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BELIZE FIRST MAGAZINE

The On-Line Edition

Volume II, No. 4

"Your Guide to Travel and Life

In Belize and on the Caribbean Coast"


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IN THIS ISSUE:

AMBERGRIS CAYE

Ñ Best Hotels & Restaurants
Ñ Top Snorkel & Dive Spots
Ñ Expat Life

Plus ...
Ñ Driving to Belize
Ñ Corozal Today
Ñ Belize's Pooches
Ñ Hotel Updates
Ñ Property for Sale
Ñ News from Belize

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Electronic text-only edition.

Full hard-copy edition available with maps, photographs, art,
additional features.

Lan Sluder, Editor and Publisher

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BELIZE FIRST is published quarterly in Asheville, North Carolina,
by Equator Travel Publications, Inc., 280 Beaverdam Road, Candler,
NC  28715  USA.  Fax [phone].  Primary e-mail addresses:
CompuServe, 74763,2254;  Internet, [e-mail].

Mail subscription rates US$29 a year in the U.S., Belize, Canada
and Mexico, US$39 a year in other countries.

⌐   Copyright 1995. All rights reserved under international and
Pan-American copyright conventions.

Information contained in BELIZE FIRST is believed to be accurate.
However, hotel owners change, cooks leave, and prices vary.
BELIZE FIRST will make every effort to correct errors.
Corrections and amplifications will appear in the next issue
published.  Opinions of contributors and readers expressed herein
are not necessarily the opinions of BELIZE FIRST or its editor and
publisher.



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BELIZE'S TOMORROW:  EDITORIAL OPINION

One-half of all Belizeans are under age 16.

What is the future of these children?  Will they learn enough,
from people, books and nature?  Will they be able to find work in
jobs with dignity, value and decent pay?  Or will they turn angry
and hopeless, adding to Belize's soaring crime rate?  Will they
leave Belize, or will they stay and make it better?

The children of Belize:  Creole, Maya, Garifuna, Mestizo, Indian,
North American, European.   They are both the country's greatest
challenge, and its greatest resource.



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WHAT TO EXPECT FROM BELIZE FIRST MAGAZINE

As a reader of BELIZE FIRST, you have a right to know what we
stand for:

1.  To put you, the reader, first.  Not advertisers, not the
subjects of our stories.  But YOU.

2.  To cover the entire spectrum of travel and life in Belize and
the Caribbean Coast, that hard-to-define but unique region of
Central America and Mexico,  and beyond, stretching along the
tropical edges of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.  Some say
it goes as far north as New Orleans, and as far south as
Venezuela.

3.  To promote the region as a desirable place to live.

4.  To publish the best writing about Belize and the Caribbean
Coast.

5.  To work for the economic betterment of Belize and the other
areas of the Caribbean Coast.

6.  To promote sustainable, responsible, ecologically sensitive
tourism in this wonderful and still little-known region.

7.  To work to make the region safer for both citizens and
travelers alike.

8.  To provide candid, independent reporting without any hidden
agenda  ╤ we have no connection with any political party or
ideology, or to any business or other group.

9.  To avoid any interference with the internal affairs of Belize
or any other country in the region.

10. To work  to provide more opportunity for Belizeans, and the
citizens of other countries in the region, to manage their own
affairs and to benefit from the investment of their own time and
money.


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Vol. II, No. 4

IN THIS ISSUE:  FOCUS ON AMBERGRIS CAYE

1) Belize's Tomorrow:  Editorial Opinion

2) Corozal, by Phil Lanier

3) The Pooches of Belize, by Laura French

4) Driving to Belize

  * Coastal Marathon to Belize, by Rafael Stumbo

  * Lynn Williams' Five Weeks in Mexico and Belize, by Lan Sluder

5) In Case You Missed It

6) Real Estate Listings

7) Hotel Update:  Opinions on Hotels from Readers and Friends

8) Hotels Recommended by BELIZE FIRST


#####SPECIAL SECTION:   Ambergris Caye

9)   Guide to the Island, by Harry S. Pariser

10)   Diving, Snorkeling, Touring by Alex Bradbury

11)   Eating Around the Island, by Phil Lanier

12)   Tips for San Pedro Travelers

13)   Living in San Pedro, by Lin Sutherland

14)   Recommended Books and Maps on Belize and the Caribbean Coast

15)   Quik Guide to Belize



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Low-Key and Subtle Charms

COROZAL TOWN


By PHIL LANIER

When you round the bend headed into Corozal Town, the sun plays
off the water, the breeze moves the palms gently, and the air
smells good. It's small things like these you notice in Corozal.
And while it may not be the  tourist mecca some other parts of
Belize have become, Corozal does have its charms. These, along
with a low cost of living, have attracted a goodly number of expat
Americans.

Let's get something straight, though:   To many folks Corozal
is the town, unless you add "District" behind it. That's because
there hasn't been much for travelers to get all that excited about
in this smallest and northernmost district of Belize. Oh, there
are ruins around, but nothing on the scale of Xunantunich in the
Cayo or even Lamanai next door in Orange Walk District. There's
nearby Shipstern Wildlife Reserve with more than 20,000 pristine
acres and zillions of butterflies flitting around. But, all those
brilliant wings pale before the likes of a rainbow over the
jagged, dripping jungle in the mountains of the Cockscomb Basin.
And true, there is sea. But who would compare this greenish water
to that clear elixir off Ambergris Caye, a simple 20-minute flight
to the east?

So, as one traveler put it to me, why bother? And the answer
is, because Corozal is like one of those little movies you stumble
upon quite by accident, which has no "name actors" and no
exploding cars or extravagant special effects, but which makes you
feel good -- about people, about life. It's got heart. That's
Corozal.

Let me explain. My favorite bar in Corozal, Your Place, is not
a bar at all, but little more than a thatched palapa roof in a
park by the bay. Corozal Bay. The one you cross to see the small
Mayan ruins of Cerros, brooding like a wrinkled brow on the
horizon. The same bay in which you stalk steely-scaled tarpon with
hook and line.

Anyway, there's a kid there with a cooler full of soft drinks
and beer behind a cement bar top. He'll sell you something cold
for less than a buck. I like to hang out there after a swim on a
sultry afternoon, with the grass and the palms and the sea grapes
for company, sipping a Belikin, taking in the sunshine, talking
with the fishermen. It's not raw excitement; it's simple pleasure.

There's a strong Mexican influence, here, in Corozal. No
surprise with the Rio Hondo flowing between Belize and Mexico less
than ten miles away. Many Corozal natives are descended from
Mexican refugees who fled Quintana Roo over a century ago during
the bloody Caste Wars.

In 1955,  the town was nearly wiped out by Hurricane Janet and
had to be rebuilt, but you'd never know it. There's an ancient air
about the place. The worn clapboard houses raised on stilts, the
stolid cement buildings with their faded gaudy colors, the dusty
streets that form a grid through this town of around 9,000, they
all feel aged.

Nestor's Hotel is right in the thick of things on Fifth Avenue,
one of the two main streets running the length of town; the other
being Fourth Avenue. Together, they straddle the town square,
ground zero on the map of Corozal.

Nestor's is the kind of place where you can't go wrong. They
serve one of the best T-Bones in the whole country with baked
potato and salad for US$9; it's huge. Vegetarian fare, too. Great
atmosphere and inexpensive rooms; just US$12.50 for a basic double
with private bath and cold water.

But you needn't go basic when there's Tony's Inn at the south
end of town. With 24 rooms, it's the biggest, most attractive and
most comfortable place around. A deluxe double costs US$70 and
includes AC, hot and cold water, private bath, telephone and cable
TV. There's a nice beach to relax on and jet skis for rent.
Fishing excursions leave from the pier. Fine outdoor bar, too.
Great place to hang out of an evening with expats and locals.

One night I watched a East Coast sales manager from the U.S.,
who had ended up here by mistake , I'm sure, battling it out with
an expat from Texas over a game of dominoes. It was the only game
in town. I amused myself, meanwhile, arguing politics with Tony,
the owner.

After a week in the area you may long for something other than
Belizean food. Want to try some local Chinese cooking? Don't.
You're wasting your time and taste buds; it's similar to the worst
American take-out variety. It's odd, though,  Chinese restaurants
abound, as elsewhere in Belize. Better choices are numerous small
places that serve fried chicken, hamburgers and such. Or, tuck
into some very tasty Mexican cuisine at the Hotel Maya. The
escabeche, a spicy soup with chicken, onions and white peppers, is
very good and will only set you back US$3.75.

When in Corozal, though, I make a point of visiting Hailey's
Restaurant at the Caribbean Hotel for a meal. I might get lucky
and find stewed gibnut, a large rodent tasting like rabbit. Seems
Queen Elizabeth had it a few years back on one of her rare
appearances in Belize. The London press, wags that they be, dubbed
the dish "The Royal Rat."  What's fit for a queen is fine by me.

Another reason I visit Hailey's is to talk to owner, Henry
Menzies, who besides renting out a few basic cabins in the palms
for about US$20 a double, also happens to be one heck of a guide.
He's great at whisking visitors almost anywhere in the country.
He'll whisk you out of it, too, frequently going as far away as
Cancun. The trick with Henry is to book into an existing group
going someplace special. Or create your own group, about three
other like-minded people. For instance, he gives a tour to
Shipstern Nature Reserve, including the Butterfly Breeding Center
for US$115 for one to four people. Similarly, he takes shopping
trips across the border to Mexican shopping shrine of Chetumal,
just US$100. The more the merrier, and in this case, the cheaper.

One of the tours visitors enjoy most is the trip up the New
River to the Mayan ruins of Lamanai ("submerged crocodile" is a
common translation), situated along a wide lagoon. Cost is US$250
for one to four people, extra persons just US$60. An audience of
jungle birds and animals chart your progress upstream. Approaching
the Mayan site by water, you'll be impressed by its sudden
appearance as you enter the lagoon.

After a land tour of the ruins there's a cruise of the lagoon
which brings you eyeball to eyeball with some of its denizens.
Suddenly you see it, a crocodile basking on a sunny bank or
suspended in water with only its eyes above the surface, showing
that cold crocodile smile! What's the joke? A move for the camera
and -- splash -- it's gone. Very funny.

But enough sheer excitement for one day. Time to unwind a
little. Time to head for the park. And the kid. And the beer. And
the bay. And the trees.

^^Phil Lanier has traveled extensively in Belize,  helping
update the new edition of Belize Handbook by Chicki Mallan, Moon
Publications.


IF YOU GO

Nestor's Hotel
123 Fifth Avenue, Corozal Town, Belize; tel./fax [phone]

Tony's Inn & Beach Resort
South End, Corozal Town, Belize; tel. [phone], fax [phone]

Hotel Maya
South End, Corozal Town, Belize; tel. [phone] fax [phone]

Caribbean Village
South End, Corozal Town, Belize; tel. [phone], fax [phone]

Menzies Travel
Box 210, Corozal Town, Belize; tel [phone], fax [phone]

Lagoon Camping
A new campground on Four Mile Lagoon, 1 1/2 miles from the Mexico
border on the Santa Elena Hiway.  Nine shaded sites, 24-hour
security, breakfast and lunch available.  Rates: US$10 per night
for RVs, tents US$5 per night.  Contact:  Rosalie and William
Dixon, Lagoon Campground, General Delivery, Corozal, Belize.


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BARKING IN BELIZE:

Pooches in Paradise

By LAURA FRENCH

Tropical dogs are like northern snowflakes:  No two are alike.
Belizean pooches tend to be small and thin and short-haired, but
they otherwise have as varied a background as Belizeans
themselves.

Natural history buffs come to Belize with bird books in hand,
looking to identify the 200+ species of birds that can be found
here.  It would be more of a challenge to study any single Belize
dog, to identify the dozen or so breeds that have mingled to
produce him or her.

Black and tan markings hint at Doberman antecedents.  Traces of
German Shepherd are fairly common.  On a Mayan farmstead five
miles by canoe upriver from absolutely anything, a sleeping gray
dog roused himself to look up at me with the pale eyes of a
Weimeraner.

Somebody should offer a "Dogs of Belize" tour:  There's Figgy,
who was one of my tour guides at Maya Mountain Lodge near San
Ignacio.   The Lodge has a self-guided nature trail, and the first
day I was there, Bart Mickler told Figgy to go along.  Figgy
waited patiently while I stopped to read the entries in the
guidebook.  He skipped the side-trip to the Mayan ruin.  A couple
of times he forgot himself and bounded off into the bush after a
hot scent, then recovered himself and ran past me to take his
place in the lead.

    The second day I was there, stretched out in a hammock on my
front porch, recovering from a day of climbing ruins, Figgy came
and insisted on another walk.  Eventually I complied.  I headed up
a paved path in the direction I remembered the day before, and
Figgy suddenly stopped and looked at me balefully.

I stopped and said, "Come on, Figgy."  He didn't budge.  I
asked him what was wrong, but he wouldn't say.  He started back to
the lodge, and I called him back.  He turned around, but wouldn't
come up the path with me.

Of course, he was right and I was wrong.  I was standing on the
walkway to one of the cottages.  He was standing on the path that
led to the nature trail.  When I finally realized my mistake, he
rushed off ahead of me again.

There are two dogs at the luxurious Blancaneaux, Francis Ford
Coppola's Belizean resort in the Mountain Pine Ridge.  They were
pets of the British Army, who are now being pulled out of the
country.  Ann, the manager, wanted one of the dogs, but the two
were a package deal, having been raised together.

Max is the star of Lamanai Outpost Lodge near Lamanai.    He's
a two-year-old German Shepherd cross, not a native Belizean but an
immigrant from Grenada.  He keeps to his spot on the sofa, while
looking longingly at the people in the adjoining dining room.
Sometimes this low-key begging techniques pays off in bacon.

And then there was the dog who came to mass at St. Peter's on
Ambergris Caye.  She was long and low to the ground, a little
shaggier than the usual, and even harder to identify than most.

At the beginning of the mass she was up near the altar, giving
herself an extended scratch behind the ear.  During the scripture
readings she discovered the cool breeze flowing through the side
doors of the church and she sprawled herself out on the tile.  She
left briefly for a while during the offertory, I noticed.  But she
was back for the passing of the peace, smack in the center of the
aisle, and the priests who had made their way to the back of the
church shaking hands had to arc slightly around her on their way
back to the altar.

I suppose that someone who didn't love animals might have seen
it as a sign that Belize was going to the dogs.  For me, with a
Golden Retriever and a Border Collie back home, it was a sign that
Belize isn't an artificially created tourist haven but a real
place, with real people--two-legged and four-legged--who have ways
of doing things that are uniquely and charmingly their own.

^^Laura French is communications director of Magnum/Belize, a
tour operator and travel agency in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.



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SO YOU'RE THINKING OF ... DRIVING TO BELIZE?

Here are the stories of two recent trips to Belize by car.
Read'em and learn.

*******************

By RAFAEL STUMBO

The agenda for our November 1994 trans-Central America Trek
included blasting across Mexico to make Belize in three days or
less.

The intentional marathon pace, almost twice as fast as most
people would make the trip, was set to gauge the potential cost-
effectiveness of transporting building materials by land to Belize
City.  If you have looked into building your dream home or rental
cabinas in Belize out of anything but indigenous material you are
aware that the availability of such items as metal studs, plywood,
kitchen and bathroom fixtures and appliances are limited and
expensive by U.S. standards.  When shipping by container you face
freight cost (approximately US$1,200 for a 40 cubic foot container
F.O.B. Galveston, Texas), tariffs at the Port of Belize (which are
usually greater than at a land frontier), and then getting your
material to your final location within Belize.

We had estimated that enough material to trim out four 15 foot
x 20 foot cabinas could be loaded in a school bus, or 20-foot
trailer pulled behind a one-ton pick-up truck.  One of the obvious
advantages of driving to Belize is having a work vehicle once you
are in country.

To be sure, an excursion of this sort is by no means for the
delicate or other wise faint of heart.  It involves quite a bit of
night time driving which at very best is dangerous and at worst
shear lunacy.  My partner and I witnessed numerous collisions on
this trip, one of which involved flying cows. Everything you have
heard about driving in Mexico is true, and the route to Belize
takes you straight through troubled Chiapas.   We took the
Atlantic coastal route crossing at McAllen, Texas,  then down the
length of Mexico to the Yucatan,  with scheduled stops only at
Tampico (234 miles),  Veracruz (485 miles),  and Villahermosa (783
miles); a good rest stop before Chetumal (1,123 miles).

From Villahermosa you can leave at dawn to facilitate a
daylight crossing of Tabasco and that historic piece of Chiapas,
which is the gateway to the 267-mile, desolate stretch of Route
186 that leads to Chetumal.

Our scheduled stops were by no means our only ones. Despite our
preparation and planning, we were plagued with mechanical problems
related to the hydraulic clutch mechanism in our Ford Bronco.
Parts for American late model vehicles are difficult to come by in
Mexico, and all but the most basic items used or new are simply
unavailable. Be forewarned:  Unexpected breakdowns are the rule,
not the exception on this type of trip.

We crossed the border at McAllen around 9 a.m.  We were just
north of San Fernando de Presas, not 100 miles from the U.S.
border on Highway 101, when we had our first mechanical mishap.
Luckily, a Green Angel was right behind us when it happened and
towed us to a mechanic he knew.  He later told us he only
patrolled that stretch of road twice daily.

By 10:30 p.m. this first night on the road we had our problem
solved and we were on our way, heading due south now on Highway
180.   At Soto La Marina we stopped to catch a few hours of sleep.
There is a big truck stop here and caravans  of transmigrantes
regularly pull in for the night to sleep in their vehicle.  The
facilities are adequate, and cold beer and roasted chicken  are
available 24 hours.   We made Tampico just after dawn,  refueled
at a shiny new  Pemex station, and were back on the road with Poza
Rica, between Tampico and Veracruz, our next bench mark.

Never letting the fuel gauge go below one-half, we stopped at
two more Pemex stations before making Veracruz about 9 p.m.  Rule
of thumb:  When you see a Pemex, stop and fuel up.  They are far
enough apart so that  it pays to be safe and keep the tank full.
The newer ones have excellent facilities as well as American-style
convenience stores.

Coming into Veracruz at night from the north has become a
nightmare over the past few years.  Road construction is in full
swing and four lanes become one with little warning and not a
barrier in sight.  Typically, excavation is going on several
levels leaving no shoulder, pavement variations being marked by
only stink pots billowing thick petroleum fumes into the night
air.  Once you get into the traffic, which starts about 25 miles
out of the city, you are committed. To leave the traveled surface
is literally to abandon your vehicle for a burro, or worse.

Try to just south of Veracruz for your next stop.  The coast is
dotted with bar-restaurant- hotels where you can find
accommodations for two easily in the US$20 range.   [Editor's
note:  Prices may be lower now, given the decline in the value of
the peso.]

About two and a half hours down the road you'll find the town
of San Andres Tuxla, a cigar aficionado's dream-come-true.  On
this  bad mountain road with no guard rail can be found a classic
fabrica de puros where we spent a few minutes  watching the hand-
rolling techniques of the local artisans.  My partner and I
selected a box each of  Ejecutivos Maduro for the road, and we
were off.

About ten miles outside of San Andres Tuxla is a brightly
painted yellow muffler shop.  They have an arc welder there and
can fix just about anything that is leaking, cracked or otherwise
ruptured. The punishment our vehicle was taking resulted in
various exhaust system malfunctions, and this was the place to get
the whole thing tightened up.  Eight hours and two cigars later we
made Villahermosa, and two hours more brought us to Zapata.

Our charge across Mexico for the Belize promised land came to
an abrupt halt exactly 13 miles down Highway 186 from Palenque
Junction.  On the right hand side of the highway just beyond the
side road to Zapata is the last service station, restaurant,  or
for that matter any commercial enterprise, until you reach the
Pemex 87 miles down the road in the village of Manatel. There are
113 worrisome miles to Escarcega from Zapata.   We were aware
there had been recent campesino unrest of a violent nature along
this very stretch of road.  Once you get to Escarcega it is a 154-
mile straight run through a low-growth jungle to Chetumal with
nowhere, and I mean nowhere,  to pull off.   By all means, this is
a part of the journey you should make by daylight, and find out in
advance the current political situation for the region. A less-
adventurous, and much longer, route would be to continue on
Highway 180 along the coast, going farther north in the Yucatç n
peninsula before driving southward again.

At about 7:30 p.m. the evening of our third day,  my partner
and I found ourselves examining our map at a table in the service
station cum restaurant at the turn-off road to Zapata, debating
whether to sleep in the truck or make a midnight run for
Escarcega.  Enter Ramon Villanieva, proprietor and raconteur
extraordinaire.  This young Spaniard entered with a drink in his
hand, greeted the employees and regular customers, then turned his
eye to us.  "You don't think you are going anywhere tonight, do
you ?" he asked me in Spanish.  "I thought we might make Belize
before sunrise," I replied in jest.  He came to our table,
informed us that the frequency of road blocks and robberies had
gone up due to recent political unrest, and that we would do best
to let him be our guide to Zapata for the evening, and leave in
the morning.  Our gracious host told us we were the first
foreigners he had the opportunity to visit with in two years.
There was no way we could turn down the invitation.

We followed Ramon into town, stopping for a moment to admire
the bronze statue of Emiliano Zapata on horseback, rifle blazing.
I have lived across the street from the statue of Paul Revere in
Boston, and studied my college texts in the public gardens where
George Washington sits tall above a stately steed, but neither of
these statues is as awe-inspiring as this particular revolutionary
tribute.

I could not help but be reminded of a young Marlon Brando
playing the impetuous Emiliano in the 1950s classic,  Viva Zapata.
"Fantastic," I said to Ramon.   "You know, he's my hero," I said.
"Zapata?" questioned my host.  "No," I replied, "Marlon Brando".

Ramon took us on a evening tour of the village, which is about
12 blocks long and eight blocks wide, laid out around a town
square.  To be sure, the beer is cheap and the locals are thrilled
to meet travelers. Everywhere Ramon took us, we were received as
honored guests, including Zapata's premier night club which was
featuring a floor show of scantly clad local women covered in body
paint dancing to Madonna.

We spent the evening  at Hotel Ramos on Avenida Chiapas Esq.,
Sibiquina, which I suspect Ramon owns as well.  For US$25, our
room had two queen-size beds, air conditioning, telephone and a
huge bathroom with hot water.  Secure parking was provided behind
locked doors in a court yard behind the building. A small
restaurant can be found on the ground floor, serving breakfast at
7 a.m. However, we were gone before the restaurant opened.  Fueled
up, rested and truly delighted by the hospitality, we left Zapata
for that last long and lonely stretch of road to Belize.

By 11:00 a.m. on the fourth day we were enjoying our first
Belikin in Belize, watching the surf come in.   We made it to
Belize City in three and one-half days. We had spent about 12
hours for repairs and another 12 hours to rest and eat.   With no
mechanical difficulties, we would have been well with in the
three-day target, but then again, we might have spent another day
in Zapata.


 RAFAEL STUMBO'S RECOMMENDED TRIP PREPARATIONS

If you plan to make a trip of this nature for either fun or
profit at anything more than a leisurely pace, I suggest the
following:

Ñ  Do a tune-up before you leave, including wires, distributor
cap and rotor

Ñ  Bring the old parts with you as spares

Ñ╩  Service front and real differentials, transfer case and
transmission

Ñ  Check your spare tire -- bring two if space allows,  and a
few cans of Fix-a-Flat won't hurt either

Ñ╩  Pack a comprehensive tool box including anything that might
be unique to your vehicle such as fuses and fuel filters

Ñ╩  Carry a heavy-duty nylon tow line

Ñ  Bring several of fuel additive, an oil filter and oil,
break/clutch fluid, and antifreeze/coolant

Ñ  Bring eight five-gallon plastic bottles of drinking water,
and several cans of tuna fish.



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FIVE WEEKS IN A JEEP CHEROKEE
IN MEXICO AND BELIZE


Interview by LAN SLUDER

Lynn Williams, his wife,  Warrene Williams, and 10-year-old
daughter Whitney, of Asheville, North Carolina, did a five-week
driving trip to Mexico and Belize in February and March 1995.
They spent time in Mexico City, the Yucatç n and elsewhere in
Mexico, and in Belize, where they stayed at Chan Chich Lodge in
Orange Walk District.

The Williamses traveled in a Jeep Cherokee with about 65,000
miles on it.  Lynn Williams is an experienced world traveler,
having done overland trips in various parts of the world,
including a London- Singapore overlander in the 1950s.  Here's his
perspective on driving to and in Belize.

Q:   How did you find the roads in Mexico this trip?

A:   Mostly very good.  Coming back, I did Mexico City-San
Antonio, Texas,  in one day.  New highways with 120 kilometer
speed limits made it easy (I cruised at 130) as there are now
autopista de cuotas (toll roads) almost the entire way from
Villahermosa in the Yucatan to the border.  There are stretches
being built around Campeche, some open, and there is the Cancun-MÄ
rida cuota.  The tolls were not bad with the peso at 7 to the
dollar.  They would otherwise have been high.

I took the cuota all the way back, when I could, leaving Cancun
on a Sunday afternoon, reaching Campeche Sunday night, Monday to
Villahermosa (got stuck in a political demonstration which blocked
the roads for a day), Tuesday snuck around the demonstrators on
back roads (thank heavens for the jeep) and bribed the workers to
drive the unopened 45-D from Villahermosa to 150D to Mexico City
-- saved hours and hours, and the new cuota is good -- just two
short stretches that they are still working on.   My map from AAA
showed it as "under construction"  Probably will be "under
construction" for years.   The cops and the workers have a deal --
they block the highway with oil barrels and then tell you it can't
be driven.   When I expressed my great desire to pay them for the
privilege of driving the 120-mile new stretch which is unopened,
they took the money and rolled the barrels aside.

Going down to  Belize, I boogied off the cuotas and took the
libres.   It did make a big difference in time coming back on the
toll roads, saving days of driving, at my guess.

I drove Cancun-Chetumal, Villahermosa-Chetumal, and Chetumal-
Merida up the middle of the Yucatç n. All roads are fine, no
problems, all surfaced.

Travelers going south in Mexico should be aware that there are
different agricultural districts in Mexico, different tax
districts, etc., and that frequently on crossing borders from one
state to another there will be searches of the vehicle.  Usually
the fruit and veggies questions, sometimes about alcohol and
tobacco (I always say I use neither and don't have them along --
obviously to me the police are looking for a free bottle of
booze).  I only had the one real rough search on the edge of
Chiapas, but we got through it all right and the cops helped me
repack the Jeep.  They didn't seem like ordinary cops.  More like
military police.

Travelers should be prepared for some authority coming up to
them and asking "donde viene?" or some such.  I always had a ready
answer, usually the nearest tourist town, and a copy  of Lonely
Planet's La Ruta Maya by Tom Brosnahan prominently displayed on
the dashboard.  Showed them that and told them I was a tourist
doing Mexican tourist scenes, had nothing for resale, all my own
stuff, and that was that.  I never felt threatened at all.  Most
of the cops were extremely nice to me, and then later to my wife
and daughter, or to my daughter when she and I were traveling
together.

Q:   What's your key advice for people thinking of driving to
and in Belize?

A:  Anyone who is going to be driving very much in Belize
should consider a high road clearance vehicle.  VW van, Jeep, or
anything else with above-average road clearance.  Otherwise, one
is restricted to the paved highways.  After that,  I'd say they
need good tires and good tools.  Only then would I put in four-
wheel drive.  It's nice, but it's not absolutely necessary on most
roads.

On the other hand, if one is willing to stay on decently
surfaced primary and secondary roads, one can do the trip through
Mexico and on the main roads in Belize in a family sedan with
perhaps just a bit of extra preparation.  I do understand that a
few of the roads in southern Belize are considered "bad" by
locals, and I give that classification great respect.  I'd be very
careful taking them on.

Q:  How would you prepare your vehicle for Belize?

A:  The main thing I would suggest are to equip it with six-ply
truck tires, slightly oversize, with tubes.  I found the four-ply
mud/snow tubeless radials to be too fragile for Belizean roads.
Were I to do it again -- and I hope to do it next winter -- I
would put on six-ply heavy duty truck type tires and if they were
tubeless, put in tubes anyway.  Carl Franz in The People's Guide
to Mexico recommends this. I had missed it the first time I read
his book.  After leaving Belize, I read his section on auto
preparation again, and it was there.  A lot of the Belizeans and
Americans living in Belize prepare their cars in this way.

Aside from the tires, I'd carry a tank of compressed air.  The
air pump which runs off the cigarette lighter is too slow.  I gave
up on reinflating a tire with it and gave away the pump to a man
who'd helped me change a tire and was obviously eyeing the pump
with desire.  I'd get rid of the high-rise hydraulic jack which I
had and get a floor jack of the type used in garages, one with the
little wheels on it so it can run under the car, and a long
handle.  Those will lift a car in seconds and are easy to switch
from raising to lowering.  I'd carry a couple of extra tubes.  I
would certainly carry a fully mounted second spare tire.  That is,
the tire would be on its own rim so all I had to do was to mount
it on the wheel.

This is pretty much what I had on a London-Singapore drive I
did in the 1950s. The Land Rover 109 I had then was so far
superior to the Jeep Cherokee I drove on this trip that there
really is no comparison.  However, the little Cherokee I had was
perfectly acceptable if one babied it, and was more comfortable
than the Land Rover because of its seats, air conditioning, cruise
control, etc.  I do think that were I prepping a car for Belize
again, I would also consider replacing shocks with extra heavy
duty shocks (if it needed new shocks), and I'd consider heavier
duty springs if these were available.  I bottomed out innumerable
times on Belizean roads -- something I never would have done with
the Land Rover and its heavier duty suspension.  Most American
cars, even the "off road" or "utility" vehicles, are compromises
which are designed to look tough, but don't deliver the same
quality of performance under difficult conditions as do say, the
older Land Rovers.

The American expats doing business in Belize seemed pretty
realistic about what they expected from their vehicles -- a lot of
them were driving high road clearance cars, trucks or vans, had
floor jacks, heavy duty truck tires, beefed up suspensions, an
extra mounted spare, and some parts and tools along.

Q:  What tools would you carry?

First, you need REAL tools.  Heavy-duty ones, not the stuff
that's sold in auto parts shops.  I'd take a large crow bar, a
very heavy hammer or small sledge,  as well as a tow rope.  Again,
Carl Franz in The People's Guide to Mexico has a good list.  A
remote road in Belize or another part of Central America is not
the place to find out you were not adequately prepared.

I am sure you gather from this that I'm an absolute fanatic on
my preparations -- I'd rather be overprepared than find I lack
something critical.  I carried all the obvious spare parts,
replaced all belts and tubing and clamps before I left and carried
the old items as spares, had my alternator tested, and when it
wasn't quite up to snuff had it replaced with an extra-heavy-duty
alternator.  I carried filters, electrical spares, tools, and all
the stuff people recommend.  I should have carried a floor jack,
an extra spare, and heavy-duty tubed tires.  That was my single
major error.  Fortunately, I had enough other stuff with me that I
was able to work around that problem and bought another tire in
Belize.

Q:  Anything else?

A:  One thing I'm glad I did was to get a first rate car alarm.
Viper is what I bought --  you see the TV ads, about $250
installed.   It's worth its weight in gold.   The little perimeter
alarm kept most people away from the car at all, and the one time
someone stuck his hand inside, it cleared the street with the big
alarm.   I always told anyone nearby that there was an alarm
system in the car.

Q:  Did you have any trouble crossing the border at Chetumal?

A:   Some of the Belize customs officials have an attitude
problem.  Not helpful at all.  I crossed twice. The first time
wasn't too bad, although they certainly kept me waiting for an
hour or more quite unnecessarily.  The second time they had my
daughter, Whitney,  and me unload the entire Jeep and bring its
contents into the shed.  Probably 300 pounds worth of stuff.  They
wouldn't come out and examine them the way they did the first
time.  When I had all the stuff inside, they just glanced at it,
laughed, and then told me to repack the Jeep.   One has to keep
one's temper and smile a lot. I tried to be as courteous as
possible, and allowed both times a couple of extra hours.

The Mexican customs at Chetumal are simple and easy. It just
takes a little money.  They have a racket going which requires one
to have extra copies of all car documents.   And there isn't a
copier at the border (all right, there is but it will be hard for
the average traveler to use it.)   I went back to Belize and
talked the lieutenant in charge of the customs station into making
me copies for free the first time.  One takes the extra copies to
the window inside the building right by the guards at the frontier
-- not the immigration building beyond it -- and then the Mexicans
will stamp the EXTRA papers with the required exit stuff.  I gave
them US$20 to do it because I was in a hurry and it was Sunday,
and the proper person "wasn't on duty" and the person who was
there, "had to do it on her own responsibility, you understand,
this isn't official."

All the while there were pamphlets put out by the Mexican
tourist authorities saying that there shouldn't be any nonsense
like this.  Right.   I took my daughter, Whitney,  with me the
second time so she could see how it was done. She nearly fainted
when I pulled out the money to bribe the "police."  Worth it to
see her face.  She was sure we were going to jail.  Mexican side
both ways took five minutes.  They were nice, once they'd been
paid a bit.

There is a second little Mexican racket coming into Chetumal
from Corozal Town. After crossing the Mexican border, there are
the "fumigadores" who want to spray you and the inside of the car.
I just laughed and told them I didn't have fruits or vegetables
and gave them US$5 and they laughed and waved me through.

 Frankly, the Mexican side was easier, with the bribes.  The
Belize officials didn't seem bribeable, so I didn't try.  I was
attentive, though, to any indication on their part that they were
waiting for a bribe or would take one, and believe me, I've bribed
my way through enough cops and border stations around the world
that I'd have paid them in a flash.

If one doesn't pay the Mexicans, one can exit -- but one has to
surrender all car documents as one does when crossing to the U.S.,
get the sticker taken off the windshield, and all that good stuff.
Then, when re-entering, one has to go through all the formalities
again.  I suspect 50 pesos would have done it and I overpaid them.
They were really running when I laid out that $20 bill and used
Carl Franz' phrase, "can we not resolve this problem in some other
manner?"  Very helpful, that phrase.

Q:  What about Belize insurance?

A:  The first time I crossed I was allowed to go to Corozal
Town without insurance and I bought it there.  It was a Sunday
morning and no one was selling insurance at the border.  I bought
two weeks worth, so the next week when I came back, also on a
Sunday, and the guy who'd made me unload the Jeep in the hot sun
and bring the contents into the shed, asked me if I "had Belizean
insurance." I was able to say yes and to show him the policy.  He
was disappointed but let me go.

Q:  You drove to Chan Chich.  Did you need four-wheel drive for
that part of the trip?

A:  I didn't need it to go to Chan Chich.  I would STRONGLY
suggest high road clearance vehicle, though.  I might do it in a
family sedan, but the average driver would probably do damage to
his car or to the car body.   By the way, my daughter adored Chan
Chich and the lodge there, and for her and for my wife, Warrene,
it was the absolute highlight of the entire trip.

It's about a four hour drive out of Orange Walk Town on a road
of which the first half (about 35 miles) is not too bad but
unsurfaced.  The final 35 miles are poor -- 15 to 20 miles an hour
in a Jeep with four-wheel drive.  A van with good tires and HIGH
road clearance could do it. There are two guard posts with gates
on the second half of the road, so permission is required from
Chan Chich to come in.  The guard posts have two-way radios and
call Chan Chich when you show up to see if you have a reservation.
We saw a lot of wildlife on the road in and out, particularly
towards sunset, and enjoyed the trip.  I did lose a tire on the
first trip in, but I was perhaps hitting it a bit hard.  I took it
more slowly later and on the second trip with my wife and
daughter,  and had no problems.  Even at 15 or so mph, I bottomed
a half dozen or more times each way -- springs and shocks at max
and feeling everything hit the frame of the car with a "whumph."
But that may just have been the Jeep.

When you cross the first guard post, they radio the second and
to Chan Chich, and when you leave Chan Chich, they radio the guard
posts -- if you don't show up in a reasonable time, they'll come
looking for you.

Q:  Which maps of Belize did you find most helpful?

A:  I had the ITMB maps of Belize and the Yucatan, and they
were fine. I also had Emory King's 1994 Driver's Guide to Belize,
and bought the 1995 edition in Belize City.   This was the easiest
thing to use.  I just folded the Driver's Guide and put it beside
me.

Q:  What did you do about unleaded gas in Belize?

A:  There is no unleaded in Belize.  I filled up with unleaded
in Chetumal -- there's a Pemex station right at the turnoff from
the main highway to the border.   Otherwise I just filled up with
leaded and prayed.

Q:  Would you do this again?

A:  I hope to, next winter.


@@@@@@@@@@

In Case You Missed It
Late news from Belize and the region:

NEW TOURISM POLICE IN BELIZE CITY  A new 35-person Special Tourism
Police unit is scheduled to begin patrolling the streets of Belize
City May 15, according to Belize government sources.   The
salaries of the new constables are likely to be paid from revenues
from the hotel tax.  In effect, tourists will be paying for their
own protection.

10,000 MALARIA CASES IN BELIZE LAST YEAR  About 10,000 cases of
malaria were reported in Belize in 1994, up almost 18% from the
previous year, according to Dr. George Polanco, Belize's director
of malaria control.   With a Belize population of only about
230,000, this means that about one in 23 Belizeans were infected
last year.  The Cayo District in the west was the worst hit, with
3,100 cases.  This was followed by the northern districts, with
2,200 cases and with the northern tip of the country near
Chetumal, Mexico,  seeing a big jump in cases.  Stann Creek also
had about 2,200 cases, Toledo about 2,100 cases,  and Belize
District about 700.  However, only about 4% of these cases are
considered serious, and there have been no recent deaths from
malaria in Belize.  The PetÄ n region of Guatemala near western
Belize has a high incidence of malaria, and both Quintana Roo and
Oaxaca provinces in Mexico are reporting increases in malaria.

BELIZE PASSPORTS FOR SALE AGAIN   In a new effort to raise cash
and attract investment, the Belize United Democratic Party
government has begun a program of economic citizenship. Investors
pay US$25,000 registration fees and deposit US$50,000 into a
special investment fund.  In return, they are granted economic
citizenship and Belize passports.   About 5,000 passports
reportedly were sold in similar programs under the previous UDP
government, and about 2,000 under the People's United Party
government.

TOURISM NEWS IN TOLEDO  According to our correspondents in Punta
Gorda, Alfredo and  Yvonne Villoria, things are happening in
tourism there.  A Toledo Tour Guide Association was formed in
January and now has a membership of 30 rain forest, village,
marine and cave guides  ... the Orange Point Marina Resort, near
the Voice of America complex, is near opening, and some yachts and
boats have already used the facilities ... the cruise ship Maya
Princess has been stopping in P.G. every two weeks, en route to
Guatemala ... more water taxi operators are now making trip to
Guatemala and Honduras from P.G. ... and new group and private
guest houses are being built in the Maya villages.

WILL THE CHEAP PESO IMPACT BELIZE?   The collapse of the Mexican
peso has not yet had a significant impact on Belize, but that
could change in the future, observers say.  Since the first of the
year, the value of the Mexican currency has fallen by about one-
half against the U.S. dollar.  So far, in Belize this has only
meant that Belizeans are making more shopping trips to Chetumal,
where prices are now far lower than in Belize.   However, the
cheap peso could hurt Belize tourism, because North American and
European visitors may choose Mexican hotel bargains over regular
prices in Belize.   Should Mexico suffer further financial and
political destablization, the country's problems could ripple
throughout the region.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATES  Here are exchange rates of local
currencies in the region with the U.S. dollar,  as of late March:
Belize dollar            2.00
Costa Rica colon    172.00
El Salvador colon         8.70
Guatemala quetzal         5.70
Honduras lempira         9.00
Mexico new peso         6.70
Nicaragua cordoba         7.30

TOURISTS ATTACKED ON AMBERGRIS AND IN GUANACASTE PARK   While
residents of San Pedro have been working with considerable success
to reduce crime on the island, incidents continue to occur.  In
March, a woman and her 12-year-old daughter, staying at a resort
north of San Pedro, were attacked and robbed while on their way to
catch a ferry to San Pedro. The assailant grabbed the daughter and
held a knife to her throat, demanding money from the mother.  The
mother gave the assailant about US$200 in cash.  He then ran away,
leaving the tourists unharmed.  Separately, Belmopan police in
February arrested a Belizean,  charging him with attacking a
German tourist in Guanacaste Park, severing his left index finger
with a machete.

BELIZE ZOO BREEDING IGUANAS  The Belize Zoo is hatching thousands
of green iguanas.  Zoo workers will release some of them in the
wild.  They'll keep others for educational purposes, hoping to
encourage Belizeans to start other iguana breeding projects.
Iguana iguana, used for food in MesoAmerica for thousands of
years, is becoming an endangered species due to over-hunting.

AIR FARES TO AMBERGRIS INCREASE  Tropic Air, Maya Airways and
Island Air have all increased their fares from Belize City to San
Pedro.  Fares vary slightly on the three airlines, with the top
rate being US$80 round-trip from the International Airport in
Belize City, and US$40 round-trip from Municipal.

TICO TOURISM UP 17% THIS YEAR  For the first two months of 1995,
earnings from tourism in Costa Rica grew 17%, to US$125 million,
compared to the same period in 1994.  The Atlantic/Caribbean coast
of Costa Rica, however, has seen tourism drop, due to a spate of
highly publicized crimes against visitors late last year,
including a gang rape and a murder near Cahuita.

MARK ESPAT, 26, RAMADA GM  The largest hotel in Belize -- it has
120 rooms -- the Ramada Royal Reef in Belize City, now has one of
the country's youngest general managers, 26-year-old Mark Espat.

MAYA VILLAGE HOME-STAY NETWORK TURNED OVER TO MAYAN LEADERS
Ecotravelers to the Toledo District now have the opportunity to
experience Maya village life first-hand through a home-stay
network in seven villages -- San Antonio, Santa Cruz, San Jose, Na
Luum Ca, San Pedro Columbia, Silver Creek and Santa Elena.   Costs
to the visitor are modest.  The network was started in 1989 by
Alfredo and Yvonne Villoria of Dems Dats Doin.  It was turned over
to the village Mayan leaders late last year.  For more
information, send US$3 (for postage, photocopying and supplies) to
Dems Dats Doing, Ltd., P.O. Box 73, Punta Gorda, Belize.

1,500 DRUG CASES IN BELIZE LAST YEAR  About 1,500 drug-related
cases hit Belize courts in 1994, up about 10% from the previous
year.  Drugs continue to plague Belize this year.  One drug bust
near Belize City in January 1995 netted 1,458 pounds of cocaine.
The cocaine reportedly was being transshipped from Colombia to the
U.S. through Belize and Mexico.

NORTH AMBERGRIS TWISTS AND TURNS  In a surprising turn of events,
the former owners of a 22,000-acre tract of north Ambergris Caye
reportedly have proposed that the Belize government return the
tract to them in lieu of the US$17 million they say is owed to
them for transferring the land to the government in 1990.  Of this
amount,  the former owners say US$12.5 million (US$568 an acre) is
the value of the land and the rest is interest and fees.   The
Belize government says the land is worth about US$4 million
(US$182 an acre).  Ambergris Caye, Ltd., in a February letter
signed by John E. Worthen, stated that they as the former owners
will take back the land  and pay off money owed to the Paul
Broadhead Group, a developer from Mississippi,  for putting
together a development plan for the property, the former Pinkerton
Estate.  The Broadhead Group's proposals for developing the land,
which represents about two-thirds of the total area of the caye,
ran into opposition because the plans emphasized rapid development
of luxury hotels, golf courses and retirement communities.   A new
study funded by the Inter-American Development Bank, under
consideration now by the Belize government, recommends a "go slow"
approach to development.

BELIZE WATER DEFICIT CONTINUES  Despite rains late last year,
much of northern Belize,  including San Ignacio and Belmopan, is
suffering from lower-than-normal water tables and low river
levels.  On Ambergris Caye, the San Pedro Sun reports, well levels
are somewhat low at a number of hotels.   The island's reverse
osmosis plant is operating at capacity of 40,000 gallons of water
per day, but supplemental fresh water supply from the well field
has been affected due to a low water table.

MCI ACQUIRES STAKE IN BTL  MCI, the large U.S.-based
telecommunications company, has acquired a 23.5% stake in Belize
Telecommunications Ltd.  BTL operates a small -- only 30,000 lines
-- but modern network in Belize.

NEW EARTHWORM DISCOVERED IN BELIZE Brazilian and Canadian
scientists have discovered a new species of earthworm in Belize,
Eodrilus jennifaerae.  To the naked (human) eye, the worm just
like an ordinary garden earthworm, scientists say.


@@@@@@@@@@@@@

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

Due to reader interest in real estate, BELIZE FIRST offers the
following listings of properties for sale, exchange and wanted.
These listings are NOT paid ads. They are being run at no charge
as a reader service.   BELIZE FIRST does not warrant the facts or
figures.  For more information, contact the owner or real estate
agent directly.  If you would like to have your real estate notice
run at no charge, please send your notice to BELIZE FIRST,  280
Beaverdam Road, Candler, NC  28715 USA,, e-mail at
[e-mail] on the Internet or 74763,2254 on
CompuServe, or fax [phone]  We need your listing in writing.
Please include your name, address and phone number.  Photographs
are welcome.   BELIZE FIRST reserves the right to edit listings or
to reject any listing without providing any reason. All  prices
are in U.S. dollars.

MAINLAND BELIZE

3 BR HOUSE AND 3.51 ACRES IN COROZAL, US$75,900, TAXES $9 A
YEAR.  Owner and BELIZE FIRST reader says, "After 19 years in this
paradise we call Belize, I must, most sadly, return to northern
climes -- to cold weather and often colder people, but with
instant cardiac care."  30 x 30 ft. house, plus patio and carport.
3 BR, 1 bath with large shower, living room, kitchen/dining combo.
Concrete block and stucco construction with steel roof. Solar
heat.  Lot has 2 wells, 2-room workshop, paved roads, street
lights, partially fenced.  Orchard with many fruit trees -- mango,
avocado, grapefruit, lime, lemon, custard apple, tamarind, banana,
cherry.  Close to Corozal Town in San Andres.  Contact owner, Stan
Coulthard, P.O. Box 140, Corozal Town, Belize, tel. [phone].

36 ACRES ON OLD NORTHERN HIGHWAY, $500 PER ACRE.  Offered by
BELIZE FIRST subscriber.   Adjoins Maskall Village, near milepost
39.  Tel. [phone].

AMBERGRIS CAYE, BELIZE

NEW ON MARKET:  Recently constructed 2 BR home on high ground.
100 ft. beach frontage.  Approx. 1/3 acre.  $130,000.  Windstar
Agency, P.O. Box 33, San Pedro, Belize, tel. [phone], fax 501-
26-2497.

PRIVATE VILLAS  FOR RENT in San Pedro by BELIZE FIRST
subscriber.   One 1BR, 1 bath unit and one 2BR, 1 bath.  On beach
at Paradise Villas.  Fresh water pool, A/C in bedrooms, fans
elsewhere.   Beautifully decorated and fully furnished,  with
kitchens.  Daily maid service.  1BR, $125 per night;  2BR, $150
per night, plus 6% tax.  No service charges.  Local manager greets
guests at the airstrip.  Free brochure.  Contact owner at 36420
Bendel Terrace, Fremont, CA 94536, tel. [phone], or via
Internet e-mail to [e-mail].

THE VILLAS AT BANYAN BAY.  New, luxury "condo-tel" located
between Corona del Mar and Mata Rocks at Mar de Tumbo.  2 BR, 2
bath units with full kitchens, A/C and Jacuzzi.  Call 501-2-63171.

BY OWNER:  80 x 200 ft. beachfront lot by Journey's End.  Large
beach reserve, high elevation.  Tel. [phone].

TWO 50 x 100 ft. LOTS, $12,500 each.  San Pablo area. Langdon
Supply Limited, P.O. Box 15, San Pedro, tel. [phone], fax 501-
2-62245.

COSTA RICA

JUNGLE FARM in foothills of Talamanca Mountains, minutes from
the Caribbean.  2.5 acres, three-fourths of which is virgin
jungle.  Other one-fourth has been planted extensively with
indigenous fruits (lemons, limes, oranges, bananas, etc.), coffee,
cocoa and coconut plants, and hardwoods like laurel and cedro
macho.  20 x 26 ft. house, wood with corrugated metal roof,  with
two rooms plus kitchen and porch, is three years old.  Outhouse,
no electricity.  Property is surveyed and has all legal
documentation.  Free access via public gravel road.  Beautiful
property but not for the fainthearted tourist who cannot live
without modern conveniences.  $30,000.  Contact Paul Hawkins or
Cathie Whittaker, 268 Scotchline Rd., W., RR#3, Merrickville,
Ont., KOG1NO, Canada, tel. [phone].

REAL ESTATE COMPANIES IN BELIZE

Note:  Companies here are listed as a convenience to BELIZE
FIRST readers.  No endorsement of any particular real estate  or
development company is implied or intended, nor does the absence
of a company suggest any lack of endorsement.

Belize Business Consulting Services, P.O. Box 407, Belize City,
tel. [phone], fax [phone]

Belize Land Consultants, Ltd., P.O. Box 35, Corozal Town, tel.
501-4-23195, fax [phone]

Bella Vista Group, 63 Bella Vista, Belize City, tel. 501-2-
44711, fax [phone]

Caye & Country Real Estate Ltd., P.O. Box 2231, Belize City,
tel. [phone], fax [phone]

Langdon Supply Limited, P.O. Box 15, San Pedro, tel. 501-2-
62147, fax [phone] (affiliated with Belize Real Estate)

Maya Landings at Moho Caye, Belize City, tel. [phone]
Playa de Piratas Properties, Placencia, tel. [phone], fax
501-2-23203

Scheffer Real Estate, 24 Gabourel Lane, Belize City, 501-2-
34285

Southwind Properties, P.O. Box 1, San Pedro, tel. [phone],
fax [phone]

Sovereign Real Estate, 39A 4th Avenue, Corozal Town, Belize,
tel. [phone], fax [phone]

The Windstar Agency, P.O. Box 33, San Pedro, Belize, tel.  501-
2-62525, fax [phone]

Toledo Real Estate & Assoc., P.O. Box 73, Punta Gorda, tel.
501-7-22470, fax [phone]

W. Ford Young Real Estate, Ltd., P.O. Box 354, Belize City,
tel.  [phone], fax [phone] (affiliated with Belize Real
Estate)



@@@@@@@@@@

HOTEL UPDATE

The latest word, good and bad, on lodges, inns, hotels and resorts
in Belize, plus tidbits on related matters such as knowledgeable
guides or rip-offs, from BELIZE FIRST readers and friends.  BELIZE
FIRST will send a pound of delicious, fresh-roasted Central
American coffee  (roasted by Mountain City Coffee in Asheville,
N.C.)  to each reader providing a hotel update.


BELIZE CITY

Belize Biltmore Plaza, Mile 3, Northern Highway, Belize City,.
Tel. [phone], fax [phone], US 800-327-3573 (a Best Western
franchisee). We paid US $70 double;  rack rates $100.  Ninety
rooms in a pseudo-Mediterranean pink building. The Belize Biltmore
Plaza is barely four-years old, but is beginning to severely show
its age and lack of management.  Most rooms have built-in air
conditioning, and ceiling fans, but in some the fan has been
replaced with a hole and a warehouse-style fluorescent fixture.
Furnishings are faux-white oak, beds are double, and rooms may
have mirrors, lamps etc. But in some rooms only holes in the wall
remain where fixtures have been removed.  A garden once touted  in
guide books has deteriorated to a weedy sand-box in the central
court, a side-yard fenced off to store construction materials; the
main garden now is a "sports arena" featuring chigger-infested
grass with a volleyball net and two football (soccer) goals.

I liked the location, with easy access to the Northern Highway and
airport. Nothing else.  Service ranged from apathetic to non-
existent. There was no hot water for the entire time we stayed (it
did actually rise to tepid once or twice), though many guests
complained repeatedly. It took four tries and three hours to get
towels. The rooms (we stayed in two rooms) were more than mildly
dirty (spots and stains on walls, dirty carpets and spreads,
missing ceiling panels in several bathrooms) and unkempt. The
Christmas buffet dinner was in fact the Christmas buffet lunch,
allowed to remain in trays over canned heat most of the day. Food
was mediocre at best. People who booked tours via the front desk
were picked up over an hour late.

Would never go back here. At a "discounted" US $70 a night, the
Belize Biltmore Plaza has to be one of the worst buys for your
money. Check your guidebooks for alternatives.

JosÄ  Kirchner, Sacramento, Calif., December 1994

[Editor's note:  We are sorry to hear this negative report about
the Belize Biltmore Plaza.  We've stayed there on several
occasions in the past, before it became a Best Western, and always
enjoyed it.  Below is another view of the hotel, from a BELIZE
FIRST subscriber who stayed there about the same time.]

Belize Biltmore Plaza:  I found it a great deal -- they gave me
50% off rack rate for being a Sanborn's Mexico Club member.  Far
better deal than I was offered anywhere else in Belize for the
same quality room.  I didn't note any deterioration in facilities.
It wasn't great, but it wasn't bad.  A/C worked, plumbing was
there, TV had CNN on it, etc.  About equivalent to a Ramada Inn or
La Quinta Inn in the U.S.

Lynn Williams, Asheville, N.C., April 1995



BELMOPAN AREA

My family and I spent three days at the Banana Bank Lodge, (tel.
501-8-22677, or 800-552-3419 in the U.S.).  Our party of four
adults, one teenager, two children and one occasionally screaming
toddler were always made to feel welcome. We stayed in two of
their beautiful, clean cabanas. Each cabana was separated from the
others by about 50 feet, leading to a sense of comfortable
isolation. The kerosene lanterns (required after the generator was
turned off at 9:30 p.m.) added to the atmosphere of rustic
comfort. Meals were good, American home-cooking fare, served
family-style at a communal table in the main lodge. The ever-
changing guest roll made for interesting conversations at each
meal. The meals were a treat. The food was the freshest and  best-
prepared that we had during our entire stay in Belize. The fresh-
baked bread and mango jam were especially toothsome.

We took two of their tours. The first was to Mountain Pine Ridge,
1000-Foot Falls, Rio Frio Cave and the Rio On pools.  Most of
these were on the road to Caracol which is currently being
upgraded. I was told this road is in the best condition it has
ever been (still a bit bone-jarring). We were fortunate to have
John Carr as our driver/guide on this trip, as his interest in,
and knowledge of his adopted country made the trip especially
enjoyable.

Our second trip was to the Mayan ruins of Xunantunich on the
Guatemala border, and to a second set of ruins nearby in the city
of San Ignacio. This trip was much more posterior-friendly, as the
ruins are just off of the Western Highway. On our way back, we
stopped at Clarrisa Falls for lunch and a swim, and had the only
meal that was equal to (and arguably better than) than food at
Banana Bank. The food there was local fare, and I recommend the
Relleno Negro (surprisingly to this Texan, not a stuffed pepper)
which is a wonderful onion, pepper, black bean and chicken soup.
The stuffed squash is also highly recommended.

John Banta, Dallas, March 1995


CAYO DISTRICT

You must check out Rancho Los Amigos in San Jose Succotz Village
(tel [phone], rooms around US$15).  Run by expats Edmund and
Virginia Jenkins, it's a jungle wonderland. Both are healers and
members of B.A.T.H.  (Belize Association of Traditional Healers),
but are not so metaphysical as to put off the uninitiated.  The
Belize government has put 6,500 acres in the hands of B.A.T.H. for
their stewardship.  Driving in Guatemala:  tough, real tough. I
have driven through before but never via Flores.  To get to Rio
Dulce took 4-wheel drive, 12 hours and a lot of patience. I do not
recommend it for the weak of heart. There are no services on this
route.  I had mechanical problems and drove from Dolores to
Guatemala City with no clutch.  Part of the problem was we were in
a Ford Bronco II.  Parts for American makes are difficult if not
impossible to come by in Guatemala.   However, many Japanese used
parts can be found.

Rafael Stumbo, Dallas,  November 1994


We disagree with the assessment of the Venus Hotel in BELIZE FIRST
(Vol. II, No. 3) as "the best lodging value" in Cayo.  The rooms
don't even have windows! In San Ignacio, we stayed at Elvira's
Guest House on Waight Street.   Sort of dilapidated, but we had a
private bath and the run of the house, including a lovely balcony
with a hammock, for US$7.50.  It's run by a pleasant and earnest
young man named Carlos, Elvira's son, who also runs the nearby
convenience store;  his brother was supposed to be his partner but
quit to work for the Batty bus company, so Carlos is still trying
to get everything in order, fixing up the rooms and so on.  When
things are complete, he expects to charge US$10 for the double we
stayed in, and US$5 for the tiny single off the balcony;  the
other two rooms are currently rented by the month by two
Belizeans.

Ilana Stern and Britt Bassett, Boulder,  Colo., February 1995


duPlooy's, San Ignacio; tel. and fax: [phone]; in USA call
803-722-1513.  4.5 miles from San Ignacio via unpaved road with
steep hill (shared with Chaa Creek), on Macal River upstream from
San Ignacio.  US$145 double with all meals.  duPlooy's is
competently run by Ken (a Zimbabwean expat) and Judy (from the
Carolinas) and their five daughters. There are three levels of
accommodation: "bungalows," set along a boardwalk above the Macal
River, with en-suite bath, hot water, terraces with hammocks
(US$130, 190, 235, 270 single, double, triple, quad respectively);
the "Jungle Lodge," spartanly but adequately furnished spacious
rooms with en-suite shower baths and screened porches above the
lodge and by the office and car park (US $100, 145, 190 and 230)
and the "Pink House," the original house on the property when the
duPlooy's bought the land (in those days without water or
electricity). The Pink House has several rooms with shared baths
at US $35, 45 and 55 B&B. (Some guests mentioned they could hear
neighbors snore in the Pink House.) All facilities have hot water
and fans, electricity from about 6 a.m. to about 10 p.m.; kerosene
lamps are provided for other hours.

duPlooy's enjoys a natural setting above the Macal River (in which
one may swim), among extensive plantings of exotic and fruiting
plants and trees that are Ken's strong interest, ranging from
orchids to Macadamia nuts. The extensive bar is on a porch over
the river and across from cliffs; one enjoys great bird watching
here early mornings, with sightings of collared aracari, emerald
toucanet, several species of tanagers and warblers, chachalacas,
etc.

We liked the location, tranquil setting, access to other things to
do, the duPlooy family's personal attention and warm hospitality.
There was nothing we didn't like.

JosÄ  Kirchner, Sacramento, Calif., December 1994/January 1995


ORANGE WALK DISTRICT

Chan Chich Lodge, P. O. Box 37, Belize City. Tel: [phone], fax
501-2-76961. In the U.S. call 800-343-8009.  Thirty minutes by
charter aircraft from Belize City, then a 20-minute van ride from
Gallon Jug, Orange Walk District. Driving from Belize City is
possible in the dry season, and takes 4-5 hours one way; four
wheel drive is highly recommended.  US$ 125 per person double
occupancy, all- inclusive. Off-season (May-October) is $110,
additional people in room at $100 each any time.

Chan Chich is the brainchild of Barry Bowen, seventh generation
Belizean businessman (owner of Belikin Beer and Coca Cola Belize,
not to mention hundreds of thousands of acres of farm and timber
lands). The lodge was built in middle of a Mayan plaza, already
cleared by illicit loggers and marijuana growers who were looting
the structures. Bowen placed the lodge with the idea of preserving
the surrounding 250,000 acres of northern seasonal rain forest,
and to prevent further looting. Wildlife abounds: five jaguars
frequent the area, as well as the other four species of cats; one
regularly sees howler and spider monkeys, white-tail and red
brocket deer, Morelet's crocodiles and many species of birds. (We
saw 210 bird species during our stay, including the 23 endangered
ocellated turkeys that roost nearby and browse in  the courtyard.)
There are nine miles of clearly marked forest paths navigable
alone, or with a guide (trail guide books are sold as well). Chan
Chich, Kekchi Maya for "little bird," is a nature-lover's
paradise.  Swimming in the river is possible and pleasant.

The hotel itself is constructed of all natural materials,
including local woods and Maya-style thatched roofs. There are 12
"cabanas," comfortable Maya-style bungalows with private baths
(hot water), two double beds. They are connected by stone paths to
the restaurant/ office/ library and a bar. Electricity is provided
24 hours a day (an innovation) by a well-hidden generator. The
best plan is the all-inclusive, as it covers lodging, food,
bottled soft drinks and Belikin beers, horse-back riding,
canoeing, and the use of any of the three knowledgeable Belizean
naturalist-guides on staff. Extras include any guides requested
for night forest walks, laundry, hard alcoholic drinks and
imported soft, as well as an optional tip, distributed quarterly
to ALL staff.

We liked everything.  This is a place to relax, bird from your
hammock after the noon meal, walk day or night to observe nature,
or to learn from the naturalist-guides about Maya medicinal use of
the flora, of the fauna and the seasonal rain forest. Horse rides
take one through jungle trails to different sites, ranging from
lagoons to two "unimproved" Maya archaeological sites. I believe
this is the best buy in Belize, considering what all is included
in the fee and the quality of accommodation, service and food.

JosÄ  Kirchner, Sacramento, Calif., December 1994/January 1995


CAYE CAULKER

We went from Banana Bank Lodge near Belmopan directly to the boat
to Caye Caulker. We stayed at the Tropical Paradise Hotel, where
the cabins were clean and comfortable, and the staff, like all
other Belizeans we met, were wonderful, kind, friendly people.
Nowhere on Caye Caulker was the food up to the standard set at
Banana Bank Lodge, but we enjoyed the food at Marin's, Chan's
Garden (Chinese) and the Tropical Paradise. For breakfast, we
often ate pan dulce from the bakery on Back Street. Due to its
location on the extreme other end of town, we did not eat at the
Sand Box often, but the lasagna there was the best meal I had on
the Island.

The snorkeling and diving were wonderful, as was the trip we took
in a glass-bottom boat (for the little ones who don't swim well).
During the dive near Hol Chan, we did our surface interval in San
Pedro, Ambergris Caye. The hour and a half spent on the hot,
dusty, treeless, shade-free, over-commercialized Front Street may
not have been representative of San Pedro, but it made me glad
that we selected the smaller, less touristy (and much cheaper)
Caye Caulker. For the whole trip, I have only one complaint: I
should have planned more time in the Cayo district, and less time
on the Cayes. To me, at least, beaches and coral reefs all look
much the same, but the jungle and its inhabitants were endlessly
fascinating, and deserved more time than we scheduled.

John Banta, Dallas, March 1995


OTHER CAYES

All I can say is Wow!  I just got back from 8 days in Belize, and
I have to say it was far and away the finest diving experience
I've had to date! Let me give you a little background first. My
brother Greg and I have been doing extensive diving together since
'91 in the Caribbean in such places as Cozumel, Saba, Grand Cayman
(mostly North Wall), Little Cayman and other traditional sites in
search of the "perfect" undiscovered site. Well, after three years
of looking and 130 dives later and a great deal of searching, I
think we just found it.

We decided this trip to explore Belize, but having been on the
"beaten path", and seen what that does to a dive site, we decided
that considering how much each trip costs, we would go to the best
site we could find for the best results instead of Ambergris Caye.

We decided on Turneffe Island Dive Lodge because of some
incredible stories we had heard about Turneffe diving. It turned
out we got GREAT advice.  My brother and I flew down to Belize
City on Saturday.  The following week was unforgettable. We ended
up doing 16 dives altogether (three dives a day, including one
night dive), ate like kings and generally had a party for a week
including dancing and drinking at the main lodge. During the
diving, we saw turtles, rays, lobsters, green morays (one 7-ft.
one completely out in the open!), a 9-ft. nurse shark on our night
dive, and HUGE fish not to mention numerous other sightings
including a family of three very large nurse sharks sleeping under
a rock on our dive of "the elbow."

We even played with a family of dolphins three times on the way
out diving who crested 3 ft. from our boat; I could almost touch
them! The dive sites were never more than 15 minutes from the
dock, and some were even uncharted. I have been diving for going
on 16 years, and the coral was so colorful and unlike anything I
had seen before, that I felt compelled to take a photo course to
document it because I knew no one would ever believe me.  Greg and
I pushed the edge of our computers because we wanted to savor
every moment.

The lodge service itself was superb.  It was so nice that there
was hot steaming coffee waiting for us each day as we woke up
right outside our bungalow. One night we even had fresh lobster
tail for dinner, and I suddenly developed an extra appetite. When
they say "undiscovered Belize", now I know what they mean.

When I got back, I looked at the total bill for the trip ($1,300
all-inclusive for diving, lodging etc.) and $300 for air from New
Orleans, I realized that it really wasn't that much more than
Grand Cayman when you add in all the extras (car, food, etc.).
Michael J. Fox, New Orleans, January 1995


OTHER COMMENTS

Here are a few tips for travelers who may be going to Belize for
the first time, or who may want an update on the current
situation.

The cost of a taxi from the Goldson International Airport to
anywhere in and around Belize City is US$15, fixed price.  The
cost of flights from the municipal airport (to anywhere) is almost
exactly US$15 less than the same flight from the international
airport -- so if you are traveling with a companion and don't mind
the extra time, it's cheaper to use the Muni ... There is a
US$11.25 departure tax on international flights.  This information
was unaccountably missing from my guidebook!

The cost on any one of the regular water taxis from Belize City to
Caye Caulker or vice-versa is US$7.50 per person, fixed price.
There are many Caye Caulker-based boats which leave at 8 a.m. from
the caye, return at 9 a.m., and then make a second trip at 3 p.m.,
returning at 4 p.m. ... There is now a new (nine-months-old)
bar/restaurant on Caye Caulker, Mad Annie's (named after a
Jamaican liqueur), behind Pinx Fast Food, on the beach. Food is
good but not great, Belikin is US$1.50, and occasionally they have
music in the evenings.

The best coffee in San Pedro town, Ambergris,  is at the Casa de
Cafe.  Decent breakfast, too.

Belize City shuts up like a clam on Sundays.  Nothing is open, and
even most hotel restaurants don't serve meals.  Exceptions are
Mother's and the Bellevue Hotel.

Scuba divers should be warned away from the Coral Beach Hotel's
Out Island Express -- the engines were continually breaking down,
the divemaster chain-smoked and acted as though he'd rather be
undergoing root canal surgery than diving, the crew was surly and
rude, and they put many more people on the boat than was
comfortable.  The food, on the other hand, was excellent, although
a little too highly spiced for many of the unfortunate sea-sick
divers.  (If you are willing to brave these inconveniences, the
diving is extraordinary, though!)  ... Amigos Del Mar is an
excellent dive operation on Ambergris Caye.  Rene Paz was the best
divemaster we had during the entire trip.  They're less expensive,
too, than some of the big operations out of the expensive hotels.

Ilana Stern and Britt Bassett, Boulder,  Colo., February 1995


Lee's Chinese Restaurant in Orangewalk Town was very good.
Highly recommended.  They had lots of Spanish, English and what
have you speakers, but I was the first white foreigner to hit them
who spoke Mandarin.  They're a bunch of Taiwanese expats trying to
make it in Central America.   Good food.   It's just off the main
street at the tower, 1/2 block -- to your right going south, left
coming north.  After you turn, it's on the right side of the
street, parking in front.

Lynn Williams, Asheville, N.C., April 1995


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BELIZE FIRST'S

RECOMMENDED HOTELS

IN BELIZE

Belize has about 3,400 guest rooms in some 300 hotels, ranging
from tiny guest houses to modern hotels.   The following list of
recommended hotels is NOT by any means all-inclusive, but these
are some that have been found to be visitor-friendly and offer
good value in the price category.   Hotels of special note, due to
excellent value, friendly owners, attractive style or special
Belizean charm are highlighted with a # symbol.   If your favorite
hotel is missing, write to us and complain!  Price range:  A (over
US$100 double);  B (US$50 to $100 double);  C (under US$50
double).  Rates are for typical rooms without meals (though
breakfast may be included),  may vary by season or with specials,
and are subject to change.

BELIZE CITY (800 hotel rooms):   Ramada Royal Reef, A/B;
#Radisson Ft. George, A/B;  Chateau Caribbean, B;  #Four Fort
Street Guesthouse, B;  Bellevue Hotel, B;  #Colton House, C;
Glenthorne Manor, C; Hotel Mopan, C.

CAYO DISTRICT (600 hotel rooms):  #Chaa Creek Cottages, A;
#Hidden Valley Inn, A;   duPlooy╒s, A;  #Blancaneaux Lodge, A;
#Banana Bank Ranch, B;   #Maya Mountain Lodge, B;  #Mountain
Equestrian Trails (M.E.T.), B;  Windy Hill Cottages, B;  Hotel San
Ignacio, B;  #Ek╒Tun, B;  Bull Frog Inn, B;  Nabitunich, B;
#Parrot╒s Nest, C;  Las Casitas, C; Venus Hotel, C.

AMBERGRIS CAYE (900 hotel rooms):  #Victoria House, A;  Belize
Yacht Club, A;  #Captain Morgan╒s Retreat, A;  Journey╒s End, A;
Ramon╒s Village, A;  #Paradise Villas, A;  Sun Breeze, A/B;
Rock's Inn, A/B; #Caribbean Villas, B;  #Changes in Latitude, B;
Spindrift Hotel, B;  Paradise Resort Hotel, B;  Mata Rocks, B;
Barrier Reef, B/C;  #Hideaway Sports Lodge, B/C;  Ruby╒s, C;
Martha's Hotel, C.

CAYE CAULKER (300 hotel rooms):  #Tropical Paradise, B/C;  Rainbow
Hotel, C;  #Vega╒s Far Inn, C;  Shirley╒s Guest House, C;
Jimenez's Cabaû as, C;  Sea Beezzz Guest House, C.

OTHER CAYES: #St. George╒s Lodge, St. George Caye, A;  #Blackbird
Caye Resort, Turneffe Islands, A;  #Turneffe Island Lodge, Caye
Bokel, A;  #Lighthouse Reef Resort, Lighthouse Reef, A;
#Spanish Bay Resort, Spanish Lookout Caye, A; #Manta Reef Resort,
Southwest Caye, A;  #Blue Marlin Lodge, South Water Caye, A;
Reef╒s End, Tobacco Caye, B;  #Cottage Colony, St. George╒s Caye,
B;   Reef's End, Tobacco Caye, B;  #Glover╒s Atoll Resort, Long
Caye, C.

PLACENCIA:  (140 hotel rooms):  #Rum Point Inn, A;  #Kitty╒s
Place, B;  #Turtle Inn, B;  #Nautical Inn, B; Ran╒s, C.

COCKSCOMB NATURE RESERVE:  #Dormitory Cabins, C.

DANGRIGA:  Pelican Beach Resort, B.

PUNTA GORDA: #Fallen Stones Butterfly Ranch, A;  #Nature╒s Way
Guest House, C.

NORTH OF BELIZE CITY:  #Maruba Resort, near Altun Ha, A;  #Chan
Chich Lodge, Chan Chich, A;  Chau Hiix Lodge, Crooked Tree, A;
#Tony's, Corozal Town, B;  Crooked Tree Resort, Crooked Tree, B;
#Lamanai Outpost, Lamanai, B;  Adventure Inn, Consejo Shores, B;
Hotel Los Cocos, Chetumal, B; #Nestor's Hotel, Corozal Town, C;
Lagoon Campground, Corozal, C.




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SPECIAL SECTION ON AMBERGRIS CAYE

Welcome to Ambergris Caye, Belize's most-popular visitor
destination and No. 1 choice with expats.  Yet, despite its
popularity, Ambergris -- locally pronounced Am-BUR-griss --
remains surprisingly friendly, laid-back and uncorrupted by mass
tourism.

In this special section, BELIZE FIRST brings the island alive for
you.  World-traveler and prolific guidebook author Harry Pariser
takes you on a tour of San Pedro and the rest of the caye -- the
best hotels, restaurants and shops.  Alex Bradbury, guidebook
author, biologist and professional diver, explains how you can
responsibly enjoy the pleasures of Ambergris.  Phil Lanier shares
his favorite places to eat, and Lin Sutherland gives an inside
picture of how it is to live in San Pedro.

Come, enjoy Ambergris Caye with us!



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ADVENTURE GUIDE TO BELIZE AUTHOR HARRY PARISER

GIVES YOU A TOUR OF AMBERGRIS CAYE


By HARRY S.  PARISER

One of the most famous of the cayes, Ambergris is the nation╒s
major tourist destination:  More than one-half the visitors to
Belize visit only here, and the majority are divers.

Although it╒s also the largest caye (about the same size as
Barbados), most of the island is composed of mangrove swamp, and
the bulk of the residents live in the attractive seaside village
of San Pedro at its southern tip.  Some of its residents are the
descendants of British and French buccaneers but most are of
Yucatec Maya-Spanish (Mestizo)  descent and are remarkably
bilingual.

Once a fishing village, the town's sandy streets now abound with
locals and tourists driving golf carts.  If you╒re a middle- class
North American or European, then you╒ll feel right at home in San
Pedro.  But if you╒re a backpacker or low budget traveler who
likes lots of local flavor, you may find San Pedro to be a bit
sanitized for your tastes.


NATURAL FEATURES:  Flanked by a long beach, the island╒s windward
side is straight in comparison with the leeward.   The largest of
the 12 lagoons is the Laguna de San Pedro to the west of the
village.  About 2.5 mi. long,  it╒s fed by 15 creeks.  Navigable
channels at the island╒s south end traverse mangrove swamps and a
number of the lagoons.  Except at Rocky Point, the beach parallels
the reef.  The Boca Bacalar Chico╤a 6-ft. wide and 2.5 ft.-deep
tidal channel said to be dug by the Maya so that they could bring
their canoes through╤separates this caye from Mexico; it was
enlarged and deepened by the Mexicans in 1899.  Approximately 20
miles long, it is  2 to 4 miles wide.  The passage between
Ambergris and the mainland has served whalers, pirates, and
smugglers through the ages.  Many of them wrecked.  The most
famous is the British frigate the Water Witch which went down off
of the island╒s southern tip along with a cargo of gold and silver
bullion, some of which is still believed to lie below.  The
nation╒s richest fishing waters are found around the caye, and the
Barrier Reef is approximately 500 feet offshore;  channels or
breaks in the coral permit the local fishermen to pass through
safely.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS:   Marring the island╒s placid atmosphere,
there is confrontation between residents and expatriate developers
whom the locals hate "because they always talk in six figures."
One on-going conflict is whether or not to build the North-South
Road.  Advocates claim that it will relieve the population
pressures on the southern six miles, allowing expansion to the
north 20 miles.  Opposition comes from landowners, who wish to
keep their property secluded, and from environmentalists who
charge that the road will devastate the delicate environment.  A
related question is how will development take place on the 22,000-
acre former Pinkerton Estate in northern Ambergris, now owned by
the Belize government and the subject of several controversial
land-use studies.

GETTING THERE:  Most travelers arrive by air.  Reliable San Pedro-
based Tropic Air (tel. [phone] in Belize City) flies direct
from Belize City, Belize International, and Corozal.  Maya Airways
and Island Air also fly.  Expect to pay around US$35 to $40 each
way from Belize International and around US$20 each way from
Belize Municipal. The Andrea (US$14 one way) departs from the
Bellevue Hotel╒s dock (5 Southern Foreshore) at 4 p.m. Monday to
Friday, and 1 p.m. Saturday, returning at 7 p.m.  A number of
skiffs also depart from the Swing Bridge area.    Ask around.
The Triple  J generally departs at 9 a.m.   It may also be
possible to catch a ride with one of the cargo boats departing
from the Custom Wharf near the Fort George Lighthouse.

FLORA AND FAUNA:  On the main part of the island, which is still
separated from San Pedro by a waterway, a great deal of wildlife
survives.  You might see frigate birds, herons, flamingos, or
egrets.  Ocelots have been sighted in the mangrove forests, and
sea turtles still come ashore to nest.  Nearby Bird Caye hosts the
nesting grounds of some 30 species including the cormorant,
spoonbill, a variety of ducks, avocets, and the both the greater
and reddish egret.

HISTORY:  The island was formed from a connected chain of coral
islands formed from the accumulation of coral fragments first as a
shoal patch.  These patches tend to build up in long lines
paralleling the mainland.  It is believed that their orientation
may correspond with submarine geological strata as opposed to
being solely the product of sea current flows.  Little is known
about the first Maya residents except that they routed the Spanish
in 1508.  Presumably Ambergris was a stopover point for Maya
traders.  Pirates settled here during the seventeenth century.
Artifacts and even skeletons, which have been unearthed all over
town during the course of construction projects, attest to San
Pedro╒s long historical roots.  Although it is believed to have
been named after the sperm whale secretions that were thought to
have once washed ashore on its beaches during the nineteenth
century, the exact origin of the island╒s name is unknown.

During Yucç tan╒s War of the Castes (1848-49) an initial four
families migrated here from Bacalar in Quintana Roo.  Mexico tried
to annex the territory in 1851, but the locals protested, and the
matter was amicably settled by an 1893 treaty.  In 1874 James
Blake purchased the entire island (save for one parcel controlled
by the Catholic Church) and began collecting rents.  Nearly a
century later the Belizean government stepped in and made a
"forced purchase" of the island, selling parcels and lots to the
islanders.  Over the years, the local economy has shifted focus
from logwood to chicle to coconuts to lobster.  The last became a
valuable export item from the 1920s.  After a protracted struggle,
the islanders established fishing cooperatives which effectively
protected them from exploitation, and the income level rose.

    The island was devastated by Hurricane Hattie in 1961, but
the population recovered in the following years.   The earliest
tourists arrived in the 1920s, and the first real hotel, Celi
McCorkle╒s San Pedro Holiday Hotel,  was established in 1965.  It
charged US$10 for a room, three meals, and laundry service.
Tropic Air began flying to the island in 1979.   These days, San
Pedro is in the midst of a tourism boom with correspondingly high,
if volatile,  property prices.  One sign on a vacant beachside
plot near town reads "Price went down from $200,000 to $140,000
US. Terms available."

SIGHTS:  Given San Pedro╒s reputation as a "resort," one might
expect a wide, wonderful stretch of sand.  Instead what you have
is a narrow stretch of sand that has╤owing perhaps to dredging of
sand that has damaged the reef╤receded dramatically during the
past decade.  Nevertheless, it does run along the island╒s length.
If you want, you can wade (or take the ferry: US 50 cents)  across
the river and follow the beach all the way to Mexico; you╒ll be
kept company by barking dogs hounding you.

    One of the good things the U.S. government is sponsoring in
Central America is the Conch Hatchery. This somewhat engaging
facility is northwest of the town about a 10-minute walk from the
Paradise.  The hatchery secures an egg mass and hatches it out.
The infant conch are so adorable swimming around in the aquarium.
Lest you think that San Pedro is nothing but cleanliness and
affluence and is wonderfully idyllic all over, you can continue on
past the conch hatchery to the slum areas where people live amidst
wrecks of automobiles and a carpet of rusting cans and smashed
plastic containers.  In addition to the "ferry," a barge which
will take you across to the other side, you╒ll note the extensive
mangroves as well as the signs along the shore: "Don╒t mess with
the baby conchs," and "Our mangroves forever."

    Back in town an all-sand-and-concrete park sports tacky
statues and unusual signs╤such as "Please do not litter the
fountain,"  on the side of the fountain╤and "Notice to Adults:
Kindly do not use children╒s games" on the slide.  There╒s also a
huge tire capped with a bell-shaped stone and a windblown pine
tree encased by a gray painted wooden slat fence.  Along this
stretch, wind that would chill your buns off if you were climbing
a mountain, here provides welcome relief.   On the other side of
town heading out past the airport, just south of the Belize Yacht
Club,  is one of the world╒s few aesthetically designed gas
stations.  Spanish in style, its carved wooden door features a
shell as well as an elaborate Maya design, a profile of a warrior.

Marco Gonzalez Ruins:   Named after the island boy who discovered
the ruins, the compact Mayan ruins of Marco Gonzalez sit on the
southern tip.  It was excavated by Canadian archaeologists
Elizabeth Graham and David M. Pendergast from 1986 to the present.
Once located on the beach front, it╒s now set in a swamp, and one
must go by boat unless it╒s dry.   Dating from 200 B.C. to 1500
A.D. or later,  it came under the cultural influence of Lamanai.
It appears to have blossomed between 1150-1300, after which its
popularity faded. All of the site╒s structures contain shells, and
the three large thirteenth century structures are built largely of
conch.  The site is thought to have been one of the major coastal
trading centers (other in Belize included Moho Caye and Cerros) of
the Maya world.

DIVE SITES:  The most famous of these is Hol Chan at the island╒s
southern end which features the Hol Chan Cut.  Others include The
Pillars, Tackle Box Canyons, Pescador Tunnels, Mexico Rocks, Rocky
Point Canyons, Victoria Canyons, and Mata Canyons.  Trips are
often made to the Blue Hole and the Turneffes.  [Editor's note:
For an extensive report on diving around Ambergris, see Alex
Bradbury's piece in this section.]

EXPENSIVE ACCOMMODATIONS:   Center of town:  The Mayan Princess
Resort Hotel (tel. [phone], fax [phone]; P.O. Box 1, San
Pedro) has 23 suites with kitchen and living room. All are beach
front with a/c, queen bed and day bed.  High season prices are
US$110 single US$125 double,  plus 6% tax.  The island╒s oldest,
the 16-room  San Pedro Holiday Hotel (tel. [phone]; fax
501-2-62014;  P.O. Box 1140, Belize City) features an open-faced
salt water pool and a restaurant (Celi╒s) and a deli as well as
water sports and diving.  Room rates are around US$75 for rooms
with fan and US$85 for a/c rooms. More expensive apartments are
also available (16% tax and service charge are added).  In Belize
City call 501-2-44632.

North end of town:  The 41-unit Paradise Resort Hotel (tel. 501-2-
62083, fax [phone]; P.O. Box 25, San Pedro) lies at the end of
Front Street. The wood-and-thatch structures are old yet
attractively furnished.  Other rooms are more traditional but well
appointed with a kitchenette.  The hotel has a distinctive sand,
thatch, and wood ambiance, and╤with sand spread about everywhere
on the grounds╤is about the only resort in town where you really
feel you╒re on the beach.  Prices run from around US$50 single
and US$70 double, on up; 11% tax and service are added. For more
information call 800-537-1431 or 713-850-1664, fax [phone],
or write P.O. Box 42809, Dept. 400, Houston, TX  77242.  The 24-
unit air-conditioned Paradise Villas  (tel. [phone], fax 501-
2-62214; P.O. Box 1922, Belize City) are a set of recently-
constructed condos which rent for around US$125 or so. Offering
horseback riding, partial a/c, and a pool, 14-unit, popular Rock╒s
Inn Apartments (tel. [phone], fax [phone]; P.O. Box
50, San Pedro) is designed for those who plan to do cooking.  It╒s
to the north of town along the beach. In the U.S. call 800-331-
2458.

South from the airport:  The 34-room a/c Spanish-style Sun Breeze
Resort (tel. [phone]/2345, fax [phone]; P.O. Box 14,
San Pedro)  is close by the airport.  It has a beach front bar and
grill and restaurant, the Coco Palms.  Also, a dive shop and
boats, windsurfers, volleyball, electric carts.  Rooms rent from
around US$90 single and US$150 double in-season with 6% tax and 5%
service added.  The 52-unit, expensive Belize Yacht Club (tel.
501-2-62777, fax [phone]; P.O. Box 1, San Pedro) is a set of
modern Spanish-style decor condos which are being rented out. The
resort offers diving, and health club.  It has a pool and
manicured grounds. Each unit has choice of a/c or fan, queen bed,
day bed, kitchen, and living room.  Rates are from around US$100
off-season (US$150 in season) not including tax. In the US call
800-44-UTELL.

One of the nation╒s most attractive small hotels, Changes in
Latitudes (tel./fax [phone]) is run by Sue and Lori, two
extremely friendly Canadian women.  Their logo╤a melting igloo
amidst palm trees╤exemplifies the climate change they came to
experience. Room rates are US$80 double for rooms with fans, and
US$95 double for a/c d rooms.  Tax is added, and breakfast is
complimentary.  It╒s set next to the Belize Yacht Club, 1/2 mile
south of the airstrip.  Call for complimentary pickup.

On the beach on the town╒s south edge, Ramon╒s Village Resort has
60 thatched-roof cabaû as, salt water pool, and complete services
including diving and fishing.   From a distance, the resort has an
authentic Maya look to it. Expect to pay from US$115 (plus tax) on
up.  Call 501-2-62067, fax [phone], or 800-443-8876 or 601-
649-1990 in the US.

Set 1.5 mi. to the south of town, Caribbean Villas (tel. 501-2-
62715, fax [phone]; P.O. Box 71, San Pedro) are a set of
attractive apartment suites constructed in 1991. Its a/c suites
have fully-equipped kitchens with electric stoves.  There are two
Jacuzzis, complimentary bike rental, and a "people perch" for
birdwatching. Winter rates run from US$85 plus tax.  In the US,
call 913-468-3608.

Set at Woody╒s Wharf, the Corona del Mar Apartments/Hotel (tel.
501-2-62055, fax [phone]; P.O. Box 3758, San Pedro) have
suites with kitchen, bedroom with two double beds, sofa bed in
living room, and a/c and fans.  Rates range from  US$75 double
off-season to US$125 double during Christmas and New Years; 16%
tax and service is added. Diving, diving instruction, fishing,
windsurfing, and glass bottom boat are available, and excursions
can be arranged.  In the US call 800-426-0226.  Also set to the
south of San Pedro, Mata Rocks Resort (tel. [phone], fax 501-
2-62349; P.O. Box 47, San Pedro) offers expensive accommodation
ranging from US$75 single, US$85 double, US$100 triple,  and
US$130 quad on up; 16% tax and service are added.  The nine
hardwood, stucco, and tiled suites, which vary in price, have
kitchenettes, ceiling, fans or a/c (some units), and sun decks.
An outdoor bar is on the beach.  For reservations contact Accent
on Travel, 800-288-8646 or 503-645-7323 or fax [phone].

On a secluded beach about two miles south of San Pedro, Victoria
House (501-2-62067, fax [phone]; P.O. Box 22, San Pedro)
offers rooms (some with a/c) and stucco-and-thatch cabaû as with
tile floors as well as diving and fishing.  In the US, call 800-
247-5159 or 504-865-0717, fax [phone].  Rates start from
around US$85 single and US$95 double, going up considerably from
there,  not including 16% tax and service.  A variety of packages
(diving, fishing, and lovers') are available, and they also
operate Fantasea Watersports (tel. [phone]). others:   The
five-room expensive Casa Tortuga Villa (tel. [phone]; 16
Mosquito Coast) has a/c or fan-cooled rooms.  The seven-unit
expensive Mosquito Coast Villas (tel. [phone], fax 501-2-
62331) feature fans and diving.  The four-room moderate-to-
expensive Tres Cocos (tel. [phone]; fax [phone]) offers
fan-cooled rooms and diving.  Two-room expensive Xanadu Apartments
have fans.  Located in town, the expensive six-room Alijua (tel.
501-2-62113/2791, fax [phone]) features fans or a/c cottage-
style accommodation with kitchens and cable TV.   The  a/c three-
unit Palma Sola Chalet (tel. [phone], fax [phone]) is on
Coconut Drive.  For more information call 800-468-0123 or 305-473-
1956 or fax [phone]. Others include the two-room Coconut
Cottages (tel. [phone], P.O. Box 19, San Pedro), and the 10-
room Seven Seas Hotel (tel. [phone]).

MODERATE ACCOMMODATIONS:  Hideaway Sports Lodge (tel. 501-2-6-
2141, fax [phone]; P.O. Box 43, San Pedro) is the least-
expensive hotel with a pool. Unpretentious, it has a laid back
character which reminds you that you are on the Caribbean coast of
Central America and not in Miami.  The recently remodeled rooms
are simple yet comfortable; most have fans but a few have a/c.  It
has a good restaurant.  Rates (which include breakfast but not
tax) run from US$40 double up to US$90 for a suite which holds
six. Children under eight are free.  The small Hotel Casablanca
(tel. [phone], fax [phone]) has a/c or fans and rooms from
US$50 with breakfast. Its attractive rooms have bold decor
including bright red sheets.  Also centrally located, the 20-room
unpretentious Coral Beach Hotel and Dive Club (tel. 501-2-
62001/2013, fax [phone]; P.O. Box 16, San Pedro) charges from
US$30 single and US$45 double plus 16% tax and service. It
operates a restaurant and the Tackle Box Bar.  Set in an
atmospheric three-story building,  the Barrier Reef Hotel (tel.
501-2-62075/2049, fax [phone]) offers 14 a/c rooms and is
across from the plaza. It has a restaurant and charges around
US$50 single and US$65 double with substantial off-season
discounts available. The 24-room Spindrift Hotel (tel. 501-2-
62174), fax [phone]) is a reinforced concrete
structure with rooms starting from around US$50 plus 11% tax  and
service.   Others include the 10-room Conch Shell Inn (tel. 501-2-
62062), around US$35 single, US$45 double, and the six-unit Del
Mar Garden Cottages (tel. [phone], fax [phone];  P.O. Box
89, San Pedro)

BUDGET ACCOMMODATIONS: If you╒re on a budget, don╒t expect much
here in the way of luxuries.   One of the best bargains is the 16-
room Martha╒s Hotel (tel. [phone], fax [phone]; P.O. Box
27, San Pedro) which charges from US$15 single and US$27.50 double
in the off season and  US$23 single and US$35 double in the winter
months; triples and quads are also available.  Rates include
taxes. Nine-room Milo╒s (tel. [phone])╤which charges around
US$10 single, US$12.50 double, and US$17.50 triple ╤is the least
expensive. Naturally, the rooms are a bit dark, and baths are
shared. Rubie╒s Hotel (tel. [phone], fax [phone];
P.O. Box 56, San Pedro) charges from around US$12.50 for simple
rooms with wooden floors and shared baths; more expensive rooms
are around US$25 to US$35.  Some of the rooms overlook the ocean.
The a/c San Pedrano Hotel (tel. [phone], fax [phone]; 4
Barrier Drive) charges around US$25 single, US$30 double, US$37.50
triple and US$42.50 quad, plus tax and service charge for its
wooden-floored rooms; off season is less expensive. Meals are
served upon request. They also have an apartment. Ten-room Lily╒s
Hotel (tel. [phone]) is on the waterfront. Rooms are large and
wood-paneled with fluorescent lighting and fans; some have an
ocean view. Charges are from around US$40 in season. The  six-room
Pirates Lantern Guest House at the  South End (tel. [phone],
fax [phone]) features private baths and fans for around
US$12.50 single, US$17.50 double.  Other budget hostelries include
the 10-room Cruz Apartments (tel. [phone]); the four-room
Islander Hotel (tel. [phone]);  four-unit Laidy╒s Apartments
(tel. [phone]);  eight-room Lourdes Hotel (tel. [phone])
on Middle Street;  and the eight-room Tomas Hotel (tel. 501-2-
62061).   Finally, if staying for an extended period, houses are
available for rent.

Northern Ambergris accommodations:  All of these are relatively
expensive and may only be reached by boat.  The closest of the
resorts on the island╒s northern end at 3 miles,  the colonial-
style 22-room El Pescador (tel./fax [phone];
P.O. Box 793, Belize City) offers "a special fishing experience"
for the devoted fisherman. Fish in the area include sailfish,
wahoo, snook, lady fish, tarpon, bone fish, and jack crevalle. If
you don╒t fish, there╒s nada to do here!  A number of all-
inclusive packages are available; they range in price from around
US$1,400 per person, double. Captain Morgan╒s Retreat (tel. 501-2-
62567, fax [phone]; P.O. Box 38, San Pedro, or in the U.S.
contact Magnum Belize, tel. [phone], fax [phone];  P.O.
Box 1560, Detroit Lakes, MN  56502), 3 miles north of river.  It
has 21 thatched-roof, wooden cabanas with fans and bath; there╒s a
pool with a wooden deck and restaurant.  Rates start from US$95
single and US$120 off-season and rise to US$130 single and US$170
double during the winter; service charge (5%) and 6% hotel tax are
additional.  Some packages are offered.  Fishing, diving, and
snorkeling are available. On the beach at the north end, Journey╒s
End Caribbean Club (tel. [phone]; P.O. Box 12, San Pedro), a
self-contained resort, features a combination of cabaû as and
villas with French cuisine, tennis courts, TV, sailboards, and
sailboats.  If you╒re looking for a truly Belizean atmosphere this
isn╒t the place.  You could be anywhere in the tropical world when
you╒re here.   In the US call 800-447-0474 or 305-899-9486.  Set
some 6 miles north of San Pedro, the six-room moderate-priced
Green Parrot Resort has beach front cabaû as with fans, boating
and fishing, and seclusion.  It is the product of Stuart Corns, a
retired engineer from California.  Leave a message at 501-2-62147
or fax [phone].

DINING:  San Pedro is a fairly expensive place where you basically
plan to spend US$10 or more to eat well.  As often holds true in
Belize, for some strange reason seafood is more expensive than
meat or poultry here.  One very popular place is Elvi╒s Kitchen on
Pescador Drive (Middle Street).  It has good seafood and
reasonable prices. In the Spindrift, Mary Ellen╒s Little Italy
Restaurant (tel. [phone]) offers Belizean and Italian dishes.
Located in Fido╒s Courtyard, La Parilla serves inexpensive Mexican
food. The Hideaway is reasonable and has good food.  Its fried
chicken, shrimp creole, and conch dishes are popular; breakfast
here is good value.

The Emerald is a reasonably priced Chinese restaurant; it has
cheap rice and bean dishes as well.  Often packed and very
attractive, the Jade Garden, south of town,  has an inexpensive
vegetable fried rice; it╒s open daily from 7:30 a.m.  to 10 p.m.
The Grill Restaurant is cool and breezy but pricey.  Celi╒s
Restaurant, attached to the Holiday Hotel, is one of the most-
famous bistros.  It serves three meals, and dinner includes
lobster, shrimp, and fish.

Set south of the airstrip, Duke╒s Place serves moderately-priced
Belizean, Caribbean, and Mexican food in a romantic atmosphere.
Ambergris Delight on Pescador Drive serves burgers, chicken, and
beans and rice at reasonable prices.  The Paradise offers an "all
you can eat" Sunday  brunch for US$7.50 and a beach BBQ from 7:30
that evening for US$15.  The a/c Coco Palms Restaurant at the Sea
Breeze serves elegant seafood and hearty Mexican dishes.  Also try
the Pirate╒s Tavern.  The classy Lagoon Restaurant is set in the
Hotel Casablanca on Pescador Drive. Coral Gardens, Front Street,
chicken and fries for around US$3 and Chinese dishes from US$5.

  Victoria House (tel. [phone]) has buffet service and a
special "Queen Victoria Brunch" on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.;
free transportation is provided. Big Daddy╒s has a nightly beach
BBQ, and the Holiday Hotel and Mata Rocks also have beach BBQs.
Informal and excellent value. The Reef on Middle Street (Pescador
Drive) has seafood and daily specials as well as salbutes and
tacos. Food is served in an informal atmosphere to a reggae beat.
Mickey╒s has lunches for US$4 and huge burritos.

For snacks, several shops have baked goods and pastries,
hamburgers, tacos and pizza.   The Pizza Place sells slices for
under US$1.50.  HL Burgers is on Middle Street.  Manelly╒s, on
Barrier Reef Drive across from the Lion╒s Den,  has ice cream.
Celi╒s Deli in the Holiday Hotel offers take out items from 6 a.m.
to 6 p.m.  The Casa de CafÄ  serves expensive coffee at US$1,
muffins, and slices of cake. The Barrier Reef offers sandwiches
for lunch. Luigi╒s serves Mexican food.  The Vitaminas Juice Bar
is in the Alijua Building and also serves sandwiches and ice
cream. At the park at night a lady sells rice and beans and
chicken and salad for US$2.50; a hot dog vendor stands right by
her.

ENTERTAINMENT:  At night the streets are quiet save for the
refrain of Spanish-language TV pouring into the streets, but there
are a few places  and the action starts late.  Frequently
featuring live bands, Big Daddy╒s Disco is the mainstay.  Located
next to the park and marked by an unforgettable sign, it has a
sand floor bar with a thatch peaked roof, booths, dart board,
maps, and a disco papered with checkerboard-style painted egg
cartons which glow under the blacklight.  Free snacks are
dispensed during happy hour which runs from 7 to 9 daily.  Its
"two for one" cocktails are largely fruit juice.   Set at the end
of the pier by the Coral Beach the Tacklebox Bar offers live bands
during tourist season.  Thankfully, the sea creatures once
imprisoned in the back have been freed.

The Purple Parrot Too Bar at Fido╒s Courtyard offers live music
from Thursday to Sunday. With a giant sandal hanging outside, the
Sandal has a collection of sandals hanging on the walls along with
dart boards, and Grace Jones and Bob Marley posters.  The
Casablanca has a romantic rooftop bar. Distastefully furnished
with stretched zebra skins acquired by a previous owner, the bar
at the Paradise features the Paradise Freeze, a blend of amaretto,
angelica, vodka, orange juice, and coca creme.  Also try Barrier
Reef, Fido╒s Bar, and the outlying resort of Journey╒s End
(accessible only by boat) which has bands on weekends.  Finally,
visit the Pier Lounge in the Spindrift for the Monday crab races
and the Wednesday evening Chicken Drop at which locals bet which
number a chicken will defecate on first.  Numbers from 1 to 100
are marked on a large board, and the chicken is thrown into this
pit.  It╒s a winner-takes-all type of jackpot.

FOOD SHOPPING:  Stores are packed with overpriced imported US
processed food.  Goods may seem overpriced even by Belizean
standards, but they reflect high import duties as well as added
shipping costs.  The largest store is Rock╒s Supermarket just down
from the Coral Beach Hotel.  The large food store below Milo╒s
Hotel has space invader machines which offers audio ambiance.
Sample prices here:   cinnamon bread, US$1.63/loaf; 100 grams of
custard creams from Britain for US$1.13; Mott╒s Apple Juice, 64
oz./US$5.75; can of coconut milk, US$3.70; Ivory Snow detergent,
32 oz./US$6.10;  Mexican manufactured Kellogg╒s Corn Flakes,
200g/US$1.20;  Hunt╒s Tomato Paste, 6 oz./US 85 cents; and
Campbell╒s Cream of Mushroom Soup, US$1.15.  Another store with
similar prices is run by the same people who bring you Martha╒s
hotel above.  Super Jenny╒s has cabbages (US$1.68, packages of two
bell peppers (US$1.12) and two tomatoes (US$1.58), and other
items.

OTHER SHOPPING:  Prices are generally high.  Postcards sell for 75
cents instead of the usual 50 and other prices are set
accordingly.  One of the more memorable shops here is Iguana
Jack╒s Island Art which has painting, sculpture, and ceramic
iguanas.  Probably the best place to shop here is the National
Handicraft Centre on Barrier Reef Drive.

EVENTS:  The San Pedro Carnival is held from the Sunday to Tuesday
preceding Ash Wednesday. Processions are held at Christmas and
Easter.  The Fiesta of St. Peter, the town╒s patron saint, takes
place on June 29, and, as an added treat, the fleet is blessed the
same day.  The anniversary of the town╒s 1985 incorporation is
celebrated on November 27.  Another huge event (and the most
recent in conception) is the Sea and Air Festival. Generally held
in mid-August, it offers volleyball, windsurfing, waterskiing,
volleyball, a beauty pageant, mountain biking, kiting, greasy pole
climbing, cardboard bat racing, tug-of-war, "catch & release"
fishing, a grand parade, and other events and competitions.  Each
night is customarily dedicated to a Central American nation.
Because of the recent influx of Garifuna, Settlement Day is also
celebrated here on November 19.

SERVICES AND INFORMATION:   The small library is open from Monday-
Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  and on Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m.
Amazingly in this day and age,  the library operates on the honor
system:  just leave your name and the name of the book at the
counter.  Belize Bank, a post office (open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. -
noon, and 1 to 4:30 p.m.) and a pharmacy are in the same building
as the Spindrift Hotel; a  branch of the Atlantic Bank is next
door on Barrier Reef Drive. The Belize Bank and the Atlantic Bank
are the only banks which will change Canadian dollars.  Hol Chan
Marine Reserve Office (tel. [phone]), Caribena Street, is
chock full of information.  An informative window into expat
existence on the island,  The San Pedro Sun is the informative
weekly newspaper, run by Victoria and Bruce Collins.   J╒s
Laundromat, Pescador Drive, is open daily.  Rosalita╒s Massage &
Beauty Center (tel. [phone]), Barrier Reef Drive near the
Holiday Hotel, offers shiatsu and Swedish-style massages as well
as hair care.  Also try Andor╒s Massage (501-2-63079) near
Ramon╒s. Rentals:  With one office in Fido╒s and another next to
the Catholic Church, Joe Miller Photography (tel. [phone], fax
501-2-62568; P.O. Box 74, San Pedro) has underwater cameras for
rent and other services.

TOUR COMPANIES:  Formerly Universal Travel & Tours, Travel & Tour
Belize (tel. [phone], fax [phone]) has three offices╤
by the airport, in the Alijua Building, and on Barrier Reef Drive
in the Spindrift Hotel lobby.  They offer a wide variety of tours,
diving, and excursions as far afield as Caracol, Tikal,  and to
Mexico╒s Kohunlich.  Also offered is bird watching, river and deep
sea fishing, and sailing and snorkeling.  Located on Barrier Reef
Drive (Front Street), Amigo Travel (tel. [phone]) has
moped and bike rentals, glass bottom boat and snorkeling trips,
horseback riding,  and tours to the cayes and other localities.
Offering snorkeling, river trips, and other excursions, Belize
Visitor & Tours (tel. [phone], fax [phone]; P.O. Box 74,
San Pedro) is on Pescador Drive (Middle Street). Located in Fido╒s
Courtyard, Island Rentals (tel. [phone]; fax [phone])
provides a variety of water sports, water taxi service, beach
cookouts, night snorkeling, excursions and tours to many
localities including Altun Ha, and rentals of all types of
equipment ranging from golf carts to underwater cameras to kayaks
to bicycles.  Here and elsewhere, bicycles can be rented for
around US$7.50 per day.   Golf cart rentals are expensive, at up
to $50 per day.

Excalibur Tours (tel. [phone]) offers fishing,
snorkeling, diving, waterskiing, and other activities. Run by dive
master Changa Paz, the Amigos Del Mar (tel. [phone] and  fax
501-2-62648; P.O. Box 53, San Pedro) has diving, instruction,
rentals, and excursions including trips to the Turneffes, the Blue
Hole, and a night dive at Hol Chan.  Ramon╒s Reef Resort (tel.
501-2-62439) operates the Sailing Fantasy catamaran.   The
Hideaway Sports Lodge (tel. [phone], fax [phone]) does a
variety of snorkeling, fishing, and diving packages.  Fido Badillo
(tel. [phone]) operates day trips to Altun Ha, fishing trips,
and beach BBQs. Heritage Navigation (tel. [phone]) runs its
66-ft. Winnie Estelle on day trips to Caye Caulker for around
US$45 per person.  They depart from the Paradise Hotel dock at 9
a.m.  The Nicola (tel. [phone]) offers river trips to Altun
Ha, Caye Caulker excursions, fishing, diving, and other
excursions. Also try  Hustler╒s Tours (tel. 501-2-
62279/2538/2075).  Finally, Bill Henkes will take you out on his
yacht The Yanira for US$25 per person.  Write him c/o General
Delivery, San Pedro.

Dive boats:  Several of the nation╒s live aboard dive boats are
based in San Pedro, although they generally must be booked well in
advance.  The Manta IV (tel. [phone]) has a shark cage, caging
you not the shark, which will make Jaws come to life bloodlessly.
Bottom Time Dive Shop  (tel. [phone]) offers day trips to the
Turneffes. With offices on Front Street (Barrier Reef Drive), Out
Island Divers (tel. [phone], P.O. Box 7, San Pedro) provides
one- to three-day trips to Lighthouse Reef and The Blue Hole as
well as specialty charters to Glovers Reef and the Turneffes. They
have a tent camp on Long Caye on Lighthouse Reef; their Reef
Roamer II is stationed here as well, as is the "Tooth Fairy," a
private yacht. In the US, call 800-BLUE-HOLE or 303-586-6020, fax
303-586-6134, or write P.O. Box 3443, Estes Park, CO 80517.

Note:  Dive trips are frequently canceled at short or no notice
when the requisite minimum of divers doesn't show up.  You pay an
insurance fee and this entitles you to free use of the
recompression chamber near the airport should you need it.
Fantasea Watersports (tel. [phone]) runs out of Victoria House
and offers scuba instruction, fishing, and other excursions and
rentals.

LEAVING:   The Andrea (tel. [phone]) departs
Monday - Friday at  7 p.m. for Belize City and on Saturday at 8
p.m from the Texaco wharf near Lily╒s Hotel. The Triple J  (tel.
501-2-44375) generally departs at 3 p.m.  It stops at Caye Chapel
and Caye Caulker. Leaving at the  Lagoon Side Marina (a white
house near the soccer field, the Thunderbolt Express (tel. 501-2-
62217) leaves from Monday to Saturday San Pedro to Caye Caulker to
Caye Chapel to Belize City at 7 a.m. and 2 p.m.,  returning at 11
a.m. and 4 p.m.  You may also be able to hitch a ride with a
yacht.  Be sure to reconfirm departure times with any of these
three as they may be subject to change. Any boat with "C.C."
prefacing its serial number on its side is from Caye Caulker.
They arrive in early afternoon, docking beside the Tackle Box.
If they take you, expect to pay around US$10.   One expensive trip
(US$120-$150)  is to charter a boat to make the 26-mile run to
Xcalak, Mexico.  Unfortunately, there isn╒t much to do there save
stock up on groceries or, perhaps, stay in the one budget-priced
hotel.

^^^ Harry S. Pariser is a world traveler and author of many
guidebooks.   He has roamed most of Africa, Europe, Asia, Central
America and the Caribbean by tramp steamer, train, bus and by
thumb. Pariser is the author of Adventure Guide to Belize, from
which this article is excerpted, with permission.  Other books by
Harry S. Pariser, all from Hunter Publishing, include guides to
Jamaica, Costa Rica, and Barbados.



@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

ALEX BRADBURY

ON DIVING, SNORKELING,

FISHING AND TOURING AMBERGRIS

... RESPONSIBLY


By ALEX BRADBURY

Ambergris Caye extends like a 24-mile-long finger from the
southernmost tip of Mexico╒s Yucatan Peninsula. Only a narrow
channel separates Belize from Mexico at Ambergris' northern
extremity, a channel that the ancient Maya apparently dredged to
make navigation easier. Although the largest and most-visited of
the Belizean cayes, much of Ambergris remains undisturbed mangrove
swamp, sourgrass savanna, freshwater lagoon, and broadleaf forest.
Virtually all of Ambergris Caye╒s residents live in San Pedro,
near the southern end of the island.

HISTORY

The early Maya favoured Ambergris as a strategically-located
coastal trading center.  Recent evidence from Marco Gonzalez,
Ambergris' best-studied ruin site,  suggests strong trade and
cultural links with the great inland city of Lamanai.  Later,
English and French pirates capitalized on the caye╒s strategic
location,  making it a coastal stopover. But the basis of today╒s
population arrived in 1848  as refugees from the bloody Caste War
in the Mexican Yucatan.

The caye traces its name to early whaling days, when ambergris, a
waxy musk-like substance, was extracted from the intestines of
sperm whales for use  as a fixative in the perfume trade. Whalers
occasionally found lumps of the stuff  weighing more than 200
pounds, and one such lump sold in 1910 for US$30,000. Other
fisheries, particularly for spiny lobster, soon replaced whaling,
and Ambergris  Caye still remains dependent to some degree on its
rich fishing grounds.

In late October 1990, the Belize government bought from private
interests most of the northern two-thirds of Ambergris Caye. Known
formerly as the  Pinkerton Estate, this 22,000-acre chunk of land
does not include most of the eastern shoreline, which is already
in private hands. Still, the purchase gives the government the
opportunity to swap lagoon frontage on the western side of the
caye for beach frontage. The buy-out does not mean that the entire
area will remain greenbelt.  A controversial development plan for
the area ran into opposition, and a newer study is under
consideration by the government.  A recent development is that the
former owners have said they will take back the tract, in lieu of
payment of US$17 million, what they say the land is worth
including interest and fees.   Nevertheless, the recent government
conservation record is very encouraging, and any development is
likely to be well-planned and environmentally sound.

At the northern end of the island, Belizeans have been
participating in a voluntary sea turtle conservation project for
the last several years. Biology teachers from throughout the
country bring their classes to a beach near Basil  Jones, about 11
miles north of San Pedro, where loggerhead turtles (and a few
green turtles) lay their eggs. They patrol the beach mainly to
prevent egg poaching,  which has decreased almost 40-fold since
the program began. They also tag the nests to estimate hatching
date, and return to help the young turtles make their way safely
from beach to water. These week-long forays have been jointly
financed  by the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and the US Fish and
Wildlife Service. For more  information,  contact the Hol Chan
Marine Reserve office in San Pedro.

For an excellent overview of Ambergris history, shipwrecks, Maya
ruins,  botany, biology, and beachcomber tips, try to find a copy
of The Field Guide to Ambergris Caye by Richard L. Woods, S.T.
Reid, and A.M. Reid, available in San Pedro.

SAN PEDRO

For the time being, San Pedro remains the single most popular
destination for  travelers to Belize. SCUBA divers began flocking
to San Pedro in the mid-1960s,  and although they deserve credit
as the pioneers of Belize tourism, few of them  ever saw anything
else of the country. Then as now, the attraction was the barrier
reef, clearly visible from town as a broken line of frothy white
breakers  about three-quarters of a mile east. Divers still make
up the lion╒s share of San Pedro visitors,  but windsurfers,
snorkelers, sport anglers, and people simply looking for a water
and beach vacation are increasingly showing up.

As a result of this influx, San Pedro is no longer the sleepy one-
hotel paradise that it was only a couple of decades ago. But
neither has it become a Cancun or even Cozumel. The tallest
building stands three stories. The streets  are unpaved, with
lengths of ship mooring line laid down as speed bumps ╤ what
Belizeans call a "sleeping policeman."  Perhaps most importantly,
San Pedranos themselves mirror the town╒s informality and
friendliness. Most are descendants of Mexico╒s Caste War exodus,
and you╒ll hear Spanish spoken at every street corner.

Everything is easy to reach in San Pedro. There are only ten
streets in town  (all recently renamed ╤ Front Street, for
example, has become Barrier Reef Drive), and you can walk from the
ocean side to the lagoon side in less than a  minute. Golf carts
are a favorite local vehicle, although more cars and trucks are
making their way onto the island, a subject of considerable
controversy.

You may wonder, in fact, how anyone could make a living driving
cab in San Pedro (a few of the pricier hotels outside town provide
the passengers, it turns out). The barrier reef is visible
offshore, a mere 10-minute ride in a slow boat. But despite its
location, San Pedro  doesn╒t have much of a beach; it╒s more a
thin strip of sand between buildings and docks.

Restaurants in San Pedro, like hotels, tend toward the pricey, but
at least you╒ve got a wider selection of foods than the usual
chicken, rice, and  beans. The quality of most restaurant meals in
San Pedro is also generally higher than in the rest of Belize,
making the bill somewhat easier to accept. Seafood,  not
surprisingly, is the mainstay of San Pedro restaurants, and just
about the only item that doesn╒t have to be flown or boated into
town from the mainland.  A fish dinner will generally cost US$7-
US$13. Lobster dinners are almost  twice the price here compared
to Caye Caulker. Even beer is slightly more expensive in San
Pedro.

The lobster season throughout Belize runs July 15-March 15. Insist
that your lobster be of legal size, and don╒t eat either lobster
or conch out of season.  Please don╒t eat sea turtle or turtle
eggs, both of which are sometimes offered  by unscrupulous locals.

WHAT TO SEE

Conch hatchery Visitors and students are welcome at Belize╒s only
conch hatchery, financed by the USAID and under the supervision of
the Belize Fisheries Department.

Queen conch (Strombus gigas), prized for their tasty meat,
gorgeous pink  shells and pearls, were once fished in shallow
waters throughout the Caribbean with long rakes. Snorkel gear and
then SCUBA replaced the older fishing methods,  gradually
depleting the once-plentiful shallow populations. Commercial
fisheries  have recently collapsed in many areas, including
Mexico, Barbados, Bermuda, and  Florida (where the season has been
closed indefinitely). Belize╒s population  remains in somewhat
better shape for the time being, perhaps due to the banning  of
SCUBA for commercial fishing, a minimum size limit, and a closure
during the  summer breeding season. Even so, export volumes are
now declining, and most  biologists agree that Belize╒s conch
stocks are headed for collapse if nothing  is done.

In response to this dismal prediction, the USAID/FUL (Fisheries
Unit Laboratory) Conch Research Project was born in 1985. The
project originally  involved American graduate students doing
genetic research on Belizean conch stocks to determine how closely
related they were to other populations in the Caribbean. That
research has been completed ╤ Belize╒s queen conch are genetically
very similar to other Caribbean queen conch ╤ and the project is
now  staffed by a manager and two technicians, all Belizeans.
Manager Mauro Gongora explains that the project has three goals:
to track population levels of conch and gather baseline biological
data; to educate  Belizean fishermen on the need to conserve
conch, especially the smaller conch which haven╒t spawned yet
(some biologists estimate that the present minimum size limit
allows 94 percent of the population to be fished before spawning
age, and are working with the Department of Fisheries to change
the legal size);  and finally, to determine the feasibility of
mass-producing small conch in a  hatchery for "seeding" in local
waters.

Belize╒s conch hatchery is one of only a few in the Caribbean
(Puerto Rico,  Florida, and the Turks and Caicos Islands also
raise small conch). Visitors can  see juvenile conch and the
cultures of microscopic algae that they are fed in the  hatchery.
The hatchery is still in its fledgling stages, but growing conch
to the preferred seeding size isn╒t the problem; a single female
conch,  after all, can produce six million larvae in a year. The
major hurdle will be  avoiding the hordes of hungry predators
waiting for the hatchery conch when  they╒re placed underwater in
the "real world." As it turns out, nearly everything  dines on
baby conch, particularly hermit crabs. Rather than set the table
for  these predators, biologists are experimenting with underwater
nets that protect the conch until they╒ve grown a bit and buried
themselves safely beneath the  sand. Project manager Gongora and
his staff have already had some success with  these protective
nets in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve.

The hatchery and project office is located just north of town on
the grounds  of the San Pedro High School. Visitors are welcome,
but try to call at least a  week in advance (phone [phone]) so
that the staff can give you a good tour.

Marco Gonzalez Maya site:  This small Maya ruin lies on 16 acres
of mangrove swamp at the southwestern tip of Ambergris Caye. Named
for the island boy who  first led archaeologists to the site in
1984, Marco Gonzalez was excavated  beginning in 1986 by Elizabeth
Graham and David Pendergast of the Royal Ontario  Museum. They
concluded that the site was founded as early as 300 B.C. (probably
a  temporary fishing camp at first) and was still occupied when
the Spanish arrived in A.D. 1544. The locale was apparently used
for salt-manufacturing during the Late Classic.     Forty-nine
structures have been identified, all low platforms made of coral
blocks, ground coral and seashells. Graham and Pendergast also
uncovered traces  of 11 human burials, some interred with the
sting ray spines reserved for Maya  elite. The ancient Maya
apparently used Marco Gonzalez as a link in the coastal  trade
route, as evidenced by finds of grey obsidian (from the Guatemalan
highlands), green obsidian (from central Mexico), slate ware (from
the northern Yucatan), and jade, granite, and mainland limestone,
none of which are found on Ambergris Caye.

The most striking finds at Marco Gonzalez, however, were pottery
remains  which suggest a trade and cultural link with Lamanai, the
largest ancient Maya city in present-day Orange Walk District.
Lamanai  prospered long after the collapse of lowland Maya
civilization, and Marco  Gonzalez may have been its primary
trading port.

As with many smaller Maya sites, there isn╒t a great deal here to
interest  the non-archaeologist. Although accessible via a trail
through the mangroves from San Pedro, the site is difficult to
find without a guide, and boat access is actually the preferred
way to visit Marco Gonzalez. See the folks at Travel & Tour Belize
(tel. [phone], fax [phone]) to arrange a day trip.

EXCURSIONS

Near town     For SCUBA divers and snorkelers, San  Pedro serves
both as debarkation point for boats headed to the atolls far
offshore, and as a base for exploring the nearby barrier reef. The
section below  describes only the diving and snorkeling
possibilities near San Pedro itself.

The coral of the barrier reef close to San Pedro grows at such
shallow depths that boats can only reach the seaward side via
seven narrow openings, or  "cuts." And it is here, on the outside
of the reef near the cuts, where you╒ll  find the best diving in
the San Pedro area. Most experienced divers, however,  probably
won╒t want to spend more than a few days here. This is because the
underwater topography is fairly uniform from dive site to dive
site: spur and groove channels, canyons formed by massive stone
and coral fingers pointing seaward with sand between them. And
except for the protected Hol Chan Reserve, the entire area is
easily accessible to fishermen, so that fish ╤  especially large
fish ╤ aren╒t abundant. Be aware that some dive charters are
reluctant to spend the gas getting to the dive sites north of
town, where the  local diving is best.

One of most popular local dive spots is Mexico Rocks, roughly  6
miles north of  San Pedro. The "rocks" are actually scattered
coral formations, havens for small  fish, and invertebrate life
including elkhorn coral, brain coral, and a variety  of sponges.
Mata Rocks, 2 miles south of Mexico Rocks, has similar
attractions.  Socorrito is noted for schools of horse-eye jacks
(Caranx latus) and, at times,  spotted eagle rays. Palmetto Reef,
Sandy Point, and nearby Punta Arena, also  north of town, provide
about the closest thing to wall diving in the San Pedro area, the
hard coral shelf bedecked with vase sponges and long yellow pencil
coral. The walls are pockmarked with caves which lead to the top
of the reef in  about 50 feet of water and sand-filled surge
channels. Divers can swim through a  series of short coral "caves"
at the Caverns.

Most of these dives listed above lie on the windward side of the
reef in 45 to 60 feet of water, so that snorkeling is not an
option. Mexico Rocks, however,  offers good shallow snorkeling
opportunities.

As in Cozumel, there is no scarcity of dive guides. Besides the
major  hotels, there are at least 50 independent dive tour
operators in town, plus a  number of gear rental shops. Local day-
trips, either one or two tank dives on the  reef, usually take
place from 24-foot open skiffs. Most guides make two trips each
day, with a morning dive leaving around 9 a.m. and an afternoon
dive leaving around 1 or 2 p.m. It╒s best to book a day ahead,
although with as many tour operators as there are in San Pedro, no
one gets left behind on the beach. The best way to find an
acceptable guide is simply to ask other divers, talk with the
guides  themselves, and take a look at their boats. Not
surprisingly, prices for local dives are quite competitive, most
two-tank dives costing between US$40-US$45  (price includes tanks,
weight belt, boat and guide, and soft drinks). If you need  to
rent additional equipment and your guide doesn╒t have a
recommendation, try  the the Bottom Time Dive Shop (tel. 501-2-6-
2348) just north of the Sun Breeze Hotel.

The  Manta IV offers a seven-night package that includes a
combination  of San Pedro barrier reef diving and an overnight,
two-day trip out to the atolls  (where divers can plumb the depths
of the Blue Hole, among other sites). The seven local reef dives
take place at some of the better sites north of town, plus  a
night dive at Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Also included is lodging at
the Palma Sola Hotel in San Pedro.

Hol Chan Marine Reserve  By far the most popular snorkeling site
near San Pedro  ╤ in all of Belize, for that matter ╤ is the Hol
Chan Marine Reserve, located  about 4 miles southeast of town.
SCUBA divers also flock to the Hol Chan "cut," generally  diving
just outside of the reef. A number of conservation groups and
government  agencies worked to establish this diverse marine
ecosystem as a reserve, among  them the World Wildlife Fund,
USAID, Wildlife Conservation International (a global field
research division of the New York Zoological Society), the Belize
Department of Fisheries (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and
Fisheries), and  the Belize Audubon Society.

On May 2, 1987, the government of Belize established the Reserve,
which has  four main goals: to maintain a coral reef ecosystem in
its natural state, to  provide recreation services and preserve
the fishery value of the area, to  provide an opportunity for
education and research, and to conserve genetic  resources.

Hol Chan ╤ Mayan for "little channel" ╤ covers about 3,200 acres,
and is  divided into three distinct ecological zones. Most casual
snorkelers visit only Zone A, the inside of the coral barrier reef
or "cut." Here, in 10 to 35 feet of water,  you╒ll find a colorful
profusion of leaf, brain, scroll, finger, and elkhorn coral, and
schools of smaller reef fish such as blue tangs, fairy basslets,
queen and French angelfish, stoplight parrotfish, and trunkfish.
This area also offers  an opportunity to see some larger fish as
well, including nurse sharks, groupers, and green moray eels. The
strong tidal current in the area amounts to a nutrient  "conveyor
belt," encouraging a dense population of filter-feeding sponges
and  other invertebrates. This is an excellent spot for a night
dive, offered by the Manta IV and a number of other local tour
operators.

Don╒t expect to have the reef to yourself. The area always teems
with  snorkelers and divers of varying degrees of experience. And
unfortunately, you don╒t have to swim far to witness the
destruction that inept, unthinking, and uneducated snorkelers can
inflict on this fragile ecosystem: bleached coral "skeletons," the
remnants of once-living reef that have been broken by a careless
touch or fin-kick.

The current along the inside of the reef and "cut" reverses most
days, and  is strongest during outgoing tides and near the cut
itself. Although I don╒t  normally advocate the use of fins during
reef snorkeling trips ╤ they knock down more living coral than
your average Caribbean hurricane ╤ all but the strongest swimmers
will probably want to wear fins here due to the currents. And take
a  good look at your boat after slipping over the side; this will
save you the  embarrassment later of wondering which of the scores
of similar-looking boats is  yours when its time to swim back.
Zone B makes up the central and largest portion of the Reserve, a
vast  saltwater lagoon composed of sand and sea grass beds.
Although not as showy as the coral reef itself, this peaceful
marine "meadow" has its own charms:  juvenile fish of many species
use the sea grass beds as a staging ground and feeding area.
Scattered here and there among the sea grasses, you╒ll find
naturally isolated patches of coral.

Keep your eyes open for conch and lobster, but don╒t forget to
scan the area for boats on a regular basis; since this portion of
the Reserve isn╒t as popular with snorkelers, boaters don╒t always
keep a sharp watch while speeding through the area. Within this
zone lies the Boca Ciega ("Blind Mouth")  cave. This "blue hole"
is a collapsed sinkhole on a much smaller scale than the  famed
Blue Hole at Lighthouse Reef.

Only cave-certified SCUBA divers may enter Boca Ciega, and only
after contacting the Reserve Manager at the office in San  Pedro.
The cave is considered dangerous even by some experienced cave
divers, and  visibility in the area is generally poor.

Zone C at the southwestern tip of Ambergris Caye consists of seven
mangrove  islets. Seldom visited by snorkelers or divers, this
area nevertheless represents  one of the richest tropical marine
habitats. Within the submerged roots of red,  black, and white
mangrove, huge numbers of juvenile fish ╤ including angelfish,
grunts, and snapper ╤ find shelter and food. Sea horses, crabs and
other,  smaller crustaceans also prefer the tangled mangrove
forest. There is little  current here, and a fine layer of silt
covers many of the mangrove roots and the  bottom itself; be
careful not to kick up clouds of the stuff as you swim by.

From San Pedro, scores of boats leave the beaches and docks each
day for  snorkeling trips to Hol Chan. Trips generally last half a
day (2-3 hours of actual  snorkeling time), by which time most
snorkelers are satisfied they╒ve seen everything (and those
without wet suits are slightly chilled). Most boats charge  around
US$12.50 per person, not including gear. Mask, snorkel, and fins
rent for about US$7.50  a day. Ask at your hotel, stroll down
Front Street, or check at the many tour shops located at docks
along the beach to decide on a boat. Prices, time on the  reef,
and quality of the boat itself are all quite comparable, so you
might as  well make your decision based on personality of the
guide. Most boats leave the  dock at around 9 a.m. and make an
afternoon trip at around 2 p.m.

From Caye Caulker, roughly a dozen boats make snorkeling trips
daily to Hol Chan. These generally cost US$12.50 pp, the trip
lasting from 10 a.m.  to 4:30 p.m., with a 2-hour layover in San
Pedro for lunch, shopping, and banking (San Pedro banks,  unlike
those in most of Belize, remain open during lunchtime). For those
based  on Caye Caulker, these trips are a great way to get a
glimpse of San Pedro without actually staying there.  Snorkeling
time amounts to about 2-3 hours,  half before lunch and half
after.  Guides will allow you to spend more time in the water if
you wish, but most snorkelers find that they are beginning to
shiver after an hour on the reef.  Boats accommodate about a
maximum of  nine snorkelers, and the ride from Caye Caulker to Hol
Chan can be rough when it╒s windy. During the ride, watch for
flying fish skimming the water surface on winglike pectoral fins
as your boat cruises past. If you miss the morning boats,  there
are one or two boats that do an early afternoon trip from Caye
Caulker to  Hol Chan. If you don╒t have mask, snorkel, or fins,
boat operators will stop en route at one of the Caulker rental
shops so that you can rent them.

Whether you╒re visiting Hol Chan from San Pedro or Caye Caulker,
you╒ll be  asked to pay a US$1.50 entrance fee, payable to the
Reserve Patrol boat upon arrival. You╒ll get a receipt good for
the whole day. The fee helps pay to police the area and to keep
the Reserve office open.

Before you go, drop in at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve (phone 501-
2-62247) office on Front Street, sandwiched between the Belize
Bank and Amigo Travel. This  is the home base for the friendly and
helpful Reserve staff (Manager James Azueta, two rangers, and two
biologists). You╒ll find maps, brochures, underwater  photographs,
displays explaining the Reserve, and posters for sale. If you╒re
of  a more scholarly bent, you╒ll appreciate the small research
library with  scientific papers and fish identification keys. The
staff can also fill you in  on marine turtle conservation efforts
both locally (near Basil Jones at the northern end of Ambergris
Caye) and nationwide. The office is open 8 a.m. to noon,  and 1
p.m to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

FISHING TRIPS

San Pedro offers good fishing on the reef or sand flats for
bonefish, permit, tarpon, red and yellow snapper, cubera snapper,
barracuda,  jacks, grouper, Spanish mackerel, blackfin tuna, and
wahoo. Well outside the  barrier reef, deep sea anglers go for
wahoo, blue and white marlin, sailfish, and tuna.

San Pedro is loaded with fishing guides, and the best way to find
one is to talk to other visitors who╒ve already been out. For most
fishing trips, you╒ll want to  get a boatload together to keep
costs down. Some of the more established guides  are: Luz Guerrero
and Romel Gomez, tel. [phone]; Melanie Paz, tel. [phone];
Billy Leslie, tel. [phone]; and Roberto Bradley, tel. 501-2-
62116.

Nearly all the big expensive hotels offer fishing trips for guests
and drop-ins. Expect to pay in the neighborhood of US$120-US$150
(price is per boat, most of which will take two to four anglers)
for a day of reef or flat fishing. The price escalates to over
US$300 for deep sea fishing.

WINDSURFING (SAILBOARDING)

The Sun Breeze Hotel rents Mistral boards and is  considered the
sailboarding headquarters of Belize. Lessons are available from
the hottest local boardhead, Tacio Badillo.

^^^Alex Bradbury is uniquely qualified to write about Belize, as
he is both a biologist and a professional diver.  He is the author
of Backcountry Brazil and of Guide to Belize, Bradt Publications,
from which this article is excerpted and adapted with the
permission of the publisher and author.


@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

TIPS FOR TRAVELERS TO SAN PEDRO

DOs:

1.  Do snorkel (or dive) Hol Chan Marine Park and Mexico Rocks.

2.  Do take ALL THE FILM YOU'LL WANT and one of those disposable
underwater cameras.  They take great pix, and film is expensive as
ambergris is San Pedro.

3.  Do wear sunscreen and a hat EVERY DAY, no matter how macho a
man you are.  I've seen too many traveler's trips ruined by severe
sunburn.  Remember, you're closer to the Equator and the sun is
intense down there.

4.  Do go for at least one sail, preferably on the Rum Punch, a
real wooden hull Belizean sailing vessel.  You haven't experienced the
Caribbean 'till you've sailed those azure waters.

5.  Do get on island time.  Remember, if you're not having a
good time, you're not doing it right.  Relax, you're on vacation.

DON'Ts

1.  Don't take leather stuff down there.  The salt air does a
number on it that will never let those Gucci loafers look the same.

2.  Don't take a bunch of fancy clothes and jewelry down there.
You╒ll never wear them.  Take nice cool cottons in casual island
styles.

3.  Don't walk dark beaches late at night after drinking too
much.  This isn╒t Elysian Fields yet.  As safe as San Pedro is,  crime
does exist.

4.  Don't worry about the scrawny island dog that adopts you.
He does this for a living.  Go ahead and give him your lunch scraps.
There╒ll be a new You next week.

5.  Don't hesitate to bet on BOTH the Chicken Drop and the Crab
Races at the Pier Lounge.  After all, how often can you tell your
friends back home you won racing hermit crabs?



##############

AMBERGRIS MAPS

Handy maps to the hotels, restaurants, and businesses of
Ambergris Caye are included in the hard-copy edition of this issue of
BELIZE FIRST.

The best available map to Ambergris Caye is the Ordnance Survey
map.  Ordnance Survey is the national mapping organization of Great
Britain.  This 1:50,000-scale map has good detail of the island and
adjacent cayes, but it does not identify commercial buildings and
other development.  For those interested in the Ambergris map, it is
US$10.95 plus US$2 shipping and handling from Equator Travel
Publications, 280 Beaverdam Road, Candler, N.C.  28715 USA.

##############


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LIVING ON AMBERGRIS

What's it like to actually live in San Pedro?

By LIN SUTHERLAND

The first thing you ought to know about Ambergris is that it
means whale vomit.  Ambergris is a waxy, grayish substance formed in
the intestines of sperm whales.  It is found floating at sea or washed
ashore.  Used as a fixative in perfumes, it is highly valuable.  This
small island╒s shoreline was rich with ambergris in colonial whaling
days when whales abounded and the caye was named.

From Whale Vomit to Lobsters to Tourists.  That could be the
name of the autobiography of Ambergris Caye.  All three equal big
lucre, which is why Ambergris Caye has the highest annual per capita
income of all of Belize.  Prosperity means people are thriving and
cheerful, healthy and upwardly mobile.  This describes the San
Pedranos.

Most San Pedranos are descendants of the Mexican Mestizos from
Yucatç n fleeing the Caste Wars of  the late 1840s.  Many fled south
to Ambergris, which is not really a key, but a small limestone
peninsula that hangs off the Yucatan coast of the Mexican state of
Quintana Roo.  Most current residents are of Spanish descent and speak
Spanish among themselves, as well as English.  Creoles that you see on
San Pedro have immigrated from mainland Belize and have a different
ancestry:  They are the descendants of African slaves the British
brought in the seventeenth century and the Garifuna from St. Vincent,
themselves descendants of slaves mixed with Amerindians.

But enough of history.  I lived in San Pedro for a year, 1992. I
was working to help start a magazine for tourists to Belize and
continuing with my usual work doing travel writing for American
magazines.  I lived across from the airport, which was noisy but
interesting.

Every week this is what I would witness, over and over:
Saturday,  Joe Tourist and family/friends/girlfriend arrive.  He is
totally uptight.  He frenetically searches for and gathers his luggage
into a pile, he glances several times at his wrist watch but never
looks at people, really.  He shouts and points.  Just your typical
American Type A horse╒s butt, right?

As the days go by, I see Joe T. walking the sand lanes of San
Pedro.  Slowly, he evolves.  The watch comes off.  The shoes come off.
He starts sauntering instead of striding purposefully.  The volume of
his voice goes down three octaves.  He gets a healthy color in his
skin.

Come next Saturday, there╒s Joe T. and
family/friends/girlfriend.  I see him get out of Orlando╒s taxi
laughing and joking.  He doesn╒t even glance at his baggage.  Orlando
will unload it, and if he doesn╒t, so what?  It╒s just dirty clothes.
Ha ha ha.  He strolls towards the ticket desk and tips his hat.  He
looks around at everyone and nods.  This, friends, is the Transformed
Tourist.  I saw it time and time again.  Which is why, after two weeks
in paradise, they all want to buy a condo there.  They like who it
made them.

There╒s only one snag here, which people don╒t realize until
it╒s too late, and that is: It╒s not the same to live in San Pedro as
to visit it.

You can only lie on the beach so long.  It╒s great for a week or
two, but then?  You╒d go screaming crazy.  Or drink.  And of San
Pedro╒s ex-pat community, many do, and quite a bit.    As on any
island.

Cultural life for San Pedranos is family, so if you don╒t have
family there, it╒s limited.  No movie theatres, no museums, no art
gallery or library to speak of, nobody discusses books, nobody is
involved in world affairs.

I loved it.  But then I had work, projects.  And I only loved it
for a year.  Forever, no, not for me.  What I loved was the nature of
the place.  The wind shuffling the palm fronds, a rainstorm walking
its way across the reef towards the island like a gray curtain.  The
amazing water, always blindingly blue before you.  The colors, the
sky, the hot sand massaging the soles of your feet.  I loved the
people -- their outgoing, relaxed manner, their tolerance and
fluidity, their willingness to laugh, their love of life and easy
acceptance of it, with all its quirks and warts.

Ambergris Caye is not paradise.  In the year I loved there I saw
jealousy, dishonest, pettiness, meanness.  But if you were to find a
place without those things, that did have the delightful side of San
Pedro, you╒ll let me know, won╒t you?  Because that would be as close
to Elysian Fields as one could get.

^^^ Lin Sutherland, a freelance writer based in Texas,  is a
regular contributor to BELIZE FIRST.   She has had ties to Belize for
two decades.


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San Pedro Practicalities

By Lin Sutherland


HOUSING    I paid $275 a month for a one-bedroom apartment one
block from the ocean.  Waterfront housing is higher--overpriced,
actually, going up to $1,500 a month.  However, there╒s a benefit to
waterside:   The closer to the windward side of the island you are,
the more breeze (and fewer bugs) you get.  Utilities are cheap, about
$20 month for electricity and water.  Best way to find a place is
word-of-mouth, asking around.

EATS    Eating out on Front Street (now officially Barrier Reef
but still often called Front Street) can add up if you do it on a
regular basis.  Most locals spend less to eat on Middle Street
(Pescador), or shop at the local stores and cook at home.  You can buy
fresh fish and shrimp (and lobster and conch, in season from the
Fisherman╒s co-op at reasonable prices.  Best deal is to catch you own
meal!

Fresh chicken and beef can be gotten at the butcher shop,
otherwise it╒s frozen at the main grocery store, Rock╒s.  Fresh
tortillas and bread are a plus every day.  What isn╒t available is:
good pasta (take down packages), good teas or drink mixes like
Nestle╒s Quick or cocoa,  and things like gourmet mustards for
sandwiches.

The key to grocery shopping in San Pedro is to remember this is
an island.  What is locally available is less expensive than what has
to be imported (canned and packaged food, paper goods, etc.)  An
example of this is dog food.  I took my two dogs to San Pedro and
discovered dog food was US$1.92 for a 50-cent can, four times as much
as I'd been paying.  Milk is US$1.50 a quart.  Paper towels are US$2 a
roll (60 cents a roll in the U.S.).  Toilet paper is US$1 for two
rolls.

TRANSPORTATION     A bicycle with a basket is very useful in San
Pedro.  I took mine there on the plane (you just check it in luggage
in a bike box).  Or you may want to have a golf card to get around in,
but they cost about a thousand dollars, there or here.  When going to
Belize City I rode the ferry (the Andrea or the Thunderbolt on any of
those boats that go in regularly), cheaper than the plane.

Unless you are a resident, you have to go to Belize City every
30 days to the Immigration Office on Barracks Road and get your
passport stamped.  For me it was an opportunity to do a little
shopping at Brodies for some good English cheeses and mango chutney,
or at Quan╒s for those hardware items I forgot.  Or as I found out
over a year, for the excellent lady dentist on Eve Street ( Dr. Lus
Gamera).

MEDICAL     Bring prescription drugs you need to take.  San
Pedro╒s Lion╒s Medical Clinic with its resident physician is there for
emergencies but is limited to the breadth of its abilities.  The new
Belize Hospital in Belize City is so much better and more modern than
the old one.  I do remember, though, the first year I saw the old
hospital.  There were chickens in the hallways.  Those days, though,
happy to say, are gone.  As are the chickens.  You gotta love this
country.

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#################

RECOMMENDED BOOKS, MAPS AND INFORMATION ABOUT BELIZE

MAPS:  BEST WE'VE SEEN

TRAVELLER╒S REFERENCE MAPS published by ITMP in Vancouver,
Canada, are the best maps we╒ve found to the region.  They╒re
accurate, detailed,  easy to read, with good color.  Roads are clearly
marked.   Great for armchair traveling, too.

Belize Map, 1:350,000 scale (new 1995 edition available late May
1995)   US$7.95

Costa Rica Map, 1:500,000 scale   US$6.95

Guatemala/Salvador Map, 1:500,000 scale  US$8.95

Yucatan Peninsula Map, 1:1,000,000 scale  US$6.95

Central America Map, 1:1,800,000 scale  US$7.95

Mexico Map, 1:3,300,000 scale, US$7.95

Other Maps

Ambergris Caye, Ordnance Survey, 1:50,000 scale, US$10.95

Honduras & Centro America, Texaco, 1:600,000, US$7.95  (a new
ITMB map on Honduras is due out sometime in 1995)

Playas Caribe (Beaches) Cancun/Cozumel area, 1:150,000, US$6.95
(note that much has changed since this map was created in 1983)

1995 Driver╒s Guide to Belize, by Emory King, mile-by-mile
guide, with maps, to all the main roads in Belize.   A MUST for do-it-
your-self trips in Belize. 60 pp.,  US$12

BOOKS ON LIFE AND RETIREMENT IN BELIZE AND ON THE CARIBBEAN
COAST

Belize Retirement Guide by Bill and Claire Gray, Preview
Publishing,  1995, 148 pp.  New 3rd edition of this guide to ╥living
in a tropical paradise for $350 a month╙ was published in April 1995.
Color and B&W photos.  US$19.95

Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica by
Christopher Howard and Lambert James, C.R. Books, 1995, 168 pp. Much-
improved new edition with helpful local information.  US$13.95

1995 Guide to Business Investment and Retirement in Belize, by
George W. Rea, 1995, 99 pp.  New handbook to investing and living in
Belize.  Provides forms, contact addresses, etc.  US$29.95

Choose Costa Rica by John Howells, Gateway Books, new edition
1994, 252 pp.  What you need to know to retire or live in wonderful
Costa Rica.  Also covers Guatemala.  US$13.95

Choose Mexico by John Howells, Gateway Books, 1994, 252 pp.  How
to live well on $800 a month -- more than 170,000 copies sold.
US$11.95


FAVORITE GUIDEBOOKS

Of the scores of guides available, these are our current No. 1
picks.

Belize Guide, by Paul Glassman, Open Road Publishing, 1994, 318
pp.  Completely revamped and revised new edition.  Take this baby with
you!  Excellent research.  US$13.95

Guatemala, Belize & Yucatç n, La Ruta Maya, by Tom Brosnahan,
Lonely Planet, 1995.  New 2nd edition.  If you╒re interested in Maya
sites, you should have this.  Extremely reliable.  US$16.95

Adventure Guide to Belize, by Harry Pariser, Hunter Books, 1995.
New 3rd edition just out.  Highly up-to-date and comprehensive guide
to Belize.  US$14.95

Belize Handbook, by Chicki Mallan, Moon Publications, 1993, 264
pp.  Like all of the Moon Handbooks, this one is of high
quality,dependable, with good maps and information.  US$13.95  (new
updated edition should be out soon)

Central America by Chicken Bus, by Vivien Lougheed, Prince
George, 1993, 500 pp.  Covers budget travel in all of Central America.
Published in Canada, not widely available in U.S. US$15.95

Belize,  A Natural Destination, by Richard Mahler and Steele
Wotkyns, John Muir Publications, 1993, 310 pp.  The best ecoguide to
Belize.  US$16.95

Honduras Guide,  by Paul Glassman, J.-P. Panet & Leah Hart.
Open Road Publishing, 1994.  The best guide to Honduras and the Bay
Islands.  US$13.95

The People╒s Guide to Mexico, by Carl Franz,  John Muir
Publications, 1995, 588 pp.  More than a guide book -- it╒s a classic.
Fun to read, invaluable in helping you understand and enjoy Mexico.
US$19.95

New Key to Costa Rica, by Beatrice Blake and Anne Becher,
Ulysses Press, 1994, 189 pp.  Lots of local perspective, improved and
refined over 14 editions.  US$13.95

The Rough Guide to Guatemala and Belize, by Mark Whatmore and
Peter Eltringham, Rough Guides/Penguin Books, 1993, 485 pp.  The
favorite of guidebook authors.  US$14.95

NEWSPAPERS AND PHONE BOOKS

1995 Belize Telephone Book.  Belize Telecommunications, Ltd.
official phone book covers the entire country.  White and Yellow
Pages. Includes fax numbers. 280 pp.  US$25

Back issue of The Tico Times, clearly the best English-language
newspaper in the region.  Lots of ads and news about expat life in
Costa Rica. About 48 pp.   Includes sub information so you can
subscribe.  US$4

Back issue of Honduras This Week.  English-language weekly
covering business, political, expat and visitor news on Honduras.
Includes sub info. About 24 pp.  US$4

Back issue of San Pedro (Ambergris Caye, Belize) Sun, the little
weekly paper on Ambergris Caye.  Includes sub info. About 24 pp.  US$4

Note:  Most of these guides, maps and books are available in
local bookstores, or in some cases directly from the author or
publisher.  At BELIZE FIRST we urge you to support your local
independent bookstores and hard-working self-publishers.   If not
available locally, these items are available from Equator Travel
Publications, 280 Beaverdam Road, Candler, NC  28715  USA.  For
delivery to U.S. and Canadian addresses, add US$2 for shipping and
handling for the first item and US$1 for each additional item;
elsewhere, add US$6 for the first item and US$3 for each additional
item.



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                QUIK GUIDE TO BELIZE

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POPULATION: 240,000+ (including refugees from Salvador,
Honduras and Guatemala) -- note that the population of the
entire country is about the same as a small city in the
U.S.

LARGEST CITY: Belize City, population 60,000+

LAND AREA:  8,866 square miles, about the size of the state
of New Hampshire

NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL VISITORS:  225,000 annually,  of
which about 125,000 are from the U.S., Canada and Europe,
most of the rest being border crossings from Mexico,
Guatemala and Honduras

MAIN VISITOR DESTINATIONS:  More than one-half of
international visitors go to the cayes (pronounced keys),
primarily Ambergris.   The other typical visitor
destination is the Cayo District, with its jungle lodges
and Mayan ruins.  Tour operators often refer to these two
destinations as "Surf and Turf."  Other areas which get
significant numbers of international visitors are Placencia
and Belize City.  Less-touristed areas of Belize include
the Toledo District around Punta Gorda, north around
Corozal and some of the 200 little known islands off the
Belize coast.

TOP THINGS TO SEE:  The Mayan ruins at Caracol, Lamanai,
Altun Ha, Xunantunich, Cahal Pech and elsewhere.   Among
nature preserves and parks, Cockscomb Basin Wildlife
Preserve, Community Baboon Sanctuary, Crooked Tree Wildlife
Sanctuary, Belize Zoo, Shipstern Nature Preserve, Rio Bravo
Conservation area, Mountain Pine Ridge, Blue Hole National
Park, Hol Chan Marine Preserve and the barrier reef and
atolls in the Caribbean Sea are exceptional.

Belize will NOT appeal much to those who are interested in
shopping, golf, gourmet cuisine, sophisticated nightlife,
or the social whirl.

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:  English, but with increasing legal and
illegal immigration from other Central America countries,
Spanish is becoming a first language in several areas.
Some Belizeans use a Creole patois which is not easy for
outsiders to understand. Mayan dialects, German and
Garifuna also are spoken.

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TIME:  Same as US Central Standard Time (Greenwich Mean
Time minus 6).  Daylight Savings Time is not observed.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:  Valid passport required for everyone.
Birth certificates will NOT suffice.  Visitors from the
U.S., Canada and most other countries do NOT need visas.
Entry is normally for 30 days, with extensions up to a
total of six months possible.

TELEPHONE:  The Belize telephone system is one of the best
in the region.  International calls are expensive -- about
US$1.60 per minute for direct dialed calls to North
America.  To call Belize from the U.S. or Canada, dial 011-
501 and the local number.  You should drop the first 0 in
the local number.

ELECTRICITY:  Same as in the U.S. and Canada, 110 volts AC.
You can plug in your U.S.-made appliances in most areas
with no problem.   Some hotels not on a power grid generate
their own DC power.

CURRENCY:  Belize dollar, fixed at 2 Belize dollars to 1
U.S. dollar.  Belize dollars are usually abbreviated BZE$
or BZ$.  You can exchange money at banks, and a bank
currency exchange office is located the international
airport in Belize City.  The U.S. dollar is widely
accepted, and many U.S. travelers do not exchange money.
U.S. dollar travelers checks are accepted by most hotels.
More-expensive hotels, tour operators and shops accept
credit cards, often with a 5% or so surcharge.  Do not
expect to be able to use your bank ATM card to get money in
Belize -- bring cash, travelers checks and credit cards.

COST OF TRAVEL IN BELIZE:  There are two ways to look at
the cost of traveling in Belize:  Belize is the most-
expensive country in Central America, but it is one of the
least-expensive Caribbean destinations.

Unlike Guatemala or Mexico, Belize does not have many very
cheap hotels and restaurants, especially not of the quality
and safety expected by most North American and European
travelers.  However, it does have a good variety of
moderately priced lodging and eating establishments. Most
middle-class travelers should expect to pay around US$75 to
$100 a night for lodging (for two people), and US$40 to $50
a day for food for two.  You'll likely spend more than this
at dive resort or at an expensive jungle lodge, and
considerably less in Punta Gorda or Caye Caulker.  Car
rentals in Belize are very expensive -- around US$400 a
week or more -- but buses are inexpensive, and internal
flights are moderately priced.

Those traveling on a budget may want to consider Caye
Caulker, Tobacco Caye, Placencia or Punta Gorda.


WEATHER:  Belize has a mostly sub-tropical climate,
somewhat similar in temperature to that of Central and
South Florida.  Temperatures nationwide are typically in
the high 60s to mid-90s F, cooler in the mountains.

There is a "wet season" and a "dry season," the exact
periods of which vary depending on the part of the country.
In the north, the most rain is from September to November.
In the extreme south, it is wet much of the year, from
April to December or January,  and 150 inches of rain a
year is not uncommon.  In most cases, rain storms are
intense but brief, and you can enjoy outdoors Belize even
in the rainy season. Hurricanes are a potential threat from
July to November.  Severe hurricanes have hit Belize about
once every two decades.   Late spring through mid-summer
are the times when the water has the highest visibility for
diving and snorkeling.

MEDIA:  Until a few years ago, Belize was one of the few
countries on earth without local TV.  Now there are two
Belize TV stations, with mostly U.S. rebroadcast.  U.S. and
Mexican TV is available via cable or satellite.  Belize
operates two government-sponsored radio stations, Radio One
on FM, AM and shortwave, and Friends FM at 88.9 FM.  KREM
is a privately owned station. Some programs are in English,
some in Spanish.

Newspapers in Belize are lively but don╒t always follow the
journalistic approaches with which you may be familiar.
The Reporter is the best-looking paper,  fairly moderate,
independent and generally informative.  Visitors to
Ambergris will enjoy the San Pedro Sun, an informative
weekly published by two California expats.  The People's
Pulse is the official organ of the United Democratic Party,
and the Belize Times is the official paper of the People's
United Party.   Advocacy in most of these papers is not
limited to just the editorial page.  Amandala has something
of a left-wing/pro-Creole slant and claims to have the
highest circulation of any Belize paper.   All of these are
weeklies, as Belize does not have a daily newspaper.

In addition to Belize First, several other magazines are
published about Belize, most directed to a foreign
audience, and mostly struggling to survive,  including
Belize Magazine and Belize Currents, with lots of pretty
pictures.   The Miami Herald and a few other foreign
publications are available in Belize City and San Pedro at
high prices.  (Note:  When coming to Belize, don't throw
away the papers and magazines you were reading on the plane
-- these will be appreciated at your hotel, since foreign
publications are expensive and hard to get.)

INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES SERVING BELIZE:  American,
Continental and TACA and all fly to Belize from the U.S.,
with gateways including Miami, New Orleans, Houston,
Washington,  San Francisco, and Los Angeles.  Lowest fares
range from around $300 to $700 round-trip, depending on
gateway and time of year.  Aviateca, Aerovias, Taesa and
AreoBelize provide service to and from Guatemala and
Mexico.  Low-cost charters fly from Toronto, New York,
Chicago, and several other cities, especially in the
winter.  Often the cheapest way to get to Belize is to take
a charter into Cancun, then fly AeroBelize to Belize City,
or take a bus to Chetumal, then another bus in Belize.
Several small airlines including Island Air, Tropic Air and
Maya Airways provide internal service.

FORM OF GOVERNMENT:  Belize, until 1973 known as British
Honduras,  is a parliamentary democracy  and, like Canada,
a member of the British Commonwealth.   The country has a
tradition of democracy and free elections.  The most-recent
national election, in June 1993, saw the United Democratic
Party's Manuel Esquivel regain the post of prime minister
that he lost in 1989 to People's United Party  veteran
leader George Price.   Both parties are fairly moderate,
with the UDP being considered somewhat more conservative
and pro-U.S.

HEALTH:  The water is safe to drink in most areas, and the
standard of health care and hygiene is among the highest in
the region, though not up to U.S. standards.  Malaria,
dengue fever, cholera and other diseases are present in
some parts of Belize, as they are in most of the tropical
and sub-tropical world. Belize reported about 10,000 cases
of malaria in 1994, a high incidence given the small
population of Belize.   AIDS is not yet as widespread in
Belize as it is in the United States or in some other
countries in the region, such as Honduras, but it could
become so, through IV drug use and unprotected sex.

No inoculations are required for entry to Belize.  Anti-
malarial treatment is advised if you are spending time in
the bush, especially in the south or west.   Mefloquine
(trade name Larium) is often prescribed.  Hepatitis A and B
inoculations are also sometimes advised for long-term
stays.  Tetanus, diphtheria, typhoid, and polio
immunizations may also be advisable.  Ask your health
professional.

High-tech, highly sophisticated medical care is NOT
available in Belize.  Those with serious or complicated
illnesses likely will want to travel to the U.S. for
treatment.  Emergency air ambulance services are available
in Belize, although the cost for transportation to the U.S.
is high.

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES:  100% foreign ownership of Belize
companies is permitted, although the government encourages
Belizean participation.  Tax abatements and holidays are
available.  Investment is especially sought in agriculture.
Products must be exportable, as the home market is small.
There are also opportunities in tourism.

The International Business Company (IBC) Act of 1990 and
the Trust Act of 1992 were passed, in part, to increase
foreign investment in Belize.  These laws are supposed to
protect investments in Belize from either appropriation or
taxation.  IBCs do not pay income taxes and do not file
income or dividend statements with Belize or other
governments.  Shareholders are not identified.  The track
record of companies established under these new laws is not
yet established.  In 1995, efforts were afoot to amend the
IBC Act.

The legal system of Belize, like that of the U.S, derives
from English common law, where innocence is presumed.

PURCHASING PROPERTY:  Non-Belizeans CAN buy property in
Belize.  Purchases of 10 acres or less outside cities or
one-half acre or less within cities requires no special
approval.  Purchases of larger tracts increasingly involve
government red tape and delays.   There is a land transfer
tax of 8% for non-Belizeans and 5% for Belizeans, typically
paid by the purchaser.  Attorneys fees and other closing
costs runs to several percent of the sales prices.
Property taxes are 1 to 1.5% of value annually, higher in
cities.   There are NO capital gains taxes in Belize.
Income is taxed only if derived in Belize.  You ALWAYS
should work with a knowledgeable attorney or other adviser
in Belize to assure that title and other papers are sound.

REQUIREMENTS FOR RESIDENCY:   Belize "welcomes immigrants
who are in a position to come here and establish themselves
without government assistance for ... agricultural
purposes, either on a small holding or a plantation basis,
industrial development or sponsored employment by
established commercial organizations" says the Belize
Immigration and Nationality Service. As a practical matter,
however, especially with considerable illegal immigration
from neighboring countries and high unemployment in Belize,
the country is no longer as open to new residents as it
used to be.  An exception is often made to those with
capital.  Belize is now offering "economic citizenship" and
Belize passports to those able to invest in the country and
to pay a fee.  You'll need at least US$75,000 for this
program.

Immigrants must have a medical exam, provide evidence of
good character through police reports for all places of
residence since age 16, and show evidence that funds are
available to finance the proposed undertaking.  Foreign
nationals wanting only to open a shop, store or restaurant
are not likely to be approved.

Some residents simply stay on by renewing their 30-day
visitor permits.  They must visit Belize City once every 30
days to renew.

Belize needs skilled workers in medicine, computers,
manufacturing, agriculture and technology areas.  However,
since unemployment is high in Belize, it is difficult to
obtain work in Belize, unless you are sponsored by a Belize
company needing a special skill.

COST OF LIVING:  Belize can be surprisingly expensive,
especially if you try to live in a U.S. or European style.
Because so much is imported, the Belizean market is small
and inefficient, and import taxes are high, many items
purchased in Belize, such as appliances, cars and
supermarket items, cost twice what they would in the U.S.
There are no Wal-Marts or McDonalds in Belize!  Labor is
cheap (a day's wages for a household worker might be US$5
to $10) but many of the most-skilled workers have left
Belize for higher-paying jobs in the U.S. or Britain.
Still, if you live closer to the Belizean style, the
country can be affordable, especially outside of Ambergris
Caye and Belize City.  One retirement guide to Belize
claims it is still possible to live there on US$350 a
month.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:  For tourism information, contact the
Belize Tourist Board at 421 Seventh Ave. Suite 701, New
York, NY 10001, tel. [phone] or 800-624-0686 , fax
212-563-6033.  Or, in Belize City at 83 North Front Street,
P.O. Box 325, Belize City, Belize, Central America, tel.
501-2-77213, fax [phone].  For information on residency
and investment, contact the Belize Embassy, 2535
Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC  20008, tel. 202-332-
9636, fax [phone].  Subscribers to BELIZE FIRST may
contact the magazine for expert advice.

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IN THE NEXT ISSUE:


The Charm and Beauty of Placencia

The Best Places to Live in Belize

Shipwrecked: Two Tales of Honduras and Belize

Update on Cayo

Should You Really Retire in Costa Rica?

Belize City in the 1950s

Profiles of the Top Archeologists Digging in Belize

And More.