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 Belize City, Belize

Overview

Bordering on Mexico, Guatemala and the Caribbean, Belize is the second smallest country in Central America (after El Salvador), with an area of approximately 9,000 square miles that includes numerous small islands off the coast known as cayes. More than half of the mainland is covered with dense forests, and at its longest point Belize is 174 miles long while its greatest width is 68 miles. Long a strong advocate of environmental protection, the government has set aside approximately 20% of its land as nature reserves.

Belize has been attracting steadily increasing numbers of U.S. visitors as it has become better known as a reasonably priced destination offering some of the best diving in the Caribbean. It also continues to increase in popularity as a cruise destination and is often included as one of the ports of call on Western Caribbean itineraries.

Diving is Belize's main claim to fame due to an almost unbroken line of reefs and cayes extending for 150 miles along its coast that make up the longest reef system in the western hemisphere (and the second longest in the world). While many cayes are tiny and uninhabited, some like Ambergris Caye are sufficiently large to have built resorts that attract divers from all across the U.S. and from countries around the world. There are also several important Mayan sites situated on the mainland such as Altun Ha and Xunantunich that make for excellent day trips and are included on shore excursions by most cruise ships. As a matter of fact, Belize has the highest concentration of Mayan sites of all the countries in Central America.
 
Language
English is Belize's official language and is spoken by virtually everyone.


Currency & Best Way to Get Money
Belizean dollar (exchange rate is roughly $2 Belize to $1 U.S.); all shops and merchants readily accept U.S. dollars (most also accept credit cards) so it is unnecessary to change money. ATMs are plentiful in both the Tourism Village and the rest of the city.


Best Souvenir
The best buys are wooden and slate carvings. The National Handicrafts Sales Centre in Belize City sells an assortment of locally produced mahogany bowls and various carvings and artwork.


Where You're Docked
All ships anchor in Belize City harbor and passengers are whizzed from ship to shore via speedy Belizean tenders; takes around 20 minutes to tender ashore. All passengers disembark at docks in Belize's Tourism Village.


What's Nearby
The Tourism Village is the city's main shopping area with a variety of stores, shops and restaurants. The city's downtown area and the Marine Terminal are about five minutes away on foot, and there's always a line of taxis waiting adjacent to the Tourism Village.


In a Nutshell
Belize City is made up of many wooden buildings and exudes some colonial charm, but the downtown area also has many seedy neighborhoods, and tourists should beware of walking around the city after dark. For cruise passengers, Belize City is primarily a jumping off point for tours and excursions to its many natural and historical attractions.


Getting Around
Taxis are readily available at the Tourism Village as well as in the city and at hotels. Taxis do not have meters and although most drivers charge a standard fare, make sure you determine the fare before getting in so as to avoid being burned upon arriving at your destination. There are also water taxis and ferries that depart from the Marine Terminal to the outlying cayes, including the larger resort cayes such as Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye. A trip from Belize City to San Pedro, the largest town on Ambergris Caye, takes around 80 minutes and costs $45 roundtrip.

Do It Yourself Driving: It's also possible to rent a car although this is not recommended due to the poor condition of many roads. Rental agencies in Belize City include Safari/Hertz(011-501- 2-235395) and AvisBelize(800-331-1084) have downtown and airport locations and there are other agencies with offices at the Tourism Village.

Flights: Tropic Air; 800-422-3435 (www.tropicair.com) and Maya Island Air; 800-225-6732 (www.mayaislandair.com) both offer a regular schedule of flights from Belize City to Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker. Flights to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye leave approximately every 90 minutes until 5 p.m. and take just 20 minutes; cost is $94 roundtrip. These are indeed "very small" planes with some carrying a maximum of five passengers and the pilot.


Watch Out For
When using cash -- particularly with merchants that accept U.S. dollars -- be sure you get change in U.S. currency. Also almost all the major attractions are at some distance from the city; so if you're exploring independently and hiring your own transportation, make sure you are back in time at the Tourism Village for the last tender departure for your ship.


Don't Miss
Diving and Snorkeling: Number one on the hit parade of favorite outdoor activities due to the astounding sites along the barrier reef. Some of the best dive sites lie just off Ambergris Caye (see Getting There above). Charter operators listed on the Belize Tourism's website also offer day trips that include transportation. However you get to Ambergris Caye, head for the main town of San Pedro, where many of the dive operators are clustered. A favorite snorkeling area is known as "Shark Ray Alley" (one hour by speedboat from San Pedro) where it's possible to get "up close and personal" (petting is permitted) with nurse sharks and sting rays. Hol Chan Marine Reserve is a five square mile underground water park.


Mayan Heritage: Among the best of Belize's Mayan sites is Altun Ha, a heavily excavated site that is a convenient day trip out of the city. Once a major trading and ceremonial center, it consists of several impressive temples and tombs highlighted by the Temple of the Masonry Altars. Another important site is Xunantunich, located near the Guatemalan border that can only be reached by crossing the Mopan River on a hand-cranked ferry. Situated here are six major plazas ringed by more than 25 temples and palaces; largest of the remaining temples is Il Castilo which is worth climbing for the spectacular panoramic view one gets from the top.

Wildlife Lovers: Belize City's three major sites containing wild creatures are all located fairly close together. Those who would rather not venture very far from the city can check out the Belize City Zoo and Tropical Center (Western Highway mile marker 29, open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily). A little farther out is the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary (Western Highway mile marker 30.8) and the Community Baboon Sanctuary (across the street), which is home to a substantial number of black howler monkeys.

Birders: Belize is a birder's delight as it is home to more than 500 different species from toucans to egrets. Two highly recommended ways to encounter birdlife is on a guided boat trip to the Bird Caye Bird Sanctuary and/or a visit to the aforementioned Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary.


Been There, Done That
For the ultimate in R&R at the beach, head to Caye Caulker, a 45 minute ferry ride from the Marine Terminal. Just five miles long and one mile wide, laid-back Caye Caulker is ideal for sun worshipping on one of its gorgeous beaches. There are no cars here so everyone rides around either in golf carts or on bicycles which can be rented by the hour or for the day. Divers can hop boats that go out to the barrier reef just 10 minutes away. For more information on Caye Caulker contact www.gocayecaulker.com.

Explore Belize's caves. In ancient times, the Mayans believed that caves were the "underworld" and were revered as sacred places. Options for exploring the network of caves include tubing or by kayak or canoe. Some of the tubing is at a place known as "Jungle Paw," where the float through a series of caves in an inner tube lasts about two hours.


Lunching
The Smoky Mermaid (13 Cork Street, open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m.). Menu features fabulous lobster and fresh fish dishes.

Four Fort Street (Monday-Saturday, 7-10 a.m., 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m.). A great place to soak up local atmosphere and enjoy native cuisine.


Staying in Touch
The "Click & Sip" Internet Cafe is located inside the Belize Tourism Village.


City Attractions
Best nature lover/history buff combo: An ideal tour for those who want to view creatures in the wild and also explore Mayan ruins. Travel first up Belize's Wallace River inhabited by a host of creatures including manatees, crocodiles, iguanas and many species of tropical birds. The second half of the tour is spent at Altun Ha, one of the most important Mayan sites in the country. Duration: 6 hours; Price: $65

Best soft adventurer excursion: Tubing along Belize's Sibun River in a flotation tube provides a unique look at limestone caves formed before the dawn of mankind. Duration: 6-7 hours; Price:$85

Best for snorkelers: Travel in a snorkel boat to Goff's Caye, a tiny caye 12 miles offshore where there is abundant reef life and magnificent coral formations. Here it's possible to snorkel either from the beautiful beach or directly off the snorkel boat. Duration: 4 hours; Price: $55

Best "interactive" shark excursion: Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get up close and personal with some of Belize's most "people-friendly" underwater creatures. Speedboats transport passengers directly from the ship to area of coral reef known as "shark ray alley" where they can snorkel amidst nurse sharks and stingrays; excursion also includes lunch stop in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. Duration: 7 hours; Price: $70


 Costa Rica

Overview

If there was ever a country created for eco-tourism, it is Costa Rica. Effectively a biological corridor between North and South America and with its neo-tropical climate and rainforests acting as a sort of biosphere, it now has one of the greatest biological diversities in the world. Nearly a quarter of its landmass is designated as national parks and it houses 8,000 species of plants, 859 species of birds, 10% of the world's butterflies and as many snakes as you could shake a stick at.

Costa Rica has also -- rare for the region -- been a peaceful, democratic country for a century or more. Abolishing all its armed services in 1949 to spend the money on improving social, medical and educational facilities has helped in this and also won it Nobel Peace prizes, not to mention UN-underpinned eternal neutrality from 1983.

It is not crime-free, though, so it still pays to take care in its towns and streets. However, it is one of the most relaxed and welcoming places to visit in Central America, and Puerto Limon is well-located for its best eco-tourist attractions.


Language
 The official language is Spanish but many Costa Ricans know some English, and those working at tourist sites usually speak it well.


Currency & Best Way to Get Money
Costa Rican currency is based on the Colon but US dollars are widely accepted, while credit cards are taken in the larger shops and most hotels and restaurants. There are no ATMs in the cruise terminal but there are several international banks in the town of Limon -- the closest to the port is just 400 yards away, across the road from Parque (Park) Vargas: Banco de Costa (9 a.m. - 3 p.m.).

 
Best Souvenir
A bag or two of its super-strength coffee would be the obvious suggestion but this is one place where memories -- of the rich diversity of plant, bird, marine, and wildlife -- will be the best souvenirs of all.


 Where You're Docked
In the busy cargo port of Limon, where tour coaches jockey for position with fleets of lorries bringing continuous loads of Costa Rica's major export: bananas.


Hanging Around
A temporary open-air welcome stand, with a list of taxi fares and other tourist information, is set up right by the pier where your ship is docked. Another 100 yards on there is a small group of individually-covered craft and souvenir market stalls right outside a distinctive green terminal building. Walk through this -- past a bizarrely-sited beauty salon with its own pedicurist and chiropractor working in full view -- and out the back door, and you'll find yourself in Limon straightaway.

If you have time between tours, Limon is worth an hour or two. There are some interesting shops and a good museum (Etnohistorico -- open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - noon and 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.) right next to the post office on the same road as the bank and park, Avenida 2-Miguel Velasquez, but about a 10-minute walk to the left of the terminal.


Watch Out For
The rain. Sometimes we forget the connection between the rain forest and rain -- you really can't have the former without the latter. Over the year, parts of Costa Rica have as much as 26 feet of rain which is why seasons are described as "rainy" and "not so rainy" on its Pacific coast and "rainy" and "rainier" on its Caribbean side. Chances are you will see some liquid sunshine during your stay -- if you don't want to get your hair wet, pack a hat.
 

 Don't Miss
The Tortuguero Canals, a national park created in 1975 to protect the spawning areas of the green turtle (Tortuguero) and the region's rich flora and fauna stretching from Moin to the Colorado River near the border with Nicaragua. On a slow-moving boat trip along the canals (some natural, some manmade), you will see sloths hanging upside down from the overhanging trees, many different types of bird including toucans and probably monkeys and crocodiles, too. Unforgettable.

Worth the trip to Limon alone -- the Aerial Tram ride at Rain Forest, a 1,000-acre nature reserve next to the Braulio Carrillo National Park. This is one of two such centers run by a private foundation (the other is of a smaller scale and nearer the Pacific Coast). Towers, which were inserted into the jungle from the air by helicopters to minimize their impact on the site, support cables along which converted ski-lift gondolas carry six people (five passengers plus one of the center's excellent English-speaking guides). These are well spaced out and travel silently at just over one mile per hour so you can soak up the atmosphere and the unique experience of being up among the treetops of a rain forest.

This is not a zoo or Disney experience so don't expect to see animals -- nobody feeds the monkeys so you'll be very lucky to see any -- but you will see birds and hundreds of butterflies, and learn fascinating facts about this living, breathing forest. This trip will be a ship's tour but it is possible to do it independently. It's a two-hour journey and entrance costs about $50 -- you will, though, find that tour groups are given precedence for gondola places.

You've also got to see Cahuita National Park, which is another nature reserve but with the added bonus of beaches and coral reefs for swimming and snorkeling.
 
 Best shore excursions:
 A jungle river eco-adventure in the Tortuguero Canal area
Helicopter ride over the Panama Canal


 Shopping
Just as spending time on the beach is really a waste at this destination (although there are some good ones around) so is shopping, especially as there is not a lot to buy. The best option is to look out for locally-made ceramics, wood carvings and figures or any other items sold where at least some of the money will go to the charities and foundations set up to preserve the environment in the places you will be visiting.
 
Lunching
An ongoing influx of other nationalities -- from Jamaican to Chinese -- has created a variety of influences on the dishes served in Costa Rican restaurants. Look out for Food Soda (small restaurants) serving favorite local meals of casado (rice, beans, stewed beef, fried plantain, salad and cabbage); Gallo Pinto (pre-cooked and seasoned rice and beans with eggs, sour cream and a soft corn tortilla); Sopa negra (black beans and poached egg); and picadillo (meat and vegetable stew). Other, more international-style restaurants (often in hotels) in Limon and nearby Moin serve good seafood among other more recognizable dishes.


Been There, Done That
If you've tried and enjoyed the aerial tram in the rain forest, chances are you'll love the Canopy Tour -- although this is definitely not for the faint of heart. Based on some NASA technology, this involves traveling Tarzan-style (except in slow motion) through the rainforest canopy on a series of horizontal traverse cables.

Introduced in Costa Rica by the Original Canopy Tour company (www.canopytour.com) in 1997, this is now spreading to other Caribbean and Central American countries as well as to different parts of Costa Rica. The nearest site to Limon is Pacuare, between the coast and the central mountain range (Talamanca). Tours can be booked from the Limon cruise terminal.


Staying in Touch
There are telephones, with staff to help you use them, in the terminal. Calls to North America start from 50 cents a minute. If these phones are busy -- and they are popular with ships' crew -- there is a shop opposite the back door of the terminal offering a similar service. There is also Internet access in the terminal, operated by International Telecommunication Center (ICE). Thirty minutes will cost you $2.


 Colon, Panama

 

 
 

Overview

Colon 2000 is effectively a new cruise port created by the Panamanians who realized that they were missing out as scores of ships transited the Canal without stopping in the country. It now offers lines cash incentives to send more ships and passengers to its ports.

Colon (named after Christopher Columbus) was founded in 1850 by the American workers building the trans-Panamanian railway (it took eight years and cost $8 million). It has been a Free Trade Zone for 50 years and is the world's second largest duty-free port.

Although now a cruise port, Colon remains essentially an industrial area with few tourist attractions. Its real appeal? It is an ideal gateway for visits to the nearby Canal locks and is just two hours away from the Pacific Coast and a little less from Panama City.

Language
The longtime U.S. presence in the Canal Zone means that English is spoken well by some Panamanians but a substantial minority do not speak it well, including the majority of taxi drivers. As part of the country's drive for more eco-tourism, schools have now prioritized the teaching of English, so this situation is gradually improving.


Currency & Best Way to Get Money
The official currency is the Balboa, but as this is permanently kept exactly on parity with the U.S. currency, dollars are accepted everywhere. There is an ATM in the Super 99 supermarket in the Colon 2000 shopping centre. If you are carrying other currencies, there are exchange bureaus and banks in Colon but it is probably safer to change money your board ship or in other ports. If you have to use a bank, go to the Free Zone area which is right next to Colon 2000 -- you will need your passport and/or cruise card.


Where You're Docked
Right outside the Colon 2000 terminal. If you take an organized tour, you will board your coach in the car park just a few yards from the gangway. Otherwise, you have to walk past the car park perimeter into the terminal and across the overhead walkway to the new shopping centre.


Hanging Around
As some of the goods from the nearby Duty Free Zone are sold within the shops in this purpose-built center for cruise visitors, there are a few bargains to be found especially among electronic goods -- digital cameras seem to be a good buy. There is also a duty-free liquor store. Otherwise, there is nothing much to keep you there.

There's not much more in Colon itself. A taxi ride to anywhere in the city costs $3. The cathedral on Calle/Street 5 (open 2 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.) is an attractive building as is the restored -- in pink and white -- historic Washington Hotel, which has a terrace where you can enjoy a drink or lunch while watching ships waiting to transit the Canal.

Taxis also offer a $30 city tour which is probably the safest way to see Colon.


Watch Out For
Muggings are not unknown -- on this critic's most recent cruise visit, a couple of passengers were robbed within 200 yards of the terminal. Also avoid back streets in Colon (as well as Panama City).


Getting Around
Train service was restored with tourists in mind in 2001 (it was originally intended to carry freight), and runs from Colon to Comzal station near Miraflores Locks.

1950s passenger carriages were later also restored (and air-conditioned) so that early morning commuters into Colon can use the scheduled services. During the rest of the day, the passenger part of the train is chartered by the cruise lines for their organized tours to the locks. It is a worthwhile trip with great views out over Gatun Lake but, sadly, not one you can easily use independently.

There are frequent bus services (journey time is about 90 minutes) from the Albrook bus terminal on Avenida Bolivar, Colon, to Panama City, and one-hour trips to Portobelo, costing $2 and $3 one-way respectively. Otherwise, the only non-tour transport option -- unless you know the country well enough to hire a car (Avis has two offices in Colon) -- are the tourism taxis which are allowed into the port once the tours have departed.

On these, sample 2004 cab prices (for up to four people) are: $120 to Gatun Locks and Portobelo; $120 for an eco-tourism tour which takes in the locks and three forts (Espinar, Lorenzo, and Sherman); $60 to Lagosta Beach (for three hours -- $20 for each extra hour after that); $200 by boat to the scuba-diving centre, Isla Grande; $125 to the Embera Indian village of Alajuela; and $150 to Miraflores Locks and Panama City.

Taxi prices are fixed by the central desk in the Colon 2000 centre. If you book through them, your details are taken so that they know where you are and in which taxi if there is any problem. You can secure lower prices by approaching the drivers directly, but then you lose that safety net.


Best Souvenir
A Panama Hat, of course, although TV's Frasier did once describe his brother (and fellow psychiatrist) Niles as being so short of insight as a child that he missed the connection between being beaten up and wearing a Panama Hat to school.


Don't Miss
 Panama City. It's a long way from being one of the world's major tourist cities but, in these post Noriega days, it is working hard to create a new, visitor-friendly image.

Many tourist developments are happening in and around the city, including some restoration of the old colonial town (Casco Antigua or Casco Viejo) within the city. This was built in 1673 to replace the city sacked two years earlier by pirate Henry Morgan. In the six blocks around the Plaza Central are the impressive President's Palace, city cathedral and the Municipal Palace. Also, the Historical Museum of Panama and the Panama Canal (and railway) Museum (both open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.).



 Worth the trip to Colon alone: The Panama Canal locks. The Gatun Locks are closest to Colon but the Miraflores are even more impressive. The beauty of this canal is that it is so busy, any visit is bound to coincide with at least one ship being pulled through by mechanical mules and being raised (in stages) the 26-meter (84-foot) difference between the level of the Gatun Lake and the oceans either side.

The Canal, which was opened in 1914, reverted to Panamanian control at the end of 1999. The locks have visitor centers with multi-media presentations of the canal's colorful and initially tragic history.

 And you've also got to see: Portobelo City, which was once Panama's wealthiest city when hoards of gold were traded for European goods in its three month-long trading fairs. It even gave its name to one of London's longest-enduring street markets -- Portobelo Road. Frequent attacks by pirates and the British navy (Sir Francis Drake died there and was buried on a nearby island) reduced it to ruins and it never recovered but there is much still to see and enjoy -- from forts to a thriving street market. It is just over 30 miles from Colon.

Best ship-sponsored shore excursions:
A Visit to Gatun Locks & the former Panama Canal Zone, where many Americans lived during the time the U.S. was administrator.  Take a cruise on the Chagres River (and hike in the rainforest).


Lunching
There are a couple of decent restaurants -- Aspinall and Cafe Iguana -- in Colon 2000 but the views and ambience are nothing special and you'd be just as well off on the ship. The Washington Hotel on 2nd Street is another option or the Grand Cafe, with its Arabian cuisine, on 10th Street. But take a taxi there and arrange for one to pick you up outside.

There are good seafood restaurants around Lagosta Beach, and in the old town of Panama City there are a variety of local restaurants also serving seafood cooked in Creole tropical sauce or Ceviche (fish cooked in lemon juice, onions and spices) with Patacones (fried plantain) -- all washed down with an algae shake! Also try Panamanian coffee -- they say it is the world's best (but, then, so do the Colombians, Costa Ricans, Hawaiians...).


Shopping
Apart from Colon 2000, the best shopping area is in the old quarter of Panama City. Watch out for moles and togas -- not underground rodents and Roman wraps, these are (respectively) fabrics/clothing with Indian designs and soap stone designs.


Been There, Done That
Then how about rafting the Chagres River, kayaking along Gatun lake or scuba-diving off Portobelo? These and other adventurous activity trips can be booked through tour operators such as Aventura 2000 (info@colon2000.com) from the tourist information desk in the Colon terminal.


Staying in Touch
There is a line of 10 telephones at the top of the escalator from the cruise terminal en route to the shopping centre. These take collect, credit and phone card calls to North America, but only credit card calls to the rest of the world. The Cable and Wireless office in the shopping centre is supposed to be providing Internet access but this was not in action on a recent visit. There is an Internet cafe about a 10-minute walk from the Comzal station.