Coming in April to tour the country

gba327 What group did you set up a tour of the country with? I am coming to Belize for a month in the fall and also want to see as much as possible but don't want the expense of renting a car.

Bus travel is a very cheap way to get around in Belize.

Here is a copy of the email I got from these folks...Sounds very promising, but again I am a single and don't know if I want to pay the extra for this trip...Hope this helps

Thank you for your interest in Belize Paradise Tours. This  year we have 9 tour dates scheduled, but non in February. The available dates are below.

There are 2 different tour packages to choose from. The 9 day tour covers Belize City, Placencia, Corozal, Ambergris Caye and the Cayo District. This tour covers north, south, east and west areas of the country.

We also offer a 7 day tour in addition to the 9 day tour for those who may not have as much time to visit. The 7 day tour does not include the Cayo District. This is the area in the southwest and includes the mountain and rainforest areas. The price of the 9 day/8 night tour is $2415 per person based on double occupancy. The 7 day/6 night tour is priced at $1915.For singles add $400 to the 9 day tour price and $300 for the 7 day tour. (If we have 2 solo travelers who are willing, we will book them in the same hotel room and they both can avoid the single person charge.) The price includes hotel accommodations for 8 (or 6) nights, 4 flights within Belize between cities, and all ground transportation including driver. The tour price also includes the professionals seminar, where you receive valuable info from our experts such as an attorney, bankers, insurance agents, immigration officials and tourism board staff. Tour guide service from a Belizean tour guide is also included in the price. Also included in the tour price – boat and snorkeling gear, entrance fee to Belize Zoo and Maya Archaeological site.

With either tour you may include a trip to Dangriga and Hopkins for an additional charge.


2013 DATES:


7 DAY TOUR                                                                                9 DAY TOUR
January 24-30
January 31- February 6                                           January 31 - February 8
March 14-20
April 25 – May 1                                                         April 25- May 3
May 30- June 5                                                         May 30 - June 7
September 26- Oct 2
October 3-9                                                               October 3 -11
December 5-11
December 12-18                                                        December 12 - 20

Round trip airfare from your home is not included.

A deposit of $500 per person will secure your space.

Belize Paradise.  I included a copy of the email correspondence that i got from them on the site.  Hope this helps

Geri

Wow, that seems a bit pricey to me - but I would rather get a feel for the local environment and people than to be flown around, etc.  I'm just sayin.....

Cruisin Camper wrote:

Wow, that seems a bit pricey to me - but I would rather get a feel for the local environment and people than to be flown around, etc.  I'm just sayin.....

Totally agree.  We have taken local buses all over the country.  Anywhere the buses don't go, you can always find a cab or some other form of transport.  I prefer to book my own lodging directly and find restaurants wherever we happen to be.  You pay a premium to have someone else do all the legwork.  We managed to arrange and take trips to San Ignacio, Hopkins, Punta Gorda, Placencia, and Crooked Tree (from Ambergris Caye, where we live) using only google and Tripadvisor.  It's very doable if you're willing to put in the time, and I wager you'll save at least half if not more off what the tour company would charge you.

I think I can make a couple of trips for what this one would cost.  While they have done all the leg work...I really will enjoy putting my plans together and being able to make a change in plans if I so choose. Thanks so much, please keep the advice coming.

Agree that is way too expensive. I have rented a house in each of Corozal, San Pedro, San Ignacio and Placencia for 5 to 10 days each in late October and most of November for less than you were quoted for that tour. Found them all searching the internet for Belize vacation rentals. Plan to tour the country via taxi, water taxi and bus. Also hope to have some help from local realtors.

CaribeGal.....I have a tone of questions for you. My husband and I are planning a trip there very soon. We are looking at retiring there but need a contact that can help me with my questions. Would you mind? I can send you my email.

I agree, you can book everything yourself for a lot less money. I'm going to Ambergris Caye in April for 10 days and I booked everything myself, RT Air TX - Belize City, RT Air Belize City - San Pedro, and hotel on the beach for just $1100 US total.. I am not planning to do much, if anything on the mainland, since this trip is primarily so I can view the lot I purchased on Ambergris Caye and to do some snorkeling and diving..

Thank so much for your reply....I have done pretty much the same thing as you.  As of today, I have plans to fly into Belize, and then spend a few days in San Ignacio, then head North to Corozal and Consejo....I have reserved a place there for a week and I am just so excited.  While I want to see it all, I am convinced that I need to be up in Northern Belize.  

I know I will miss some of the other cities, but honestly I am not comfortable paying more for traveling Single....  You must be so excited to already have your property...I can't wait till I find my perfect place...

Geri

I think you will like the Northern part of Belize. From what I've seen online thus far it looks nice and has a larger Expat community and good shopping and services.. Corozal is so close to Chetumal, Mexico for shopping and WalMart !! lol

I decided on Ambergris Caye because I'm an island girl at heart and want to be on the beach and snorkeling all the time.. I might think differentlywhen I reach 75 or so, but that's a long way off so not even gonna worry about it..

I have and continue to read everything I can on Belize and I agree that Northern Belize does sound perfect.  I like it all, the mountain and the water and love the idea of being close to both.  In the States one would have to be in Calif to get that, and who can afford that Zip Code.???? LOL

Guess more than anything, I look forward to the more simple laid back lifestyle.  Fresh fruit and Fresh Seafood....OMG, sounds perfect to me.

Geri

gba327 wrote:

I have and continue to read everything I can on Belize and I agree that Northern Belize does sound perfect.  I like it all, the mountain and the water and love the idea of being close to both.  In the States one would have to be in Calif to get that, and who can afford that Zip Code.???? LOL

Guess more than anything, I look forward to the more simple laid back lifestyle.  Fresh fruit and Fresh Seafood....OMG, sounds perfect to me.

Geri

There are no mountains in northern Belize.  It's classified as "savannah" and isn't nearly as pretty to me as southern and western Belize's hills, mountains, and rainforest, with the huge trees and jungle.  It's much more lush south and west, but of course they also get a lot more rain.  Of course you can always drive from northern Belize to see mountains, but you will have to drive.

The fresh fruit is great, but at least on Ambergris Caye, where I live. almost all seafood you'll get is frozen.  It goes bad so quickly in the heat, unless you can buy from a fisherman right off the boat, which is possible some days if you're up early, you'll be buying frozen fish.  Maybe things are a bit better up on Corozal, but that's been our experience on AC.  I thought we'd be eating tons of seafood, but we actually buy and eat less than in the US, unfortunately.  And that we do by is pricey -- but everything is more expensive on an island.

Hi, if you want to tour the southern part of Belize down in the Toledo District, I highily recommend Bruno Kuppinger. He owns the Sun Creek Lodge in PG and is an excellent guide for the Mayan Temples, caves and jungle tours in the area. His rates are reasonable and he and his wife are very nice. His number is 501- 665-6778.

@CaribeGal -- WOW.. I was thinking that the fresh seafood would be abundant on AC, never thought it would be mostly frozen!! So I guess that means you have to fishing for yourself if you want fresh catch then.. Totally shocked about that info.. I knew everything would be more expensive on the Island, always is on any Island due to having to come over from the Mainland..

Since I've already bought a lot on AC I'm gonna be there.. However, I might have to buy another lot near Corozal and put a small Menonite house up there as well..

Texblondi2 wrote:

@CaribeGal -- WOW.. I was thinking that the fresh seafood would be abundant on AC, never thought it would be mostly frozen!! So I guess that means you have to fishing for yourself if you want fresh catch then.. Totally shocked about that info..

Yes, I was shocked too -- just shows that we all have our rose-colored glasses on when moving here, and sometimes the reality is a bit different!  And some of the frozen fish I have gotten has not been great.  We don't fish, but it's definitely a worthy skill to have here if you want to eat the best fish!  Or make friends with a fisherman. 

Texblondi, some of the restaurants on AC do serve freshly caught fish (some of them buy direct from the fishermen. There are some days when the weather is such that they just don't go fishing.

http://www.abelizehomeforus.wordpress.com

Johnhenry1925 wrote:

Texblondi, some of the restaurants on AC do serve freshly caught fish (some of them buy direct from the fushermen. There are some days when the weather is such that they just don't go fishing.

And this is true too -- I was just hoping it would be easier to buy fresh seafood for home use.  It can be quite pricey in restaurants.

Well, I'm not much of a Fisherwoman but I guess I'm going to have to learn!! I have no plans to eat out all the time, that can be very expensive and my budget isn't going to have room for every night eating out.. And I so love fresh seafood!! I'll be down there in April to check out EVERYTHING and like it or not, this is the choice I've made for retirement and I am sticking with it!! lol

It's the choice/decision we made nearly 15 years ago and 9 months here we are still loving it and KNOW we did the right thing for us.

http://www.abelizehomeforus.wordpress.com

@ Johnhenry - I've read some of your blog the past several months. Been watching how your house was coming along.. You have years of experience and exposure to Belize and I'm sure that made your decision a whole lot easier. You have seen it grow over the years and knew exactly what you were getting into. On the other hand, I have never been down there.

However, I have spent a lot of time in Cozumel and Riviera Maya and I love the beautiful beaches and the reef just North of Belize but never wanted to retire in Mexico. Spent almost 2 years in Australia and have been going to Hawaii almost yearly for over 30 years now. So I have always known that when I was ready to retire, it would be near some beautiful white sandy beach with palm trees and an ocean breeze.

For years I thought it would be Hawaii, but Hawaii has just become cost prohibitive for an average person. So a few years ago I started looking at alternatives to Hawaii. Belize has been on my radar for several years. So I figure even if I build a house there on AC and for some reason don't like it down there, I can always rent or sell it and come back to Texas. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Texblondi2 wrote:

On the other hand, I have never been down there.
...
Belize has been on my radar for several years. So I figure even if I build a house there on AC and for some reason don't like it down there, I can always rent or sell it and come back to Texas. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

This is true; however, I would certainly visit before deciding to build here to make sure Ambergris Caye suits you.  The beaches are decent, but nothing like the Mexican Yucatan.  We were recently visiting Tulum and were blown away by the beaches there compared to Ambergris Caye.  The beaches are much narrower here, and quite a few places have seawalls.  There is a path all the way along of packed sand that people (including me!) ride bikes on.  The same path is used for walking, so you do have to pay attention if you're walking and make sure bikes aren't coming up behind you.  It's definitely a bit of a different feel to a beach, compared to what we were used to in the southeastern US.

The water is gorgeous and the people are friendly, but I would never move somewhere without visiting first.  Just my opinion, which I realize you didn't ask for!  I hope you will love AC as much as you expect to. 

Absolutely agree that there is no comparison between the beaches on Ambergris Caye and Tulum. But then again I beleve that an expat cannot own a home in Mexico within around 30 miles of the coast.

Oh, and thanks for reading my blog Texasblondi.

http://www.abelizehomeforus.wordpress.com

Johnhenry1925 wrote:

Absolutely agree that there is no comparison between the beaches on Ambergris Caye and Tulum. But then again I beleve that an expat cannot own a home in Mexico within around 30 miles of the coast.

No kidding?!  Government regulation?  I have heard of US expats in Baja (Mexico) living (and I presumed owning, since they are retirees) right on the coast.  Different rules on the Yucatan?

I could tell the beaches on AC aren't as wide as up around Tulum. That is pretty normal for an Island/Caye vs Mainland.. The draw for me is the reef, weather, lifestyle, and English in AC.. As for Mexico, from what I've been told you can't really "own" property there, you are leasing it from the government and it reverts back to them if you die, it can't be willed over to anyone. It used to be 99 years but when I was in Puerto Vallarta in Jan. they told me the law has changed and now you can only lease it for 30 years. Guess they figure most retirees won't live more than 30 more years!! Don't know if that is just in part or all of Mexico..

Was aware of this because a good few years ago we considered the Yucatan. Wasn't certain that it still applied so just did a search:
http://www.yucatanexpatriateservices.co … catan.html

Have no idea about Baja. Never looked there.

http://www.abelizehomeforus.wordpress.com

Aha, very interesting!  Thanks for the enlightenment, both of you.  I had no idea.

And yes, the reef here is stunning!  If you are a diver or enjoy snorkeling, you will love that.  I just know some vacationers are disappointed by the beaches because they have different expectations.  As long as your expectations are realistic, you won't be disappointed. 

We were personally thrilled to be able to ride beach bikes on the beach.  It sounds like such a small thing, but that was one of the reasons we moved here.  We wanted to be able to experience car-free living.  And aside from a bad incident this week (which I documented on our blog:  http://bebelize.weebly.com/1/post/2013/ … ntent.html), we have really enjoyed it.

I'm sure I will love it.. There's nothing wrong with the beaches on Ambergris that I've seen in pics online.. How much sand do you really want or need?? Just enough to relax on and sip a tropical drink!!

I agree they need to call Geniva Joseph , of the Belize Board of tourism , that is a complete ripp off, Sorry but thats the bold truth , this isnt a disneyland trip...please both of you , DO YOURSELF A big Favor and Call ( GENIVA JOSEPH , of the board of tourism ) , she will give you Honest affordable solution.Dont mean to be Crass , really just trying to help...Good Luck and you will be in good hands with her.

Give Dennis Kay II of RE/MAX Southwind , Dennis or the owner John are a great Team , they will steer you in the right direction , I have referred Family and friends to them..Good Luck

As far as I am aware of, Mexico still does not allow anyone other than Mexican Citizens the ability to own property there at any of the coastlines...... Have a few friends who have (or still do) own homes... but not the property itself.

Cruisin Camper wrote:

As far as I am aware of, Mexico still does not allow anyone other than Mexican Citizens the ability to own property there at any of the coastlines...... Have a few friends who have (or still do) own homes... but not the property itself.

You are correct -- the link @JohnHenry1925 posted above explains it.

Geri - Noticed that you mentioned that you are planning to file for the Residency Program.. Are you thinking about the QRP or just regular residency? There are very differnt rules and requirements for each. Please do your research before you get your heart set on being able to just visit for a week and become a resident.. That simply will not happen.. Good Luck..

Thanks Tex,
Like you, I am reading it all and realize the difference. 
Thanks

Geri

Ok good!! I've talked with a couple people who own property and live in Belize 90% of the time that have never applied for residency. They just renew their tourist Visa monthly for 6 months @ $50, then they take a vacation for a month and come back to Belize and start all over again.. Lots of options if you want to stay there long term..

Hello Tex...
You know I have thought about that, having three grown children I have many options.  Right now, I am thinking i will keep my home till I am 100% ready to make the full time plunge...You just never know.

Geri