San Pedro???

[ladybug1234]

Has anyone been to San Pedro? Any info would be great. We are going on the Glory in August and are trying to decide between Caye Caulker, Bannister Island or San Pedo. I was wondering if there are any nice beaches an if the resturants are any good. And of course if they are reasonably priced!

[sanjosebarbie]

I spent three weeks in Belize in 2004 (I think...I get my years confused), and we spent 3 days on Ambergris Caye (which effectively IS San Pedro). I must confess that we did NOT go to Caye Caulker, but we met a lot of other backpackers who had done Caulker (called Caye Corker sometimes by Belize natives). I can't recommend one over the other, but i can tell you about San Pedro and let you decide.

 

Caye Caulker is very laid back...not much shopping and just a few restaurants. To some people, this is really appealing, since they're trying to get away from it all. It sounds like it has gotten mildly busier since I was in Belize, but still pretty laid-back.

 

San Pedro (Ambergris Caye) is wonderful. The streets are all sandy, and people frequently travel by walking, bicycling or riding golf carts through the street. The beach is lined with restaurants, and many of them are simply excellent. Our favorite restaurant was not on the beach, but it is worth it to eat by the water, just because of the beautiful view. We went and sat at Fido's for hours having drinks and seafood and just enjoying the beautiful Caribbean.

 

By the way, if I do Ambergris or Caye Caulker in April, I'm going to take a plane rather than a water taxi, just because I value my limited time in Belize, and I want to make the most of it (and it is such a quick flight!).

[rsmith55]

I went to San Pedro and Caye Caulker about a year or so ago on a Carnival tour to shark-ray alley (they don't seem to offer this tour anymore). I really liked San Pedro, but it is very laid back and third world and I could see how some people might not like it. The day I was there was perfectly sunny and very warm as it probably is most days. My impression of it was that it was a single unpaved sand road through the middle of the town that you could walk in bare feet. We walked all through and around the town. There were lots of interesting bar-type buildings all over made out of whatever the locals could find. They all seemed to be one story with maybe one or two exceptions. The town is surrounded by ocean that seemed to be very shallow. I don't know if I would call them "beaches" but they were sand covered with a few inches of ocean water. I guess you could walk way out to where the water got deeper and swim. And I suppose that if you went out far enough you would get to the reef and could snorkel, but it might be a better idea to rent a small boat to take you snorkeling. I liked walking around and exploring San Pedro. You just never knew what was around the next corner. It certainly had that "island feel" about it.

Caye Caulker seemed similar but had more small hotels and palm trees on it. There was a place to swim where the water was deep at a bar at the end of part of the island. I thought it was a nice place and would like to go back. Again, I didn't see any "beaches" as we know it. Just shallow ocean on the sand. But this makes for great barefoot walking up and down the island.

Hope this helps.

[sanjosebarbie]

When you go to Belize, I would highly recommend NOT doing a cruise shore excursion. I might be wrong, but it just seems like most of their tours have you traveling all day long with very little time to do an actual activity. Belize is a country best enjoyed on a nice long visit (as I said before, my husband and I were there for 3 weeks, and it was heaven). Belize Municipal Airport has flights that take off all the time (very inexpensive, too), and it only takes about 30 minutes to go to the farthest reaches of the country (you can look up websites for Tropic Island Air or Maya Air, the two locals)

 

My plan is to take a flight straight over to San Pedro. They have a couple of big resorts you can spend the day at if you like the all-inclusive experience, or you can spend the day wandering the main street of San Pedro. If you like to snorkel, there are lots of places that can hook you up. Look up the website ambergriscaye.com or goambergriscaye.com. Both are excellent. The cruiselines always really tout Caye Caulker, because it is a bit closer, and they can't really utilize the small local flights.

[wack001]

When you go to Belize, I would highly recommend NOT doing a cruise shore excursion. I might be wrong, but it just seems like most of their tours have you traveling all day long with very little time to do an actual activity. Belize is a country best enjoyed on a nice long visit (as I said before, my husband and I were there for 3 weeks, and it was heaven). Belize Municipal Airport has flights that take off all the time (very inexpensive, too), and it only takes about 30 minutes to go to the farthest reaches of the country (you can look up websites for Tropic Island Air or Maya Air, the two locals)

 

My plan is to take a flight straight over to San Pedro. They have a couple of big resorts you can spend the day at if you like the all-inclusive experience, or you can spend the day wandering the main street of San Pedro. If you like to snorkel, there are lots of places that can hook you up. Look up the website ambergriscaye.com or goambergriscaye.com. Both are excellent. The cruiselines always really tout Caye Caulker, because it is a bit closer, and they can't really utilize the small local flights.

 

sanjosebarbie ;

Thks for the good info, I NEVER take a ship excursion. However for my next belize visit which will be on a crusie, i was thinking of taking the 30 minute flight to ambergrise caye, but I am worried about the time it will take to get from port to municapal airport, + whatever else??

any advice.

Thks

The wack

[moosejus]

We just got back today from NCL Dream where we went to San Pedro after snorkeling through the ship's excursion. We were really glad we were with the ship's excursion due how close we were cutting it to getting back. It was comforting to know that since we were booked through NCL, they would not leave without us, we were REALLY cutting it close! It was our first time snorkeling and it was great! The guides were wonderful. Very helpful and didn't make anyone feel "stupid" or anything. They took us to a great restaurant in San Pedro, Fido's. We really enjoyed San Pedro and are planning on going back by flying into Belize City and forgetting the ship. Like I said though, I highly recommend going through the ship to book this for the peace of mind of not being left! That alone was worth the money!

[wack001]

We just got back today from NCL Dream where we went to San Pedro after snorkeling through the ship's excursion. We were really glad we were with the ship's excursion due how close we were cutting it to getting back. It was comforting to know that since we were booked through NCL, they would not leave without us, we were REALLY cutting it close! It was our first time snorkeling and it was great! The guides were wonderful. Very helpful and didn't make anyone feel "stupid" or anything. They took us to a great restaurant in San Pedro, Fido's. We really enjoyed San Pedro and are planning on going back by flying into Belize City and forgetting the ship. Like I said though, I highly recommend going through the ship to book this for the peace of mind of not being left! That alone was worth the money!

 

Thks, But I NEVER do a ship excursion. You are saying that the ship excursion took u to san pedro?, if u do not mind me asking how long and how did u get there?

[sanjosebarbie]

sanjosebarbie ;

Thks for the good info, I NEVER take a ship excursion. However for my next belize visit which will be on a crusie, i was thinking of taking the 30 minute flight to ambergrise caye, but I am worried about the time it will take to get from port to municapal airport, + whatever else??

any advice.

Thks

The wack

 

I think the municipal airport is pretty close. Our ship gets in at 7a.m., and I anticipate being at the municipal airport by 8 (or 8:30 at the latest). If I get there early enough, I'll take the 8:30 flight over, but if we're running late, I can take the 9:30 flight and that would put me in San Pedro at 9:55. From the airstrip in San Pedro, it is a 2 minute walk to the main drag. That gives me a minimum of 4 hours to play around before I have to worry about catching a flight back. I would prefer to be back at the airport by 3:30 at the latest, so that I have plenty of time to catch a tender back to the ship (our ship departs at 5 p.m., I believe). I would prefer to be on the 2pm flight back, but the 3pm would be fine as well, since it is only a 25 minute flight. I like to err on the side of caution. If you want, you can pre-book a flight at http://www.mayaislandair.com (or tropic air).

 

One caveat is that if the weather is too bad, I wouldn't do the air thing (of course, we were there during hurricane season last time, so I doubt if we're likely to have that sort of weather when I'm there in April).

[sharecruises]

Wow...the tender into pier is 20 min, 25 min....from there to get to the ferry would be a walk, plus perhaps hassled....then a 45 minute trip to the caye??? Barbie I don't like ship tours either BUT in Belize where the tenders can be very slow and you may have to be in a big line waiting just for the tender many people take a ship tour

 

The shorter tours,like just to the ruins, or the cavetubing, seem to be pretty regular, the smuggler's run horseback tour ...they get you back in time

 

but to tell people to backtrack and NOT take a tour in Belize?? That goes against everything most people here have said

 

Maybe as a "backpacker" YOU are young, fit, fearless...but your advice really could be very detrimental to people who are older, or who have little kids, or women traveling together.

 

There is another thread about this on Carnival, where a cop says he felt unsafe in Belize city...there are many reviews where people felt unsafe there...it is just considered NOT a place to walk around

 

I think a group tour from the pier is ok...but not walk around....I would not want to mess with ferries and /or planes....the weather can change abruptly...Belize is a port where varioous longer ship tours hold up the ship it seems....I am really surprized that you give this sort of advice with nothing to back it up. I suggest people take a good look thru the various reviews and posts and do some "math" about time to tender etc

 

Not to mention that various cruise lines let their own excursions get off first, and it seems to be a real hassle

 

Here is a good post about the Beach Break vs trying to do it yourself (from an NCL cruiser but same beach break all the lines offer)

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=9149652&postcount=7

Yes I think from what others have posted here and on the NCL boards that it is bannister Island NCL goes to. If you decide to book on your own you have to tender to the port (25 min)and then take a water taxi or a boat through your tour company(45 min). If you book through NCL it is about a 25 min tender ride to the Island (from what others have said). I was thinking of booking through Coral Breeze since everyone seems to recommend them but they're price was almost identical's to NCL. So for a few extra dollars I have cut the tender time in half and I have piece of mind knowing the ship won't leave without(or find a way to get me back on it) me b/c I am a ship excursion. JMO

 

more good info ....

again, I am NOT that much into ship tours, but some places...central american, Jamaica, they have their advantages

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=9156357&postcount=9

 

From the ship to the port is the OPPOSITE direction than from the ship to Bannister Island. If you do the excursion through the cruiseline, you go straight from the ship to the Island (about 20-30 minutes) and then back to the ship. On our tour (which was Carnival, not NCL) they gave us the option of going straight back to the ship, or they would take us to the port if we wanted to shop. We chose to go back to the ship, but others did stay on the boat after we were dropped off at the ship, to be taken to the port area.

 

If you book independently, you'll have to tender from ship to port (20-30 min), find your tour group, then tender from port to Island (45-60 min), then back to the port (45-60 min) and then back to the ship (20-30 min). It will save you some money, but it will take a lot longer.

[moosejus]

Like I stated, I was REALLY glad we did the ship's excursion for this one since we were really tight on time to get back. I think it was about a 1 hour 45 min. ride back to the boat from San Pedro, honestly I don't know for sure since I didn't have a watch on.

[moosejus]

Wow...the tender into pier is 20 min, 25 min....from there to get to the ferry would be a walk, plus perhaps hassled....then a 45 minute trip to the caye??? Barbie I don't like ship tours either BUT in Belize where the tenders can be very slow and you may have to be in a big line waiting just for the tender many people take a ship tour

 

The shorter tours,like just to the ruins, or the cavetubing, seem to be pretty regular, the smuggler's run horseback tour ...they get you back in time

 

but to tell people to backtrack and NOT take a tour in Belize?? That goes against everything most people here have said

 

Maybe as a "backpacker" YOU are young, fit, fearless...but your advice really could be very detrimental to people who are older, or who have little kids, or women traveling together.

 

There is another thread about this on Carnival, where a cop says he felt unsafe in Belize city...there are many reviews where people felt unsafe there...it is just considered NOT a place to walk around

 

I think a group tour from the pier is ok...but not walk around....I would not want to mess with ferries and /or planes....the weather can change abruptly...Belize is a port where varioous longer ship tours hold up the ship it seems....I am really surprized that you give this sort of advice with nothing to back it up. I suggest people take a good look thru the various reviews and posts and do some "math" about time to tender etc

 

Not to mention that various cruise lines let their own excursions get off first, and it seems to be a real hassle

 

Here is a good post about the Beach Break vs trying to do it yourself (from an NCL cruiser but same beach break all the lines offer)

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=9149652&postcount=7

 

Yes I think from what others have posted here and on the NCL boards that it is bannister Island NCL goes to. If you decide to book on your own you have to tender to the port (25 min)and then take a water taxi or a boat through your tour company(45 min). If you book through NCL it is about a 25 min tender ride to the Island (from what others have said). I was thinking of booking through Coral Breeze since everyone seems to recommend them but they're price was almost identical's to NCL. So for a few extra dollars I have cut the tender time in half and I have piece of mind knowing the ship won't leave without(or find a way to get me back on it) me b/c I am a ship excursion. JMO

 

more good info ....

again, I am NOT that much into ship tours, but some places...central american, Jamaica, they have their advantages

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=9156357&postcount=9

 

From the ship to the port is the OPPOSITE direction than from the ship to Bannister Island. If you do the excursion through the cruiseline, you go straight from the ship to the Island (about 20-30 minutes) and then back to the ship. On our tour (which was Carnival, not NCL) they gave us the option of going straight back to the ship, or they would take us to the port if we wanted to shop. We chose to go back to the ship, but others did stay on the boat after we were dropped off at the ship, to be taken to the port area.

 

If you book independently, you'll have to tender from ship to port (20-30 min), find your tour group, then tender from port to Island (45-60 min), then back to the port (45-60 min) and then back to the ship (20-30 min). It will save you some money, but it will take a lot longer.

 

After speaking with another couple that did Belize City on their own, I wouldn't try it. They were in a restaurant that the security guard ate with them...they didn't feel safe walking around alone...and they ended up ill afterwards. Our experience was SOOOO much better with the ship's excursion!

[wack001]

Folks;

This post is so confusing. I needed info on going to the airport and time involved and we are getting posts on ?????????

As an american I find the term " Not Feeling Safe" rather strange, having travelled worldwide and the only time I DID NOT feel safe is when REBELS where taking over the governement In the PI and people with guns where shooting everywhere.., guess it is safe in america to get behind the wheel of a car.

Agreed, the stop in Belize is short due to tendering which even makes it shorter, but besides the cave tubing thing, the rest are kind of boring unless u get away, so the bottom line, in going to San Pedro worth it?

Thks and I did not mean to offend, just my .2cents.