Insider advice on visiting rugged wilderness preserves, sleepy beach towns, and spectacular Mayan ruins. There are adventures here to suit all interests: swooping from treetop platform to treetop platform on a canopy tour, taking a dip in a jungle swimming hole, spotting playful spider monkeys as you hike through lush foliage, or snorkeling at Shark-Ray Alley.
Where to find some of the country's oldest--and most amazing--Mayan ruins, including...
Insider advice on visiting rugged wilderness preserves, sleepy beach towns, and spectacular Mayan ruins. There are adventures here to suit all interests: swooping from treetop platform to treetop platform on a canopy tour, taking a dip in a jungle swimming hole, spotting playful spider monkeys as you hike through lush foliage, or snorkeling at Shark-Ray Alley.
Where to find some of the country's oldest--and most amazing--Mayan ruins, including Tikal and Caracol.
Insightful commentary on Belize's culture and history, plus a dedicated guide to outdoor activities and wildlife.
Opinionated reviews. No bland descriptions and lukewarm recommendations. Our expert writers are passionate about their destinations--they tell it like it is in an engaging and helpful way.
Exact prices listed for every establishment and activity--no other guides offer such detailed, candid reviews of hotels and restaurants. We include the very best, but also emphasize moderately priced choices for real people.
User-friendly features including star ratings and special icons to point readers to great finds, excellent values, insider tips, best bets for kids, special moments, and overrated experiences.
Eliot Greenspan is a poet, journalist, and travel writer who took his backpack and typewriter the length of Mesoamerica before settling in Costa Rica in 1992. Since then, he has worked steadily as a travel writer, freelance journalist, and translator, and has continued his travels in the region. He is the author of Frommer’s Guatemala, Frommer’s Costa Rica, and Costa Rica For Dummies, as well as the chapter on Venezuela in Frommer’s South America, and is co-author of Frommer’s Cuba. He is also the author of The Tico Times Restaurant Guide to Costa Rica and the poetry collection Map of You, Map of Me.
List of Maps vi
What's New in Belize 1
The Best of Belize 4
The Best Purely Belizean Experiences 4
The Best of Natural Belize 5
The Best Diving & Snorkeling 8
The Best Nondiving Adventures 9
The Best Day Hikes & Nature Walks 10
The Best Bird-Watching 11
The Best Mayan Ruins 12
The Best Views 13
The Best Destinations for Families 13
The Best Luxury Hotels & Resorts 14
The Best Moderately Priced Hotels 16
The Best Budget Hotels 17
The Best Restaurants 18
The Best After-Dark Fun 19
The Best Websites About Belize 20
Planning Your Trip to Belize 21
The Regions In Brief 21
Visitor Information 22
Entry Requirements & Customs 24
Money 25
The Belize Dollar, the U.S. Dollar, the Euro & the British Pound 26
What Things Cost In Belize 27
When to Go 28
Belize Calendar of Events 29
Travel Insurance 31
Health & Safety 32
Specialized Travel Resources 36
Planning Your Trip Online 38
Frommers.com: The Complete Travel Resource 39
The 21st-C`ntury Traveler 39
Online Traveler's Toolbox 41
Getting There 41
Getting Through the Airport 42
Packages for the Independent Traveler 44
Escorted Tours 44
Getting Around Belize 45
Car-Rental Tips 47
Tips on Accommodations 47
Tips on Dining 49
Recommended Books, Films & Music 50
Fast Facts: Belize 52
Suggested Belize Itineraries 57
Belize in 1 Week 57
Belize in 2 Weeks 58
Belize for Families 59
Mayan Ruins Highlights 51
Belize City in 1 Day 62
The Active Vacation Planner 64
Organized Adventure Trips 64
Activities A to Z 66
Belize's Top Parks & Bioreserves 73
Tips on Health, Safety & Etiquette in the Wilderness 77
Searching for Wildlife 77
Ecologically Oriented Volunteer & Study Programs 78
Belize City 80
Orientation 81
The Neighborhoods in Brief 84
Getting Around 85
Fast Facts: Belize City 85
Where to Stay 89
Where to Dine 92
What to See & Do 95
Baron Bliss 98
Outdoor Activities 100
Shopping 101
Belize City After Dark 103
Side Trips from Belize City 104
Northern Belize 105
Along the Old Northern Highway: Altun Ha & Maruba Resort Jungle Spa 105
En Route North: Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary 109
Orange Walk Town 110
Mennonites in Belize 112
The Submerged Crocodile: Lamanai 114
Going West: Rio Bravo Conservation Area, La Mulpa & Chan Chich 117
Barry Bowen, Belikin Beer, Coca-Cola & Chan Chich 118
Corozal Town 119
Crossing into Mexico 124
The Northern Cayes & Atolls 127
Ambergris Caye 127
The Perfect Plunge 135
Gonna Wash That Paint Right Out of My Hair 141
Caye Caulker 152
Chocolate & the Manatees 157
Two Small Cayes on the Way 165
The Outer Atolls 166
Southern Belize 169
Dangriga 169
The Garifuna 170
If You Come to a Fork in the Road, Take Both 174
Garifuna Settlement Day 177
Hopkins Village Sittee River Village 183
Placencia 188
Punta Gorda & the Toledo District 201
The Cayo District & Western Belize 212
Belmopan 212
San Ignacio 221
Mountain Pine Ridge & Caracol 238
Tikal & Guatemala's Peten 246
Tikal 245
Safety in Guatemala 252
Sunrise, Sunset 257
Seeing the Forest from the Trees 258
El Remate 260
Flores & Santa Elena 264
Belize in Depth 274
Belize Today 274
History 101 275
Dateline 275
Speaking of Tongues 276
The Natural Environment 279
Belizean Culture 281
Conch Fritters, Stew Fish & Belikin: Belizean Food & Drink 282
Useful Terms & Phrases 286
Spanish Terms 285
Creole Terms 289
Belizean Wildlife 291
Fauna 291
Flora 320
Index 325
General Index 325
Accommodations Index 337
Restaurant Index 338
Overview