Which Mayan ruins to see?

[Happyladi]

We will be in Belize in April and am interested in seeing Mayan ruins. I also would like to do one that includes a river boat ride.

 

Any suggestions on which to do? Any information you have about the tours would be very helpful.

 

I've been reading that it is extremely hot there. I hate the heat but I can deal with it for a couple of hours. Is it only at the ruins that it will be hot or is it also hot on the boat? I was hopping that the breeze on the boat would help with the heat.

[Chinchbug]

We did the excursion through Carnival that included Altun-Ha and a boat ride on the River Wallace. The bugs were more of an issue than the heat at the ruins- be sure to bring Off. The highlight of the ruins tour was being able to climb to the top of one temple- but other than that we didn't care for it as much as other ruins we've been to- you have to stay with the guide and don't get to "explore" on your own. We really enjoyed the river trip, though. We saw a lot of monkeys, some crocs, manatees, iguanas, birds... You hit some open water at the end of the river and they take you back to the pier pretty fast. Our kids really liked it because they got hit with a lot of spray. I don't know about any other ruins tours- but I'd recommend this one for the boat ride alone.

[ladeeesquire]

we did lamanai last month and had a great time! get off the ship quick, 1 hr drive to boat thru ecotours, 1 hr river boat ride and about 2 hrs at ruins including lunch. We did it through an excursion company that I would not recommend again but ended up on the boat with a group from X-treme Belize that I would recommend.

 

I'd read on these boards dozens of times that lamanai couldn't be done or is too far away. It was a non issue entirely.

[Isa65]

we did lamanai last month and had a great time! get off the ship quick, 1 hr drive to boat thru ecotours, 1 hr river boat ride and about 2 hrs at ruins including lunch. We did it through an excursion company that I would not recommend again but ended up on the boat with a group from X-treme Belize that I would recommend.

 

I'd read on these boards dozens of times that lamanai couldn't be done or is too far away. It was a non issue entirely.

 

Hi Ladeeesquire, we're going to Lamanai next month. Would you mind telling us why you wouldn't recommend the company you used (and which one it is?). So we know in advance who NOT to go with... Thanks!

[bayview97]

We did the Lamanai tour last month thru NCL and really enjoyed it. There were several groups from other ships and independent operators doing this tour as well. The bus ride is about 50 miles and boat ride about 25 miles each way.

 

Think class trip for the bus ride and then Indiana Jones adventure for the boat ride and trek to the ruins. Our guide, Wilfredo, was a very knowledgable man employed by Cruise Solutions and provided some good insight into the Mayan culture. Be sure to climb the ruins while there if you get a chance as the view from the top is impressive.

 

We did not need bug spray but that may have been because it was February. The breeze during the boat ride did help keep us cool (we were going 30-35 mph at times) but there was not much shade on our boat so the sun can quickly become an issue. This excursion is a full day so remember the sunscreen and water. Note that this trip is not for someone with mobility issues.

 

Have fun!

[crazy1here]

we did lamanai last month and had a great time! get off the ship quick, 1 hr drive to boat thru ecotours, 1 hr river boat ride and about 2 hrs at ruins including lunch. We did it through an excursion company that I would not recommend again but ended up on the boat with a group from X-treme Belize that I would recommend.

 

I'd read on these boards dozens of times that lamanai couldn't be done or is too far away. It was a non issue entirely.

 

I wanna do lamani next month....mind telling which company to avoid?

[Happyladi]

Thank you for all your help! I've decided to do the Lamanai tour through Royal Caribbean. Since this is a tendered port and it's a long tour I think that is the safest way to go. I am definitely bringing bug spray, sunscreen, and water.

[Chloe1500]

I just visited Lamanai in Jan. and it was the highlight of our Western Caribbean cruise. I didn't think it was really hot (Egypt is really hot) but there is high humidity which makes it feel more uncomfortable. Wear lighweight, breathable clothes and take a hat. Lamanai is not one of the major Mayan sites, but it was really interesting. The boat trip was great. The restaurant at the dock is not bad - chicken, rice and beans, and fruit. Definitely take insect repellant with Deet - there are not that many mosquitos, but there are those pesky no-see-ums.