Reader Reports on Other Islands

* In March of 2005, my girlfriend and I were able to take a long awaited trip to Belize. We had two parts to this trip, a week on an Island at GLOVER'S ATOLL RESORT, and a week in the jungle at MAMA NOOTS JAGUAR LODGE. Overall the trip was very enjoyable and we have memories to last a lifetime, but be forewarned that you are in for a very “rugged” experience if you choose to go to Glover’s Atoll (kind of how Bligh had a “rugged” return voyage).

The first thing to know about Belize is that if you are late getting into Belize City and you are going to miss your local flight, do not worry, they just put you on the next one. It is wise to stand near the counter, as the PA system is not that good and our 3:30 flight departed at 3:10. From the local airstrip we took a taxi to the guesthouse for Glover’s Atoll. Glover’s Atoll Resort is run by Becky, her husband Breeze, their three children, and her mother. The taxi driver was excellent, acting as a tour guide and ambassador for the next half hour (we were not always so lucky with taxis but most were good). The trip was $40US. The guest house is serviceable for a night: it’s oppressively hot, filled with mosquitoes, has an ice cold elevated hose for a shower, and will be the best accommodations you will have for the next week. The next day we took the 6+-hour ride out to Glover’s, not really noticing that NOBODY that was getting off the boat coming from the island looked happy (which was odd because I was ecstatic when I was leaving). The ride was 3 hours longer than it needed to be because they had been hired to drop someone off on an island that was the exact opposite way that we were going.

The Good: The snorkeling around the island is the best I have ever seen. I have been to probably a dozen places through the Caribbean and Mexico and this was the best. The fish and other animals were spectacular, both in variety and quantity. The sponges, corals, crustaceans, and fans were equally nice, and the water was crystal clear. The water is warm, but we still wore shorty wetsuits as we spent over five hours a day in the water. It was not necessary to swim out that far to excellent snorkeling. If you like shells you will be in heaven as there are hundred of conch, sea hearts, sand dollars, urchins, and other shells right off the beach. The concept of the island was nice, with our grass hut out over the water. There were other tour companies on the atoll that I would have gladly paid more to stay at.

The Bad

* You must like dogs. They have four enormous German Shepherds that act like they own the island.
* The beds were infested. Some guests slept on the wood floor of their porches or in the hammocks. The ant bites gave me horrible rashes on any exposed skin, so I had to sleep in long sleeves and long pants tucked into socks.
* The cabins were extremely unsafe. The walkways out had beams three feet apart with one inch planking, at 150 pounds they would bow under my weight. Also, the cabins would have knee-high benches by open doors with six-foot drops to coral. Not good on a moonless night run to the bathroom.
* Finding our cabin already occupied, we asked Becky if we were in the wrong cabin. Her response was that we were in the right cabin, but if there were people in it then we should just find another cabin to use.
* We were expected to pick up palm fronds and clean the island for an hour a day.
* They did not supply toilet paper nor were we told to bring any.
* The prices would change without notice. The kayak rental rates changed from the tour, to before we rented them (up $25), to when we returned them (that was the half day rate, not full day), to check out (up another $10).
* Becky would mistakenly charge the wrong cabins for items, we would have to correct her daily about what she was putting on our bill.
* There are no showers, they have plastic bags with a tube coming out.
* Groceries could be ordered, but they would never be picked up for you.
* You could sign up to receive fresh baked bread and fish, but if you were not around they would sell your portions to someone else.
* One night Becky got rip roaring drunk on Tequila before she made dinner and spent the whole night screaming at the guests until only four of us remained for dinner. Seeing as how she was stumbling drunk at 6 pm, it makes me wonder about how well she did when she took people out scuba diving that afternoon.
* There were rules that were “oddly” enforced. Guests were told to sign up a day in advance for any meal they wanted. We asked if it would be OK if we just signed up ahead of time for breakfast and dinner for every day and Becky said no, we had to sign up every day. Every day we signed up except for one, when we signed up for lunch instead. During the drunk screaming incident, Becky yelled at us for telling her we would have breakfast and then not showing up. During the same tirade, she screamed at another family because they had told her they needed to cancel dinner one night and were going to wipe it off the sign up board when Becky told them not to bother, she would remember they had cancelled. She did not remember and blamed them for too much food being cooked.
* Becky would eavesdrop on conversations and scream at you about anything she did not like (She heard me mention McDonalds and she tore into me)
* The morning after the drunken rage night the nine-year-old daughter had to cook us breakfast because Becky was so hung over. I was not allowed to cook my own so breakfast took until 10:00.
* Meal times would frequently be close to two hours late.
* One meal was served three times in a row (barracuda).
* Immature conch were harvested within the park limits and served to us.
* When we first arrived at the island, we helped the crew unload all of our gear, and then went on a tour. Upon completing the tour and going to pick up my stuff, I discovered the beer I brought along was missing. When I told this to Becky’s husband Breeze his response was “that sucks”.
* We were given inconsistent gear instructions, telling us to moor a kayak where we were not supposed to, and telling us to grease an O ring in my camera that was not supposed to be greased.
* Someone had written that Glovers was awful and the owners rude in the Fodor’s guidebook in their library.
* The license they had displayed was expired.
* The owners wanted us to charter a snorkel trip from them, so when we asked where the best snorkeling was, they directed us to the worst spot we visited. Their 13 year old son tipped us off to the best spot, just off the beach.
* One guest chartered a fishing trip from them. He spent the day unloading snorkel tanks for them at another island and only got to fish off the dock during refueling.
* Kerosene was stored in bleach bottles, which are not rated for flammables.
* They would not give you trash bags. All trash is burned if not compostable.
* They bill themselves as an eco resort but they are not. We visited the island next door one day and saw a REAL eco resort. Glovers does not use wind or solar energy, only diesel generators. Glovers does not use true composting toilets, just holes in the ground. Glovers does not use rainwater runoff from the cabins for bathing. The only water is brackish, which is like bathing in salty egg water.
* You must bring food. The food they serve is minimal. You must bring food.
* There were not a lot of guests to talk to as half the people who came out to the island with us left early (at an extra $250 expense).

After all of that we were ready to leave Belize. Then came Kevin to pick us up and take as to Mama Noots. The funny thing was, he was the only one waiting to pick up anyone leaving the island, as Becky had forgotten to call cabs. Kevin was from Texas but was still a great person, almost as nice as his wife Nan whose family was the oldest rum distiller in Belize (try some of the good stuff, I liked it as much as a good single malt), together they ran Mama Noots. They had a gourmet meal ready for us within minutes, and local drinks blended from fruits growing feet from where we were sitting. Mama Noots was as perfect as Glovers was excruciating. The only similarity was when I saw a Blue Morpheus butterfly on one of our hikes. It struck me as for the week before I had felt like Steve McQueen in Papillon.

Mama Noots is nestled in a bowl of mountains in the middle of a national park. If Nan and Kevin continue on their current path it will be an Eden very shortly. They grow dozens of different fruits, with groves of oranges, limes, pineapples, mangoes and others. The flowers and towering trees were magnificent. There were monkeys, flocks of toucans, and jaguars roaring at night. Every day we would hike a different trail through ruins or to waterfalls. There is nothing like feeling you are about to drop from exhaustion to have the foliage part and be looking at an ice cold mountain stream roaring over a waterfall in front of you. Some of the hikes were grueling, but the wonderful showers (huge, nice tiling) and creative dinners in the lofty main building made every day special. We did take one day to visit the zoo (only local animals, but their local animals were a LOT cooler than my local animals) and Belize City. We took buses the whole day, which was a bit of an adventure. It would have been worthwhile to rent a car for the day but if you do not have the cash take the bus, it’s fun and will provide thrills to be remembered (ever race a fuel truck for a one lane bridge?).

Belize overall was a nice country to visit and we are both very glad we were able to see it before the current build up gets into full steam. I doubt we will be back as there are many places on this earth we want to visit, and after our first week we had decided Belize was going to be one and done. We wish that we had spent more money (or time researching) the island we selected, as the people running that resort were the only major issue with the trip. Mama Noots was wonderful, but Glover’s Atoll goes down as the worst “resort” I have ever visited. I do not need to be pampered in the least, but their attitude, behavior, and outright lies makes me hope that their establishment is shut down for the good of Belize’s tourist industry.

Keir Abrahams, September 2005

* TURNEFFE ISLAND LODGE My husband & I spent 10-days in Belize in Nov. 2003. I found your list/ratings so helpful in planning the trip that I was hesitant to disagree with you. But I thought our experience may help others; therefore I must dispute the ratings you give to two lodges/resorts that appear on the list. We spent 7 days at Turneffe Island Lodge and 2 days/2 nights at Banana Bank Lodge in Belmopan. I don’t know when you last visited either of these resorts but a new visit may help you re-evaluate them.

We were so surprised - the service and amenities at Turneffe Island Lodge far exceeded our expectations, and your ratings. The new white sand beaches were beautifully raked, and there were plants and flowers everywhere. The lodge has recently begun an experiment to see which native (Belizean) plants would do well in the harsh environment on Little Caye Bokel (which is the name of the island that the lodge is built on). Everywhere you look you find bougainvillea, hibiscus, and other plants growing naturally, or trained up a tree, or strung between 2 palms.

All the guests are led down the newly raked beach while Lizette, the Dive master, co-manager, and resident Danish bomb-shell, points out everything we need to know about the island. Here is the office, here is the bar, the pool, out there are the docks, etc. As each couple drops off the tour and into their room or private cabana, our expectations rise. When we finally arrive at our private cabana I gasp aloud. Our luxurious, private cabana is nestled among coconut palm trees, where hammocks are strung wherever possible. Flowering hibiscus blooms in front of our cabana like tropical fruits. Hummingbirds click among the flowers, drinking nectar from the base of each bloom. A coir mat and sea-water filled basin are placed at the foot of the steps so you won’t track sand into your cabana. Two rocking chairs grace the 250 sq. foot screened porch where, at 6:30 every morning, Beverly places a carafe of hot coffee, cream and sugar for us to enjoy with the sunrise. French doors, covered with gauzy white pole-top curtains, open to reveal a cabana lined from floor to ceiling with highly varnished Belizean mahogany. The main room boasts screened windows with plantation shutters, offering us a decadent combination of cooling sea breezes and total privacy. Nestled in the peaks of the cathedral ceiling are two triangular windows that paint a small slice of 11 a.m. sunshine on the Belizean mahogany while a ceiling fan stirs the air.

There is a queen-size bed with night tables and a bureau, and a sitting area with a love seat, coffee table, and 2 chairs. The furniture is also made from Belizean mahogany. The queen bed and the cushions in the sitting area are covered with the same lovely fabric - a fanciful pattern of swirls in the colors of the world outside; turquoise blue, sunshine yellow, mangrove green, and the white and gold of the coral sand. Just off the queen bed is an archway leading to a dressing area with a large closet, dresser, and sink/vanity combination. A door leads to a glass-paneled shower and toilet, but that isn’t all, a final door opens to reveal the enclosed outdoor shower. Each beachfront cabana has A/C, ceiling fan, individual solar-heated water tanks, rocking chairs on the porch, and spectacular views of the lagoon and reef beyond.

The food at Turneffe Island Lodge is outstanding. All meals are served family style in the dining room. Snacks, water, and lemonade are always available during the day. Everything, including all the bread and rolls, is made from scratch by the “Ladies” on the island. If you don’t like what is on the menu for that meal, they will prepare something else for you.

Service on the island is second-to-none. Turneffe Island Lodge can have a maximum of 36 guests at a time, and there is at least 50 full-time staff on the island. For the divers, service means that you only have to set your equipment up once, then the dive staff takes care of it for the rest of the week. For my husband & I, our guide, Joe, always had fresh towels, fresh water, and sliced oranges on ice for when we are done snorkeling.

It’s the attention to detail that sets this resort apart, for example, every morning, a carafe of hot coffee, or tea, or whatever you like is delivered to your door before breakfast. On the trip from Belize City, Sherman the bartender arrived onboard, greeted all of us, and served Rum Punches as soon as we got underway. When we arrived at the Island, the entire staff was waiting on the dock to greet us.

Our package included 2 guided snorkeling trips a day, a full-day trip to the Blue Hole, Lighthouse Reef, and Half Moon Caye to see the red-footed booby sanctuary, and complete use of the Sunfish, and sea kayaks.

Tricia and Vince Salese, Berkeley Heights, NJ – Nov. 2003

Editor's Note: We visited Banana Bank Lodge in Summer 2004 and had a different experience than you did (see report in the Cayo/Belmopan section.). Note that we gave Turneffe Island Lodge a "Highly Recommended" rating (starred property) in Fodor's Belize & Guatemala 2005. --Lan Sluder

* CAYE CHAPEL ISLAND RESORT, Caye Chapel (Mailing address: P.O. Box 5059, Ashland, KY 41105 USA); tel. 800-901-8938 or 501-226-8250, fax 501-226-8201; e-mail golf@cayechapel.com , www.belizegolf.cc

Rates: Villas: In-season, US$399 per person, per day, based on four people to the villa, (US$100 more at Christmas), US$329 off-season. Casitas: US$279 per person in-season and US$229 off-season, based on two people per casita. Rates include all meals, unlimited golf and the use of golf carts and clubs but do not include a total of 20% service and tax, drinks (a regular Belikin is US$2, pina colada US$7), snorkeling, fishing or other tours, or transport to the island from Belize City. (The resort arranges transport by air for US$100 per person, or you can go by water taxi -- water taxis to Caulker and Ambergris stop at Chapel on request). All major credit cards. Some package plans may be available.

To paraphrase a famous quotation, “I've stayed in dumps, and I've stayed in luxury, and I like luxury better.” In Belize, the villas at Caye Chapel Island Resort are about as luxe as they come. The villas at Blancaneaux, Turtle Inn and Victoria House are fantastic, the private villas at Cayo Espanto, with their fold-away walls, are incredible, and the deluxe suites at Robert's Grove and Hamanasi are terrific, but the seaside villas at Caye Chapel are the choicest digs in Belize. Or just about anywhere, for that matter. They're almost 4,000 sq. ft. of upscale living right out of the pages of Architectural Digest. Marble floors, soaring ceilings, bedrooms big enough to play soccer in, supersized bathrooms, walk-in closets, industrial-grade air-conditioning that really gets the job done, expensive furnishings and bedding, and even your own laundry room with washer and dryer. It's all here, with broad expanses of glass to better enjoy the sea, and a private rooftop patio, just steps from your own stretch of beach and a short putt from the only 18-hole golf course in Belize.

All of this comes at a price, of course: In-season, the villas are priced US$399 per person per day, based on four people. So a week's stay for a family of four, with tax and all, would come to almost US$13,500, not including drinks, tours, or transportation to Belize or from Belize City to the island. But that does include all meals, unlimited golf, and the use of golf carts. Our family had three carts full-time, handy to run back and forth to the clubhouse for meals, or to the swimming pool, and even for a little golf. Our stay on the island coincided with a full moon, and each night we'd go out for a beautiful moonlight ride around the island.

If you like golf, you'll be in hog heaven here. I'm not a duffer, but my son enjoyed the 7,000-yard course. With the sea on both sides of the 2 1/2-mile long island and all the water traps, he went through a bag of a balls a day. It is strongly recommended that you not jump in the lagoons to retrieve balls, as sizeable crocs make their homes there. In fact, when you register, each member of the party has to sign a statement acknowledging he or she has been informed of the risk. Otherwise, though, the island seems as carefree and safe as any place you'll find in Belize. You don't even lock the doors to your villa when you go out.

If you aren't staying on the island, you can come over and play golf, again for a pretty penny. The daily package, including unlimited golf from 9 until 4, lunch, use of the island's swimming pool and beach, cart and club rental, is US$200 per person, plus transport by air or water taxi.

The marina-view casitas, at 700 sq. ft., are quite nice, and at US$279 per person a bit cheaper, and are based on double occupancy rather than requiring four person, but they don't even begin to compare with the villas. It's no wonder that the villas are far more popular than the casitas.

You take meals in what I'd describe as a country-club setting, in the expansive second-floor dining room of the clubhouse. I thought the meals were excellent, though not quite up to the cuisine of Cayo Espanto, where a chef prepares meals to your order and you dine at your villa. The resort GM, Cynthia Ringgold, and her staff provide guest services that are friendly and competent, but not obsequious, a service style that I think most guests prefer.

The entire island of Caye Chapel, except for one home owned by a lady from Belize City, is the fiefdom of Larry Addington, chairman and CEO of AEI Resources, based in Ashland, KY. AEI is one of the largest coal companies in the U.S. In the 90s, Addington, a big player in Republican Party circles, developed the island into a golf resort. The resort initially focused on the corporate retreat market, but now it also welcomes private guests. It would be an astoundingly great place for a wedding. When I first started coming to Belize, Caye Chapel was home to a modest resort that was favored as weekend getaway for British Army squaddies. Lordy, they ought to see it now.

Nobody asked me, but if I were a consultant to Caye Chapel, my recommendation would be to tear down the casitas, put up a dozen more villas, cut the rates, add more non-golf activities, make most everything a la carte and promote the heck out of the place. You'd have a waiting list to get on the island, because Caye Chapel has the potential to be one of the most remarkable resorts in the world.

Note: Caye Chapel has been listed for sale for US$55 million.

--Lan Sluder, July/August 2004

* Thanks for all your great web information on traveling in Belize. It was
hugely helpful to me in planning our trip, and certainly part of the reason
that our vacation was such a success. I'm sending a brief review of our
experiences (April 22-May8, 2004) at Southwater Caye, Tikal and the Mountain Pine Ridge, that you and future travelers to Belize may find interesting. We spent 6 glorious days at PELICAN POUCH in Southwater Caye. Our group
included two families with three young children and we shared the two-room
Osprey Nest. The rooms are quite basic, but perfectly adequate and clean
with lots of porch space for relaxing. Our objective was doing lots of
snorkeling, and Southwater Caye turned out to be the perfect spot. The
island sits directly on the reef and there is great snorkeling in waist deep
water off the south tip. We even did a night snorkel off the beach and saw
several morays. Alton, one of the friendly resort hosts took us to several
nearby patch reefs where we encountered eagle rays, dolphins and lots of
colorful reef fish. When not snorkeling we enjoyed the beautiful white sand
beach and usually had it all to ourselves. The beach and entire island is
great for young kids, lots of space to play and a very safe environment. The
tasty, "down-home" cooking prepared by Anne was delicious and plentiful. We
enjoyed strolling to the Blue Marlin Lodge for a sunset drink on their
wonderful dock. We had been warned about bugs, but other than a few sand fly
bites, they were really not bothersome. SW Caye is a great spot if you want
serenity, friendly service, good snorkeling and don't mind rustic
accomodations.

We found our way to the Hidden Valley Inn, in the Mountain Pine Ridge via
public bus from Dangriga and then a taxi from San Ignacio. This was all
really easy and cost us a fraction of what it would have cost using private
transfers arranged through the hotels. Hidden Valley is a gem! Beautiful
accomodations, great service/food and an amazing property. I have to say
that driving into the Pine Ridge was a bit disconcerting with the
devastation left behind by the pine beetle. However the huge Hidden Valley
property has such variety, encompassing both pine and broad leaf forest,
that the visual impact of the destruction is minimized. We spent several
days exploring the property's trails and beautiful waterfalls , via foot and
mountain bike. The wonderful staff delivered yummy picnics to predetermined
sites so we didn't even have to lug anything. After a day of hiking the
trails it was such a treat coming back to the refreshing pool and jacuzzi.
The managers/staff of the inn have created a perfect balance of elegant
professionalism with down-to -earth warmth, and made us feel like pampered
family members. Our one complaint was the price of the off-site tours. Price
aside, our tour to Caracol, Rio On and Rio Frio Caves was terrific and we
had an excellent guide. I must mention too that Hidden valley staff went out
of their way to accommodate our "price sensitivity" and found a great,
reasonably priced local cave tour (Balls Caves). I'd highly recommend this
place if you're a nature lover and outdoor enthusiast who values coming home
to "creature comforts" served up in a professional yet warm and relaxing
atmosphere.

Onward to Tikal via taxi from San Ignacio to the border ($5 Belize). On the
Guatemalan side we found mini van transportation to Tikal for US$25 (for 2
adults and our 7 year old). The driver took us directly to the door of the
JUNGLE LODGE. We were happy that we had not reserved in advance, because the
$63/night we paid was significantly less than what was quoted via internet.
As most guide books state, you do get better value staying in Flores or El
Remate, but we enjoyed the jungle experience (Howler Monkey wake-up call)
and being able to wander to the site several times during the day without
feeling rushed. The tour we did through the visitor centre was excellent. If
you have time, it certainly is pleasant to spend a night or two in Tikal.
The site is awesome. We found some good inexpensive eateries right across
the street from the visitor centre. We spent our last full day in Flores and
stayed at the very pleasant Casona de la Isla for US$37 including 2
breakfasts. It has a nice pool with a pretty view of the lake. Flores is
packed with places to stay/ eat and shops selling Guatemalan handicrafts.
I'm sure it can't compete with some of the colourful towns in the highlands,
but it was a nice way to get a taste of Guatemala. Happy travels!
Caroline Helbig, April-May 2004

* This place is paradise for golfers! CAYE CHAPEL GOLF RESORT. No limits on golf, no waiting, no rules! The course was in fantastic condition, extremely challenging and exceptionally well-maintained. Even though you're not a golfer, you should know about this place. Granted, it could be anywhere in the US, it is so American, except for the fantastic local help. The Belize people made it better than if it were in the US! They arranged for trips, took care of everything perfectly and had a beautiful New Year's banquet. The chef was great, worked for a cruise line. We stayed in one of the casitas, a very large motel type room overlooking the marina. Rode around on golf carts, our 17 and 20 year olds loved that freedom! They had their own cart and while they both drive at home, they thought this was absolutely fantastic! Can you believe it? Snorkeling was great, loved Rasta Pasta on Caye Caulker and Elvi's in San Pedro. I know Caye Chapel isn't the "real Belize", but it is definitely one unique place and we have been to a lot of golf resorts. We are planning to bring some golf friends with us for a getaway if we can get good airfare. Oh, no bugs, no mosquitos, no dirt, very clean, no animals except for crocs in the golf lagoons. ALSO, THIS PLACE IS TOTALLY HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE! The owner's brother is wheelchair bound and everything is totally accessible. Thought you'd like this report. Gail Kassan, January 2004

* Just got back from Belize yesterday and spent 4 days in Tobacco Caye. We didn't end up going to Placencia because everyone we met who'd been there gave a really unenthusiastic "Oh, it was great..." when we asked about it.
Tobacco Caye is very small, and the reef is about 10' away making snorkeling really easy. Nearly every inch of land is taken up by the 5 or 6 motels that are on it. All lodging is surprisingly expensive although meals are included - prices range from $30-$60 US per person. Between rooms and meals, where you stay really makes or breaks your experience. Here is what we learned about the lodging options, cheapest to priciest:
GAVIOTA'S - $30 US per person. Food is reportedly great but the rooms are basically windowless sheds.

LANA'S- $40 US pp. The food here is supposed to be good. Didn't see the rooms because they were booked up (very small). However we met a couple that had reservations here made 6 months in advance and confirmed multiple times - when they showed up there was no room for them and they were moved to another place.

OCEAN'S VIEW - $45 US pp. We stayed here for 2 nights. Good food and cute rooms that are cleaned daily. A nice bar/dining room/game room with a mini pool table, karoake system, books and board games. A raised deck with hammocks and a swing. The staff are very friendly and helpful. Recommended!

REEF'S END LODGE - $50 US pp. We stayed here for 2 nights - and then moved to Ocean's View. The view is the nicest on the island, and the rooms are cute - a 2-story building looking out to sea with a porch and hammocks. However the toilets did not function for 2 days, the food was unbelievably bad, the rooms were not cleaned and the bar/dining room was not cleaned much either, and the staff was really unfriendly (except for the manager who quit after we left). The bar is nice but you don't have to stay here to go to it. Stay away!

TOBACCO CAYE LODGE - $60 US pp. Didn't talk to anyone staying here, but the rooms are sort of cute - white bungalows with porches and hammocks pointing over one the least attractive areas of the reef. A nice bar that makes the only pina coladas (and good ones!) on the island.
Note: None of these options are anything approaching high-end!!!
It is also possible to camp but between the wind and sand flies this seems really unpleasant.
Most places have snorkeling gear available to borrow or rent, as well as wooden boats or maybe a kayak. The dive operation there is small - literally one guy with a shed of equipment and a boat that breaks down frequently. I would be wary myself. We met a couple who had gone on some dives and all they had to say was, "It is so cold!" We dived the Blue Hole with them later in Caulker and they enjoyed that day more it seemed.
There really isn't much to do on Tobacco Caye so you end up meeting a lot of fellow travelers over meals, etc. and spending a LOT of time with them. We met some great people and although our stay here wasn't "ideal", it definitely gave us lots to talk and laugh about later on when we were "back in civilization" at Caye Caulker - which we really, really loved, by the way.
Hope this helps! January 2004

* Our next stop was Dangriga, where we caught a boat to Tobacco Caye. The boat ride cost US$15 one-way and took about an hour and a half because it was so choppy. We decided to go to Tobacco Caye instead of Caye Caulker because some people we met in San Ignacio had just come from there and said it was great -- "paradise." Well, it wasn't exactly what we expected, but it grew on us and by the 3rd day we didn't want to leave. It is tiny -- you can walk across the whole island in 10 minutes or less. And it is jam packed with small buildings, most of which are little, slightly run down guest houses. The jam-packed part kind of threw us off, it looks cluttered and very un-paradise like at first. But it has great snorkeling and at least two really good beach areas, including one with a thatch roofed bar. We stayed at OCEAN'S EDGE LODGE. The lodge itself is not impressive, outward appearance wise - BUT THE FOOD WAS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. Since there are no restaurants on the island, each guest house includes meals in the cost of a room. The family that runs Ocean's Edge is friendly and the rooms are clean, but honestly the food was incredible. Meals consist primarily of fresh seafood and almost always include fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as 2 or 3 other side dishes and dessert. We always walked away completely stuffed and feeling bad that we had left food on the table. Some people we met were staying at Gaviota, and they said there was never enough food and it usually consisted of rice and chicken with no vegetables ... Anyway, Ocean's Edge cost US$90 per couple for a double with a private bath, right on the beach, including three meals a day. Evisch, August 2002

* I loved Tobacco Caye. There were some minor problems but, overall, Mr. Sluder, you helped us make the perfect choice. The views and sounds of the ocean were great. And my husband couldn't complain about having been made to walk too much. We met a diverse and interesting group of people and felt that we got a great value for our money. The weather and water conditions weren't that condusive to do too much snorkeling right around the caye but the highlight of my vacation was an excursion out to Glovers Atoll.The trip there was rough and scary, as we were in a small boat with fair sized swells, however once we got there the snorkeling was everything I had hoped. On Tobacco Caye I liked both OCEAN'S EDGE and GAVIOTA. The arrangements by Gaviota's for leaving were a problem though. If anyone goes to Tobacco Caye I would strongly suggest they make transportation arrangements ONLY through CAPTAIN BUCK, no matter where they are staying. Capt. Boxer is O.K. but he turned his job over to his unreliable brother to get us back to shore on time to catch our bus. We were ready on time and sat waiting. The brother arrived from his house, half an hour late. Long, wet story short, we missed our bus connection back to get to the international airport. We ended up having to wait hours and go from the municipal airport for more than we planned on spending. I was also interested in seeing the countryside from the Hummingbird highway etc. Overall, however, it was a minor problem. You really did a GREAT service to us. Mary Rader, March 2002

* Trip Report: Blackbird Caye, Ek' Tun & Tikal
We recently returned from a great trip to Belize & Tikal with our family (two girls ages 10 & 13 plus mom & dad).
Overall Trip Highlights:
Best Overall Experience: Ek' Tun
Best Singular Moment: Sunset from Lost World Pyramid (Tikal)
Best Food: Dinners at Ek' Tun (Honorable Mention: Baked goods at Blackbird)
Best Snorkeling: Reefs at the Blue Hole & offshore from Half Moon Caye
Most Useful Sources of Planning Info: Belize Forums & BELIZE FIRST web sites
Most Interesting Pre-Trip Reading: Lords of Tikal (Peter Harrison)
Belize & Guatemala's Best Resource: Amazingly friendly and helpful people
Trips Details:

BLACKBIRD CAYE RESORT: As advertised, the staff of Blackbird Caye met us at the airport after an easy on-time flight in from DFW. They basically waited until the last incoming flight had arrived and then loaded everyone up for a short bus ride to the new tourist village dock where we loaded up for the 1 1?4 hour ride to the resort. The boat ride was a little bumpy & one person got seasick but we didn't have any trouble. We arrived in time for a few people to take a quick snorkel. Our luggage was carried to the cabins in rapid order by the staff while we hopped in the kayaks for a quick paddle and then walked around the resort area for a few minutes before dinner. That first evening we saw hermit crabs, sand crabs, frigate birds, pelicans, assorted gulls, a small ray, a woodpecker and later the resident crocodile "Jack" made an appearance at the dock (he came every night that we were there).
The next two days we did 4 snorkeling trips with Chris (who was also a boat captain for the divers) and on one occasion with the resort manager, David. Both of these guys were absolutely fantastic with the girls, but since we went most of the time with Chris he deserves special praise. He basically taught our youngest daughter how to snorkel and showed all of us a ton of sea life including huge rays, schools of blue tang, barracuda, damselfish, parrotfish, squirrelfish, trumpetfish, the largest porcupine fish I've ever seen, lots of coral and sponges, Christmas tree worms, spiny lobster, conch shells, sea urchins, brittle stars, squid (which were so cool), and of course the well-named Donkey Dung Sea Cucumber. It seemed like the people who were snorkeling were often seeing just as much, if not more, in the way of sea life as the people who went on the diving trips.
In general, during the week there were between 3 and 8 people snorkeling with the rest of the folks doing dives or hanging around the island. This was perfect for us as the small group size made for a nice overall experience with plenty of personal attention. During down times between snorkels we played horseshoes, walked the beach, kayaked a fair amount and hung around in hammocks. The resort had a kayak tie down about 100 yards out from the dock so you could pretty easily paddle out to the reef and do an extra snorkel if you desired.
On our last day, the entire resort loaded up for a great day trip to the Blue Hole and Half Moon Caye. The 1.5-hour boat ride going over to the Blue Hole was fairly rough but the boat captain did a good job making it as smooth as possible. The snorkeling on this day was probably the best of the trip with both the Blue Hole and the shore snorkel off of Half Moon Caye being excellent. The bird preserve on Half Moon Caye was also fun with a nice elevated viewing platform and the largest collection of hermit crabs on the trail we had seen. The staff of Blackbird cooked up cheeseburgers (in paradise) for lunch. Afterwards, we did a drift snorkel over the divers along Long Wall. This was pretty decent in that we saw yellow tube sponges but the viewing wasn't great as the earlier snorkels as we were a long way above the reef and the sky was getting darker due to clouds.
Our overall experience at BLACKBIRD CAYE was very good & the four-day snorkeling package worked out well for our family. The rooms were nice, the food was good to very good and since you're already on an atoll, the daily boat rides to great snorkeling were painless. This was a really excellent way to get a good atoll experience. There's not much nightlife besides Jack but Blackbird is an excellent base to experience water sports with a great staff. Overall the snorkeling was great in 84-degree water, the bugs weren't a problem and we never saw jellyfish or pica-pica in the water (we saw a couple of small jellyfish washed up on the shore).
Ek' Tun: After returning to Belize City, our driver (Edmond Crawford 025-2125) met us for the transfer inland to San Ignacio. We stopped at the zoo (which is a great place) and had lunch at Cheers (also gets a thumbs up). We made it to Eva's around 2:30 where Brian from Ek' Tun met us and started a great 4 day visit. First stop was the Tropical Wings Nature Center at the Trek Stop for a really nice tour by Tino. We've been to a few butterfly farms but Tino's personalized tour and detailed explanations put this one at the top of our list plus as an added bonus the girls got to hold a tarantula. The Trek Stop also looked like a nice place to stay for budget travelers.
After the butterfly farm, Brian made a short drive thru a local village and showed us some traditional Mayan dwellings and then we headed out to Ek' Tun. The magic really started after they loaded our luggage into the boat and Brian took us across the river to see a colony of small bats burst into flight. Then it was on up the river a short ways and onto the spectacular grounds of Ek' Tun.
It's really hard to describe the beauty of the location and landscaping of this very special property in the heart of the rain forest. It's certainly one of the most unique & special places we have every stayed. The kids loved the pets (dogs, cats, a pig and horses); we all loved Phyllis's cooking and the accommodations are really special. While Ek' Tun is probably not for everyone; if you like adventure and great food, one of a kind jungle lodge accommodations, an amazing location and visiting with gracious entertaining hosts, then you'll love this place. If you're into 5 star mega resorts with discos and tons of nightlife you probably want to head somewhere else. We absolutely loved it.
The first morning we awoke to the sounds of Howler monkeys & the smell of steaming Mexican hot chocolate delivered to our doorstep. After a superb breakfast, Brian took us on a 4 1?2-hour rain forest hike/cave tour on the property. I won't give away his secret stops but this was an outstanding walk. We learned an incredible amount about the rain forest, had a great time underground in an untouched Mayan cave, enjoyed lunch above the river and came back in time for a swim in Ek' Tun's amazing spring-fed pool. As stunning as the pictures on their web site are, you can be assured that the real thing is even better. The day was topped off with excellent dinner served in their open-air dining room overlooking the river.
The second morning we did a short early morning walk around the property looking for birds (no toucans but a wide variety of other species were spotted). The afternoon was devoted to a visit to Che Chem Hah that was a great experience and offered so much more than just a cave tour. We had debated going to Actun Tunichil Muknal but decided to save that for next time due to our children's ages. It's hard to believe that it could have made a better trip for us than Che Chem Hah. Our guide William did a great job showing all of the features of the cave and then took the kids through 3 or 4 crawlways that they loved. Dad followed along on one and it is pretty amazing to be crawling along next to thousand year old pottery. In addition to the cave, the waterfall on the property is great, the gift shop has some nice weavings, the fields of star grass and flamboyant trees are beautiful and the pet monkey (Lupe) was a delight to play with. The day was topped off with another excellent dinner back at Ek' Tun.
The third day was spent resting, relaxing and playing on the property. We went inner tubing all morning and had a great lunch of burritos. The afternoon was devoted to swimming, birding and taking a short walk up to the "Bat Cave". At the cave you can see at least two different types of bats roosting and flying around in the dark along with what appears to be some carved steps leading further back into the cave depths. We had thought about taking a trip to Five Blues Lake National Park or maybe Barton Creek but the flooding had those sites closed while we were in the Cayo. I suspect those would also be fun trips but we had a great time soaking up the site on this exquisite property and were able to rest up for the next two days heading over to Tikal.
Tikal & Home: We awoke the next morning and said farewell to Phyllis and Ek' Tun. Brian took us to the border where we meet up with our Tikal guide Caesar who Phyllis had arranged for our two day Tikal excursion. After reading the entire litany of web postings about Tikal, we were a little apprehensive before we went (as we were headed there within a week or two after a protest stranded tourists for several days). I can honestly say that we never felt threatened or uncomfortable in any way and the park security presence was excellent.
Crossing the border was a snap and before heading to the park we stopped in Melchor to do a little shopping. We highly recommend a shop called Antigua that had a much better selection of goods than anywhere in the park itself. I'm sure the prices were somewhat more than the highlands but we weren't going that direction and we were glad that we took the time to stop and shop there. After a quick lunch in El Remate, we checked into the Tikal Inn for two nights. This is a delightful little inn with a great swimming pool and a pretty decent restaurant. We looked over the other hotels at the park and the Tikal Inn appeared to us to be the best choice although the Jungle Lodge also looked pretty good. Whatever you do, make sure you actually spend at least one night in the park. We toured in the evenings as most people were leaving and in the morning before most people got there. It was cooler, less crowded and the wildlife was much more visable than during the heat of the day.
Tikal is more than just an incredible archeological site, it is also a superb wildlife and botanical resource. Over the course of the two days we walked thru the park, we spotted spider monkeys and howler monkeys on several occasions (at least once per hour), probably 50 coatimundis, several gray foxes, several agoutis, numerous "ocellated" turkeys, tons of leaf cutter ants, several types of toucans and parrots, woodpeckers, several flocks of oropendola and a myriad of birds whose names have since escaped me. The rainforest flora is equally amazing rich and the various pyramids and temples provide an elevated view of the canopy.
During our visit to the park we took three walks that averaged about 4 hours each and covered most of the major sites. Highlights from the first afternoons walk were Temple V and the Lost World Plaza. Caesar did a great job bringing the ruins to life and outlining the history of the site construction and occupation. We had an outstanding encounter with a troop of monkeys including the usual aggressive displays (throwing sticks etc) and mothers with babies on their backs swinging thru the trees. Sunset from the top of the Lost World Pyramid was incredible - views of Temples I thru IV and the wildlife in the rainforest canopy were all painted in an incredible glow as the sun went down on a crystal clear day.
The next morning we awoke at 4:30 am intending to catch sunrise from Temple IV, however, there was a light rain falling so we slept a little longer and instead headed out at around 6:00 am which was plenty of time to visit two twin temple complexes (Complex Q & R), climb Temple IV and spend an hour or so exploring the Central Acropolis prior to heading back for lunch as the main crowds rolled into the park. After resting in the early afternoon we headed back in the park to Complexes P, Group (or Complex) N and the Bat Palace along with a few of our favorite locations from the earlier walks. The stela and altar at Group N near Temple IV were particularly interesting and in fact the scene from the altar at that complex is reproduced as a painting on the dining room wall at the Tikal Inn.
The next morning we meet Caesar and our driver for the short drive to Flores where we caught a flight back to Belize City. The flight itself was pretty interesting with views of the rainforest and countryside in Belize and Guatemala and we had the entire small plane to ourselves. We had arranged for Edmond to meet us at the airport since we had a 4-hour layover prior to our flight back to the States. We got lunch at a Chinese restaurant and then had a quick tour of the city including stops at the Belize crafts store to pick up some last minute souvenirs. We had a little excitement on the way to the airport when there was accident on the bridge that closed it to car traffic. Edmond helped arrange to hand carry our baggage across and found a driver who got us to the airport in plenty of time to make our flight.
All in all, this was a great trip and we enjoyed all aspects of the visit. We felt that Belize is one of the top eco-tourist destinations that we have been to and we highly recommend the experience for adventurous families. The blend of atolls, rainforest and Mayan ruins coupled with wonderful people make this a really special destination. Riverrunner, July 2002

* After staying at the AGUADA HOTEL near San Ignacaio (which we highly recommend), the second half of our trip was on Tobacco Caye, a very small island off the coast of Dangriga. We could walk completely around the approx. 4 sq. acre caye in about 5-10 minutes. The island's structures consist of 4
lodges, all about the same in terms of size and services. We stayed at TOBACCO CAYE LODGE, which we would highly recommend (tclodge@btl.net; http://www.tclodgebelize.com). Our biggest complaint was that they did not have hot water. Their hot water will, however, be on-line soon -- they were
working on it while we were there. Arturo (the manager), Candy (the cook), and Ceito (the jack-of-all-trades)
were all very accommodating. All guests agreed that Candy's food was terrific. Most of our time was spent simply relaxing, although we each spent two days scuba diving with Second Nature Divers. If any of you ever find yourselves diving from either Dangriga or Tobacco Caye, you absolutely will not regret diving with SND (divers@wgs1.btl.net; http://www.belizenet.com/divers.html). Martin, who runs SND with his wife,
Janette, was our divemaster, and he was great. He was extremely professional and went out of his way to meet the needs of his guests. He also knows a tremendous amount about the local fauna he originally came to
Belize working as a naturalist. Our diving was good, but not fantastic (recent storms caused bad visibility about 50 ft.) but we can't blame that on Martin or on Tobacco Caye. Tobacco Caye also has the distinction of having fewer biting insects than most of the other cayes (we don't know why). We did get some bites not
many but we never put on bug repellant. Tobacco Caye has the further distinction of being right on the reef. It thus has very good snorkeling. We saw a nurse shark while snorkeling, other guests saw eagle rays, and we all saw many fish (particularly parrot fish, for some reason). Kariane & Kevin, January 2001.

* After Chaa Creek and Lamanai Outpost lodges, we stayed at LIGHTHOUSE REEF RESORT. We liked it for the good diving and easy access to the diving sites. There are lots of places at the coast to stay. Accommodations pretty basic. You're paying for location. The beach was a bit nasty from the recent storms (washed up lots of seaweed and garbage). Don't go unless you want to do a lot of diving. Had a little bit of a summer camp feel to it because of all the scheduled dives and other events. Not a laid back tropical spot for just sitting around relaxing (go to a smaller Caye closer to the mainland for that - my husband did a backpacking trip to Belize a few years ago and loved Tobacco Caye). The dive master we had was a little too macho for our tastes, but the rest of the staff was very pleasant and helpful. Good bartender and fair to good meals. At the coast, it worth it to see the Audubon sanctuary for boobies and frigate birds. We really enjoyed our trip. Belize is a beautiful country and the people are great. Easy traveling (my husband who backpacked took buses to the Jaguar Preserve, Crooked Tree Sanctuary, and Placencia without problems) and no one outside of Belize City is hassling you or trying to scam you. We used a Belizean travel agent -- Sue Castillo. She lives in Louisiana, but is well connected with the hotels etc. in Belize. Her business is called Sea and Explore Belize. They have a web site at: http://www.belizeanweb.com/bz04001.htm -- but the web site doesn't offer a whole lot of info. Her phone number is 800-345-9786. Ask for Sue -- there are others working there, but she knows a lot and is easy to talk to. They can seem a bit disorganized, but we had no problems on our trip, and it was good to work with someone so informed. Paul J. Ferraro, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, submitted April 2001 on a trip in 1999.

* I just returned from a week's stay at the MANTA RESORT on Glover's Reef Atoll. The 12-acre island, formally a coconut plantation, is now being run by Tony and his wife Christine. It is primarily a diver's paradise, but superb fishing is also available. The rates were VERY reasonable, and the diving was fantastic. Further, the staff was very helpful, knowledgeable and quite low-key. The dive package includes all meals, 17 weekly dives (2 night dives), round trip transfer from the airport to the dock at Belize city and then to the island itself (fast big comfortable boat!!), a great dive master, free air and they switch your gear between each of the 3 daily dives. The accommodations are very sweet and romantic, in small bungalows with teak paneling, and 2 full size beds. They put fresh ice water in your cabana every morning, in a portable thermos so you can take it with you if you want. There is also a 2 bedroom 2 bath family house available with full kitchen , at the far end of the island. My friends stayed there but I felt the cabanas were more romantic. The food was great, prepared by Suzette, a local woman, and she makes great desserts (also the homemade breakfast cinnamon buns were pretty good!!) We went fishing late on the last day of our visit and she made a special effort to cook our catch for us. I loved her Creole sauces and paellla. I highly recommend this experience for divers, fishermen or others who want a quiet piece of paradise!! Mary Lu Buse, Malibu, California, June 1999

* PELICAN BEACH AT SOUTHWATER CAYE: We stayed at Pelican Beach for 5 nights, the whole time at Southwater Caye. Pelican Beach was a peaceful, very casual retreat from civilization, with excellent Belizean home cooking, white sandy beach, palm trees with hammocks, comfortable bed, good snorkeling, and very friendly staff, would highly recommend to anyone who can do without hot water or a toilet that flushes; hardly a sacrifice in such a pretty place. We were met at the airstrip by a man from Pelican Beach with a wooden wheelbarrow, who transferred our luggage to the dock 3 minutes away for our boat trip to SWC. Arrived at Southwater Caye, and were given a quick tour of Pelican Beach?s part of the island by a friendly Belizean named Richie, a 20-year-old who is a budding singer. The island is divided by fences into 4-5 properties. BY FAR, hands down, the nicest part of the island belongs to Pelican Beach. It's got the only real beach, out on a tiny peninsula, and the only places with good snorkeling right from the beach. Next to the beach, there are hammocks, tied under shade-providing palm trees. Paradise. Next door to Pelican Beach is International Zoological Expeditions (IZE). Nice enough, but no beach, and most of the cottages face west, away from the breeze, meaning LOTS more mosquitoes and sand fleas. They also have a loud generator that runs at night. The nextproperty over is Pelican's University, dorm-style housing for student groups. You might want to check to see if any groups are using that facility, since I think they use the same beach, which might get crowded with a large group. The next 2 properties belong to individuals; one property appears to have been abandoned, with broken windows and debris. The last property on the island, farthest from Pelican Beach, is the Blue Marlin, purportedly the caye's "upscale" resort. Though there are signs indicating otherwise, guests from the other properties use Pelican's beach. This was not a problem while we were there, since there was no one staying at Blue Marlin, only a few people at IZE, and no more than 3 people at Pelican Beach while we were there. We had the whole beach almost to ourselves, another benefit of going in late April. If the island were full, the small beach at Pelican might easily become overcrowded. Day-trippers also use the beach, though they weren't a problem while we were there. Pelican Beach has 3 buildings: Heron's Hideaway, (one-room cottage with one double and one single bed, bathroom, adjoining shower) Pelican?s Pouch (4-6 rooms above the dining hall with bathroom, shared showers )and the Osprey?s nest (3-room cottage). The Heron's Hideaway is the only one of the 3 that has screens. During our stay, we loaned our mosquito net (which we never used) to a couple who was staying in the unscreened Osprey's nest. They said the mosquitoes were fierce their first night, and were going to leave until we offered our net. The cause of this was apparently the wind dying down at night so that there was hardly any breeze, which is apparently quite rare. The net worked like a champ, and they returned the favor with a bottle of wine they'd brought with them. We were VERY comfortable in the fully screened Heron's Hideaway, and had maybe 5 mosquito bites each over 5 days, mostly received in the late afternoon, and always had at least a gentle breeze. We also had a few sand flea bites, which fortunately don?t itch. There's also a small fan in the cottage, which I don?t think the other rooms have, but which we used only once on a really still night. Either make sure you get the Heron's Hideaway, bring a mosquito net, or pray for a constant breeze. During the heat of the day, the coolest part of the island was the Heron's Hideaway's front porch, where we napped on the 2 hammocks and watched the waves crash over the reef, while the Hideaway's namesake hunted for fish in the shallow water. The Heron's Hideaway is very simple: 2 beds, a bathroom with sink and composting toilet, 4 shelves, a front porch with 2 hammocks, and an incredible view of the reef. The cottage is nestled in amongst mangroves. The bed was very comfortable. The whole cottage was spotlessly clean. The shower is attached to the side of the cottage and is gravity fed; no hot water, but didn't miss it a bit. There are 2 lights, powered by a solar panel on the roof. The cottage sits over the water, so you hear the ocean lapping up on the sand beneath it, and you hear the surf in the distance. It's a classic beach place, and once we moved in we really got attached to it. That afternoon, we went for a swim; dinner that night was shrimp sauteed in garlic, which was excellent, as were all meals while we were there. Martha was our cook while there; had a lot of fish (grouper and snapper), some chicken, lots of rice and beans, all typical Belizean food. Not gourmet, but excellent tasting, always well-prepared, "down-home" cooking. Good desserts, too. Submit any requests ahead of time, and Martha will accommodate, as she did the vegetarian family there during our stay. Cold beer, juice and sodas are available anytime. Breakfast was at 7; eggs, bacon, toast, juice, fresh fruit. Other mornings we had pancakes, fruit, boiled eggs and one morning, beans (not just for dinner anymore!). Our daily routine was: ate breakfast, walked to the beach; swam, snorkeled, kicked back in one of the beach hammocks, read, had lunch at noon, took a nap in the porch hammock, swam, snorkeled, had a couple of Belikins with crackers we'd brought, watched the Pelicans dive-bomb for fish and watched the sunset from the dock, Martha rang the bell for dinner, ate dinner, played cards, read, went to sleep. Other guests fished and sea kayaked to nearby cayes. We went on a couple of dives using the IZE Dive shop, which was formerly the Living Reef dive center. Since we're beginner divers, this outfit was OK, but think more experienced divers might not be thrilled with the operation. They don't own their own boats, which led to problems ranging from motor trouble one day (2-hour delay) to a skipper who lost track of the divers while they were under water, causing them to have to swim back to shore. (The people on the dive weren't charged for the dive.) We were only affected by the 2-hour delay, which we took in stride, since all it meant was more time to finish reading our books. Kerwin, our divemaster, seemed capable. The last night we were there was my birthday; Martha baked a chocolate cake for me, complete with trick candles that wouldn't blow out. Richie, the budding singer, put together a birthday song. We enjoyed the bottle of wine (bring wine with you if you want it) with dinner; will definitely be one of my more memorable birthdays. Jim Hock, North Carolina, April 1999

* My girlfriend and I took our first trip to Belize from March 7 - 14, 1999. The first night we spent at the PELICAN BEACH RESORT in Dangriga. Except for a little confusion with our reservation (they mixed up my first and last names), we were quite pleased. We paid US$88 for one night, meals not included. A bit pricey maybe, but the room was clean and the staff friendly. Besides, there's not much else to choose from in Dangriga. We were even more impressed by the food at P.B.'s restaurant, which also seemed more reasonably priced. We then spent four nights at OCEAN'S EDGE LODGE on Tobacco Caye. Here we paid US$75 a night, which covered room and board for the two of us. We also prepaid a RT transportation charge of US$70 for boat rides to/from Dangriga. For tourists seeking a 'get-away-from-it-all' Belizean experience without breaking the bank, this place is it. Unlike other establishments on Tobacco Caye, Ocean's Edge's rooms have private baths (w/ hot water during the 'cold' season). Ceiling fans in the rooms were usually unnecessary because of the near-constant breeze sweeping through the screenless windows (which also seemed to keep the bugs at bay). Raymond and Brendalee kept us and the other guests quite happy. Brendalee's cooking by itself is enough reason to visit Tobacco Caye (don't leave without trying her banana fritters). While on the Caye, we dove with Second NatureDivers, one of two diving outfitters on the island. Though my experience with diving outfitters is quite limited, Second Nature seemed quite professional and reasonably priced. Merritt Deeter, Boulder, Colorado, April 1999

* We departed Belize City on the FANTA-SEA, a chartered catamaran sailboat captained and crewed by a wonderful husband/wife team who made our next seven days of scuba diving, snorkeling and sailing a most delightful experience! The reefs of Belize are a sight to behold. The variety and quantity of coral, fish and other sea creatures is mind-boggling. At night we were treated to most beautiful skies filled with stars, capping off each special day. And in between we feasted on tasty foods so aptly prepared by Donna, Captain Mike Hill's wife. Each dive was accompanied by either Donna or Mike for safety reasons as well as to help each diver gain maximum benefit from the dives, pointing out special creatures, wrecks and whatever. Donna and Mike demonstrated a very caring attitude and great respect for the environment. Gordon Fenner, Edenton, North Carolina, July 1998

* My wife and I were on the BELIZE AGGRESSOR III. The boat was outstanding, the crew was outstanding, the food was okay, the weather was perfect and the diving was ... not bad! This was our first liveaboard trip, and our first trip to Belize. We have been to Bonaire (twice) and Saba (once). The Belize atolls have great walls, something neither Bonaire or Saba has (no quibbling over the mini-wall on Klein Bonaire, please - there is no comparison). Marine life was plentiful and reasonably varied. Water temperature was around 78F, and visibility varied from around 40 feet worst-case, usually in the shallows, to 80 feet or so over the wall. I've never dived Belize from a land-based operation, but the liveaboard provides unequalled access to dive sites. There is ample opportunity to do five dives per day with reasonable surface intervals, one a night dive. One passenger was averaging seven per day! We did three or four. The night dive is done at the same site as the afternoon dives, so you can gain familiarity with the site before going down in the dark. EAN32 is available. Meals are served on a schedule, but there are some snacks and drinks available in between. The boat is usually moved at lunch time and after the night dive, sometimes to a sheltered mooring which means she moves again during breakfast. The "rules" are few and reasonable: no planned deco diving, no solo diving, no diving for the rest of the day after consuming alcohol. Other than requiring that a crew member be on the diving deck, which was manned from about 7 a.m. til after the night dive was over, there is no fixed diving schedule. The crew does watch the divers during the first few dives to get a feel for comfort level and capabilities, but they were never intrusive. In fact, it seemed as if the crew was invisible when you didn't want or need anything, but magically appeared when you did, in the water and on the boat! The only dive that deviated from the usual was the Blue Hole. That was done as a group as the first dive of the day on Wednesday; 6.5 minutes at 130 feet, then 5 minutes at 20 feet and 10 minutes at 10 feet, no EAN permitted. There was no other diving permitted until after lunch that day. The balance of the morning was spent on Half Moon Caye, where there is a nature preserve and the rusty old lighthouse for which Lighthouse Atoll is named. If I had a choice, I'd rather we skipped the Blue Hole, since it's a rather unremarkable dive and really too short to explore, but I think the crew would enforce the extended surface interval on Wednesday anyway - and it's not a bad idea, considering the amount of diving that can be done off the boat. Art Greenberg, New Jersey, February 1998

* COTTAGE COLONY RESORT, St. George's Caye. Wonderful people and great spot. Generator was broken and there was no electricity or water. They did everything they could to make us comfortable and to make sure we had a good time. Would go back in a heartbeat. Chuck Shinnamon, Napa, California, January 1998

* We met Raymond Stephen and his wife Brenda Lee of OCEAN'S EDGE LODGE at the Riverside Cafe in Dangriga, and they ferried us out to Tobacco Caye. Tobacco Caye was a lot of fun and Ocean's Edge was probably the best spot on the island (US$75 for two includes 3 meals per day, US$40 for the two kids, US$35 per person round trip transfer to Tobacco Caye.) Tobacco Caye is very small, right on the reef, and way too overdeveloped. Although you can snorkel right from the Caye, you will likely want to take some tours to better snorkeling sites. The island took quite a hit from Mitch and suffered a lot of erosion. There is also a lot of dead coral around. There is one bar (the drinking kind) on the island (Raymond's) and it is pretty laid back (my wife: "How do I get a drink around here?" Raymond: "Hey mon, jus' go behind de bar an' make it youself.") Even my kids got to play bartender to the guests for a while. Due to lack of space at Ocean's Edge, we also spent one night at GAVIOTA'S. It was a little stricter with the owners being devout Jehovah's Witnesses. The prices were cheaper, and accordingly the accommodations were more basic. The many "rules" were hand written signs all over the walls including one sign that read "Please obey all signs." They must view Raymond Stephen as being the Anti-Christ himself. The Southern Highway was in absolutely pathetic shape. Locals said the trip to Placencia was between one and one and a half hours, but travelers we met said they had taken up to four hours to travel between Placencia and Dangriga by bus. Having traveled it I now believe the four hours. We could have flown for cheaper, but we decided to really splurge and hire a guide for an all day tour from Dangriga to Placencia. Raymond found Claude from C&G tours in Dangriga. Claude was wonderful. Until recently he worked for Pelican Beach, but is now out on his own. He has taken out so many Audubon members that he has become a fanatical birder himself. My family and I could not tell a toucan from a tanager, but when Claude would slam on the brakes and yell "Look! Look! A fork-tailed flycatcher!! Wow! You guys are seeing great birds!!" we couldn't help but be caught up in the excitement of it all. Mark Vigder, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, December 1998

* I just returned from my second visit to Belize and have a few updates. I dove and snorkeled both times at South Water Caye, among other places. Why would anyone go anywhere else? You can snorkel for days at SWC by simply walking less than 50 yards to the beach, and swimming 20 more. Other sites are accessible by boat, but we always see rays, and even sharks, eels, and an occasional grouper even on the inner reef. No real need to boat anywhere. If the sea is rough, as it sometimes is near Ambergris Caye, just staying inside the reef can provide hours of great snorkeling. The LIVING REEF DIVE CENTRE gets my vote over the Blue Marlin. Much better prices, very personalized service, friendly, knowledgeable divemasters, and good quality rental equipment. Both place s seem to visit the same dive sites. The reef is healthier here than at Ambergris. Boat rides to dive sites are 5-20 minutes, depending on where you want to go and the sea conditions. Accommodations at the Blue Marlin are a bit more posh and a great deal more expensive. The cabins on South Water Caye owned by PELICAN BEACH RESORT gets my vote for the best remote caye lodging. Simple but comfortable, and the great breeze provided by the trade winds passing through the buildings made sleeping quite comfortable. The food is simple, hearty, and excellent. If you're hungry between meals, there are cookies and fresh fruit juice available, and Martha or Delcie will be happy to fix you a snack. There probably isn't a more perfect honeymoon spot than the Heron's Hideaway. Also: Chaa Creek's chef, Bill, is now at Pelican Beach Resort in Dangriga. Yum. Noticeable change for the better at PBR; noticeable loss for Chaa Creek. The Pelican Beach itself seems to me to be more British Honduras than the others on your list (Belize Book of Lists.) And their staff gets my vote for friendliest and most accommodating. Luann Lee, St. Marys, Ohio, Summer 1997

* There are four atolls in all of the Caribbean and fortuitously three of them are located off the coast of Belize. These three are name Turneffe, Lighthouse and Glover's. After much research, on the Internet and AOL, we chose LIGHTHOUSE REEF RESORT not only because it consistently received the highest marks of any resort on the atolls but because the diving was purported to be some of the best in Belize. The reports were correct in both aspects. Lighthouse has its own airstrip and makes its own small plane arrangements directly from Belize City International Airport so access is easy. The beaches and sand were the whitest and most beautiful of our experience in Belize. The accommodations were consistently exemplary whether in one of the suites or one of the cabanas -- all can be equally recommended. There is sufficient distance from one abode to the next to guarantee privacy and since they are all strung along the pristine beach (which is raked every other day), your ocean view of sunsets is unimpeded. Meals are taken in a small open building at the foot of the main pier. Sit-down service is provided at four round tables with people constantly changing their seats so everyone gets to spend time with every other guest there. The dive instructors and masters often eat with the guests so further stories can be shared. There was always a soup or salad offered at dinner with at least two choices for entree and a home made dessert. Lunch had at least two choices, usually a large seafood or chicken dish or some kind of salad, or a hot meal of various types, and a dessert as well. Breakfast was cooked-to-order with a special each morning such as banana french toast, and loads of fresh fruit. So much for being on a small island 45 minutes flying time from Belize City and thinking you can't provide top service with good meals. All beds were king, queen, or two double. The suites had Victorian wall paper with crown molding, certainly not expected in these surroundings. There was a continuous sea breeze that made the available air conditioning unnecessary. The diving was superb on very good dive boat. The possibilities were nearly limitless. One of the high points of the week was a full day trip to Half Moon Caye, at the far end of the atoll, which has a protected bird reserve where there are hundreds of red-footed boobies, frigate birds, wish- willies, lizards, hermit crabs and two practically tame nurse sharks that live off one end. There were two dives in the morning, a barbecued lunch served on the lovely white sand under towering palm trees, and one afternoon dive before returning to the resort. People spend great amounts of money taking a full day's trip from Ambergris Caye to dive the Blue Hole, a natural wonder, which is at Lighthouse Reef. When you are staying there, it is one of the scheduled dives. Some are disappointed in their experience on this dive and others are enraptured by it. When you are just a stone's throw away from it, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. The difference in opinion may have something to do with the distance traveled, amount charged, and inconvenience involved. Our overall rating for this resort is a definite A- . The accommodations, no matter the level, are an A- while the food is a B+; the appearance and ambience are an A and the friendliness rates an A- ; the total diving experience is a definite A. The scuba operation at Amigos del Mar on Ambergris Caye is superior but what you see in the water is better at Lighthouse Reef. In the U.S., contact 1-800-423-3114, or internationally at 941-439-6600. Ask for Donna who handles all the reservations. Catherine McCabe and Steven Helm, Van Nuys, California, May 1997

* My wife and I recently spent a week at LIGHTHOUSE REEF RESORT. (Lighthouse's U.S. number is 1-800-423-3114 or e-mail lighthouse@btl.net, tel./fax number in Belize is 501-2-31205.) We usually go to Bonaire once a year, and we thought it was time to try someplace new. Lighthouse Reef was as good as Bonaire and different in many respects. Lots of large fish, especially groupers, dolphins, and pristine reefs like in Bonaire. The resort itself is only six years old and has great accommodations and a very good dive operation. The staff is top notch, especially the dive masters Chris and Richard who are some of the best I have ever dived with. The dive boat is large and comfortable and since the resort itself only has 20 guests at a time, it was never crowded, as it can be in Bonaire. In six days of diving we did 17 dives. Some of the more memorable ones were the Blue Hole, Long Caye, Half Moon Caye, and the abyss wall dives where the reef drops off to 2,500 ft. The visibility was about 50 ft. when we arrived since Hurricane Dolly had just left, but after about three days it improved to around 70 to 80 ft. horizontal and about 90 ft. vertical. The water temp. was between 80 to 85 degrees. I wore a skin for the first few days but found I was getting too hot. Dives were at 9 am., 11.30 a.m., and 2.30 p.m. The rooms were spacious with good air conditioning, the food was good Belizean cuisine since they only employ Belizean cooks, and the price was right in line with what we always pay for all-inclusive dive packages. Overall we had a great time, and would highly recommend Lighthouse to those who wish to spend a week of intensive diving and total relaxation. Bill Leachman, Markham, Virginia