Hubby and I will be in AC in July. If we had to choose between taking a day trip to the Belize Zoo or doing the trip that goes up the river to Lamanai, which would you choose and why? Hubby thinks he's Joe Photographer (buying him the digital camera for Xmas a few years ago was a BIG mistake!), and I just like to observe my surroundings (as long as there are NO TEENAGERS I'll be fine). Suggestions?

Lamanai is an amazing visit - the trip itself is great fun and the ruins are spectacular. Go with a good guide and it's a fun day with lots of learning and good food thrown in.

I've not been to the zoo, have heard it's very interesting.

The zoo is a great place but for something that you will remember for the rest of your life Lamanai is your choice.

Two totally different experiences. You can see the zoo easily in 90 minutes or less. And, it's not the stereotypical US type presentation either. Personally, I'd not make that a day trip stop, but save it for a stop off on a multi day mainland visit.

Take Law's & Simon's advice - Lamanai, definitely. Great photo ops for the hubby. Wonderful scenery to/at/from the river drop off. Ruins set in the jungle, lush tropical foliage,howler monkeys in the trees above your head ( watch where you stand, unless you have a "rain hat" ..it doesn't get much better.

LAMANAI!!!! Why? Breakfast, boat ride, Bomba, the magic school bus, belikin & rum punch, wildlife, lunch and the ruins.

Who rides the magic bus?

Everyone going to Lamanai on that day.

Not even close, Lamanai. There are some cool animals at the zoo but it is rather small by U.S. standards. Lamanai and the boat trip (and the rum punch on the way back) is incredible.

Ditto what Belikin Bill said!

Kelly we did Lamanai three times and enjoyed it. I agree with all of the above comments. We have always used SEArious Tours but if you do a search there are numerous guides and everyone has their favorites. You can easily book it when you get down there.
Have fun.

BB said it best! The Zoo was pleasant but if I had only one tour to pick - it would definitely be Lamanai. I went with Tanisha Tours - Daniel was outstanding!

We did Lamanai with SEArious Tours, too. It was a great experience. And the howler monkeys were spectacular. It's a fun ride up the Northern Highway to Orange Walk. They must replace the shocks on those buses and vans pretty often. The village of Bomba is great, too. Make sure you take some ones or change with you. They have a toilet paper fund in the restrooms at Bomba. Also, check out some of the wooden carvings in the shops. They will surprise you!!

Why see animals in a zoo when you can go to Lamanai and see them in their homes???

And go with Tanisha Tours, the best tour guide in Belize, Daniel Nunez.

We chose Tanisha Tours because of the posts on this message board. It was a fun, wonderful day. Daniel was a wealth of knowledge on the river, at Lamanai, and about the Mayas. The food and rum punches were delicious! Belikin Bill, I loved your magic school bus reference because it was one of many magical days in Belize!
(I haven't been to the zoo, so I can't help out there.)

The Bomba - New river magic school bus

I was waiting for Ms. Fizzle (Lily Tomlin) to get on and drive.

IMNSHO, Daniel is the BEST person to even think about leading you to Lamanai. He pioneered the adventure....he knows his stuff,one of the best naturalists I;ve ever come across. He'll take GREAT care of you and, his bus is a helluva lot bigger!

Klcman - Bigger is not always better. I have heard Daniel is the best guide, but does his bus fly?

obviously you've never been in it

(and not EVEN gonna comment on your 1st part :p )

Hi K! (Does Daniel fly his bus the same way you fly your golf cart?)

I think maybe klcman had a little to much rum punch on the way back and just thought he was flying. (or was that me)

The most important thing here is that the trip to Lamanai is a fastasic trip. Might be even better with Daniel. I have been told by many that he is the best. I have not had the privilege of going with him.

Nah - K is a very circumspect DD - he's just a little too old to see all the potholes!
At least one of the 3 Musketeers ended up w/ some serious bruises!
Agreed - Lamanai is a trip worth making!

butthead

PS counselor...watch out THIS Musketeer had new glasses! Ain't nutting getting by me now!'

(sitting back & waiting)

wait L...did you just call me DD?????

K - are you kidding me - you had new glasses and that's how you drove? Can't wait for the next trip - what are ya gonna have then - new hearing aids so you can hear me scream? :p

Yes - I called you DD (designated driver) the only kind of dd that actually matters.
Did you just call me a butthead?

Hate to correct your understanding of events counselor but the glasses were NOT new (unless you refer tot eh new sunglasses which got badly bent very early on the trip ) and according to MY recollection, by that time you had only spent 30 minutes of quality drive time in the limo

hear you scream? yup - eager anticipation of that for sure. :p

Thx for clarity on DD, assumed that to be the case, just checking

Only mentioned butthead in the singular, methinks the feminine form would be buttheadess, thus I plead innocent of said charge.

Always one to quibble - take a look at your post - you're the one who said you HAD new glasses. I didn't misunderstand - perhaps you mistyped! :p
Agreed, amazingly I was severely bruised after ONLY 30 minutes of your "quality time" limo driving!

And honestly - I can't believe you would look forward to my screams of terror as the limo catapults from pothole to pothole -

P.S. - I'm sorry E sat on your sunglasses :rolleyes:

P.P.S. - thanks for not calling me a name - in public!

oopps...my bad. May I hereby amend the post to read HAS new glasses? (note to self, check "tense" in addition to spelling)


Re potholes, I have it on good authority ( only cost me $2500BZ to fix that temporary civil engineering anomaly) that aforementioned holes are now filled, so you may rest easy & assured that any screaming you may elect to proffer will therefore arise from non-limo activity.

PS: If memory serves me correctly, and this could be the ONE time I am wrong so please take note, E was no where near them!

PSS: you're welcome (in public)!

You guys crack me up. Need to go on tour, like Abbott&castello

Pay me enough and I'll consider it..

L u in? and if so, which one do you wanna be?

Apology accepted!
Now if you take care of those hearing aids I won't have to scream at all - just the normal little squeals of delight!
Well, E doesn't seem to be around, so it seemed only fair to blame him for whatever...

I'll be the cute one

You already are. Who plays the straight man?

hahahahaha apology huh hmmmmmmm

trust me, no hearing aid needed, we men come with built in selective hearing that needs no adjustment. It works just fine as God planned & gave us. But I do wanna know what those little squeals sound like, by the way. :p

Can't wait for the E man to find us now hehehe

as to the last comment - thats a no brainer. I've seen what I look like

I'm crushed - you don't remember that repeated little squeal the first hour after the two musketeers picked me up from the airport - the "I'm a happy woman!" squeal, repeated at regular intervals!

I know all about that selective hearing - you guys were, after all, the rough draft!

Deac - not to worry - K's straight!
I'm starting to worry less about E and more about Marty - we are so not in the chat category... :rolleyes:

ohhh THAT squeal...of course I remember...how could anyone not! bump squeal belikin bump squeal rumpunch bump squeal belikin


ok...done. So, Lamanai or zoo anyone?

WOW! I thought I was going to get boring answers like, "Lamanai is better," and, "The zoo is nice." Instead, I get magic buses, designated drivers, buttheads, squeals, flying golf carts, Abbot and Costello, howling monkeys and a whole lot of other stuff that I really didn't understand, but it cracked me up anyway! Thanks, everyone!

We'll get on a slow boat up the river with the howling monkeys, get drunk on the way, sit on someone's glasses, he'll call us buttheads, stop in Bomba and buy one dollar bills from wooden people, drink rum punch, squeal with delight, and come back to AC and top it off with a Bellikin. (I hate beer. I also hate carbonated urine, which is damn close to beer. But I'll give this Bellikin stuff a try anyway!)

how does one know if he/she dislikes carbonated urine?

migh be better off not knowing THAT answer!

Go, have fun & report back!

kelly d - you've got just what it takes for a trip up the river! Have fun!

kelly d, don't expect a slow boat ride. Your hat should fit tight or you must hold onto it! Daniel slows down and/or stops to point out plants and animals along the river banks but the rest of the time it is full speed. He only goes back for the first blown off hat! He serves the rum punches in adult size sippy type cups...great for the bus and boat rides. Again, Daniel is an awesome guide and it is a wonderful day trip.

That boat ride, zipping around the curves & bends full speed ahead....woohoooooooo!

KLC, I admit I've never tasted carbonated urine! Then again, I "don't like" lobster, crab or anything that comes out of the ocean except canned tuna. And, to be totally honest, I've never TASTED lobster, crab or just about anything that comes out of the ocean. I have no idea why I don't like those things, I just seem to have it in my head that I don't! And for someone who lived in Hawaii as a kid/teenager, you'd think I grew up on that stuff.

I'll be the second person to admit I'm a little strange. The FIRST person that wants to admit I'm a little strange is my 17-year-old son!

Kelly d,You've got the right attitude!!You will have a blast!!IMHO..My husband hates seafood, and I'm a fish out of water, go figure! But there is plenty to eat and do in SP. Have fun!!

Another question......On the Lamanai trip, how much walking is there? And if it rains, is it still a good, albeit wet, trip? Or is it just a muddy mess?

it's easy walking. Can get a little muddy if it rains, in places. Don't worry...go. have fun.

Kelly d - If it rains the trip over and back is not quite is much fun nor do you get to see quite as much. You might have to sit under a tarp for a while. It rained on our trip last November and we still had a great time!!!

Lamanai for sure. It is more enjoyable and more memorable. The zoo is small and not that good JMO.