Up coming visit

Hello Rick,

I wouldn't stay at the Great House in Belize City for too long. There is little of interest for you there and it makes travelling around the country awkward. You would be better off using San Ignacio as a base.

If you send me a private message, I can answer most of your questions about the different areas of Belize.

john

hello Rick, BELIZE in a week,??, if this includes Hopkins , drop me a line with date, happy to have a chat  .can be
contacted on [email protected]

I was trying to stay in different areas for a couple nights. That did not workout travel agents not helpful. We plan on renting a car an go north and south for a day each possible more. This will be first trip there, next time we will select a area to stay longer.
We are looking for expats to meet up with.

Hope to see you in march. My email is
[email protected].

Be sure to take pics of all sides of the car as well as window glass.  We rented from crystal.  Got notification 3 weeks after return that they were charging us for damage.  Luckily we had pre rental pics.  Never heard back from them!

Taking pictures of rental cars is excellent practice - we too have been saved by doing this.  However we were treated very very well by Crystal both times that we rented from them.  Sad to hear that they tried to pull this.

So far national and budget are less expensive than crystal and AQ. Thanks for the advice.

beware of advice from realtors in Belize.   If you decide to come here, plan to rent for at least a year.  There is no shortage of overpriced land and housing to sell to Gringos.    take your time and make decisions based on your own conclusions.   Best Luck.

Just a note on Budget - They are less expensive but we have had major hassles every time with Budget.  You get what you pay for we have learned.

Hello there - Just a few tips from a frequent traveler down to Belize and near future Ex-Pat : )

Rental Cars:
Crystal is by far the best agency to rent from.  They have the best selection - even 4WD jeeps and trucks - a must if traveling to look at land or back to some remote areas.  There rates are comparable (not the cheapest) and I have never had an issue with claims.  One note - GET INSURANCE!!! - your domestic insurance will not cover damage to international rentals and you will have to pay for any damage to tires and/or windshields - regardless of fault.  This is also standard in US nowadays.  We had to pay $800 for a windshield replacement when a rock hit it hard.  Without insurance - that windshield would have cost $2,000 or more (they are imported and expensive).  It is always a gamble.  Document every ding/crack/paint chip prior to driving off lot.  This applies for Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Caribbean, etc....

Where to Stay:
On our first trip - we stayed part of the time outside of San Ignacio in the Jungle and the other part in Placencia.  This was to get a feel of the country and see as much as we could while there.  For diving - Hopkins Village, Placencia are best on the mainland.  For Mayan Ruins - the best are close to San Ignacio out west.  There are a couple down south towards Punta Gorda - all beautiful drives.  All the cool cave tubing and zip-lining are near San Ignacio/Belmopan areas.  A previous message was correct in stating that there really isn't much to see or do in Belize City and you will spend your time driving back and forth.

Regardless - venture out and have fun.  Just watch out for pedestrian ramps, pot-holes, pitifully slow motorcycles, and pedestrians.  Do not be afraid to give a local a lift - it is a customary practice and the only form of transportation for most.  Your brief passenger can also be a great source of local information (food, fun, etc.)

Hello, from a future expat and possible neighbor. We just recently bought some property off the Hummmingbird Highway, relocating in a couple of years.
For our 'exploration' trips, we rented a car, drove all over, and stayed in a number of places. The facilities you stay in are probably dictated more by price than anything else. Belize CAN be expensive, particularly in 'Western' resorts. Travel agents/services don't help much with these type ventures, but it is easy to do via the internet on your own.
Belize is a small country, but there is a great diversity of landscape, scenery, people, fauna, etc, in just short distances. Each of the districts has its own feel and vibe, and the only way to get an idea of what would best suit you, is to spend some time in all of them. We eat and mingle with the locals whenever possible, and have met tons of really great people, and some really good contacts. Politeness and respect go a long way. Try to spend a couple days in each district. Stay in Belmopan or San Ignacio and explore the countryside, the rivers, the restaurants, the markets, and the largest Mennonite community-Spanish Lookout (you would swear you are in Iowa). Stay in Hopkins and experience the laid-back lifestyle on the mainland coast, experience the fantastic cuisine of the area, and the really friendly people. Visit the quaint coastal communities around Punta Gorda, the area that gets the most rain, but also has some of the most beautiful scenery and some of the most beautiful terrain. It is also the most sparsely populated. Visit the cayes and the Corozal area for incredible fishing, diving, snorkeling, and water-related ventures, plus it is easy to get to Chetumal from here. Our exploration trips were tons of fun! Enjoy the freedom, be safe, and have fun!
P.S. you might consider buying a "Frommers" or similar, and it would be wise to invest in a good map of Belize. -you can get one off Amazon for cheap. There basically are no street signs.

Thanks for all of the information. Is Crystal located in Belize? We are flying into Cancun, and found out that Alamo also allows it rentals into Belize; also much cheaper than American.
Our trip is kind of spur of the moment. I also don't like paying retail. I studied the flight into Belize, and also Cancun. We wanted to see some of Mexico, and Cancun air fare was by far cheaper. The lowest cost for RT went for about $380.00 out of Tucson, AZ. Then the prices started trending upwards; so, we booked with CheaoOair for $417.00. Four days later I get a BookingBuddy deal for $351.00 RT. CheapOair was one of the airlines BookingBuddy was promoting. I called CheapO, and CS says they only match 24 hours. My question is " So your rates are not the lowest guaranteed?" Only for 24 hours. So, I emailed, and they even responded! Saying they were going to look into it, and they would refund if they found the same flight at the $351 price. On top of that the refunded me $8.00 for my inconvenience! I will let you (everyone) know how we turn out.
Four wheel drive means you just get stuck further in? LOL

To anyone that wants to drive back to the states, contact me, because I am driving my quadcab truck back to the states. I would like some company and to share some of the expenses. If interested pm me.