Port in Belize

[dagtoking1]

What is the Port area like in Belize? I have read various comments from posters here about the poverty and aggression in the way people try and sell you things (can't be worse than Jamaica). What is the port like in Belize? Is it reasonably safe to venture?

[dolphinwyo]

I have only been there one time. It was a tender port. There were a lot of shops right along the dock area - I felt safe shopping there. We took the city bus tour - DO NOT do this excursion. It was advertised A/C, bottled water, informative tour - none of the above happened. People were literally begging and pleading for the bus driver to finish up and get us off of there it was so hot and miserable (in February). While on the bus tour we did see a lot of poverty - that is the hard part of traveling. I saw a lot of kids in the streets, etc., but, again, I personally didn't feel any less safe than I did, say in Mexico. However, I didn't do anything beyond the shops right at dock and the bus tour. I hear there is a lot of cool things to do there - we just didn't want to wander too far as we had a child we left on board and wanted to get back to her quickly. This was also in 2002, so it may have changed since then. Enjoy your vacation!

[TracersQQ]

The port area is just a fenced off area with hudreds of shops and places to eat. A lot of it is indoors, kind of like a mall. But be warned, it's not air conditioned. there are many shops outside, as well. I was afraid to venture out of the port area, but my Mother and her friends did. They got a horse drawn carriage ride/tour around town, that they really enjoyed. I didn't find the vendors any more aggresive than any other port. One disturbing thing did happen, though, my 16 year old son was looking for leather goods and we couldn't find any. So there was one more area that we didn't look in and my husband and I sat down and sent our son to run and see if there was any leather. he didn't see any so he asked a man and he said to to follow him, so my son started to, but quickly realized they were going out of the port area and he asked where they were going and the man replied "to see my Marijuana." My son said no thanks and quickly ran back to us. We left after that, we were on our way back to the tender anyhow, but that was enough. Other than that, the port area isn't too bad, just use your head and stay together.

[yvogarden]

Hi, the port area is fenced off, and has a bunch of "local" shops in addition to Diamonds International and all the other shops you see in each port. We had a private tour booked, and were worried about meeting our guides beyond the gates based on stuff we read on this board. We met our guides with no problem at all, and found all the local folks to be friendly, happy, and no more pushy than any other port. A polite "no thank you" and a smile was all it took. There is a "flea market" right beyond the gates that sells the same stuff at 30% less than inside. There is also a bar / restaurant that looked like a lot of fun. There is poverty, and the buildings are not pristine, but I never felt threatened in any way. I can't wait to go back someday and explore more of the country!

[vmom]

The port area is enclosed by a large fence and only people who work at the pier are allowed to enter the port area. I did not find anyone to be aggressive at the port. If you left the port itself, there were private tour guides in the back just outside the port exit that were a bit aggressive in trying to sell their tours.

 

The port area was surprisingly small when compared to other ports. There were not "hundreds" of shops as a previous poster said...(He/she must have confused Belize with Costa Maya). There were the usual Diamonds International, clothing shops, pharmacy, etc. and a restrurant in the middle of it all. Outside the port/pier area is the town area of Belize.

 

We ventured out to the flea market and found some very good prices. I did not find any of the vendors in the flea market to be aggressive at all.

 

We loved Belize. I would recommend a tour or excursion tho, and likely wouldn't recommend a city tour, since I didn't think there was much to see on a city tour. We did a tour a Altun Ha with a city tour.

[ukbballfan]

vmom

 

What were your impressions of Altun Ha? This will be our first ruins excursion.

[vmom]

vmom

 

What were your impressions of Altun Ha? This will be our first ruins excursion.

 

 

It was our first Mayan ruins tour also. We also visited the Mayan ruins in Costa Maya on our next stop (pre hurricane).

 

I very much enjoyed it. We arranged the tour through the taxi-tour guides at the port and there were 5 of us total in a minivan. If I remember correctly, we paid $35 per person. I may have that wrong and it might have been $40 per person, but I don't think so. After awhile all the port excursion costs get difficult to remember exactly. We had originally planned on cave tubing but that was cancelled due to high water levels in the caves. It was maybe a 40-50 minute drive to the ruins and the roads are bumpy and pot holed, but our driver did the best to keep to the side of the roads that were the smoothest. That would be hard to do in a tour bus. My guess is that the minivan made for a much more comfortable ride.

 

I'm really glad I did the Altun Ha ruins tour. It was very interesting. One of the buildings we were allowed to climb up to the top. It was much better than I had anticipated. On the way there and back, the tour guide told us all about Belize, the building, wildlife, politics, history etc...so it was like getting 2 tours in one. After this tour I am very interested in doing more Mayan tours. It really sparked an interest in me.

 

There are some small hut type buildings you pass by after the ruins tours that sell wooden items made by the locals. We bought 3 items, and I am sorry I didn't get more. The prices were great and the work on the 3 items we purchased was beautiful.