Tour Operators
Jaguar Paw Resort. Situated at the mouth of the Caves on the Caves Branch River, the Jaguar Paw Resort offers several tours for Cruise Ship passengers, including a Cave Tubing Caves Branch River tour, a Jungle Canopy Zip Line tour, a Rock Climbing and Repelling tour and a Belize Zoo tour. Their prices include round trip transportation in an air-conditioned bus or van, entrance fees (where applicable), all equipment and a set Belizean lunch.
Belize Tours Unlimited. Belize Tours Unlimited offers fourteen tours of the most popular activities to be found in Belize, including Cave Tubing, Mayan Ruins, the Howler Monkey Sanctuary, Birding, Ziplining, Snorkeling, and the Belize Zoo, plus unique tours that include shopping, tours of the Belikin Brewery, Cuisine tours and more. Plus, if you want to plan a customized tour, Belize Tours Unlimited is the operator to call.
Belize Cruise Excursions. Booking your own Belize excursion through Belize Cruise Excursions will not only save you money but it will provide you with the option of unique and diverse experiences, small groups, individualized itineraries. Belize Cruise Excursions has personally selected the excursions and tour guides for Belize cave tubing, snorkeling, Belize Mayan Ruins and Belize Jungle tours to insure that you will have the best experience possible while in Belize.
Green Dragon Adventure Travel. Get away from the crowds for the day and discover Belize--Mother Nature's best kept secret--in a more intimate manner. Green Dragon works only with well-trained and friendly local guides, hand picked and tutored by their certified Mayan archaeologist. All of their guides are Certified by the Belize Tourism Board and the Belize Department of Archaeology. Green Dragon's first-class vehicles feature 4-wheel-drive and air conditioning. Enjoy private or small group inland adventures, including River Kayaking, Mayan Temples, Jungle trail horseback rides, Caving expeditions, Belize Zoo and Cave Tubing. They also offer day trips to the reefs off the coast for Snorkeling Excursions, Scuba Diving Trips and Manatee Watching Tours. All tours include pick up at the Belize City Tourism Village, travel to the day trip venue, tour guides, tour and entrance fees, equipment rental and transfer back to the Tourism Village in time for your Cruise Ship departure.
Airboating
Chukka Caribbean Adventures offers a thrilling Airboat Adventure on the Almond Hill Lagoon. Get ready for an thrilling ride on the pristine marsh, an entirely different world of unspoiled beauty protected by the lack of access. Zip along in water only inches deep where only Airboats dare to roam. Enjoy numerous sightings of beautiful water lilies, many colors and varieties of wading birds, turtles and maybe even a wily old crock trying to catch dinner as you glide over hundreds of acres of open marshland lined on all sides by mangroves. The 2½-hour trip runs only $79 for adults, and $44 for kids.
Beach Break
Belize Cruise Excursions offers a Sun Kissed Beach Break tour on an island in the Barrier Reef. This 4-hour adventure takes you to the palm fringed Island of Bannister Caye from the Belize Tourism Village dock on a comfortable powerboat. This beautiful Island offers beach lounge chairs, palapa bar and restaurant (a la carte), restroom facilities and so much more. This family-friendly tour runs $30 per person for adults, and $20 per person for kids.
Belize City Sightseeing
If you're eschewing an excursion into the interior, or just want to check the place out, Belize City has a few places of interest, including:
Baron Bliss Lighthouse Monument
The Lighthouse monument at Fort George Point towers over the harbor entrance. It was built from $2 million donated to the country in 1926 by Belize's greatest benefactor, Englishman "Baron" Bliss. At his request, he was entombed in front of the lighthouse, which he designed himself prior to his death.
Museum of Belize
Originally built as a colonial prison in 1857 and restored in 2002, this two-story brick building has a permanent exhibit of ancient Maya pottery as well as displays on the history of Belize City and Belize's rich Maya history.
Located on Gabourel Lane in downtown Belize City, on the grounds of the Central Bank of Belize
Open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday
Admission is US$5.00
House of Culture
The House of Culture Museum (originally, the Government House) was the administrative office and living quarters for the early colonial governors of Belize. It was built in 1812-14 in a combination of Caribbean Vernacular and English Urban architecture. It's now a museum and the center for Belize City's social and art scene, with a number of rotating exhibits and events throughout the year.
Located on Regent Street in downtown Belize City
Open weekdays from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Admission is US$5.00
St. John's Cathedral
Surrounded by well-kept green lawns, St. John's Cathedral is one of the few typically British structures in the city. In 1812, the slaves in Belize helped to erect this graceful piece of architecture using bricks brought as ballast on sailing ships from Europe. Several Mosquito Coast kings from the Waiki tribe in Nicaragua and Honduras were crowned in this cathedral with ultimate pomp and grandeur; the last was crowned in 1815.
Located on the south end of Albert Street in downtown Belize City
Open from from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm daily
Admission is free
Maritime and Coastal Zone Museums
These museums share space inside the building that was formerly Belize City's fire station. The Coastal Zone Museum's mission is to educate visitors about Belize's unique coral reef ecology. The Maritime Museum highlights Belize's seafaring history through a series of old documents, model boats, paintings and other displays. One ticket buys admission to both small, wood-creaking museums.
Located on Haulover Creek, on the north end of the Swing Bridge
Open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily
Admission is US$2.00
Swing Bridge
The old Swing Bridge spans Haulover Creek, connecting "Northside" to "Southside," and is the most iconic landmark in Belize City. Built in 1923, it still swings every morning and evening, hand-cranked to the side to allow tall boats to pass up and down the river.
Old Belize Cultural and Historical Center
The Old Belize Cultural and Historical Center is home to several attractions, including an interactive historical tour, a restaurant and Cucumber Beach.
Located on Mile 5 of the Western Highway
Open from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm daily
Admission is US$5.00
Supreme Court Building and Battlefield Park
Sitting in front of Battlefield Park (which is also referred to as Central Park), the Supreme Court building is decorated with a graceful white-metal filigree stairway that leads to the long veranda overlooking the square. An antiquated town clock is perched atop the white clapboard building. This building is on the site where the original courthouse was built in 1818.
Birding
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
Established for the protection of resident and migrant birds, the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary is located 33 miles northwest of Belize City and just 2 miles off the Northern Highway. Consisting of a large network of inland lagoons, swamps, and waterways, the sanctuary provides both the abundant food sources and the safe resting area that is necessary to support a large and diverse population of birds.
The most notable migratory resident is the Jabiru Stork. With a wingspan of 10-12 feet, it is the largest flying bird in North America. Besides birds, Black Creek on the eastern boundary of the sanctuary provides a home for Black Howler Monkeys, Morelet's Crocodiles, Coatimundis and several species of turtles and iguanas.
Based in Crooked Tree, Belize Tours Unlimited offers a Bird Watching Tour like no other operator. Their certified guides know where to go, how to get there and what to do to ensure you see some of our rarest species to be found in Belize.
Canopy
Chukka Caribbean Adventures offers a Raiders of the Lost Mayan Caves Zipline Adventure Tour that's just the ticket for canopy-deprived souls everywhere. Be prepared for a thrill of a life time as you trek your way up a hillside trail through the Belizean jungle, seeking the "Dragon's Mouth," the ceremonial entry into the Mayan Underworld. Be ready to experience what you have only seen in the movies. You will get dirty and wet as you travel through different levels of the Mayan Underworld by way of ziplines, swinging suspension bridges and an exciting rappel down a cliff face. This 5¾-hour adventure runs only $95 for adults, and $55 for kids, transportation included.
Belize Cruise Excursions offers a Jungle Canopy Tour. This 5-hour adventure takes you deep into the Belize jungle for a view of the tropical rainforest with its majestic trees and outstanding wildlife and biodiversity. The zipline has 8 platforms, some 85 feet high, and one zipline with a length of 250 feet. This adventure runs only $70 for adults and kids, transportation and lunch included, if you book over the internet.
Cave Tubing
Belize Cruise Excursions offers a X-Stream Cave Tubing Adventure. X-Stream Cave Tubing Excursion offers the ultimate version of this tour by including two complete cave systems, this will add an extra cave for tubing, dry caves exploration, small group size and the extreme in personal care. X-stream is by far the most popular excursion to date in this port, located on the beautiful Sibun River Caves Branch, this excursion will take you back in time to the land of the Maya. Their guides will meet you at the Belize Tourism Village, steps away from your Cruise Ship Tender. Your guide will remain with your group throughout your excursion and return you safely and with ample time to tender back to your cruise ship for departure. This adventure runs only $50 for adults and kids, transportation and lunch included, if you book over the internet.
Diving
Green Dragon Adventure Travel offers a 7-hour Scuba Diving Excursion that leaves from Belize Tourism Village. Just 10 miles to the Dive Site, enjoy a spectacular 2 Tank Dive at St Georges Caye and Goffs Caye. This will surely be a great opportunity to explore the diverse Marine Wildlife including spectacular Coral, Sting Rays, Sharks, Barracuda, Groupers, Lobster and more. Their tour includes all equipment, plus lunch, soda, water and fruit. Participants must show their C-Card to take the trip.
Shore Trips offers two fun diving adventures: a Fly and Dive to Ambergris Caye that takes you to San Pedro on a 15-minute flight on a Cessna. With over 50 dive sites available, you may visit a wreck, swim through tunnels or simply glide over the spur and groove canyons that run perpendicular to the barrier reef. The reef offers a wide assortment of marine life. You may catch a glimpse of a variety of turtles, parrotfish, angelfish, sharks, filefish, crabs, lobsters, rays, dozens of species of corals and sponges, and much more. The 5½-hour, 2 tank tour runs daily, and costs $187 per person, and includes transfer from the cruise pier, flight, all dive equipment, tanks and weights and bottled water.
Alternatively, they offer a 2 Tank Dive on the Belize Barrier Reef. These dive sites are less than 30 minutes from the Belize harbor and are breath-taking, with abundant life in crystal clear, warm waters. Some of the more popular sites are Mermaid's Castle, Chub Change, Lost Anchor, Lucky Yuri, Fish Trap and Shark Chutes. These are wall dives with magnificent spur and groove formations. In addition to seeing lots of colorful tropical fish and hard and soft corals, you may also see turtles, rays, morays and sharks! The 5-hour dive trip runs daily, and costs $133 per person, including guided dive, tanks, weights, lunch, soda/water and fruit.
Mayan Archeological Sites
There are a couple of Mayan archeological sites that are reasonably close to Belize City. These include:
Altun Ha The Mayan ruin of Altun Ha is located about 30 miles north of Belize City and about 6 miles west of the Caribbean. The site covers an area of about 5 square miles, with the center area containing the remains of more than 500 structures.
Archeologists believe that Altun Ha was occupied beginning around 200 BC, but the bulk of the construction took place during the Maya Classic era, lasting from 300 to 900 AD. During its height, the site was populated by up to 10,000 people.
The largest temple-pyramid on the site is the Temple of the Masonry Altars, which stands 54 feet high. (A drawing of the temple is used as the logo for Belikin Beer.) The ruins of the ancient structures were used in more modern times for residential construction of the village of Rockstone Pond.
The site lay in anonymity for most of the past 1,000 years, only to be rediscovered in 1963. Archeologists who began excavating the site shortly thereafter discovered a large (10 pound) piece of jade, on which had been carved the head of the Maya sun god Kinich Ahau. This object is considered one of the national treasures of Belize.
Shore Trips offers a Altun Ha Mayan Ruins with City Tour. On this 4-hour tour, you'll visit the Altun Ha Mayan ruins, then take in the bustling city of Belize City. You will see the bustle, along with historic Fort George, a variety of embassies, consulate homes, and an area called the Beverly Hills of Belize. Your visit to the Baron Bliss Lighthouse will be accompanied by its story. This tour, offered daily, costs $50 per person.
Cahal Pech The Mayan archeological site of Cahal Pech is located near the town of San Ignacio in the Cayo District. It was a palacio home for an elite Maya family. Evidence of continuous habitation has been dated back to as far as 900 BC, making Cahal Pech one of the oldest recognizably Maya sites in Western Belize.
The site comprises a collection of 34 structures, with the tallest being about 75 feet in height. It was abandoned in the 9th century AD for unknown reasons.
The name Cahal Pech, meaning "place of ticks," was given when this site was a pasture during the first archaeological studies in the 1950s. On the present site you will find a small museum with artifacts from various excavations.
Lamanai The Maya archeological site of Lamanai is located in the Orange Walk District of Belize. It was once a considerably-sized city.
The site, which means "submerged crocodile" in the Mayan language, was occupied as early as the 16th century BC. Lamanai became a prominent center during the Pre-Classic Period of the Maya, lasting from the 4th century BC through the 1st century AD. It was occupied up to the 17th century AD. During the Spanish conquest of Mexico, Spanish friars established two Roman Catholic churches here, but a native Maya revolt drove the Spanish interlopers out.
The vast majority of the site remained unexcavated until the mid-1970s. Archaeological work has been concentrated on the investigation and restoration of the larger structures, most notably the Mask Temple, the Temple of the Jaguar Masks and the High Temple.
The first detailed description of the ruins was made in 1917 by amateur archeologist Thomas Gann. Archeological excavations at the site began in 1974 under David M. Pendergast of the Royal Ontario Museum, which continued through 1988. Additional excavations and restoration work has continued since that time.
Belize Cruise Excursions offers a Lamanai Exploration Excursion that tours the Mayan site of Lamanai. The 5-hour trip costs $75, including lunch.
Xunantunich The Maya archeological site of Xunantunich is located in western Belize near the border with Guatemala, about 80 miles west of Belize City. The site sits on top of a ridge above the Mopan River.
Xunantunich means "Stone Woman" in the Maya language, and refers to a ghost who is claimed to inhabit the site. Dressed in white, she generally appears in front of El Castillo, ascends the stone stairs and disappears into a stone wall.
Most of the structures date from the Maya Classic period, which lasted from 200 to 900 AD. The core of Xunantunich is composed of a series of six plazas surrounded by more than 26 temples and palaces. The pyramid known as "El Castillo" is the second tallest structure in Belize. Archeological excavations have revealed a number of fine stucco facades on some of the ancient temples of this site. Evidence of construction suggests the temple was built in three stages from the 7th to the 9th centuries.
The first modern explorations of the site were conducted by amateur archeologist Thomas Gann in 1894 and 1895. Several archeological excavations have been conducted at the site from the 1930s through the 1990s.
Belize Cruise Excursions offers a Xunantunich Exploration Excursion that tours the Mayan site of Xunantunich. The 6-hour trip costs $75, including lunch.
Snorkeling
Belize Cruise Excursions offers a Beach Break and Snorkeling tour on an island in the Barrier Reef. Leaving directly from the Belize Tourism Village dock on a comfortable powerboat, this 4-hour adventure takes on an incredible snorkeling experience in the world's second largest barrier reef. Here you can snorkel with the abundant marine life, including schools of brightly colored tropical fish and, often, schools of small Barracudas. After your hour-long snorkel, you'll head for the palm fringed island of Bannister Caye. This beautiful island offers beach lounge chairs, a palapa bar and restaurant (a la carte), restroom facilities and so much more. This family-friendly tour runs $40 per person for adults, and $30 per person for kids.
Zoo
The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center
The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center was started in 1983 as a last-ditch effort to provide a home for a collection of wild animals that had been used in making documentary films about tropical forests. Today, the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center occupies 29 acres of tropical savanna and exhibits over 150 animals, all native to Belize. The zoo keeps animals that were either orphaned, born at the zoo, rehabilitated animals or sent to the Belize Zoo as gifts from other zoological institutions. Open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily. Admission is US$8.00 for adults and $4.00 for children.
Located on Mile 29 of the Western Highway
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