Is it safe!

[Thatmom]

Hi,

I was asked yesterday if I considered wlaking around Belize safe...I don't no..I have always done excurisons..

What do you guys think? They want to walk around and shop!!

Carla

[Toyz711]

just in the dock's areas, they have all those shops and restaurants...you don't have to walk around belize city, itself. i didn't see much outside the dock area, in the way of shops and stuff. if could have been the direction the bus went.

i wasn't that impressed with the store i saw, all that knock-off stuff. i was impressed with lamanai.

[LHP]

There are several small shops, bars and a couple of restaurants INSIDE THE FENCE. This is the key. Stay inside the fence. Locals are not allowed inside the fence, unless they work or own one of the stores or are licensed tour operators.

 

Only go outside the fence with a ship or independent tour...not on your own.

[OttoCal]

There isn't much shopping outside the tourist area. Maybe 3-4 small shops and a few restaurants that you have to know where you are going to find. There isn't much of simple tourist value in Belize City, so either stay in the fenced off area or your group might just be better on a tour.

 

Mahogany/hardwoods & some woven items, plus Marie Sharp's hot pepper sauce are probably the best local items for shopping. Of course you know not to buy coral items, especially black coral, even if it is for sale. Not a huge shopping mecca, so look over the offered excursions to see what might be a good fit for your group! :)

[cruisinjerseygirl]

Our driver told us that Belize was one of the most dangerous places in the world, they come in second to Columbia with drug traffiking. I can tell you that I was approached to buy drugs at least 4 times just at the port alone, right in front of my small daughter and I was furious! We did a tour and we actually had to go through a check point where a man in military gear with a rifle checked out our van and asked us all for ID it was uncomfortable. I would say walking around the port and shopping is fine, there are a ton of shops there, around the city alone I wouldn't trust it.

[OttoCal]

Dangerous, no. A place to be cautious, like any place you are unfamiliar with, yes.

 

But Belize, expecially Belize City, is not a place for the paranoid, worry worts, or scardey cats of those that are willing to see the worst in a country because it is much poorer than the US.

If you would place yourself in that category or one similar, it is much better for all involved if you stay in the confined area or on a ship sponsored excursion.

 

And I have been checked by men in military gear in much 'safer' places than Belize, like say... Florence, Italy.

 

But seriously, it helps to really look at yourself and decide if you are one of those 'I want to try everything and it would be such a great story to tell if I was met by police with machine guns in somewhere in the jungle in Belize' (true story, happened to me :D ) or if you are a 'I worry about my kids, and somebody might offer me drugs and it is not clean and there is no Margaritaville' type of person. This will help in planning and making the most of your vacation. Really, I think it is OK if you don't want to venture out into Belize. It is not for everyone. But it is most important for people in general to know what style of travel they fit into and travel accordingly. I want everyone to have a good time. And for some people, that means skip Belize City altogether.:eek:

[Palm_trees]

After going on a dull tour sponsored by the Cruiseline of Belize City and on to a zoo 20 miles outside of town, we looked around the SECURE shops area. I did not see anything remarkable for sale at any of the shops. So we decided to walk into town and look at the real Belize City we had only seen from the comfort and safety of our tour bus. As soon as we left the secure area, we were shocked and saddened. Within 5 minutes we must have been harassed by 30 men who wanted to sell us a tour, dope, postcards or wanted money due to their hard luck. We quickly went back to the ship. What a dull depressing place.

 

I hear Belize is nice once you get away from the city but cruise passengers do not see the nice areas.

[kokobean]

We are considering booking the Tale of Two Cities through RCC NOS and I am very concerned with everyone talking about safety being an issue. I am going on this cruise with my 78 year old mom, my 17 year old son and his friend and I worry about my mom. Is it better ( I mean feel safer ) if you are on an excursion through your cruiseline? I have been on three previous cruises, but all have included my husband and this time he was unable to go. So I have an idea of what to expect but, this time I feel more responsible being the one to worry about everyone in our group. Please, someone let me know what you think as I only have until tomorrow to book this excursion or wait until we are onboard.

[vermonter16]

If you book an excursion you will be fine though I'm not sure there is much to see of the city. The first time DH and I went to Belize we got a tax and went to a little airport where we flew to San Pedro...fortunately the taxi driver was waiting for us when we got back because we were on a dirt road at the edge of town. The next time - we took a tour to Xunantunich. This was fantastic and we really got to see how beautiful the interior of Belize is. The city, just like any other city has problems...like going to SE Washington, DC.... But I don't think I would willingly put myself into a situation....there is no shopping in the city outside of the fence.... We wandered outside of the fence a little bit but the OP is right that you do get harassed.

[dralliw1985]

Hi,

Think of the cruise port as a gateway to bigger and better things. The best Belize has to offer is out and away from Belize city. While on any tour one is bound to be toured through the city, take that experience as a lesson on how well off we as cruisers are. The people of Belize are great. If you would consider walking unguided around New York or Miami, use your street smarts, and have at it! Otherwise read the boards.

Pay a good company for a tour, tip them , let them worry for you, and it will be worth it. If you are a nervous rider close your eyes.

The Cave tubing guys will rock your face off!

[driftwood]

And I have been here since January 5, 2008. Not dead yet? You bet! The most danger you will face in Belize City is from the sidewalks: they are uneven, cracked, filled with holes, and often missing altogether--the legacy of a government not unlike our own, where money for infrastructure repair seems to end up in the pockets of the friends of the Vice President or the relatives of the Prime Minister. Everyone in Belize seems now anxiously awaiting elections in February. But of course sidewalks will not repair themselves overnight, even with a "progressive" government in power. So watch where you step; don't purchase illegal drugs; don't look up from the sidewalk; don't hand out cash to anyone you don't know. Gee, Just like Washington, D.C.?

 

You can walk safely anywhere north of the swing bridge; people will offer you cab rides--if you don't want one, wave and shake your head "no thanks!" The best cab drivers are in front of the Radisson Fort George, where they have a taxi stand, so if you want a cab it might be worth a short safe hike. You should be able to see the Radisson from about any point in the city. The Radisson taxi drivers are also licensed tour guides, and the fares are standardized and by American standards EXTREMELY low, although gasoline here has gone over US$5 per US gallon. If you know where you want to go or what you want to see, tell the taxi driver, and he will tell you to the dime what the charge is--and no funny business. But none of the Radisson drivers will cheat you--they leave that to the fellows who hang around the water taxi terminal and the cruiseline area.

 

Some of them may be okay, but I would check for an aroma of alcohol before I got into any cab there.

 

Most comfortable are the Toyota vans; each driver seems to own his own cab and takes great pride in it. Cracked windshields are not necessarily a bad sign; there is a lot of construction going on in Belize, and the dump trucks full of rocks are always slinging them onto the highways. You may be surprised as I have been at how few dented vehicles there are, but you will be pleasantly surprised with how careful the taxi drivers are, and how skilfully they drive.

 

Bad things seem only to happen after dark: it is a country where good people are home in bed. While cruise ships are in port, everything is as innocent as can be. Except the sidewalks, which will kill you for sure if you don't watch them every second! :D

[ChrisRobinson]

Thx for the info Driftwood...

 

So we can carefully walk to the Radisson and get a licensed taxi tour to Xuilathan or whatever it is called without too much trouble?

 

I'm weighing Cay Caulker or a taxi trip...

 

you input is appreciated.

[driftwood]

Lamanai is going to be doable no matter how it is sliced, but asking even the best taxi driver to go to Xunantunich and back and give you a tour is a long day for him. Yes he can do it, and do a good job, too; but if it has taken you until 9 or 9:30 AM to get tendered ashore, and your Captain wants to sail at 5 PM local time or 6 PM ship time, everyone is going to have a pretty frantic time. Xunantunich is about thirteen miles beyond San Ignacio--from Xunantunich you can see across the border into Guatemala. It needs planning, which is why I would recommend booking it through the cruiseline if it is offered, and not attempting it if it is not.

 

Since my last post I have walked safely SOUTH of the Swing Bridge, just as I had assumed was possible. This just isn't a dangerous town. People live here, play here, go to school here, worship here, do business here, watch and look out for tourists here. The mold creeps over the walls as it does everywhere in the tropics; the heat can be stifling as it can be anywhere in the tropics; there is no beach in or near Belize City; there is broken glass here and there, there are semi-open storm sewers, there are as I have noted very hazardous sidewalks. But there is the best fresh fruit here, with four growing seasons if not more--no mangoes right now, but excellent papaya, banana, canteloupe, orange, grapefruit, Central American lime right now, and nearly ripe pineapple in abundance and available everywhere on a "fruit plate" for about $5 US at the most; excellent grilled shrimp, excellent red snapper, excellent Caribbean lobster six different ways; no Macdonald's, but tolerable hamburgers and superb French fries; the most dependable restaurant [and THANK YOU FELLOW CRUISE CRITICS FOR POINTING ME TO IT!] is in fact The Smoky Mermaid, whose unlikely real name is Angela Gegg (whose cat is named Mr. Skido--if you are nice to him he may help you finish off the fish filet that you have way too much of), directly across the street from the Radisson Fort George. The RFG does a good job on most things but is pricier. The RFG has the best coffee, but so far cream seems unknown in Belize--the hotel uses milk.

 

I want to emphasize that for those on a budget, the Museum of Belize is a bargain basement item at $5 US per adult. There is an entire upstairs floor of Mayan objects recovered from sites all over Belize, and almost every one of them is priceless. There is nothing strenuous about a visit to the Museum of Belize so long as you are able to climb one flight of steps; and the first floor is worth the money if you are any kind of an antiquarian, stamp or insect collector, or if you have a morbid interest in penology and hanging . . . . :eek::rolleyes:

[zees4u]

you can go to travel.state.gov and read travel advisories for all the different countries. Now saying this, I just returned from the spirit and belize was my favorite port. we went cave tubing and had a great time. our guide was terrific and we learned a lot about the country. just be smart. have fun:D

[driftwood]

. . . is that they are written by State Department officials who are themselves afraid to drive home at night in the United States, let alone in another country, as a result of the popularity of the United States government abroad. They are the product of a CYA philosophy which of course permits them to say--no matter what might or might not happen--"I told you so." I have stopped reading them under the present administration, and I feel so much better that I doubt I will ever read them again--come what come may. But perhaps I am too old to spend the rest of my life in fear, as so many of my fellow Americans seem to want to do.

 

Read what you like if you want to waste time. If you want to live, get off the ship and look around--particularly at the sidewalk under you. :rolleyes:

[Katmarha]

During our visit, our tour bus was involved in a traffic accident, stopped by the military, and then left 4 blocks away from the dock and during our walk back we were approached by the locals; braids, drugs, and other things were offered to us. We all walked back to the dock, got on our tender and headed right back to the tour desk to complain about our tour guide. Hopefully NCL doesn't use the same tour company they did previously because although the ruins was a wonderful adventure, the tour of the country side was not as wonderful.

[Toyz711]

while our NCL tour, in dec...we had a great tour guide. the bus ran well, but the insides, while clean, was falling apart. but the bus driver and tour guide were outstanding.

our tour guide grew up around the dock area, she would not recommend walking around some areas.

[lotro]

We too walked outside the gates in Belize and through Belize City. We were approached by a man who wanted to be our tour guide. We said we were fine on our own. He kept following us around and telling us stories. When we walked out along a street by the ocean he got rather insistent about needing money for a birthday cake, BF gave him a couple of bucks and he finally went away. We like to get outside the port area to mingle with the locals and see local stores/housing and enjoy interaction.

 

Belize City had many bums sleeping on the sidewalk with liquor bottles wrapped up and the accompanying odors of someone who hasn't showered for a LONG TIME. Stumbled across several who had gone to the bathroom all over themselves too...but this isn't just unique to Belize.

[driftwood]

Gee, lotro! In two weeks--and some trotting about Belize City myself--it is true that there were a few loony beggars who had to be bought off with about $1 US if I didn't have a Belize dollar with me--in two weeks, maybe $3 US worth--but if anyone was lying down in any condition I didn't see him, and believe me I was looking at the sidewalk! Two "safe" routes for cruise tourists: 1. [long] right from exiting the Cruise Ship Terminal along Marine Parade past the Lighthouse and farther north, beyond the Taiwanese Embassy, as far as the Bank of Belize, behind which is the Old Prison/Museum of Belize, which you really should see, ESPECIALLY the second floor, which is loaded with Mayan treasures. 2. [short] right from exiting the Cruise Ship Terminal, left in front of the Harbour View Restaurant (n.r. for anything other than the view and decor), up two blocks on unnamed street to the Radisson Fort George (n.r. for food, but excellent coffee), right to the Smoky Mermaid for lunch (n.r. for coffee, but excellent alcoholic beverages and very decent food, especially Red Snapper Fillet and various forms of lobster: but even the club sandwich and the fish and chips are good, and the hamburger--well never mind that--but they have it), or the bakery next door for cookies or doughnuts or other rich and delicious treats, cakes etc. (v. inexpensive and enormous servings). The Radisson Taxi Drivers Association is located on the corner--RELIABLE and 95% sober drivers, most of them licensed tour guides as well, take you anywhere or give you a tour as inexpensively as anyone in town--did I mention DO NOT GO INTO ANY HOTEL TO BOOK A TOUR? just talk to a taxi driver; and an elderly fellow with real hardwood sculptures and black coral jewelry at really fair prices--don't mess with him as his prices are serious and must be met. Personally I would give him more than he asks, as the wood sculptures are created by him and his brother with great effort. And the jewelry is very good and a bargain anyway.

 

Best advice: I know you have a morbid desire to go there, but avoid the Swing Bridge and Water Taxi Terminal area if you can; if not, get fruit juices or freezes or EXCELLENT coffee and Chinese snacks across the street from the Water Taxi Terminal at the Maya Café! :D

[lotro]

Hi Driftwood! I've enjoyed reading of your adventures in Belize. We've been twice...once went tubing and the other trip over to Caye Caulker. Enjoyed both days immensely. Wouldn't hesitate to go back. We walked all over in downtown area and around the bus stop and a long route that runs right by the ocean, out by a hotel, can't recall a swinging bridge.

 

I do have a knack for running into unique characters, it seems:rolleyes:

[onlydreams]

Does anyone have info about the island "Sun Beach Resort or so..." that was vandalized ? What happen ? Pirates ? :eek:

[driftwood]

. . . it just turns sideways about twice a day so that river traffic can get through before it turns back to "road mode" for the city traffic to go up and down. I swear we had one just like it for some river in Ohio, but that was half a century ago, and in my memory that is just too far back to have sharp edges on it.

 

But the "Swing Bridge" is something CCs use to scare each other with, as if it were some kind of tiger enclosure at a zoo. "Did you visit the NOTORIOUS SWING BRIDGE?" I'm dying! You have probably walked across it and been driven across it forty times--it isn't really picturesque from any angle I have discovered--but it is a handy landmark for those looking for the Water Taxi Terminal, which it is right next to, or a pharmacy, which it is right across the street from, or the Maya Café [!HIGHLY recommended for coffee and fruit juices], which is about half a block away to the north, across the street. In two or three days you can find a lot of things from there! ;)

 

Actually I didn't MEAN to run into you, but I needed a change of clothes in the worst way . . . . :rolleyes:

[lotro]

Now that you're descibing the location, yes I did cross the bridge...and never realized it's swinging ability. We took the water taxi to Caye Caulker on one of our trips to Belize. We ran into the interesting folks I earlier described in the business area to the right of the bridge about 5-6 blocks over. Like I said, that can happen in any major city (have seen the same thing in St. Louis when visiting), but we've never really encountered so many in such a confined space on our cruises before.

 

Gee, wish I had known that was you I bumped into, and I would have spoken. But actually, I think you were taking a "nap" on the sidewalk!;)

[driftwood]

. . . I was probably sleeping like a mahogany log!

 

I continued south from the Swing Bridge rather than west (as you seem to have), so I never got to see much of the downscale citizenry. I had the impression from too long reading of the CC Boards that any crossing of the Swing Bridge would bring me to certain grief in a magical realm, but actually all I found was a concealed bookstore (upstairs at "The Thrift Shop"), a department store with a pharmacy, and a miscellany of government buildings and banks. So I walked back to the Maya Café, had a lime juice, and went back to the Radisson to begin reading my new books, both of which are proving quite valuable, although I think both were intended for Belizean high school students or Yale Ph.D.'s.

 

Never fear, I own my own dictionary, WITH thumb index! Which was brand new sometime in the 20th Century. I'll get by! :D