If we do choose not to go the all-inclusive route, what about cost(meals and drinks), what currency is used (american or Belizean?) and debit card use(it sounds like this is not an option)? What kind of daily budget should one expect for meals and drinks?

You can use either US $ or Belizean money. It's set at 2 BZ to 1 US. There are no debit card facilities or instabank access. If you pay in US $, you will mostly likely receive any change in BZ $. As for what your budget for a day could be, well, that depends on how much and how well you guys want to eat and drink.

If you are used to all inclusives, there's a good chance that you are used to drinking domestic product anyway, am I right? The local booze is not so much, otherwise it's around $5 a drink same as at home. Some places charge more for a Belikin than others.

There are any number of places to eat, a few quite expensive, many reasonable and some very inexpensive so it all depends on what you guys like or how flexible you are willing to be. Will you get a condotel and be able to whip up your own breakfasts and snacks, have your own beers and blend your own drinks? Will you stay at Ramon's or the Sunbreeze and have to eat breakfast out all the time? Will you stay somewhere that will require you to need a cart or to take the water taxi to town all the time? Etc. etc.

I'm pretty sure there was thread a few months back that covered this quite well. Does anyone out there remember it?

$2 bz is equal to $1 U.S.

All credit card purchases are transfered to your U.S. rate (at least in my past trips) with no charge!

I would recommend that you do get travelers checks for at least half of what you expect to spend. Spindle Drift bar cashed all of our travelers checks for us with no problem; also there is a bank in town just for out of town guest that are more than happy to help you out, of course with a service charge!

But always when traveling outside you country, it's better to spend a little bit more just to protect yourself!

Meals and drinks are not that expensive - once you remember to convert prices!

One thing good to remember is that you are in a totally differnt enviornment - people living in Belize are not as fast paced as us Americans. They are in no hurry!!! At some places you might not get your drink until you food arrives...at first it makes you mad- but, then soon realize how much we get upset about the smallest things.

No matter what your experience on AC brings to you; you will never look at the world in the same way once you return back to your normal lives.

San Pedro to me was a blink in God's eye of how HEVAN will be!!!!

You have picked the best place to go on a vacation- all of us board members just wish you could take us with you!!!!!!!!

Have a great time & Belize it baby!!!!!


[This message has been edited by brandilee3 (edited 09-16-2002).]

Love that line "In the blink of God's eye of HEAVEN."
Money will not be a problem, just different and kinda fun.
Trust me, Belize money, has magic, you will find some of it in a pocket or suitcase, when you get home, no matter how hard you try to use all of it in Belize. When you find that money back home, it taunts you to return to BELIZE>>>>>>soon.

Funny you would mention finding BZ $ in your suitcase,I'm sitting at my desk & noticed about $4 in my "spare change jar"...I thought, "We need to go back & spend this"...Then reality set back in "Damn it"...My wife & I usually spend about $75 a day for food & drinks But it's impossible to say how much another couple might spend ...But for a guideline I think that would be pretty average....No matter what you spend You'll have a great time....
Just wish I was having a problem wonder how much I was gonna spend in AC next week!!!
O-well have to wait till'03.....John

Johnboy,

Just think, 03 isn't that far away.
AC is calling you.

NYGal,I keep trying to convince myself to go but my financial advisor says I can't...Wonder why!!!!!!!Johnboy