Snorkeling vs Ruins

[primetimegirl]

We are sailing on the Spirit out of New Orleans on May 22. I've been reading and trying to decide on shore excursions. We love to snorkel, but also want to visit some of the ruins. We’re trying to decide which ports are best for each activity. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[primetimegirl]

I'm sorry, I didn't post our ports: Costa Maya, Roatan, Belize City, and Cozumel

[navybaby1113]

Snorkeling in Belize is gorgeous.

 

I would do ruins in either Cozumel or Costa Maya. Tulum in Cozumel looks amazing. Sadly I haven't had the chance to see those yet. We did the Chacchoben ruins in Costa Maya and they were really cool. I highly recommend them.

[crewsweeper]

Snorkel in Belize and on Roatan. Belize take an excursion to one of the reefs. Roatan head for West Bay/West End and snorkel off shore.

 

In Cozumel, if you want to snorkel you need to head for either The Money Bar or Chankanaab Park for good iron shore.

 

For ruins, use Costa Maya and Native Choice to get good guides and good rins without taking up all of the time you are in port. Alternative is to do AltunHa, Xunantunich or Lamanai in Belize. Altun Ha is closer to Belize City. Xunantunich will be an all day affair and you need the ship excursion. If no ship excursion to Lamanai, there is a vendor who does the excusion and has a guarantee that you won't miss the ship. In Belize you can still climb the temples at all 3 sites.

 

I would suggest not doing Tulum from Cozumel. It's a long all day journey and you need a ship excursion to ensure you'll make th eship on return. The site is in a very beuatiful setting on the beach, but you can't cimb on the ruins and have limited time there.

[primetimegirl]

Thanks for the info. I think we will snorkel in Belize and Roatan, See the Ruins in Roatan, and Cozumel ?????

[crewsweeper]

Thanks for the info. I think we will snorkel in Belize and Roatan, See the Ruins in Roatan, and Cozumel ?????

 

No ruins on Roatan unless you count the ersatz ones at Maya Kay.

Ruins on Cozumel, San Gervasio, are very small and not impressive relative to those on the mainland.

[burm]

We are sailing on the Spirit out of New Orleans on May 22. I've been reading and trying to decide on shore excursions. We love to snorkel, but also want to visit some of the ruins. We’re trying to decide which ports are best for each activity. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

 

http://www.thenativechoice.com/dzibanche_ruins.php

 

We went to Dzibanche with Costa Maya two weeks ago, and for me the place was absolutely magical. Although we did not book a private tour, there were only 6 of us in the comfortable van. In fact, once the large ship's tour left, only minutes after our arrival, we had the huge site entirely to ourselves!

 

Because of the distance, (2 hours from port) and because the site is still being restored, it is not commercial.

 

One couple in our group told us that they had recently been to Tulum and had found those ruins relatively disappointing. Very small in comparison to Dzibanche.

 

Some of the structures at Dzibanche still have trees growing out of the walls. Many buildings are still just mounds in the jungle. But what you do see is sure to thrill and impress you. It takes very little imagination to picture this once large, bustling city as it was.

 

The Howler monkeys, well, howling, in the background only add to the ambience. Are those critters ever noisy!

 

The ship's tour we passed on arrival did not even have the time to climb to the top of the buildings. Our small group had ample time to climb and explore. BTW, a lot of places do not allow you to climb to the top anymore.

 

On the way back, our guide, Francisco, stopped to buy a bag of a fleshy, purple skinned fruit called caimitos. He wanted to introduce us to a fruit that we would not know at home.

 

The trip was long but the time passed very quickly with the guide giving us stories and information.

 

I even got to enjoy the best taco I have had in many years, purchased at a stand in front of the gas station. :eek:

 

It was a really incredible day - at a fraction of the ship's excursion cost.

 

The one glitch to the day was unfortunately at the very start. Native Choice had arranged with a local shuttle service to transport us free of charge to their office. The shuttle driver wanted to take all the "paying" passengers first. I hope that David and Ivan have since worked out better pick up arrangements.