Round trip flights in February from ATX to Belize were so C H E A P! Google flights was showing $311 with United. I booked with United on the way to Belize and Southwest for my way home. I really try to avoid flying United because of their additional baggage fees per flight. Their in cabin purchases are more expensive as well. Belize does have an airport departure tax that is added on after ticket price, regardless of the airline. Expect this to be $55+ per person. I just upgraded my Southwest Visa Rapid Rewards card to priority which means I get an annual $70 travel credit. To my surprise, the travel credit was used towards the tax so I think I ended up paying $25 for my flight home. I LOVE SOUTHWEST!
The Belize airport is very small and easy to navigate. Directly outside will be a gentlemen organizing taxi rides. It’ll cost you $25 to get to the ferry. They may charge an additional $5 per person. We also paid a little extra for a quick pitstop to the Belize sign.
We took the ferry from Belize City to Ambergris Caye. Taking a small plane from the airport to Ambergris is a more expensive option. We stayed at Hilton’s Mahogany Bay which is a short drive outside of the town of San Pedro. That night we had dinner and drinks at Palapa’s. It had a very cool beach vibe with US college flags pinned all over the ceiling. There was a live band and the staff was very nice! We didn’t make our way there during the day but I could tell it would be a fun day-drinking spot.
I’m not sure I’ve ever stayed anywhere so nice (except Thailand but that doesn’t count since it’s so cheap.) Mahogany Bay has its own private island which is where we spent the next day. It’s about a 15 minute boat ride and the island has everything you could imagine for the perfect beach day. Aside from Thailand, this was the clearest water I’ve ever seen. Hell of a lot closer too LOL. The island had wifi, a clubhouse, lunch menu, drinks, chairs, cabanas, paddle boards, you name it! It was nice to spend a day relaxing in the sun.
The following morning we took a ferry from Ambergris to Caye Caulker. We dropped our bags at Enjoy Hotel and headed towards Raggamuffin Tour Company for a full day of snorkeling at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. We had a few minutes to spare and grabbed breakfast at Paradiso; directly across the street from Raggamuffin. FYI: Paradiso has a bomb French toast made with fresh baked baguettes.
Raggamuffin differentiates from the other groups because they use a sail boat. Travel time is longer than a speed boat but it was fun to enjoy the sun, snacks, drinks etc. Captain Rob even let me sail the boat for a bit! The water was UNBELIZEABLY clear. We swam with NURSE SHARKS at our first snorkeling stop. Such a cool experience. Lots of fish, sea turtles, sting rays, etc.
The day trip cost $70/person and it was well worth it. They provided lunch, drinks, RUM PUNCH and snacks (like pictured above- shrimp ceviche.) The crew was hysterical and I hope to see them again one day! The above photos were taken with my iPhone 7plus and the FRE lifeproof case! I’m so impressed with the underwater results that I bring this with me on every trip.
I really wanted to dive while in Belize but unfortunately it did not work out with our schedule. I would also like to check out the blue hole but I have been told numerous times that the view is best from plane/helicopter, however, that will cost you!
We had a yummy dinner at The Happy Lobster located just steps from our hotel. I was able to order lobster already de-shelled and ready to eat. No work required, hooray! We may have shared with one of the cutest stray doggies.
II Pellicano Cucina Italiana, hidden in the island neighborhood, had a really good breakfast. Next time, I’d love to check out their dinner menu. Before splitting up, we walked around the island, stopped in a few shops and had a couple drinks near The Split. Caye Caulker’s motto is “Go Slow.” They will yell at you if you walk too fast, haha. There are no cars on the island; strictly bikes, golf carts and walking.
Finding unique treasures while traveling has become one of my favorite activities. I love bringing something home that has a story. I found all sorts of goodies in Thailand but the one thing I couldn’t find there was a blanket. Luckily for me, I found exactly what I was looking for in Belize. At the same shop I also found this beautifully hand-woven tapestry/table runner with belizeans around the world. I got a great deal on the two! Across the street I picked up this finished wooden turtle that I now use to hold my TV remotes.
In the afternoon, we left Caye Caulker via ferry and headed back to Belize City where a shuttle bus picked us up and took us near San Ignacio. If you’re on a strict time frame I suggest buying your ferry tickets ahead of time either online or day before. The shuttle company we used for Belize City to San Ignacio transportation is called William Shuttle Service and that can also be reserved in advance. In comparison to other shuttle companies, their pricing was very fair. Not to mention the shuttle driver took us to an ATM, stopped at a small grocery store and had the van equipped with wifi for the two hour drive! Check out the rest of this trip on the San Ignacio post.