Belize 1st time Dec2013 ?

[happy_travellers]

What to do for our first time in Belize? We are avid photographers.

 

Cave tubing and zip lines not our thing. Thanks for any ideas.

Karen

[crewsweeper]

Look into one of the Maya ruins tours or a zoo tour. Altun Ha is in a jungle, you can get there via the River Wallace with potential of seeing wildlife along the route. Xunantunich is a long bus ride away but you have to cross a small river via a hand crank ferry and the vistas from the top of th etemple are fantastic. Lamanai is another long day trip but worth it.

 

The zoo is like a game preserve. Began as a recovery area for injured and near extinct native animals. Some cruisers like th ebaboon sanctuary too.

 

If you have underwater cameras or like underwater photography, take the Shark/Ray Alley snorkel tour to Caye caulker. Lots of nurse sharks, manta rays, fish and other sea life. Clear water.

[happy_travellers]

Look into one of the Maya ruins tours or a zoo tour. Altun Ha is in a jungle, you can get there via the River Wallace with potential of seeing wildlife along the route. Xunantunich is a long bus ride away but you have to cross a small river via a hand crank ferry and the vistas from the top of th etemple are fantastic. Lamanai is another long day trip but worth it.

 

The zoo is like a game preserve. Began as a recovery area for injured and near extinct native animals. Some cruisers like th ebaboon sanctuary too.

 

If you have underwater cameras or like underwater photography, take the Shark/Ray Alley snorkel tour to Caye caulker. Lots of nurse sharks, manta rays, fish and other sea life. Clear water.

 

Is there anything close to the dock to see after a tour?

 

Thanks Karen

[JimAOk1945]

Take a ship sponsored tour to Lamanai. It's a great place for anyone interested in photography.

 

My wife's a "photo bug" and takes loads of pictures. You might enjoy seeing the short musical slide-show she made with a few pictures she took.

 

Lamanai Shore Excursion

[CaribbeanBound]

We did this tour several years ago. It was fun.

 

We snaked South down the river to the Lamanai Ruin site. Our guide plying us with information and pointing out numerous birds (including King Fisher, Blue Herrin, Vultures, and Snow Egrets), baby crocodiles, and a huge green iguana, as well as various flora and fauna. We also found the huge termite nests in the trees to be of interest to all. One of the 3 boats experienced engine trouble which slowed us down a bit, but that boat was never abandoned. Our boat held back each time to make sure they were not stranded.

 

Once we arrived at Lamanai, we ate a hearty lunch of Mayan chicken, rice, coleslaw, coconut tarts, and bottled Pepsi and water. We started our tour in a small museum with interesting Mayan artifacts and continued on by foot through an impressive jungle featuring vines, "Jurassic Park"-sized palm fronds, medicinal trees, and Howler Monkeys. We spent about 1.5 hours exploring 3 large Mayan temples and the remains of a small Mayan town. Our guides provided an enormous amount of insight and kept us moving at a reasonable clip.

 

We returned to the boats, sped back up the river, and returned to the buses just before nightfall. We arrived back at the docks about an hour after the final tender was suppose to leave for the ship. Our guides, to their credit, had made the decision to give us the full tour --- not an abridged tour --- even though we had arrived late. After all, we were paying the full price of the tour and they weren't going to let us get anything less. It was clear, back in Lamanai, that we were not going to make the tender cutoff time. This began to cause great distress among some tour passengers. Just remember, that if you are on a cruise-sponsored tour, there are "no worries!" They were not going to strand any of their passengers in Belize if they are on a cruise-sponsored excursion. Sure enough, we were met at the pier with a nice large boat that easily and comfortably sped all of us back to the ship, which was beautifully illuminated out on the sea. Bottom line: take this tour.

 

More "Secrets of the Caribbean": http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/caribbean-secrets.html

[happy_travellers]

Take a ship sponsored tour to Lamanai. It's a great place for anyone interested in photography.

 

My wife's a "photo bug" and takes loads of pictures. You might enjoy seeing the short musical slide-show she made with a few pictures she took.

 

Lamanai Shore Excursion

 

I very excited after seeing your pics but looks like this is not offered on the Carnival Conquest.

 

I do see an Altun Ha Mayan Site and River Wallace tour. It may be similar.

 

Thanks karen

[crewsweeper]

Different ruins and different river. Jungle setting and hints of wildlife along the river banks. Altun Ha gets preety good marks, but not Wows, from the Maya ruins aficionados.

[jaxfl]

We are booked on the Altun Ha iand River Wallace tour sponseored by the ship that way we are good if the tour runs late.