I’ve always said that if you want to have the time of your life, just buy a plane ticket to some remote place and show up without any plans.
We arrived at Belize City airport in June of 96. After catching cab into
Belize City we found a nice guesthouse along the wharf. We booked a room and began asking the locals where a nice place to eat was, we finally settled
on a small restaurant in walking distance from our room.
Belize was a British colony and lacks the beautiful Spanish architecture of most Latin American countries, but has a personality of its own. Pirates
made up most of the population centuries ago and the city is somewhat in shambles. We met some people at the guest house that had just returned from the islands off the coast of Belize and suggested we take a boat out to the Cayes as their islands are called.
We decided to explore around the city the following day and then catch the boat for the islands. We hired a cab for a flat rate and our cab driver gave us the tour of the city. I have found throughout Mexico and most Latin American countries cab drivers are the best tour guides as well as make good friends for the future. The following day we hired a boat to take us to Caye Caulker, one of the smaller less visited by tourist islands. What a pleasure! This small island was about two hundred yards wide and four miles long. We
found a nice room along the beach and spent four wonderful days exploring, sailing, fishing and scuba diving. We had great food at local prices and made
many friends.
Belize has the second longest Coral reef in the world next to Australia. There is an abundance of wildlife below water and above. Our whole trip at
the time cost less than US$700.00 including airfare. Unfortunately due to American tourists I have found that the prices have gone way up and soon instead of small local owned hotels and $5.00 Lobster dinners it
will be an all-inclusive tourist trap with prices and crime to match. I have plans to visit Guatemala and Honduras soon and hope to find the island
paradise without the crowds.. I will keep you posted.