Will be spending 1 week at Ambergris Caye and wondering if a ferry goes to Dangriga from the island or if we have to take it to Belize City, and then take a bus to Placencia? Is there one bus that goes all the way to Placencia, or do we have to change off in each town on the way (Belmopan)? Also, can anyone tell me how long the trip is by bus, or if a rental car would be recommended instead of the bus?

Anybody have any ideas for a nice secluded cabana near Dangriga or Placencia? Have found a few on the web, but there are probably some there that are just as nice but not well advertised.

Thanks, Shauna

There is no ferry to Placencia. IMAHO when all is said and done and cost vs. vacation travel hours calculated, it is best to fly. AC to placencia by plane can be 2 hours [or 4 bellikans--Bellikans is a unit of measure]. While the land water route can take a whole day. Fly from Municipal airport not international as it is about 20-40% cheaper.
We stayed at Singing Sands Inn on Maya Beach and they should be up & running after Iris. About $140 US per night for nice Cabana, which, I think, included breakfast.

As Frank said, there is no ferry to Dangriga. There used to be one from Belize City to Placencia, but it no longer runs (don't think it did enough business, and the trip was long, wet and rough.)

I personally think you will benefit from renting a car. It's handy to have for exploring, the drive to Placencia down the Hummingbird is beautiful, most of the road is now paved and it's good to have a car on the Placencia peninsula since taxis are expensive and there is no regular bus service.

Besides Singing Sands (which is nice, should reopen soon with cabins better situated but without its pool) you might look at Green Parrot and Barnacle Bill's, both nice and moderately priced. I know Barnacle Bill's has reopened, not sure about Green Parrot. Closer to Placencia village, Kitty's is wonderful (it is open and the best beach on the peninsula). At the upscale end, Robert's Grove is fantastic.

You might also look at Hopkins, which had little storm damage. Hamanasi there is terrific. Nicest pool in southern Belize.

Dangriga offers little to the visitor, except as a jumping off point for the cayes. I wouldn't stay there.

--Lan Sluder
Belize First http://www.belizefirst.com/

I'M CERTAINLY IN NO POSITION TO GIVE BETTER INFO THAN LAN AND MARTY BUT I CAN TELL YOU THE FLIGHT WORKED BEST FOR ME AND ISN'T THAT EXPENSIVE VIA MUNICIPAL. I WILL SAY THAT A VEHICLE MAY COME IN HANDY NEAR PLACENCIA DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU STAY AND WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE. TAXI'S FROM MAYA BEACH TO PLACENCIA VILLAGE WERE 15BZ EACH WAY LAST YEAR. MAYA BEACH IS PROBABLY AS FAR NORTH AS YOU WOULD STAY. I AM ALSO VERY HAPPY TO REPORT THAT GREEN PARROT IS UP AND RUNNING...WE HAVE ROOMS BOOKED FOR FEB.GREAT PLACE WITH WONDERFUL HOST.ENJOY IT HOWEVER YOU GET THERE!!!

hey big frank===

i might have to disagree with your conversion <4 belikins = 2 hours>. every time i have been in belize it's been really, really hot. i think the realistic conversion would be 3-4 belikins per hour of travel and/or waiting. they get warm so fast one has to be quick!

cheers---
gogo

Wow, thanks you guys. We were thinking about renting a vehicle after we get to the mainland via ferry, and might go that route, unless we use belikin's to plan how long our drive is going to be! You've given me alot of info to look into, which is great. I just hate flying, so I guess that is why I always look for alternate ways to travel whenever I can. I have info on the Green Parrot and Barnacle Bill's (which I think is where we'd like to stay, but they only have the two last nights we will be in Belize available and I'd like to get closer to Belize City for our flight by the last night anyways). Kitty's Place has always interested me, too. Heard from the Singing Sands and Serenity Resort...anybody know anything about either of them? We might go into the jungle and stay a couple nights there to (Cave's Branch, Log Cab-Inns?).

I have one more question? If we just got to the mainland and drove until we got to where we decided to stay, kind of just winging it without pre-booking, what are the chances that we would find something that way in the first two weeks of March? That is one plan that we have because we're the type of people that like to take our time and if we find a nice little bar on the beach or a really beautiful beach along the way, we might have wished we had not booked something 50 miles away (plus, we might have a few too many belikin's like we tend to do when we really start having fun). We've talked to some friends that have been there and they said that they just found places as they went and didn't have much trouble at all finding accommodations, but that was a couple of years ago and I would hate to risk not finding a room to sleep in. Any comments about that from some of you experienced ones would really be appreciated.

Whoa. I understood that Placencia had been virtually destroyed by Iris. If this is true, have they rebuilt already?

Nuxib,

The Placencia peninsula is about 16 miles long. Hurricane Iris was a compact storm with the eye coming ashore near Placencia village. Many of the resorts north of Placencia village, especially in the Maya Beach area, either have reopened or will soon. The newer, better built resorts also fared better than the mostly wood structures in Seine Bight and Placencia villages. There was also a lot of damage south of Placencia -- Monkey River and also the rural areas of Toledo.

.....

Shauna,

Log Cab-Inns is a good value but it is not in the "jungle" -- it's at the edge of San Ignacio town.

--Lan Sluder

I wouldnt worry too much about pre booking if you are the spur of the moment type of traveler. Like you I like to stay where Im having a good time ,and reservations sort of put a kink in that sort of thing.. Just talk to people and ask and you will have no problems finding a place to stay. We chartered a boat and captain to take us from Placincia to San Pedro one year..It was a rough day and we got a little wet but it was a great trip, (we followed the reef most of the way)and we saw a lot that we would of missed . Just take your time and remember you dont really have to be anywhere except where you are... so go and have a great time