Tag: traveling in belize

One week ago,  Hurricane Earl landed a direct on the eastern side of Ambergris Caye, destroying or heavily damaging nearly 90% of all the docks.  Although this little island community was devastated, there are great signs that things are improving and trying to get back to some sense of normalcy.  Most of the companies have moved to the back docks on the lagoon side and have started rebooking fishing trips, snorkeling tours and party catamaran cruises.        www.islanddreamtours.com         

Having been invited by some friends in our condo unit to go on the party catamaran cruise, we decided it sounded like a great idea.  We weren’t sure what to expect, as we had yet to try this particular tour company.  The small group of 17 allowed for a great day, plenty of space to move around freely or just sit back and enjoy the breathtaking views.

We cruised along the northern edge of the island, passing the “secret beach” to a secluded sandbar where we docked for a couple hours.  Anyone who lives on the island, as well as most tourists have found and frequently visit the “secret beach”, making it much less of a “secret” and more of a “must do” while on the island. The clear and shallow water provides a wonderful atmosphere for a lazy beach day.

The trip included continental breakfast of fruit, muffins and juice.  A full lunch of chicken and ribs as well as chips and shrimp ceviche on the return ride back to town….and yes, open bar!   The staff of four definitely catered to our small group of seventeen,  always filling drink cups and ensuring you were enjoying your day.

For a wonderful daytrip while on Ambergris….this is without a doubt a great choice.  The food was great, the drinks flowed and the water was crystal clear!

Check them out on Facebook  and Trip Advisor……islanddreamtours.com

Everyone in Placencia had told us about taking the day trip to Ranguana Caye.  A “must do” while in Placencia.   Ranguana Caye is a private island located about an hour from the downtown Placencia pier.   A great daytrip for snorkeling, kayaking, paddleboarding or just relaxing in the beach hammocks.  Lunch is provided in the fee and Billys Beach Bar provides cocktails and beer at an additional charge.

Only taking a small group from the village each day, you ensure the privacy and comfort of having the island to your own small group.  We  had approximately 13 in our group an were very comfortable in the boat ride to the island, as well being able to enjoy all the activities on the island.

The guides did a great job explaining the options once we arrived on the island, as well as assisting the groups for snorkeling trips.  We were taken in two small groups to snorkel and the guides were so helpful in not only guiding us through the reef, but pointing out all the unique coral and fish.

We all enjoyed the lunch of chicken, rice, beans and cole slaw under the shaded palms of the small island.  Having the bar on the island allowed you to enjoy beer and cocktails throughout the day for a small additional charge.

We noticed areas on the beach, as well as up near the bar area where signs were posted for turtle nests and areas were sectioned off to protect the nests.  The guides explained how each nest was posted with a date fro approximate time of hatching.  Having seen the turtles come ashore on the beach at night, they were able to mark the nest to protect them until they hatched.

Unsure of what to expect on the trip, we were very pleasantly surprised at the beauty and peacefulness of this small island.  The workers went above and beyond to make us feel comfortable and enjoy our day on the island. After snorkeling, we were able to use the kayaks and paddleboards, play volleyball or just relax in the white sand beaches of this small piece of paradise.

Two people from our group decided to stay on the island for the evening in the beach cottages that can be rented for an extended stay. Check out prices and details of the island and cottage rentals on facebook and ranguanacaye.com

From our experience, we would definitely recommend ranguana caye to everyone visiting the Placencia area.  The beauty of the island, the options for a day of beach fun and the friendliness of the staff makes for a nearly perfect day in the Placencia area.

Ranguana Tropical Island Experience on Trip Advisor!

www.ranguanacaye.com

After the storm passed through Placencia, we heard that San Pedro on Ambergris Caye was heavily damaged by the fury of Hurricane Earl. Having been in Placencia when the storm hit, we were without electricity, making it difficult to get an accurate take on how the rest of the country had weathered the storm. I fly from Placencia, with stops in Dangriga, Belize City, and Caye Caulker, before arriving in San Pedro.  The island of Caye Caulker; a smaller and less populated island near Ambergris Caye also suffered damage to their docks and dive shops.  After landing in San Pedro, it was devestating to see the damage that Earl had left behind.  The expansive docks that lined the east side of the island we’re either completely obliterated, or severely damaged.  Beach bars, dive shops, and spa companies were reduced to rubble that were scattered up and down the beach.  The hardest hit area seems to be the beaches near the center of town.  Palapa Bar, which recently relocated closer to the town center is completely gone.  Ramons Dive shop, docks and beach decking was reduced to rubble and now sits in front of the resort.After arriving last night, it was obvious many people evacuated the island when news warned of the severity of the upcoming storm.  The ones who weathered the storm were starting the process of removing debris and cleaning beaches.  As devastating as this seems, we were amazed at the resilience of the Belizean people.  The attitude of “no worries, we’ll rebuild” was overheard several times as we walked along the beach into town.   Yes, there is major damage, but the little island will recover.

Although people were out and about last night, there was a sense of sadness and a feeling that maybe Earl has done irreparable damage.  Will there  be the  same hustle and bustle, traffic jams of golf carts and bicycles along the streets?  People stopping in the local markets, fruit stands and beach bars, just to hang out or say Hi to the neighbor you haven’t seen since your last trip to the island?   The devastation was making me wonder as we walked home last night.

I awoke this morning to the rumble of golf carts heading into town. It was amazing!  I could smell the corner BBQ as he heated up the grill for his weekend BBQ specials.  We took our bikes into town along the stretch of beach that suffered the most damage.  Groups of people were working on docks.  Trucks filled with limbs and debris were over flowing and headed out of town.  Golf cart were filling the streets, bikes were darting down the narrow streets of town and the smell of the infamous “Bakers” cinnamon rolls were a good sign that this little island is coming back!

Along with the devastation we saw yesterday…..these sights were breathtaking as they too are shots from the beaches of Ambergris Caye…just two short days after Hurricane Earl.

We walk into the village this morning, although electricity has been off since 11pm last night only a couple small stores were open.  People are out and about in the village checking on neighbors and ensuring everyone safely made it through the night.
It seems as though the major damage in the village was to a dock and dive shop at the end of the village pier.  Heavy winds collapsed the dock and small wooden structure.  Numerous people were pitching in to help with the clearing and cleanup of the debris.
We made it back to The Pickled Parrot, one of the few, if not only place open for lunch.  It’s nearly 12  hours now with no electricity, so no service for cell phones.  A few people had contact via social media and the reports coming from the islands were not good. The BTL  (phone company) on the main street was the only place to pick up a signal.  So when you see several people standing against the fence, facing the building, frantically trying to dial…..yes, phone service is down.  You gotta love this place!

With Placencia being on the southern tip of the eye of the hurricane, we missed a direct hit.  Knowing this, most were aware that Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker probably suffered severe damage.  With Ambergris Caye being the #1 tourist destination in the country, the tiny island is heavily populated with vacation homes and island resorts. All reports are showing that there was major damage to the piers and several dive shops on the island of Ambergris Caye.

As for Placencia, Earl took a northern turn and only left minor damage to this beautiful, quaint village we have quickly come to love!

So we’ve been in Placencia four weeks now, so excited about our new place.  Although there have been construction delays, we have had a great few weeks.  The people are so welcoming and you immediately feel at home and we absolutely love the area.  The weather has been perfect.  Sunny days, a little rain overnight, cool breezes in the morning.

Then…..Earl wants to pay a visit to this beautiful little country.  As the rumors of bad weather started floating around a few days ago, we didn’t  pay much attention.  Just casual conversation at the beach bar, or the local fishing guides discussing cancelling trips mid week.  One of the great things about being down here, is the lack of 24/7 newscast.  We have watched very little TV, so were really unaware that a storm was “brewing”.

Even yesterday, as we walked down the beach, we asked one of the local fishermen, as he relaxed in his hammock….”how’s the weather looking?….are we going to get the storm?”  He calmly laughed, “nay….should only be 75 MPH winds, it won’t be bad, we’ve had much worse….”don’t worry mon.”    So, we didn’t worry….mon!

Today….we worry!!   It looks as though it now has a name and is headed straight for Belize.  There was a sense of “calm before the storm”.  No one was rushing to the few stores in the small village of Placencia, but you could sense the tides had turned and people were more concerned.  Placencia is a small fishing village and the current prediction of storm surges could do major damage to the village shops, restaurants and local communities.

People are more concerned about helping their neighbors boarding up windows, securing boats and outdoor furniture.  As we sat at the local coffee shop this morning watching people prepare for the upcoming storm, we were discussing the storm with a young girl we met from Missouri.  She’s traveling alone, so the motherly instinct kicked in and I told her to please call your parents, tell them you are coming with us.  So, she’s moving into the new place  with us until this passes.

Although there are minor details that needed to be completed in our new place.  Today, they were the least of our concerns, as the concrete structure looks much better than the beach cottage when a hurricane is coming!  We checked out of the cottage and will be “hunkering down” in our new place.  Its suppose to be built to withstand Cat. 4 hurricane winds.  Earl is currently a Cat. 1, so we should be ok.  We’ve stocked up on water, coffee and wine.  The three food groups!

It has been relatively calm until the last hour or so, now at 11:30 pm.  the winds are definitely picking up and very noisy.  We pray others in this small village are safe, as the predictions are over 100 MPH before morning.

I’ll update tomorrow.  Keep this lovely village and its wonderful people in your prayers.

When you arrive in Belize, your passport will be stamped and you are given an immigration card, which is valid for a maximum of 30 days.  If you decide to extend your stay, you must go to the local immigration office to obtain a new stamp, pay $25 US.  You can continue to obtain a new stamp for six months at this price, then the next six months the price increases to $50 US.

So,  about now, you are probably  wondering what the hell this have to do with the “Hokey Pokey”

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Well, if you are staying in the Placencia area,  the nearest immigration office is in Independence/Mango Creek.  The easiest way to get there is to do the “Hokey Pokey” water taxi. The boat leaves from MnM gas station on the main street  in Placencia.                                  The ticket office table where you pick up your taxi tickets and pay fees.

Terminal Office in Independence/Mango Creek

                 Our boat was over sold, glad we didn’t have to ride in their boat, seemed a little fast..

Cost for the water taxi is $10 US roundtrip. Its a short ten minute boat ride and actually quite a easy and beautiful little tour of the lagoon side of the area.  When arriving at the boat dock, there will be taxis waiting.  Grab a taxi to the immigration office, $5 US per person roundtrip.  When we arrived, there were no lines, we paid the fee, were issued new cards and back in the taxi and back to boat dock.  We’re good for another 30days.  Very easy process!

So, if you are visiting the area and do not need to visit the immigration office, you should do the “Hokey Pokey” just to visit the Independence/Mango Creek area.  Although its a small village, there are several small shops, grocery stores and local restaurants and lots of nice, friendly and very welcoming people!

With Norwegian Cruise Lines just completing their new island destination  on Harvest Caye, their tender port will be located here in Independence/Mango Creek area.    Previously, Norwegian has docked in Belize City and although there are mixed feelings from the community as to how this will affect the area, as for a tourist, I believe this will be a better experience!  The daytrips from this southern Belize location is undeniably some of the best options you could imagine.  From cave tubing, waterfalls, Mayan Ruins, fishing and snorkeling….endless options in this beautiful little country.

So after a quick boat trip to Independence and Mango Creek, a van ride to the immigration office, back to the boat and back to Placencia, we are finished for another 30 days.

Doing the Hockey Pockey was quite painless and much easier than I expected.  We met some great people on the boat, the workers at the immigration office were very nice and helpful and the taxi driver gave us his number, so when we need to come over next month, he will be there waiting for us.

A very successful morning!   We did the Hokey Pokey & we turned ourselves around, ………… back  to Placencia!

In Belize,  that’s what it’s all about!!

Read More “We did the “Hokey Pokey”……”