Belize Beaches

Hi-

We will be in Belize in Feb 2015 on the Carnival Sunshine and we are looking in to beaches in Belize. We need turquoise water, beach chairs and umbrellas, and since Belize has the most amazing snorkeling in the world- we need snorkeling!! Does anyone recommend any Carnival excursions? I know that Belize has very few mainland beaches so we are open to looking at the many cayes and islands off of it we just don't know which one to choose.

Thank You!!

I have been to Belize on multiple occaisions and I am sad to report that there really are not good beaches on the mainland or the cayes. The snorkeling is if not the best among the best in the carribean. The reef off of Belize is the second largest in the world. I can't imagine any excursion you will take snorkeling will be bad. But you will not find nice beaches. The reef is a mile or so off sure that is why the ship anchors so far from shore and tender rides of 20-30 minutes are required to get in to the port. I have taken independant exurcsions there and the down side is you must tender into the port then get on another tender and ride 30 minutes back out to the reef to snorkel. The advantage of the excursion through Carnival is most will leave straight from the ship to the reef saving alot of time and effort.

I am not sure which ship you will be on but if it goes to Roatan then that is where you can get nice beaches and great snorkeling.

I have been to Belize on multiple occaisions and I am sad to report that there really are not good beaches on the mainland or the cayes. The snorkeling is if not the best among the best in the carribean. The reef off of Belize is the second largest in the world. I can't imagine any excursion you will take snorkeling will be bad. But you will not find nice beaches. The reef is a mile or so off sure that is why the ship anchors so far from shore and tender rides of 20-30 minutes are required to get in to the port. I have taken independant exurcsions there and the down side is you must tender into the port then get on another tender and ride 30 minutes back out to the reef to snorkel. The advantage of the excursion through Carnival is most will leave straight from the ship to the reef saving alot of time and effort.

 

I am not sure which ship you will be on but if it goes to Roatan then that is where you can get nice beaches and great snorkeling.

Thank You- do you know of any beaches or excursions that maybe don't have an amazing beach but have some sort of pool or something? or somewhere you can get in to the water

We went to Goff's Caye. DH snorkeled and the kids and I stayed at the beach. It was very nice.

I have a review and pictures in my signature.

They used to have ship excursions to Bannister Island till it was sold, now they go to Water Caye or South Water Caye, whichever it is named. I believe it to be very similar to Bannister, and would have chairs and all , but probably not that great for snorkeling..

http://www.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/509074

Unfortunately those nice white sandy beaches, great loungers and shore snorkeling in Belize are available in south Belize, Placencia. But that's too far to reach for day cruisers out of Belize City.If you can get an excursion to Shark Ray Alley--there are private ones available--you can have really good snorkeling, but you'll not find your white sandy beaches with great loungers on the cayes.

Check out Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) though. It's a short air hop on Tropicair from the municipal airport in Belize City, about a 15-20 minute taxi ride from port. But here too, you'll probably have to hire a boat for snorkeling.