IT IS EXTREMELY UNWISE TO VISIT OR STAY IN BELIZE CITY.

Things to do

Ziplining

Have fun zip lining through the jungle! Mary has done this tour and found it to be safe and fun. Mary did this while staying in San Ignacio which made it easy to get picked up by the tour company. Mary used Pacz Tours - great company to go with! https://www.pacztours.net/

Cave tubing

Sit in an inner tube and travel down a gentle flowing river while going in and out of various cave passages in the Caves Branch river system. Mary has done this adventure and absolutely loved it! Wear a bathing suit, board shorts and water shoes. Mary did this while staying in San Ignacio which made it easy to get picked up by the tour company. Mary used Pacz Tours - great company to go with! https://www.pacztours.net/

Tikal

Take a day trip from San Ignacio into Guatemala to see the Tikal pyramid ruins. These ruins have been restored and are breathtaking. It's quite a large pyramid system so bring good walking shoes! Great for birding as well. Don't forget your passport as you will be traveling into Guatemala. You may also want to check with your doctor to see if there are specific vaccinations you may need when traveling to Guatemala. Mary did this while staying in San Ignacio which made it easy to get picked up by the tour company. Mary used Pacz Tours - great company to go with! https://www.pacztours.net/

Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) caves

Hike through the jungle to get to the cave entrance. Once inside the cave system you will be climbing and wading your way through. Some of the areas in the cave are small and tight so if you are claustrophobic you may feel challenged. This is a physically taxing tour. Mary and Damon have not been on this tour but hear it is awesome. The closest town to the ATM caves is San Ignacio. Pacz Tours - great company to go with! https://www.pacztours.net/

Lodging

Mary stayed at The Midas Belize hotel when visiting San Ignacio. It was clean with friendly staff. Please note as of 2012 the room Mary stayed in did not have a door on the bathroom. Odd. https://midasbelize.com/. It did not state on their website if they were a Gold Standard certified hotel so please check with them before booking.

Getting there

You could take a bus from Belize City to San Ignacio. Mary took a taxi from the Belize City airport to San Ignacio that was arranged by her San Ignacio hotel, the Midas Belize. The cost was approximately $100 U.S. dollars in 2012. Please ensure that your taxi is booked previous to arriving in Belize so you can ensure you have a safe transfer.

Check with Tropic Air or Maya Island Air for flights to and from San Ignacio, if available.

You can also get there from Ambergris Caye as a day trip. Your hotel/resort can assist you with booking a trip or the wedding party concierge, Cora, can book your trip as well (please see the Concierge Services page).

Things to do

Placencia is a small beach town in the south. Mary has been there and loved it.

Scuba Diving

Scuba diving in Placencia was wonderful! The water is clear and warm.

Mary dove with Splash Dive Center and they took very good care of her. http://www.splashbelize.com/. Per their website they are Gold Standard certified. Please check with the dive shop to confirm.

Lodging

Mary stayed at the Ranguana Lodge while in Placencia. Each bungalow is located right on the beach and you can step out of your bungalow and right onto the sand where the ocean is. These bungalows are not high end but comfortable places to stay. https://www.ranguanabelize.com/. Per their website they are Gold Standard certified. Please check with the hotel to confirm.

The Turtle Inn (owned by Francis Ford Coppola) is a beautiful hotel. Mary went there for drinks while staying in Placencia and the bar was fabulous. This hotel is going to be on the pricier side. They are Gold Standard certified per their website but you should confirm with the hotel.

Getting there

Mary took the chicken bus from San Ignacio to Placencia. Your hotel in San Ignacio can help you with the bus schedule. The bus traveled along the "Hummingbird Highway" which goes through mainland Belize and IT IS BEAUTIFUL. You may also find flights from San Ignacio or other parts of Belize on Tropic Air or Maya Island Air. Mary then took a flight from Placencia to Ambergris Caye.