Well my husband and I have decided on a cruise this year in September...not Caulker, one of our favorite places in the world. It's been a hard decision...beleive me.

One of our ports IS Belize City and we had hoped to catch a water taxi out to Caulker for a bit...but are getting cold feet with the taxi's and schedules and missing the cruise ship...yikes!

Any suggestions on what we should do? We don't want to do any "planned" excursions from the ship and we have no desire to hang out at the tourist village..to "clean" for us.

Suggestions for a good place for lunch of Belizean favorites and a Belikin...or even a One Barrell and Coke?

Lots of cruise ship people catch the water taxi and come here to Caye Caulker for the day...the main problem with that is you get let off the ship last..the people with tours are let off first and this can get you a late start..you could get off and grab a taxi to the bus station and go to the Zoo, we have a wonderful Zoo, I did not go for years as I dont like Zoos but heard so many good things we went, we have been 4 or 5 times now. Its a little less than an hour by bus. The buses run every 30 minutes, except Sunday..they are unpredictable on Sundays......

It's true that the sheeple with ship's tours get tendered in first, but with all the water taxis to and from Caulker, plus the option of flying one way (if you fly to municipal and if Maya Island still has the 25% off deal for cash, the cost is only around US$22 one way) you shouldn't have a problem getting to the island and back.

The zoo is a great idea.

In the city the Museum of Belize and the House of Culture (Government House) and St. John's Cathedral are well worth seeing.

If you decide to stay in Belize City for lunch, Harbour View is a pleasant place with views of the water, but the restaurant at Bird's Isle is more Belizean, or you could taxi to the Riverside Tavern for the best hamburger in Belize. Or you have all the old places to choose from like Nerie's and Macy's. Also Big's Daddy's.

--Lan Sluder

I've said this before: BEWARE, if you are not on a ship arranged tour and go out on your own and are late getting back for ANY reason, you're on your own. They will not wait.

Go to the Riverside Tavern or Celebrity Restaurant and then over to the Princess Hotel for some black jack or hang at their ocean front bar.

The man made "Cucumber Beach," marina and Old Belize Museum just S of Bz City is a nice, relaxing place to pass the day. Good food but a bit on the pricey touristy side.