Tell me about the Sun and Belize, Santo Tomas de Castillo

[Colleen]

Sailing on the Sun right after she returns to New Orleans on 11/5.

Any thing you can tell me about the Sun and those ports. My 13 year old son is travelling with us - anything for him?

[flashdog_1]

Coleen,

It just depends on your son. If he doesn't get sea sick he might enjoy a ride on the Rio Dulce out of Livingston across Amatique Bay from Santo Tomas. Tours can be booked right at the pier. The half hour ride to Livingston is bumpy because it is open sea at relatively high speed, yet you are always in sight of land and beautiful vistas. there are several other posts about Santo Tomas on this board. You will also find reviews on the roll calls for Sun.

 

When we took tours of Mayan ruins there were several children ranging in age from about 7-14 and it was not a problem for them. Again, it just depends on your son.

 

In Belize if you don't want a long tour or one to ruins, there is a relatively new place called Old Belize that is on the taxi drivers' list of places. It is on the other side of the bay from the city, about 5 miles by taxi. It has a museum of Park Service quality, a large open air restaurant with marimba band, a protected beach with facilities and I think small boats (looks like a Pacific island atol), and very safe. Google it on line for details. Sitting in the restaurant I could see our ship in the distance. The taxi ride back to the pier allows you to see a little of town life without having to get out and mingle. I enjoyed it immensely.

[HERKIMER417]

Coleen-

 

I was cruising with Flashdog and actually visited the same ports as Flashdog but did different trips. Both of us came away with a very memorable experience.

 

In Belize, I did the Yhoni Cave tubing trip. Its about a hours bus ride to the start, then a 30 minute walk thru the jungle on well walked trails and then a 90 or so minute tube ride thru caves on a river. No bugs and I usually burn very quickly - but there was enough coverage that I never got pink. On the return trip to the port, you stop at a local resturant and eat some rice and chicken with a drink. It was very good. ( There are several posts about his tour on the Belize port site)

 

In Santo Tomas - I took a tour with an independent- Livingston tours. They have a booth in the building at the pier side. Its run by Gus, always wearing his trademark cowboy hat and cowboy boots. He speaks English well because he lives in NYC for many months a year. He is helped by several others - one of the guides we had lived in Houston for most of his life so commuication was no problem.

 

Similiar to Flashdogs trip - you are loaded in a 20 person boat. But with Gus, its at dockside and you go up the coast for 40 minutes and then up river for about an hour. Tons of beautiful birds all around. We passed many people traveling on the river in dug-out canoes. Men fishing and children traveling to school and such. We visited a Mayan school with a thashed roof and English teachers trying to instruct science, math and language to students. The students were very interested in us and several spoke to us. They have limited English and I have even more limited Spanish. I felt disappointed that I had not paid better attention to my own studies and learn more when I was in school, so I could communicate better.

 

It was easy to see that this was not a show and that each and every student was trying hard with a great enthusiasm.

 

Gus owns a hotel and when you return from the school tour you have a nice lunch there and enjoy some local dance and music - pass the hat type.

 

Gus then have us a tour of Livingston and we got a first hand look at a developing country turning the corner and improving with each day.

 

As the ship was leaving port in the setting sun - the local cabs and vans lined up ( maybe 50-75) and put on their flashing lights and horns and all waved good bye to us.

 

Have a great trip

[passaporta]

Go With Gus

 

Dear Colleen:

 

The Rio Dulce tour is a special treat for kids, they get to see other teenagers or kids trying to learn what for the rest of us is natural. In the tour is always time for swimming in the <hot water springs or in crystal clear water of Rio Tatin Creek. Gus is always willing to please his tourist and is very considerate with the alders too. Do your tour with Gus:)

 

 

We did the tour with Gus & it was great. Our trip down the river was an amazing experience.

We had kids on our tour & they had a gread time.

 

Keep smilin'

 

:) :) :)