Belize, anyone?

Hello!

I am considering a trip to Belize, mainly because a friend can get a
great deal at the Blue Tang Inn outside of San Pedro on Ambergris
Caye. Also, the idea of traveling somewhere so out of the ordinary for
me sounds exciting. I had been considering Playa or Negril until this
opportunity came up. ANYHOW...has anyone been to Belize/Ambergris?
Would you recommend it? I'm not a diver, just a beach lover. What do
you think?

Thanks for your advice!

Well, yeah, I've been to Belize. I've been banging around Belize for 13 or 14
years and have written a half dozen books on the country, including one on
Ambergris Caye, "San Pedro Cool."

Belize is not exactly undiscovered anymore -- tourism is booming.
International tourism there has been setting records for several years, and
more than three-quarters of a million day trippers will stop in Belize City
this year on cruise ships.

Blue Tang Inn is okay, not one of the top places on the island, but okay.

Don't expect world-class beaches on Ambergris. The beaches are nice enough,
but due to the amazing barrier reef just offshore there is some seagrass and
the water is shallow and sometimes with a mucky bottom.

--Lan Sluder
Belize First Magazine (http://www.belizefirst.com)
Fodor's Belize & Guatemala (new 5th edition coming 2004)
Adapter Kit: Belize (the only comprehensive guide to living, retiring, working
and investing in Belize)
San Pedro Cool (the first and only visitor guide to Ambergris Caye)
Belize First Guide to Mainland Belize -- sold out, new edition coming 2004
Easy Belize eBook (available on www.escapeartist.com -- go to
http://www.escapeartist.com/e_Books/...In_Belize.html)
Belize Book of Lists -- sold out, new edition coming soon
Best Hotels of Belize -- coming early 2004

"smnornes" wrote in message
om...
Hello!

I am considering a trip to Belize, mainly because a friend can get a
great deal at the Blue Tang Inn outside of San Pedro on Ambergris
Caye. Also, the idea of traveling somewhere so out of the ordinary for
me sounds exciting. I had been considering Playa or Negril until this
opportunity came up. ANYHOW...has anyone been to Belize/Ambergris?
Would you recommend it? I'm not a diver, just a beach lover. What do
you think?

Thanks for your advice!

I love Ambergris and the Blue Tang is a nice little hotel. However, I am a
diver and so not quite as concerned about the beach as some. The beach in
front of Blue Tang is not all that. There are some better beach areas but
Ambergris is not really known for its beaches.

Now all that said, I still believe you would really enjoy San Pedro.

"smnornes" wrote in message
om...
Hello!

I am considering a trip to Belize, mainly because a friend can get a
great deal at the Blue Tang Inn outside of San Pedro on Ambergris
Caye. Also, the idea of traveling somewhere so out of the ordinary for
me sounds exciting.

By the way, the Blue Tang Inn is not really "outside" of San Pedro, though
it is more to the northside of town.

Have you seen this: http://ambergriscaye.com/bluetang/index.html

Now check this out: http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/lodge/longview.html

YOu need to scroll across the picture which starts on the left at Ramon's
and moves north up towards the hand ferry at the cut.

Not the best view of the Blue Tang, as it is a bit hidden behind Hustlers
Dock and Wet Willies bar on the dock, but as you can see, it is not exactly
outside of town. Just a short walk to most anywhere really, unless you are
planning a big trek either up north across the handferry or way down south.
If you want to to do that I recommend that you do it a couple of afternoons.
Rent a golfcart and tour up and down and all around. Don't be afraid to go
anyplace but use your usual caution.

I had been considering Playa or Negril until this
opportunity came up. ANYHOW...has anyone been to Belize/Ambergris?
Would you recommend it? I'm not a diver, just a beach lover. What do
you think?

Well, I've never been to Playa, but I've in the are around tulum and have
been to Cancun and Coz. I've never been to Negril, so sorry can't comment.
All I know, is I've been a lot of places in my live, and that was the first
place that I went back to, and then again, and then again, and then again
and so on.


Thanks for your advice!

You will have a wonderful time whatever you decide but a word of warning, if
you are only into the huge resorts with the all-inclusive, this isn not the
island for that. I look at San Pedro twn as my all-inclusive. Too
fabulous, too much fun.

smnornes wrote:

Hello!

I am considering a trip to Belize, mainly because a friend can get a
great deal at the Blue Tang Inn outside of San Pedro on Ambergris
Caye. Also, the idea of traveling somewhere so out of the ordinary for
me sounds exciting. I had been considering Playa or Negril until this
opportunity came up. ANYHOW...has anyone been to Belize/Ambergris?
Would you recommend it? I'm not a diver, just a beach lover. What do
you think?

Thanks for your advice!

If you're not a diver I wouldn't recommend it unless you are also
interested in other things besides beaches. Belize has some wonderfully
intriguing countryside, Mayan ruins, rainforest, Jaguar preserve, and
fantastic snorkeling/diving out in the cayes, but it's not much for
lounging on the beach with the occasional dip into the blue sparkling
surf. The very thing that makes for great diving (the reef) means that
most, if not all, of the beaches and the water right off of them are
full of turtle grass and quite murkey.

That said, once we got over our desire for tropical beaches we quite
enjoyed the interior country. The mountains are spectacular.