Super Bummed, no more cave tubing for little ones.

[tomsuelaw]

So, we just booked the Carnival Dream for January and I was so excited to go back to Belize to cave tube for the 1st time. We are traveling with a 2yr old and a 4 yr old. Both love water activities and are very adventurous and flexible. We were really hoping to take them tubing with a private tour company.

 

Just heard today from cave-tubing.com that the Belize government just past a law that says starting in November, children under 48" tall cannot do the tube excursions anymore. Very sad.

 

Any suggestions on what to do with my kids while there? We love nature, water, and hiking. I have a hard time accepting a beach day when in a country with a rain forest. Absolutely no interest in ruins.

[mitsugirly]

So, we just booked the Carnival Dream for January and I was so excited to go back to Belize to cave tube for the 1st time. We are traveling with a 2yr old and a 4 yr old. Both love water activities and are very adventurous and flexible. We were really hoping to take them tubing with a private tour company.

 

Just heard today from cave-tubing.com that the Belize government just past a law that says starting in November, children under 48" tall cannot do the tube excursions anymore. Very sad.

 

Any suggestions on what to do with my kids while there? We love nature, water, and hiking. I have a hard time accepting a beach day when in a country with a rain forest. Absolutely no interest in ruins.

 

I know exactly how you feel (well, almost). Last year we booked with .bz and heard about this new rule they were implementing with the height requirements. I know they said they would be doing all the things one by one, with the height requirements being last. We had our 3 year old with us for this trip and we got in before the deadline and she had a blast.

 

It really sucks because I know the cave tubing companies are having a fit about these new rules because it cuts down on their business and tons of families do the cave tubing. I know .bz said they planned on trying to fight it. But, who knows. :(

[newcruiser08820]

So, we just booked the Carnival Dream for January and I was so excited to go back to Belize to cave tube for the 1st time. We are traveling with a 2yr old and a 4 yr old. Both love water activities and are very adventurous and flexible. We were really hoping to take them tubing with a private tour company.

 

Just heard today from cave-tubing.com that the Belize government just past a law that says starting in November, children under 48" tall cannot do the tube excursions anymore. Very sad.

 

Any suggestions on what to do with my kids while there? We love nature, water, and hiking. I have a hard time accepting a beach day when in a country with a rain forest. Absolutely no interest in ruins.

 

 

I actually agree with the new law. First of all such a long and not so easy trip for the toddlers. One thing playing in the pool, water park where they are adventurous and flexible and totally different for taking 1.5 hour but ride both ways, hiking 40 min up the hill, and then tubing down the river, which could be challenging for the little ones. Also depends on the flow, it could be challenging for adult to keep yourself safe and the toddle sitting on your lap. I have 4 years old but would never even consider taking him there. I am staying on the ship with him so he can enjoy the pool and my hubby taking my 11 years old daughter tubing.

[war_eagle99]

Having been cave tubing in Belize and being the father of a 14 month old who LOVES all things water... there is NO WAY I would even consider taking him cave tubing for several years.

 

What happens a child falls off a tube (or your lap) inside a cave system with deep water and a current - it sounds like a great law.

 

Visit one of the private islands instead

[crewsweeper]

There's also Cucumber Beach.

 

http://www.oldbelize.com/

 

if they're open, they'll have water activities. it's not a resort beach, manmade, but used by locals and accessible via taxi.

[donaldsc]

So, we just booked the Carnival Dream for January and I was so excited to go back to Belize to cave tube for the 1st time. We are traveling with a 2yr old and a 4 yr old. Both love water activities and are very adventurous and flexible. We were really hoping to take them tubing with a private tour company.

 

Just heard today from cave-tubing.com that the Belize government just past a law that says starting in November, children under 48" tall cannot do the tube excursions anymore. Very sad.

 

Any suggestions on what to do with my kids while there? We love nature, water, and hiking. I have a hard time accepting a beach day when in a country with a rain forest. Absolutely no interest in ruins.

 

IMHO, anyone who takes a 2 year old cave tubing is totally bonkers and should be investigated for bad parenting or even child abuse. What else do they subject the kid to - tandem skydiving?

 

DON

[Familycruisers20]

I do get the rule, and have no problem with it, mine will be over 48", but do you all think it's appropriate for a tall just turned 5 yr old?

[tomsuelaw]

IMHO, anyone who takes a 2 year old cave tubing is totally bonkers and should be investigated for bad parenting or even child abuse. What else do they subject the kid to - tandem skydiving?

 

DON

 

Wow Don, dramatic much? You have a strange definition of child abuse :eek: And no, no skydiving trips planned for us but thanks for your drama queen opinion, you made me laugh :rolleyes:

[ibcnusoon]

I do get the rule, and have no problem with it, mine will be over 48", but do you all think it's appropriate for a tall just turned 5 yr old?

 

 

I wouldn't, it's super dark and creepy in there. Would you feel comfortable leaving your 5 year old sitting alone on an airtube in deep water and total darkness, or carrying that tube 45 minutes hiking through a forest?

[funfamilyof6]

We are considering cavetubing but I don't think my 4 kids (3 who are teens), my husband or myself will want the long bus ride LOL. Seriously though, I totally agree with the law.

[NoobCruise]

I think it's an excellent law. There may be a few toddlers who are great swimmers - I was one myself because we had a houseboat and my mom made sure I started swim lessons as a baby so if I fell off I wouldn't sink like a rock. However, most toddlers are not - I would even say very few are. However, there are many irresponsible parents who think their toddlers can walk on water. The risk for allowing toddlers on such an excursion is very high. I am sure Belize doesn't want to become known as the country that tosses the babies down the river ;)

[Maryscooking]

I do get the rule, and have no problem with it, mine will be over 48", but do you all think it's appropriate for a tall just turned 5 yr old?

 

I've been cave tubing in Belize (prior to having a child) and I have a five yr old that is just about 48" tall and will be only 3 mos away from age six at the time we are in Belize.

 

And honestly, we thought about and nixed the idea of taking her cave tubing in about two minutes. First, like others have said, it is a looong bus ride and then a looong hot humid walk for a little kid, even one accustomed to walking. Not to mention the adult that gets stuck carrying two tubes the whole trip.

 

Then, the even bigger concern - DH and I agreed that we would not be able to really relax because we'd be worried about holding onto her and making sure she stayed securely in her tube. She would not just sit still the whole trip. She'd be trying to dangle her feet in the water, or trying to roll onto her back from her stomach or whatever. She would find some way to fall off that tube. Of course, I'm sure we could scare her enough that she'd sit still, petrified of going in the water, but how fun would that really be for her?

 

It gets dark in those caves, and short of having the kid on our lap, we would not feel secure. And sorry, I'm not paying all that money to go cave tubing to drag an extra tube or have 45 extra lbs sitting in my lap (squirming) the whole time!

 

So hence why I'm here on the Belize boards trying to find something else to do.

[funfamilyof6]

I've been cave tubing in Belize (prior to having a child) and I have a five yr old that is just about 48" tall and will be only 3 mos away from age six at the time we are in Belize.

 

And honestly, we thought about and nixed the idea of taking her cave tubing in about two minutes. First, like others have said, it is a looong bus ride and then a looong hot humid walk for a little kid, even one accustomed to walking. Not to mention the adult that gets stuck carrying two tubes the whole trip.

 

Then, the even bigger concern - DH and I agreed that we would not be able to really relax because we'd be worried about holding onto her and making sure she stayed securely in her tube. She would not just sit still the whole trip. She'd be trying to dangle her feet in the water, or trying to roll onto her back from her stomach or whatever. She would find some way to fall off that tube. Of course, I'm sure we could scare her enough that she'd sit still, petrified of going in the water, but how fun would that really be for her?

 

It gets dark in those caves, and short of having the kid on our lap, we would not feel secure. And sorry, I'm not paying all that money to go cave tubing to drag an extra tube or have 45 extra lbs sitting in my lap (squirming) the whole time!

 

So hence why I'm here on the Belize boards trying to find something else to do.

 

That's why I'm here too. We are very disappointed with the Belize excursion selection. We do not like wasting time sitting on a long bus ride. At this point we are leaning towards Altun Ha, but are still not totally satisfied with this selection. We really don't want to stay on the ship though.

[OhhWell]

Wow Don, dramatic much? You have a strange definition of child abuse :eek: And no, no skydiving trips planned for us but thanks for your drama queen opinion, you made me laugh :rolleyes:

 

Maybe he was a tad overboard but he is pretty correct. A 2 yo has no place in those caves. Now, after the caves when the river winds through the rainforest I could see. (No pun intended)

 

Dark caves mean dark water. If things went bad with a small child, they could go really bad. It's just not worth it. There is no way a 2yo no matter how adventurous can handle that river in the dark when there is decent flow.

 

As far as what else to do, there are zip lines and horse back jungle tours.

[Sammycupcaker]

I just took my 7 year old who is exactly 48 inches last week. We used VIV because they have mesh bottoms. The walk was a lot for herbut she did good. Our guides gave her the choice of her own tube which they would have carried or she could ride with me. She chose to ride with me. I'm glad we did it the way we did and that we left my 5 year old on the ship with daddy.

[RedbirdFL]

We did the Belize zoo excursion last week and had a great time. Perhaps your kids would enjoy it.

 

We got to see a bit of the countryside while on the bus ride to the zoo.