Belize Ruins

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

Hello! We are trying to choose between touring the Lamanai ruins and the Altun Ha ruins. The Lamanai includes a boat ferry ride, but is 6 to 6.5 hours long, while the Altun Ha is only 3 to 3.5 hours long. We are on a cruise ship and are a bit nervous about the length of the tour in case we miss the ship (although they say they have never missed the ship before). The company is Fantasea. Has anyone gone with them before and how was it?

 

Thanks for any info!

 

Debbie

[crewsweeper]

I've seen posts here where people have had plenty of time to see Lamanai and get back to the tender dock. I've seen posts where they barely made it back. My advice is that if the tour takes more than 2/3 the total time you're in port and invovles use of multi-modes of transportation, use a ship sponsored excursion or don't go. Or bring your passports and lots of extra cash jus tin case:rolleyes:.

 

Unless you're obsessed with the ersatz, misinformed, new age-Hollywood focus on the Maya calendar or have some fantasy notion that a brief tour of bigger Maya ruins will change your life, you'll enjoy Altun Ha just as much as Lamanai.

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

Awesome, thanks! That's definitely the way we are leaning.

[STARFISH*4]

we did Altun Ha ruins the first time we were in Belize and i did Lamani last December i really LIKED Altun Ha ruins better...but if you are into CLIMBING the ruins then it would be Lamani--Lamani is a different type of ruin day and VERY LONG...since this is a TENDER port i would only do a ship tour...

 

all that being said i preferred Altun Ha over Lamani even in the rain.

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

Thank you! That is very helpful to know!! We are not into climbing too much... :)

 

Debbie

[Cayoooga]

Been to Lamanai and Xunantunich. The speed boat ride to Lam was amazing. we did the Lam excursion privately and had no problems returning on time. Xun ruins was a long bus ride but the ruins were impressive. Haven't been to Altun Ha ruins as they are the least impressive of the three. My vote is do the Lamanai ruins. The trip to the ruins is half the fun. We even had the driver of the van stop for cold ones on the way to the New River.;)

[beauty1492]

Cayoooga did you do indepent? and with who

 

thanks

[brownman88]

Lamanai it is then for us. Is it worth going to Tulum after Lamanai or just do Altun Ha then Tulum during stop in Cozumel? We will be crusing Norwegian Aug 28

[STARFISH*4]

Lamanai it is then for us. Is it worth going to Tulum after Lamanai or just do Altun Ha then Tulum during stop in Cozumel? We will be crusing Norwegian Aug 28

 

LOVED TULUM even with the fast bumpy ferry ride...so worth it, so GLAD we went! i would do it with the ships tour only as it is a very long day!!

 

i have been to Lamani and Tulum and my pick is Tulum...it was AWESOME and in a much different OPEN setting over looking the ocean then Lamani which is more in a jungle type setting.

 

EVERYONE has their favorites if you are into climbing the ruins-then Lamani is the place--for me i wasnt and just prefered TULUM!!

[txcutie566]

what excursions in Belize

[Cayoooga]

Cayoooga did you do indepent? and with who

 

thanks

Yes, we did an independant tour, i can't remember at the moment with who, but they have a booth by the wet lizard...:confused:

[Cayoooga]

Lamanai it is then for us. Is it worth going to Tulum after Lamanai or just do Altun Ha then Tulum during stop in Cozumel? We will be crusing Norwegian Aug 28

If you interested in the ruins then do Tulum also after Lamanai. Tulum is a very busy, fun, tourist site, with a great beach, and loads of shopping. Lamanai is in the jungle, with howler monkeys and fun to get to.

[Wanderlust92]

Went to Altun Ha through Vitalino Reyes when our cave tubing was cancelled due to high water. LOVED it! had plenty of time getting back and wandering around the shops at the port. not sure if was the site or the guides that made it so great.

[orimeep]

We visited the Lamanai ruins last Sept with belizecruiseexcursions and had a great time - and no problem getting back to the tenders on time.

 

The river ride was half the fun - and going through the jungle was amazing!

[meadcher]

Carnival offers this but would like to know if anyone knows of a private tour group that offers this tour. We would like the boat trip and the ruins.

[BeccaStorm]

We visited the Lamanai ruins last Sept with belizecruiseexcursions and had a great time - and no problem getting back to the tenders on time.

 

The river ride was half the fun - and going through the jungle was amazing!

 

Can you tell me more about this tour, we are very interested in taking it this November. Would you recommend it for families with kids 9-13 years of age? Was the tour company good?

[orimeep]

Can you tell me more about this tour, we are very interested in taking it this November. Would you recommend it for families with kids 9-13 years of age? Was the tour company good?

 

I thought the tour company was great - we met them near the pier and then went a block or two to their offices (area with a courtyard) while they gathered other people who were on the tour and left for the ride out to the river. We were in a large van, the guide with us was pointing out things along the way, made a stop at a convenience store for everyone to grab sodas and snacks and then continued on to the river dock (I think it was about 45 mins to an hour ride).

 

At the dock we met our guide for the ruins - he accompanied us on the boat (as did the guide from the tour company) and they were pointing out things as we past (trees, birds, etc.). Didn't see a lot of wildlife that day, but it was still a fun ride...

 

Once we got to the ruins we ate lunch (I think it was chicken and rice and beans and salad) and then started walking through the site. It had actually started raining just as we pulled up to the dock, though it had mostly let up by the time we finished eating, so we walked along the path through the site. You could hear the monkeys howling, we saw an anteater running through the jungle, and the ruins were beautiful. When you get to the tallest pyramid you can climb up it (I chose to stay on the ground) but everyone who was climbing seemed to enjoy it. We waited a while for everyone to climb up and take pictures and then climb back down. Stopped and saw a few other areas at the ruins and then went back for the trip back down the river.

 

It started pouring like crazy on the river ride back, but everyone was laughing and made the best of it - they gave us a giant tarp and we were all huddled under it and laughing.

 

As for a tour for children, I don't have any kids so I am not the best judge of that. It was mostly adults when we went, but there was a couple with their daughter (she was probably around 10) and she seemed to be enjoying herself - she was so excited to climb the pyramid.

 

Hope this is helpful! Happy to answer any other questions that I can!