had good barbecued shrimp and reggae at RASTA PASTA. John Lumb, Houston, Texas, December 1998

* After our time in Cayo, it was on to Ambergris Caye to finish out the week. We were driven to the Municipal Airport in Belize City for our short flight to Ambergris aboard MAYA AIRLINES (US$23.50/person one-way). Upon landing, we were met at the airstrip by Wil Lala, the owner of CARIBBEAN VILLAS, where we would be staying for the remainder of our trip (US$125/night plus tax). He loaded our luggage into his golf cart (one of the standard forms of transportation on the island along with bikes, a few cars, boats, and walking) and gave us a quick tour of San Pedro before depositing us at the door of our room. We had a nice suite with a sink, stove (no oven), microwave, refrigerator, sofa (more of a concrete bench with cushions - but still comfortable), king-size bed and bathroom with stand-up shower. The room also had A/C, but we didn't use it as there was ample breeze coming off the water at all times. The view overlooked the sea and we could see and hear the waves breaking on the reef just offshore. After checking in with Beth, the extremely helpful receptionist/tour coordinator, we were all set up for our next few days adventures. But first we tested the waters at the end of the dock right there at Caribbean Villas. With our masks and snorkels (which we brought with us) and complimentary fins from the hotel, we swam around the end of the dock where Wil has created an artificial reef he has nicknamed "Little Hol Chan." We saw two eels, numerous smaller fish and one large school of medium-sized fish. It was a nice whetting of the appetite for the snorkeling we would do at the real Hol Chan the next day. We headed into San Pedro for dinner, walking the short mile into town. We ate at CELI'S (which has a nice view right on the beach but with netting to keep the bugs out), where I took Wil's advice and ordered the stuffed fish (grouper stuffed with cheese and fried with a beer batter) and Tricia had the lobster. Both were very good and affordable (approximately US$10 and US$20, respectively). We then took a leisurely stroll back down the beach to our room.The next morning, we awoke early to the sound of rain. After checking to make sure the snorkeling trip we would be taking was still on, we walked up to the nearby Rock's grocery store (which Wil calls Pebble's, because it is smaller than the Rock's up in San Pedro) and bought eggs, bread, juice and fruit for a breakfast in our room. Then it was off to the end of the dock to be picked up by our snorkeling guide, Alphonse (US$20/person for half day snorkeling plus US$2.50/person entrance fee at Hol Chan). Alphonse was a great guide, obviously very at home in the water. He loves his job and loves to show people all around the reef, pointing out the many different types of fish, calling out the eels from their hiding places, and diving down to point out interesting features in the coral. After leaving Hol Chan, he took us over to Shark/Ray Alley. Because of the rainy weather, we were the only boat there when we first arrived. That was nice, because Alphonse has a remarkable rapport with the nurse sharks and stingrays that inhabit the area. He would snap his fingers or bang his fist against his palm and they would swim right up to him and let him hold them, or, in the case of the rays, put them on his head and wear them as hats as he swam up to the surface! After our return to shore, we showered and borrowed a couple of the complimentary bicycles at Caribbean Villas to ride into town on. We stopped for lunch at RASTA PASTA. Again the food was very good with very generous portions (US$5 to $10). After lunch we bicycled around town, even heading north across the small hand-pulled ferry. Then it was back to the room for a siesta. Too tired to walk anywhere for dinner, we called a cab (US$2.50 ). We had dinner at THE REEF (US$10 to $15). Again we were not disappointed with either the food or the proportions. A walk back to the room along the beach helped dinner settle and get us ready for a good night's rest. Saturday, we again ate breakfast in the room, then went with HUSTLER TOURS for a day of sailing and snorkeling aboard their catamaran (US$45/person not including lunch). The day started off beautifully as we set sail. The sun came out from behind the clouds, the wind was nice, and the crew friendly. We first stopped at Hol Chan for snorkeling. We then set sail again for our lunchtime stop at Caye Caulker. We were escorted to the TROPICAL PARADISE resort, where we had lunch at their outdoor eating area (US$2 to $15). Unfortunately, another storm rolled in as we were finishing lunch, so we didn't get to walk around Caye Caulker at all. The weather also prevented us from sailing back to Ambergris, so we had to use the small outboard motor the whole way. After cleaning up, we took a long nap, not waking up until 9:00 p.m. We decided that we would stick close to the hotel so we ate at EL PATIO, which is across the street from Caribbean Villas. We were treated to a Spanish serenade by two strolling guitar players which added to the already rich ambience of the restaurant. Dinner was a little pricier here (US$15 to $25), but the food was excellent and more than enough. Sunday was planned as our day of rest before we had to leave the next day. We slept in and then bicycled into town for lunch at FIDO'S. What can I say -- another delicious meal (US$10). We then hit a few of the tourist shops to buy some postcards, souvenirs, and presents. It was then back to the hotel for our special treat. As we had arranged with Wil's help that morning, a massage therapist, Lynn, showed up at our room at precisely 2:30 that afternoon. She set up her table and then proceeded to give first Tricia, and then myself, a relaxing and much needed full-body massage, for an hour each (US$50/hour ). This was pricey, but it was our honeymoon and it was a nice splurge. That night we tried LA MARGARITA for dinner. This was our only dining disappointment of the trip. The food was cold upon arrival and did not have much taste. Oh well, one bad meal all week isn't too bad. John and Tricia Wroton, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, July 1998

* Diving around Ambergris Caye: As background, I am a rec diver with about 30 dives and was interested in some light diving, not five tanks a day. We flew AMERICAN from Miami to Belize City, and ISLAND AIR over to Ambergris Caye. Customs went very quickly, with no inspections. Island Air competes with Tropic Air, with Tropic running the larger, newer planes. We stayed at CARIBBEAN VILLAS. A very nice little place south of San Pedro, highly recommended. It is a 20- minute walk to town but is quiet and provides free bicycles if you don't want to walk. They will arrange all your trips and activities for you. Next time we will probably stay at the BELIZE YACHT CLUB. It has great facilities, good food, and a dive operation right on the pier. There are a number of nice places to eat, but some are a bit pricey. For the best local food at great prices try THE REEF, on Middle Street in town. Dive operations: We used two dive shops. UNDERSEA ADVENTURES was OK, but ran too small a boat for my tastes. They also had a dearth of equipment to rent -- no wet suits, no big lights, etc. AMIGOS DEL MAR: Bigger, better boats, but they ran us right at the edge of the tables. My buddy's computer read 34 minutes of bottom time available as we started a 40-minute second tank dive. The newest dive operation is TORTUGA, and they run out of the BYC with the largest, best boat on the caye. Although we did not use them, I would try them next time. There were two favorites among the divers on the caye: HUSTLER TOURS (ask for Billy) and BLUE HOLE DIVERS. Skip the ones we used and try those guys out. Dive sites: The wind was too high the first three days and most places were out. The only trips running were two+ hour runs in rough seas. I laid in the hammock and had a rum punch or two instead. When we finally got out we tried a few spots just outside the barrier reef. Very nice dives at 70-80 feet with lots to see. Water temps in the 80s. Be sure to check out Shark Ray Alley. You will never see so many sharks and rays. We have some awesome pictures. Save this for later in the trip, however, as it is inside the reef and can be done in bad weather and it will spoil you for large marine life for the rest of the trip. Gee, look, another six-foot ray. Ho hum. Hol Chan Marine reserve is nice, but can have a strong current. When the current is running out to sea you have to be careful not to get too far out in the channel, or you'll have a devil of a time getting back to the boat. Peter Morris, Chicago, February 1997

 * My husband and I have just returned from a wonderful vacation in Belize and Mexico.We stayed at the ROYAL PALM south of San Pedro, and yes, we are satisfied timeshare owners trading into a lovely resort. We took an excursion with Willy from SEARIUS ADVENTURES and for lunch we went to MARUBA (on the Old Northern Highway) for a delicious meal at the beautiful resort. Pat Nethercote, Nelson, British Columbia, Canada, July 1998

* LETTER FROM THE TIDES BEACH RESORT: The new Tides Beach Resort is located just north of San Pedro town, a five-minute walk from all of the action. The rooms come with two double beds or a king-size bed. There are 12 rooms in all, each with its own name and theme. All of the rooms have two fans but air conditioning and refrigerator are optional. This is a family-owned and run establishment and it is not unlikely to share a Sunday barbecue with the owners. Our rooms are all beach front and over look our dive center. Our rates are reasonable. We offer a double with fans for US$60 or with the optional air conditioning US$75. Patojos Scuba Center is a fully operational dive shop. I am sure that you have heard of him. Patojo has been written up in numerous articles for his impressive diving skills. Our dive shop offers dive and snorkeling excursions. Patojo and his wife Sabrina share ownership of the Tides. Chrissy Tolles, The Tides Beach Resort, February 1999

* Our apartment at EMERALD REEF SUITES was fantastic -- lots of carved hardwoods, designer fabrics, very comfortable furniture, and staff service that just didn't quit. We ate three times at THE REEF (great food), twice at BARRIER REEF HOTEL (good), ESTEL'S several times (more great food), REALITY CAFE (good), the palapa at PARADISE HOTEL (what a surprise--this place made the best chili I've had anywhere), CELI'S. Casa de Cafe is now the ISLAND CAFE, but the menu doesn't seem to have changed much. Allison Johnson, Gainesville, Florida, December 1997

* We spent four days on Ambergris Caye, staying at PARADISE VILLAS. We were very pleased with the condos there. Our waterfront unit featured AC, cable TV, kitchen with dishes, living area, as well as bed and bath. The furniture was comfortable, the condo well-decorated. This facility is a three- to five- minute walk from the center of San Pedro. There is a grocery store a stone's throw away which was well-stocked, if not inexpensive. (Sample prices: 16 oz. spaghetti, US$1.65; 14 oz. Prego sauce, US$2.32; 6-pack of English muffins, US$3.35; 1 qt. milk, US$1.95.) A nice feature was that the daily housekeeping including dishwashing, thus making the option of eating some meals more acceptable to the dishwasher(s) in the family. The fresh-water pool was very nice. The pool was designed for a swim-up bar, but that was not in operation while we were there (a bit ahead of high season). ELVI'S KITCHEN has nice atmosphere -- sand floors with a towering thatched roof above. Waitstaff was bow-tied and making every effort to be helpful. The food was good, if not great (compared to other places we ate in Belize). Portions were as small as you would expect from a "gourmet" restaurant. Dinner for two with drinks was US$42.50. THE REEF was a real favorite of ours. The conch was vastly superior to that at Elvi's Kitchen at a fraction of the cost. The atmosphere is very laid back, and the place is frequented by Belizeans and tourists alike. Lunch was very casual fish sandwich and french fries. For two with drinks was US$8. Dinner was a large plate of broiled shrimp with rice, beans, and plantains; also a huge portion of conch. For two with drinks US$23. A real bargain and absolutely enjoyable. CAPRICORN had probably the most gourmet food we encountered on Ambergris Caye. There are two ways to get there, water taxi or by golf cart. We opted for the latter, crossing the river on the hand-pulled ferry and following the cart path some distance to the restaurant. The setting is delightful, the service excellent, the presentation close to perfect for Belize. We had lobster and fish crepes in a sherry mushroom sauce as well as a seafood medley on rice with a peppery tomato sauce. With a couple of beers it was US$32 for lunch for two. I wouldn't recommend trying to do the golf cart thing after dark. Todd and Laura Oxner, Summerfield, North Carolina, November 1997

* I just returned from an incredible vacation in Belize, one of the best vacations I've ever had; a perfect blend of diving off Ambergris Caye and jungle adventure in the Cayo. We started with a relaxed stay at Susan Garcia's two-bedroom condo at PARADISE VILLAS at the northern end of San Pedro. We could walk to everything. We spent six days diving with HUSTLER TOURS, an incredibly conscientious dive shop. Carlos was our dive master for daytime dives and Billy, one of the owner's brothers, was our dive master for our night dives; both were extremely knowledgeable about reef ecology. The night dives were especially spectacular with the 4 foot rainbow parrot fish and bioluminescent tube worms and plankton presenting us with underwater fireworks, octopus, coral shrimp, giant hogfish, feeding coral and funny brittle stars that run away on two legs like muppets when you shine your light on them. We shopped in the local markets and ate breakfast at the condo every morning. The homemade yogurts you can buy (vanilla, pineapple, mango, orange) are outrageously yummy. The condo has air conditioning in the bedrooms and ceiling fans throughout. You'll find a full-size refrigerator, a gas stove, toaster, and even a blender. The condo is managed for Susan by AMIGO TRAVEL. They were marvelous in changing reservations for us. The best restaurant we tried was RASTA PASTA -- super food. I tried a delicious coconut curry one night and blackened chicken another. Maralyn Gill, owner with her husband, Albert, was generous enough to share her own personal plate of yummy, deep-fried honey- dipped shrimp with me one night when I arrived after the kitchen had closed! And Albert's Reggae Band was great fun to listen to as we ate. Andrea End, Croton-on-Hudson, New York, January 1998

* RUBY'S HOTEL: We had two single beds with a night table between the beds, and a rack with coat hangers and a place to put suitcases. The bathroom had a mirror, and hot water. It took us a day to ask how to turn off the bathroom light, which was behind the mirror. There was a standing fan, and a bookcase. Outside on the deck, there were chairs and a table, and there were lines outside (with clothespins) to hang stuff to dry. It faces right onto the beach, and there is a pier. The only disadvantage of this hotel is that it is a little noisy. The hotel people were very helpful. We also had breakfast here, but most of the stuff is too sweet for my taste. The rum cake is very good, but not for me for breakfast -- US$3.25 for two. At LITTLE ITALY, we had the lunch buffet. They give you water at the table Nice selection. US$15 for two without drinks. CELI'S had excellent food and service. We had snapper ranchero, steamed rice, and Caye lime pie. US$28.75 including tax and tip for two. Rosalie Beasley. Leonardtown, Maryland, March 1998

* Recommended: RUBY'S HOTEL This is an inexpensive but clean and well run hotel on the water. It is also within walking distance from the airport -- yes, even carrying baggage . Don't go through the terminal, just to the street at the end of the runway, turn right at the first corner and you can't miss it. They have e-mail, rubys@btl.net, and I found Esther very helpful. Rooms on the water side are preferable as there is a store across the street that plays loud music -- although not at night. They have a small coffee shop noted for pastries. RECOMMENDED: MICKEY'S RESTAURANT. Recommended to us by another restaurant which was not open for breakfast. Good recommendation. RECOMMENDED: RAMON'S GLASS BOTTOM BOAT. Ramon lives in a blue house on the main street in San Pedro. We used him on three separate occasions. He is a skilled knowledgeable boatman and also accommodating. His boat adds another dimension. It is not as fast as many but getting there can be half the fun -- at least if not going too far. Eric Swanson, San Diego, California, January 1998

* My husband and I are not your typical travelers to Belize, being older than most. He is a judge and I am a retired chemist, but here goes. My dive at the Blue Hole was mind-boggling, but would not have been if Chris Allnatt (bluehole@btl.net) at the BLUE HOLE DIVE CENTER hadn't first given me an article explaining a little of the history of the Blue Hole. All the other dives with the Blue Hole Dive Center close to Ambergris Caye were beautiful and spectacular in the amount and color of marine life and coral. I especially liked "The Tackle Box" and "The Wreck." I am a relatively new diver but am thoroughly hooked and thrilled to have a new interest like this at my age (got certified a year ago.) My husband doesn't enjoy diving so he doesn't. He took a trip to the mainland by boat and up a river to some Mayan ruins which he enjoyed very much. Other than that he relaxed around THE PALMS where we were staying or enjoyed the town of San Pedro. We found The Palms a delightful place to stay with very helpful and friendly hosts Randy and Karen. We both particularly enjoyed watching the activity on the dock in the late afternoon which was about 29 feet from our terrace. The snorkeling off the end of the dock was good too. A.J. and Trish Hall, Muncie, Indiana, December 1997

 * The TROPICA BEACH RESORT is a rather recent addition to the many resorts springing up on Ambergris Caye. When I visited, I was pleased that the 4-plex cabana was exactly as pictured in their brochure. Each spacious room is furnished with white wicker and can sleep up to four people. There is a queen sized bed, a trundle couch/bed, end tables, coffee table, dresser and 2 closets. A separate bathroom with shower, sink and toilet is on the back side of the unit, while out front facing the water, is a porch with the most comfortable folding wooden chairs. A Mennonite craftsman sells them twice a week in downtown San Pedro...I came home to New York with two chairs! The room is cooled by the breeze through the louvered windows, and two ceiling fans. There are no room phones or t.v.s, but both can be found at the open air bar. The unit is a few yards from the water and a dock. The beach at the Tropica is one of the best on the caye---but that's not saying much. My idea of vacation is that of lounging on a sandy beach and spending hours floating on my trusty raft in calm, sparkling clear water. The beaches on Ambergris Caye are minimal, and the water is quite sea-weedy and grassy. I spent the first two days thinking that I had truly erred in my choice of islands, and began questioning why a well known dive spot such as this had very few people in the water. I was told that the water is safe, but the majority of vacationers swim off the docks or go out on boats to dive spots. So-the local folks and I had the shore-line water to ourselves! Well..almost......There was a resident sting-ray that shared the water with us. Unfortunately,two people were stung after accidentally stepping on him.....I was REALLY glad for my raft! Although the Tropica doesn't have a water-excursion center, manager Manuel Leiva was able to arrange through Ramon's any boat excursion I wanted. Also, the Royal Palm's water center was within easy walking distance and I booked some snorkeling trips myself. Speaking of walking......There are basically two roads to get into town, which is a good 15 minute walk. I walked the beach path barefoot, but on the way back, wished I had worn shoes. Most of this route is lighted by the resorts and homes, but there are a few dark spots. Although I felt safe on this path, I suggest being cautious .The main road isn't as scenic, but is a fast trip on a bicycle which the Tropica provides (free) for its guests. Also available , for a rental fee, are golf carts, while a taxi to town ( and the airport) costs $10. Half way to town was Rocks, one of the biggest grocery stores. It was a handy place to pick up a soda or Belikin beer to quench my thirst en route to or from town. And speaking of food...There is plenty of variety from street vendors to up-scale restaurants. The Tropica has one of the best lobster specials priced at US$17. Dining can be either inside or outdoors on the deck. Either place, the mosquitoes found me and I quickly learned that spraying with bug repellent at dusk was a must. This was hurricane season, thus there were nightly winds and storms which precipitated the gnats/mosquito problem. Take bug spray!!!!! Anyway,the reputation of the SEAGRILL is spreading, and more people are finding their way to the restaurant. (Other savory spots are LILY'S, the REEF, and BUN MAN for pizza). I noticed that many local folks stopped by Tropica's bar or deck to relax and socialize after work and on weekends. It was usually a quiet group, and the bar closed around 11 pm. The week prior to my visit was livelier due to a Budweiser sponsored volleyball tournament held on the grounds. While I was at the Tropica, a temporary medical school was under construction on the adjacent property. I was forewarned, and expected hammering and all, yet there was very little noise. The medical complex, which should be near completion, will house students,which means there will be more people around this resort. Also-the Tropica has completed another 4-plex cabana and is adding two more cabanas and a swimming pool next Fall. There seemed to be a lot of construction on Ambergris Caye and I think it will become overly cluttered with buildings and tourists. I certainly hope it doesn't become more commercial or lose it's safe and friendly atmosphere. Besides, I'd rather see Belize invest more in colorful vegetation than in buildings. If I return ,it will be to go again to the Blue Hole , buy more chairs and visit my new friends ...and yes,I'd definitely stay at the Tropica Beach Resort despite that sting-ray. Bev Schmidt, Ithaca, New York, July 1997

* We flew from Gallon Jug to Ambergris Caye (Tropic Air charter, US$216 for the plane, not per person) where we stayed at COCONUTS. David at the front desk made our stay there carefree and fun, from arranging our flight back to Belize City to hiring a boat and guide for just the two of us for a day of reef fishing and snorkeling...highly recommended for US$150! Coconuts is about 1/3 mile south of town, quiet, with a nice beach (no swimming unless you go off the dock) and the essential air conditioning. Prices from April thru December range from US$65-$95. We dove with BLUE HOLE DIVE CENTER and were very pleased. With 11 dives and all our equipment, it averaged out to US$40 per dive. They work strictly within your ability, and if they don't have the right dive for you that day, they will work with other dive centers to get you on the right dive. We enjoyed dining at EL PATIO (around the corner from Coconuts), CELI'S for a full breakfast, and THE REEF. CAPRICORN we thought was too warm and the food overpriced. Betsy Benoit, Warwick, Rhode Island, April 1998

* Having individually vacationed in several other places in the Caribbean, my new wife and I chose Belize as a unique place to visit. We were not disappointed. We stayed at COCONUTS - wonderful and accommodating staff (who decorated our "honeymoon" suite with fresh fruit, flowers and balloons), very reasonable rates, and away from the noise and traffic of town. EL PATIO, a new restaurant just around the corner, was a delight, with great food, good prices, and a strolling guitarist. B.C.'s beach bar in front of Coconuts has a great Sunday barbecue, and the chance to mingle with some local folks and international guests together made for enjoyable camaraderie. We also had a superb meal at LITTLE ITALY. Our only complaint on the whole trip was the limited availability of good red wine at reasonable prices - a very minor loss - well offset by the fly fishing for bonefish! The people of Ambergris Caye,and the relaxed living made it the PERFECT honeymoon. We can't wait to go back! Don and Linda Lincoln, Annapolis, Maryland, October 1997

* I visited Ambergris in March 97 for a long four-day weekend just to get my Open Water Diving certification. Ambergris strikes me as what the Caribbean must've been like in the 50s -- charming, friendly, and relaxed. No fake smiles for the tourists here. Everybody seems to be really having a good time. Some of my friends who prefer Hyatts wouldn't like it, but I loved it the minute I stepped off the plane. I chose the dive shop (FANTASEA WATERSPORTS, e-mail fantasea@btl.net) from those I located on the Web and who actually answered my e-mail. Rebecca McDonald answered every e-mail and stupid question about diving and Belize in general. She recommended COCONUTS as a hotel. I couldn't have been happier. The hotel was small and personal, but with large comfortable rooms and a fantastic view from every room. The coffee and fresh-baked breads in the morning were excellent, and a real nice and appreciated touch. I was traveling alone and the lack of phone or TV threw me at first, but now I wouldn't have it any different. If I wasn't underwater or sleeping, I was at the beach bar just out front, where it seems more locals hang out than guests or tourists. I learned more about Belize from the archeologists, pilots, dive instructors, and real estate people than I could from any guidebook. I've been to most of the Caribbean Islands and all around Mexico, and last year I sailed for two months from Antigua to Puerto Rico, and I loved every town on every island. But I'm bringing my wife to Belize next month to stay at Coconuts and shop real estate, I liked it that much. Bob Kennett, Goffstown, New Hampshire, March 1997

 * My girlfriend and I wanted to pass our experience on to others who might be considering Belize for a vacation. First, I would like to say that we had one hell of a vacation in Belize ~ it is a great place to go. The sites were excellent and the people we met there were great. There was only one incident that left a really sour taste in our mouths and that was a resort we stayed at on Ambergris Caye called JOURNEY'S END. We started out for three days in San Ignacio. We had gotten hooked up with a company called MAYALAND TOURS who provide a guide and various day trips (we went to Mountain Pine Ridge, Tikal in Guatemala, and to Xunantunich). Our guide Randy was great. I can recommend Mayaland hands down as an A-1 tour agency. We stayed at the San Ignacio Hotel which was nestled in the hills. The staff was nice, our room was great, and the food was also really good. The trouble began when we started on the second half of our trip. We got booked by our travel agent in Journey's End. Stay away from it. I would like to make this point very clear, the people who worked at Journey's End were nice but the management were total jerks. The brochure for the resort is [more than] a stretch of the imagination. Our room was presented as an secluded beach cabana, but in reality it was only one foot away from the other secluded beach cabanas. The shower was busted, they seemed to forget to provide essentials like toilet paper, towels, and the maid left our door open after cleaning the room. (We are from New York City, so leaving the door unlocked is a real no no.) There was no phone in the room, which wouldn't have been a problem except for when you run out of TP or want to take a shower and have no towels and have to drag your self to the main office to say "hey I have no TP" to which they reply "the maid will bring you some." What they didn't tell you was that will be in about four hours. Not to mention the horrible stench from the massive amounts of rotting sea weed that they didn't bother to clean up (unlike hotels on the rest of the island which removed it when it got unbearable). The worst part of all this was when we went to talk to the assistant manager. We had gone before to see if we could get another room because of the stench and the noise and were told "yes, but we don't know when" and after things started to get worse we went back yet again and were basically told us we were free to leave if we didn't like it. What we didn't hear is "we're sorry,",or "is there anything we can do?" or maybe "we will try to get you another room tomorrow." We ended up taking the loss and leaving because our vacation time is precious to us. We ended at ROCK'S INN in San Pedro which was paradise compared to Journey's End. Rock's had huge clean rooms with a kitchen and was a stone's throw away from all l the dive shops and restaurants in San Pedro, plus the people who work here were really nice to us. Belize is a great place to vacation and we will definitely be back to do some more diving. Jeremy Probber, New York, New York, August 1997

* JOURNEY'S END responds: We take complaints very seriously. We have provided Mr. Probber's complaint to the property management for comments and any details that they may have on this situation. As always, we encourage guests to let the property managers know immediately when something is wrong and when they are not happy with Journey's End. The seaweed that Mr. Probber mentions was not on our property but on a neighbor's land. We could not legally remove it without proper consent. Once the consent was obtained from the absentee owner, the seaweed was removed immediately. We also now have his permission to remove it on a continual basis. Mr. Probber was upgraded to a premier ocean view cabana from a standard lagoon view room. While fully air conditioned, the ocean view cabanas do not have telephones by design. The remaining 60 units do have telephones. The toilet paper and unlocked door situation has been addressed with the management at the property, and it is our policy to make sure doors are locked and all rooms are furnished with the proper necessities. As far as Mr. Probber's remarks about the management at the property, I can only say that Jim Scott, general manager, and Lynne Mellone, assistant manager, are among the top and most-respected managers on Ambergris Caye. You have noted in BELIZE FIRST that you visited the property and found that you liked what the new owners had done in repositioning the property to a more family oriented resort especially with the new pricing. Since that visit, Journey's End has made enormous progress in refurbishing the entire property which includes new landscaping throughout the grounds, a new roof for the Caribbean Trader Restaurant, new brick decking around the swimming pool, in addition to the continual maintenance of all of the units and grounds. I might also add that we have a new dive operator managing our dive center. Even though, once in awhile, we do receive letters of complaint, we do receive quite a considerable amount of positive letters on how much guests have enjoyed staying at Journey's End and plan on returning. Just recently we received a letter from a guest who also lives in New York wherein he stated that he had such a great time with his girlfriend at Journey's End this past March that he was planning on returning to Journey's End in February 1998 to get married on the property. In closing, please allow me to reassure you and your readers as well, that while we find letters of this nature disturbing, we also encourage them. We want to know what we're doing right, and wrong also. Denny Shane Journey's End Resort

* I spent six days on Ambergris Caye with a group of eight people. We had a great time scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing, and bicycle riding. We stayed at the ROCK'S INN in San Pedro on the beach and really enjoyed our visit. Rock's Inn has about 14 air-conditioned, large, spacious rooms with full kitchens. The humidity is so high in Belize, that you really need the relief of an air conditioner in your room. We had a package deal, but I think the rooms run about US$85 per night. Jaime and Rigo work the front desk at the inn and were very helpful assisting us in finding scuba operators and fishing tours. We wanted to go to Turneffe atoll one day and I think Rigo must have called every scuba outfit on the caye to see if they were going the next day. They were also very friendly, as were most of the people we met. If I go back, I would definitely stay at Rock's Inn again. If I go back with twice the amount of money, I would probably stay at the BELIZE YACHT CLUB. They have a great bar, Splash, and very nice property. We dove with AMIGOS DEL MAR, HUSTLER TOURS and RAMON'S VILLAGE. All were professional, well-trained in scuba diving, and had good knowledge of the reef. However, some of the dive masters do three-tank dives for three or four days in a row, something I wouldn't do. Hustler has a great trip to the Blue Hole for the day and a pretty fast boat. There aren't many big dive boats on Ambergris . Tortuga tours has the biggest boat (49 feet), but they would schedule a trip for Tuesday, but then on Monday,would say they canceled it because not enough people showed up. Diving locally was reasonably priced at US$42 (Amigos del Mar) for a two-tank dive including tanks, bcd, regulator, and weights. We even got to dive through three caverns. They also took us on a quick side trip to snorkel at Shark Ray Alley that is teeming with sting rays and nurse sharks. I even petted a shark! However, the Blue Hole trips are a little pricey. We got a deal because we had a group of six and had been quoted a lower price from another operator. We paid US$140 per person (Hustler Tours), including equipment, three-tank dives and lunch. It normally runs about US$165 - $180. The Blue Hole, diving or snorkeling, is definitely not to be missed. I saw the most brilliant coral and fish there that I have ever seen. Personally, I think the trip should be priced at around US$100. The food was okay , but we especially liked REALITY CAFE (next to Fido's), LITTLE ITALY, and CAPRICORN. Capricorn is a water taxi ride away, but the food was excellent, especially the stone crab claws. The owners, Annabelle and Clarence, are also very friendly. Reality Cafe has this great patio on the second floor that is a really nice place to have your morning cup of coffee or a quick bite to eat. The best meal we had on vacation was at LILY'S. Some of our group went out fishing in the morning and Lily's cooked it up for us...scrumptious. Most restaurants stop serving food at 9 o'clock, especially on Sundays, so don't wait too late to eat or you will be eating from the street carts. Two of us rented bicycles one day (US$9 for a half day) and biked up to Journey's End. It is very isolated and, except by bike, only reachable by water taxi. Bring your mosquito repellent!! I got eaten alive but the excursion was a lot of fun and somewhat of an adventure. One of the best things about Belize is that you don't have to wear shoes anywhere you go unless you want to. It was a great trip and I hope to return in the future. Kim Martin, Dallas, Texas, June 1997

* We were thrilled with our whole trip to Belize. Our only complaint was that no one really warned us about the winds and problems which they create. When we arrived a storm had arrived with us which really churned up the water for three or four days. We were prevented from diving/snorkeling even at Hol Chan. That aside, I've traveled all over the world diving and Belize (even with low visibility) ranks right up at the top. What a pleasure to see that the reef is still alive and the vibrant colors of both fish and coral were thrilling. As for RAMON'S VILLAGE (tel. in U.S. 601-649-1990, fax 601-649-1996), it's a lovely place for a "real tourist." We stayed in a beachfront cabana at US$175 per night and it did not even have A/C. However, the beach is really the most beautiful and user-friendly in Ambergris, with waiters coming up to offer drinks and an okay pool. The best part about Ramon's is the dive shop, dive masters, and facilities. I don't dive often and go through stage fright virtually any time I begin diving again. I can't tell you how lovely the dive masters were to me. I truly felt they cared and were extremely careful with me. We never ate at Ramon's restaurant because it was literally twice as expensive as most other restaurants. For breakfast, we ate every morning at DUKE'S, right across the street from Ramon's. Our favorite meals were from Gilbert the BBQ wizard over at BIG DADDY'S. I've never tasted grouper and shrimp that was so good. Lunch was excellent at THE HIDEAWAY. BELIZEAN REEF SUITES (San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize, C.A., tel. 501-2-62582) was the perfect alternative to Ramon's. Two doors down the beach from Ramon's, we were in condo #2 which opened right out onto the beach and a beautiful porch. However, there are no phones in any of the condos. The condo was in excellent condition and it was a pleasure to have A/C in the bedroom. The only drawback is noise while sleeping, especially for nappers, since you are literally across the street from the airport. The A/C is also extremely noisy. I recommend you call the Belizean Reef directly since you will save $25 per night off the room rate if you book it yourself. Also I would definitely recommend the bottom two units, #1 and #2, since they do open right out to the beach. While in Belize we went fishing with two different fishing guides and had a ball with both. First, in not the greatest conditions because of this wind, we went bone fishing with Omar, who lives right behind Hustler Tours. Although we saw many fish during the day out it was tough casting and we only landed four bonefish. We waited a few days until the wind died down a bit, still not the greatest conditions, and went out again with Danny, a guide who works for Romel Gomez (tel. 501-2-62063). Danny eventually found us a school of permit and both my husband and I landed two fish for a total of four permit. My husband's first fish was close to 10 lbs. and mine was 5! We then went to one of the "holes" where we caught dozens of different kinds of fish. Hillary Messer, Briarcliff Manor, New York, February 1997

 * VICTORIA HOUSE: The accommodations were adequate for what was charged, looking a little tired and needing some sprucing up. The air-conditioned rooms were dark but had wonderful little porches to put your feet up and gaze at the beach, pier and ocean. When we turned on the air conditioning (which could only be controlled by pulling the plug in and out of the wall with attending electrical spark show), it sounded like we were running a small jet in our room. The temperature control also didn't work so it was full air conditioning and blue noses by morning or the ceiling fan and a sauna. If one can afford it, the suites complete with small living/dining/kitchen area (especially the owner's which can be rented with only one bedroom) seemed awfully nice. The management seemed open to negotiations for long term rentals ~ two weeks to a month, etc. The beach is lovely and sunning on the end of the pier is particularly nice with fat cushions on the chaises. The only swimming is off the end of the pier since the shore is filled with turtle grass which holds little stinging organisms but this is true throughout Belize so just be prepared to swim from boats or in small cleared areas. The beach bar was pleasant, especially sitting on the front porch to enjoy the afternoon breezes. The dining room does an adequate job with friendly, personable service and an excellent semi-classical guitarist entertaining in the evening. The overall friendliness of the staff makes up for some areas that may be lacking. We would stay at Victoria House again but would negotiate for a suite, rent a golf cart elsewhere and bring in some of our own provisions since the food here is not cheap. Victoria House: B+, Air-conditioned rooms: B-, Suites: A-, Beach and pier areas: A-, Beach bar : B+, Restaurant : B, Service and friendliness: B+. Tel. 501-2-62067. May 1997 * We took a 15-person plane on a 17-minute ride to Ambergris Caye where a driver from VICTORIA HOUSE picked us up. Victoria House was beautiful. We stayed in the Plantation Room which has air conditioning although we didn't need it too often because of sea breezes. The dive shop on the dock, Fantasea, is run very well. We took a resort scuba diving class and had a great time. We did not do the meal plan at Victoria House, and we were happy about that. It looks as though Belize (especially Ambergris) is really growing. Many resorts are being built. We could not believe how easy this country is for Americans: the language is English, miles not kilometers, the currency tied to the US dollar. And Belizeans are super friendly people. Michele & David Chapuis, Stephens City, Virginia, April 1997

* VICTORIA HOUSE, Ambergris Caye, Belize, Central America; tel. 501-2-62067, fax 501-2-62429; e-mail victoria@bze.com; in the U.S. 800-247-5159. May 15-Dec. 14, US$110 to $240; Dec. 15-May 14, US$120 to $265. Higher rates during holidays. Two and three-bedroom villas are also available for US$385 to $660, mighty pricey! Meal plans available -- $25 MAP per person. Dive, fishing and other packages available. Pleasant low-rise "barefoot casual" resort about 2 miles south of San Pedro Town. Variety of rooms and suites. Nice beach area, bar near the water. No pool. On-site dive shop operated under contract. Not much has changed here since my last visit a couple of years ago, except that the hotel has gone through some management changes. Restaurant operations reportedly have been affected, too. With new on-site managers, the problems may be solved, but that's not clear yet. I like the accommodations -- especially the Plantation Suite and the air conditioned rooms in the concrete buildings. The villas are beautiful but cost a small fortune. Would I stay here again? Yes. Lan Sluder, BELIZE FIRST MAGAZINE, July 1996 and August 1999

* BRIEFS on Ambergris Caye hotels, all by Lan Sluder, BELIZE FIRST MAGAZINE, various times, 1996-1999:

* VILLAS AT BANYAN BAY, P.O .Box 91, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize, C.A.; tel. 501-2-63739; fax 2-62766. Rates: US$175 single or double; $200 triple, $250 quad. Plus tax. New condo development (full ownership, NOT a time-share). Unlike many of the condo projects on Ambergris Caye, this has local Belizean involvement. Units are sold to owners either as residences or, most likely, for part-time use, then rented on a nightly or weekly basis by the management company, with the owner getting a share of the rental income. The units here are probably the nicest condos on the island. The concrete construction looks good. Interior designs are attractive with native hardwoods, tile, plaster, full kitchens, central air. Rental units are all two bedrooms, with two baths and fully equipped kitchens; master bedroom has jacuzzi. Large pool and patio area under construction. Would I stay here? Absolutely.

* SAN PEDRANO HOTEL, San Pedro Town. Rates: US$25 to $40, depending on season and whether with fan or A/C. Small apartment is available for US$187.50 a week off-season, US$212.50 in season. Plus 7% tax (going to 10%) and 8% service charge. Budget hotel in "downtown" San Pedro Town. Small basic rooms. Very clean. One building away from water. All units with bath, hot and cold water, and ceiling fans. Would I stay here? I prefer RUBY'S or the HIDEAWAY in the budget category, but this is a possible choice.

* CAPRICORN RESORT, Ambergris Caye, Belize, Central America; tel. + 501-2-62809, fax 501-2-12091, e-mail capricorn@btl.net. Rates: May 1-Dec. 19, double US$75 for cabañas, $95 for air conditioned suite; Dec. 20-Apr. 30, US$100 double, $125 for suite. Rates include water taxi from San Pedro and daily continental breakfast, but not tax and 10% service. Beach bar lunch and dinner additional US$40 per person. This small resort 3 1/2 miles north of San Pedro Town has two cabañas on the beach and a suite. Cabanas look a bit like Mennonite cabins, but are not, having been built by Clarence, co-owner with Annabelle. They're very attractive, larger than they look from the outside, and a good value. The restaurant has gotten universally positive comments from people in San Pedro, including other resort owners. Clarence is the chef and offers Italian, French and East Indian dishes. Would I stay here? Yes.

* THE PALMS, Coconut Drive, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize, Central America; tel. +501-2-63322; fax 501-2-63601 e-mail palms@btl.net. Rates: Nov. 16-May 14, one bedroom condo, two bedrooms US$198. Off-season rates lower -- US$98 for one-bedroom. Often fully booked in-season. Plus tax and service charge. Ten modern condo units in three-story building at the south end of San Pedro Town. Attractive suites with full kitchens, A/C in bedrooms, verandas overlooking the Caribbean. Attractively decorated, cable TV. Nicely landscaped pool area. Would I stay here? Yes.

* MATA ROCKS RESORT, P.O. Box 47, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize, C.A. tel. 501-2-62336, fax 501-2-62349, or in the U.S. 800-288-8646. Rates: rear-round, US$90 to $135 double, plus 10% service and tax. No credit cards for room charge (credit cards can be used to pay incidental charges.) Lower walk-in rates and some specials are available -- ask. Nine-room, casual, two-story mostly wood-frame hotel on beach about a mile south of San Pedro town. Rooms are nice enough, but not luxurious. Most are billed as suites, with kitchenettes and ceiling fans (ground-floor rooms have A/C). Pool, beach bar, small sandy beach area. I liked the small, casual nature of the place. Would I go back? Probably, although a number of other spots on Ambergris are more appealing to me.

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