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Flights
We flew United from EWR to BZE with a stop in HOU leaving 6AM. Total flight time was 5 hours. Flight was booked with miles.
The timing very much didn’t work with the kids, we had to wake them up during the night and they were tired, cranky and restless the entire flight, but refused to go back to sleep (which is what we had hoped for).
Flight back we took JetBlue direct to NY. Booked with Chase points transferred to JetBlue. The flight took 4 hours.
This was an afternoon flight (1:30 PM) and to our surprise, it was somewhat easier. The kids were still very active (and noisy), but at least they were well rested. In hindsight, we think an evening flight might work best – or perhaps flying with toddlers is just that much fun 😉
Food
While there is one Kosher restaurant in San Pedro, and basic ingredients (eggs, potatoes, beans, etc) are readily available, we brought along most food.
We packed a big cooler bag within a grocery box, and then taped another box to it with rest of the food so that it counts just as one checked bag (tip from @morrishershko).
Officially, you need a permit to bring in many types of foods. We did not do this, and the customs agent threatened to take our food away. After a few minutes he told us that for $140 in cash he’d let us keep it. We didn’t ask questions and went on our way.
General Info
The official language of Belize is English which makes getting around very easy. Many people speak either Spanish or English Creole as their first language, so their English is often accented.
The Belizean Dollar is set 2 to 1 to the USD ($100 BZD = $50 USD). Both currencies are accepted most places and it doesn’t make a difference which is used.
We did a fair amount of research on safety. Most of the country is known to be very safe, except for Belize City which has some seedy areas. It is advised not to stay in Belize City if possible. Except for once when taking cash out in Belize City, we didn’t feel unsafe at any point.
The mosquitoes are really, really terrible. If you tend to get bites, make sure to douse yourself in repellant. What seemed to work best for us was an herbal mix the lodge offered.
Day 1 – Friday
We arrived early in the day. We had a driver waiting for us at the airport to take us to the ferry in Belize City. He arranged tickets for the ferry for us and off we went. The ferry itself is a smallish vessel which is not comfortable. It is hot, stuffy, stormy and the seats are metal benches. But after a 45 minute ride, we arrived to the beautiful island of Caye Caulker (Caye is pronounced Key like the Florida Keys). The island is the epitome of laid back. Our driver Bradley (highly recommend – he can be reached via Whatsapp at +501-633-3371) showed us around the island while we waited for check in time. We stopped for fresh squeezed juice, watched Stingrays being fed, and shopped for groceries for Shabbos. He took us to the Split, which divides North and South Caye Caulker, and hooked us up with Clayto from Split to Split Ferry (highly recommend – he can be reached via Whatsapp at +501-637-8839) who then took us on his rickety little boat straight to our house for the weekend.
At 4PM we checked into our Airbnb – a beautiful home on the sea. We settled in for Shabbos, looking forward to a beautiful relaxing weekend.
Day 2 – Shabbos
Shabbos was spent enjoying the view, the food we were lucky to have and the kids’ company. We had brought along a few toys (a small box magna tiles and nutty toys) as well as two books. This time was perfect for bonding as a family and enjoying each other.
Motzei Shabbos, we went for a swim in the private pool, but left after a few minutes thanks to the countless mosquitos tried attacking us…
Day 3 – Sunday
Sunday morning was laid back, just the way Caye Caulker was intended. Sunrise was stunning. The kids enjoyed the pool and the three iguanas joining us. I was amazed at this since my older son used to be petrified of water, but here he tried swimming for the first time and loved every minute.
After their nap, we loaded all of our luggage onto Carlos’ boat (he can be reached via Whatsapp at +501 602-6263) and headed out. We were unsure how the kids would feel about the boat, ocean, and idea of snorkeling so we agreed that we would take it one step at a time and abort if they got restless.
First stop was Shark Alley, an area filled with (mainly harmless) sharks. They threw some food in the water and hundreds of sharks swam to grab their catch. The kids (and adults) actually loved it, so we continued on.
Next we headed to Hol Chan Preserve. That’s a protected region of the coral reef – the second greatest in the world. Here we wanted to go snorkeling, the kids however did not want to go into the ocean. Instead my husband and I took turns swimming with Carlos – who obviously very much loves what he does. He pointed out beautiful fish and sea creatures and got infectiously excited by every unique thing. It was insanely beautiful, even just the coral itself, but with the schools of fish swimming by it was surreal.
From there we headed to Ambergris Caye, where we had to drop off a playpen we had rented. As it was getting late, we just got drinks and headed to the ferry. After another hour at sea we finally made it back to the mainland, exhausted. We rented a car and headed to our next stay – Hidden Valley Wilderness Lodge in the Cayo Region.
The lodge was everything we hoped for. Boutique, pretty, homey, and with an amazing dedicated staff that waited for us with fresh cold drinks. They had set up a bed and crib for the kids in the screened porch, and had a nice welcome note with all pertinent information waiting. The room itself was beautiful with an indoor tub and outdoor shower that looked like a waterfall. Tired after a long day, we quickly feel asleep to the sound of crickets.
Day 4 – Monday
Monday morning, the kids were up bright and early. After everyone was bathed, dressed and well fed, we went for a walk on the beautiful grounds, nestled in a pine forest with the sound of birds surrounding us. One of the staff showed us around the different areas and told us of all the cool animals sightings they’ve had. After thinking about it for a while, we decided to upgrade our room to the One Bedroom villa which had AC, since both the kids and adults were getting restless from the heat and humidity. We figured we’d love to spend the next few days laid back and relaxing and we’re not great with tolerating heat.
The One Bedroom Villa was way nicer than the room we had – and that is saying a lot. It had a private plunge pool, indoor and outdoor shower, screened in porch, large living room and kitchen area. It was the kind of place that would cost thousands a night in the US.
Here, in the cooled down room, we put the kids for a nap and relaxed while they slept. When they woke up, we headed to San Ignacio, the main town in the region. The town was a lot less touristy than I expected – perhaps due to the fact that it was low season. After a quick grocery run for more eggs, we went to the Iguana Reserve in the San Ignacio Hotel. The kids loved seeing and petting the Iguanas – especially the babies. It was the perfect outing for the day.
Day 5 – Tuesday
Again, we opted for a laid back morning. I took the kids for a ‘kid friendly’ hike on the property, which turned out to be extremely difficult even for me and we turned around after a few minutes. It accomplished it’s goal of exhausting the kids though, and they settled in for a nice long nap.
Afterwards we went on a property tour recommended by the lodge. We viewed some beautiful waterfalls and spotted the unique Orange Breasted Falcon. Unfortunately we didn’t see much more wildlife and it started raining. The kids were getting bored anyway and so we decided to call it a day.
Back in our villa, we played some games borrowed from the front desk, ate dinner, and put the kids to bed. We then packed up since tomorrow was gonna be a busy day.
Day 6 – Wednesday
Our last day in Belize arrived faster than we expected. We woke up with the kids, took all remaining food to go, and packed into the car. We still wanted to make it to the zoo to see all the animals we hadn’t been lucky enough to see in the wild.
It was a bit tight, but well worth it. The zoo had all local animals, including jaguars (they really are hard to spot – even in their cages), monkeys and their national animal – the tapir – a weird looking animal somewhere between a bull, donkey, and pig for lack of a better explanation. There were also many types of beautiful birds including the scarlet macaw, but unfortunately there weren’t any toucans and we had to leave Belize without seeing its national bird.
Then it was off to the airport for the (subjectively) long flight back home. The wait time at the check in counter was long, but immigration (yes, they have exit immigration) and security were a breeze. At the gate we also waited a while past the official boarding time with no word from any staff and the entire place felt a little unofficial, but it wasn’t too bad (and thank GD there was AC).
And so we were off. The past 5 days had been a magical time of family bonding, beautiful sceneries, and surreal experiences. But alas, we were looking forward to our own beds and a bit of routine. Until next time.
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