beaches

Were planning a trip in March and have narrowed our hotel choices to either Mayan Princess or Sunbreeze. Can anyone tell me what the beaches are like, we usually lay around the beach but sometimes like to get in the water just to cool off. Also how far away is the Sunbreeze from downtown, would it be within walking distance.

Both are downtown, and their beaches are great. Can't go wrong either way....

Not to disagree with Marty, who knows a lot more about Ambergris Caye than I do, and I've stayed at both places and like them both a lot, but I wouldn't say either has a great beach. Mayan Princess is right in the middle of town and while it's on the water with great views from the one-bedroom apartments, and a sandy area to relax in, this is not an area which has good swimming (due in part to boat traffic), plus there's a good deal of foot traffic along the beachfront here, which is used as a public walkway. The SunBreeze also has a great location at the south end of town, but it doesn't have much of a beach either -- it's just some sand and a seawall. It does have a great pool, though, and a pretty good swimming beach is close by at Ramon's.

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

I swim in front of either with the kiddos. I guess growing up in Oklahoma i ain't so picky as Lan, he had beaches closer!

:>

Marty

Marty---I grew up in Oklahoma also, and any beach looks good after that muddy red clay water!!!!

Linda take a look at the beach front composite photo Marty has posted at //ambergriscaye.com/message/Forum4/HTML/001553.html
Mayan Princess is the BIG pink hotel near the middle of the photo.
Sunbreeze is closer to Ramon's at the extreme left of the photo, but I can't tell you exactly which one right now.
Belize it!
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Here's that image, click the small one to get the big one....

<a href="http://BelizeNews.com/files/art/longbeach.jpg" target="new"><img src="http://BelizeNews.com/files/art/longbeachsm.jpg" width=715 height=12 border=0" alt="click me for big version"></a>

image by Tony Rath

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Marty

[This message has been edited by Marty (edited 11-16-2000).]

Seems to be a few okies on the board i`d just like to say OU is # 1

I looked at the coast line and I think we could get in the water at either location. I'm leaning towards the Mayan Princess since it looks like it would be closet to town, we like to go out at night and I'm unsure how far away the Sunbreeze is. I really want to thank everyone for their help, I've been reading this message board since July and it really makes you excited about visiting Ambergris, I cant wait to go.

Sunbreeze is directly across from the airport and is in town, very accessible to any of the restaurants, shops, etc.

Love the wide angle photo! Could someone give me a location for Rocks Inn? I know it's north of Mayan Princess, but I can't pick it out. Thanks

We stayed at Rocks Inn one year and I believe if you go north on the beach(Right) from Mayan Princess, pass Paradise with the thatched cabanas you will see an round orange buoy (sp?)in front of Rock's Inn. Rocks is the shorter building with a seam(?)in the sky pointing right at the building.
Belize it!

Thanks Margarita! What's your opinion of the place?

We had a great time at Rock's a few years ago. Three adults in one suite no problem. Clean unit and friendly helpful staff. Had a good time snorkeling right off the dock. They have built an outdoor bar since we stayed there, but I don't know if it is open. Anyhow paradise has service right next door. Close enough to town walking the beach. Quieter than staying right in town.
Enjoy your trip!

a few doors down from sunbreeze is ramon's. they have a pier with a nice artificial reef you can snorkel around. people i've talked to who stayed at sunbreeze liked it.

Linda,
We never stayed at the Mayan Princess but we saw it being built and have seen a couple of the rooms. They looked nice to me. It is in the center of town next to Fido's one of the music & night spots, good for you!Sunbreeze is at the end of front street, south end of town. They have music & night life right in the courtyard. So you might end up walking "home" from either spot!
Many regulars on this board have stayed at the Sunbreeze - but I've never seen the rooms.
Belize it!

Just got back and stayed at the Princess. Very nice people, nice rooms with a kitchen and living area AND a balcony. Sunbreeze cost more, the rooms bland with everyone walking by looking into your room. At any rate if you're looking for a place in town everything is within walking distance. The MP is my home from home.

Our stay at the Sunbreeze was very comfortable and location was terrific. Just
walk a few steps to the south and enjoy Ramon's beach, or lounge at the Sunbreeze pool. Sunbreeze does have drapes on the windows incase you don't like people looking in, LOL.

Belize it!

Ramon's has the best beach for a property in town - hands down.

Tropica has got be have the finest beach on the Caye and perhaps in all Belize. The beaches in the south are nice but being so far from the reef creates larger waves and stirs up the water.

Captain Morgan's has the longest strecth of white sand beach for any resort property in Belize.

>>Tropica has got be have the finest beach on the Caye and perhaps in all Belize. The beaches in the south are nice but being so far from the reef creates larger waves and stirs up the water.
Captain Morgan's has the longest strecth of white sand beach for any resort property in Belize.<<

Interesting claims. I've never seen Captain Morgan's make that statement, and I really doubt that it is accurate given the long stretches of beach on some of the remote cayes where there is only one lodge, or even in comparison with places like Mother's Ocean in Placencia, or even Kitty's and Serenity, which have long beach frontages.

The reef is a lot farther offshore in the south, but I don't know that the difference in wave energy is that great.

--Lan Sluder

Well, if you the energy, you could always ride your bike(rental, that is) down to the Lion's Park(if it still exists), and dive off the secluded pier(again, if...) into 8-10 feet of water...no boat traffic, no people, to speak of, and the water and privacy is fantastic!

We all tout what we love! I've stayed at Tradewind's twice, Rocks Inn (now Blue Tang) and Lily's. I've watched Fountain Blue being built and can hardly wait to see the inside and how much they sell for. All these are different and each suited to different needs..
There are tradeoffs for everything.
Tradwinds was very upscale with separate bedroom, kitchenette, dining and living area as well as porch and pool. This was very romantic.
I moved to Rock's when I stayed on alone and had a 2nd floor front jr. suite. Quiet, private and peaceful.
Lily's is sparse but clean. Advantage was group of single people and Lily's has two double beds to each room. Rooms are small; veranda right on the beach is great place to meet people. And best of all the charming young couple who run Lily's restaurant will serve your food right in front of your room.
Since Lily's is right down town and I am "early to bed, early to rise (ONLY when on vacation) I found it rather noisy.

IMHO you need to make yourself a list of expectations then do your research. What one person means by "beach" is not what another means. Having grown up in Oregon - yes Marty - with mile wide sand beaches if you could see anyone else you were invading their space. On the Mediterranean and NY beaches people line up like cars in a parking lot.
When you speak of swimming in the ocean do you mean playing in the waves or long distant swimming? There are no waves inside the reef. If you snorkel under the docks you can see all kinds of interesting stuff. You just have to not enter/exit in the boat lanes. Night diving under the docks is wonderful.
If swimming just means cooling off, then go to a place with a pool.
Then decide how much you want to pay per night. I tell my friends I can get you a place for $25 US or $125 US per night. Just know there is a BIG difference -- you get what you pay for.

Boy, did I get windy?

Scubaldy is right, snorkeling under the docks at night is amazing. I went under the dock at the Victoria House and I saw about 5 baby lobsters. And if I recomended a hotel, it would be either Ramon's or Banana Beach. Ramon's is a bit more upscale and it's in town, but I fell in love with the pool at Banana Beach. The hotel is built around the pool so it's like a little courtyard with a tunnel leading to a nice sandy beach.

Can anyone tell me what the bathing suit/bikini dresscode is on the beaches? Top on or off? I don't want to offend anyone...Advice or experience needed.
Thanks!

Top (and bottom) on if you are in town. If you are remote, I suppose you can do as you wish. I don't suppose anyone would give you any grief if you took your top off to sunbathe, but you will probably "draw a crowd". <g>

Now if you are there when Pirate or Zeke are there... I think they would advise you that it is perfectly acceptable to take it off. LOL

Kathy

I never wore a top the whole time I was there...topless is perfectly acceptable...please post your vacation pics! AAAAARRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Pirate, you are a rascal!

I'd rate the Beach as "OK". For laying out, I'd do the Myan. The swimming at either is poor. The Sunbreeze has a nice pool.

If I had kids I'd do the Sunbreeze beacuse of the layout. Myan has better Ocean view from the rooms.