Well, here we are in Belize!
We are staying at a Private Villa, Casa Blanca (The White House), which is currently on the market for US $2,200,000.
Blanca consists of two spacious and identical upper and lower 2-bedroom suites making it very private and very exclusive. Additionally, this arrangement allows us to provide you a level of service just not possible with conventional lodging. Whether you choose to rent the upper, lower, or both suites for larger groups you'll enjoy complete privacy as no other guests will be booked during the time of your stay.
Fine furnishings and a simple decor, balanced by the exterior island beauty, help create a peaceful yet energetic living space. A perfect atmosphere for rest and relaxation.
Exotic Belizean woods make up a bulk of the interior decor, capturing the spirit of the tropics and island living.
You'll find virtually every comfort of home here for your entertainment and leisure, plus many other amenities you just won't get elsewhere.
For those who enjoy cooking a gourmet kitchen awaits, fully equipped with high-end appliances, utensils, and cooking wear. Don't want to cook? Not a problem, we can arrange to have it done for you. Either way, at meal's end we'll take care of the clean up.
Today, Tuesday ....while everyone back at the office is at a Sales meeting and Broker Open House...we were fishing!
The kids caught 24 lobsters , 3 huge spider crabs and about 7 fish (Keepers).....It was the crab shack at our place! We couldn't eat another bite!.....left overs will be in lobster salad for lunch!
Alberto is the best dive master and boat captain....we have him for 7 days 24/7 !!!!!
For more information e mail > isa@intercol.us
Hooked up with a local REALTOR Dennis Kay to tell me more about San Pedro. The water is beautiful here.
TIPS:
Travel Tips and Other Information
The information below is intended to quickly help you acclimate upon your arrival in Belize. This information is considered accurate at the time of writing; however things can change quickly in Belize! If you notice any changes upon your visit please let us know.
Arrival:
When you arrive at the Belize International Airport you will show your passport to the immigration officer (the left passport line seems to move the quickest) afterwhich you'll proceed to claim your luggage. With luggage in hand, you will then clear customs. If you have nothing to declare (as most tourist) you can go to the right side of the room under the sign "Nothing to Declare" and hand your customs form to the customs agent. Sometimes he will ask you to step into the other line as they would like to look in your bags, but that is not usually the case. The customs officer will usually ask where you are staying. Tell him you are staying in San Pedro. He'll know you have another plane to catch and usually get you on your way quickly.
After clearing customs you will enter the airport lobby. They won't let you take your baggage cart any further than this point so either use one of the local porters to carry your stuff or you'll have to do it yourself. Either way it's only about 30 yards to your island-hopper ticket counter just around the corner. For the Belize City-San Pedro flight you have two options: Tropic Air www.tropicair.com or Maya Island Air www.mayaairways.com. Although we usually fly with Tropic, both are very similar with hourly outbound flights everyday (flight time is just 15-20 minutes). Reservations and payment can me made directly on their website or directly at the airport.
If you have time and want to rent a cell phone you can do so at the Belize Telephone office (BTL) right outside the airport across the parking lot by the rental car offices. Note that several of the car rental places rent phones too all for about $5/day. You will have you fill out a simple form (have your passport and credit card handy). Once you rent the phone you can purchase a prepaid BTL card for it. The cards go fast if you plan to call the US a lot, buy a higher value card and you won't regret it. Alternatively incoming calls (domestic or international) are free so if it's just for your office or others to reach you in an emergency, buy a cheap card just to keep the phone active.
If you still have the time and are hungry there is a restaurant upstairs from the main airport lobby. The food is actually pretty good. You can also get refreshments there as well - a great time to get yourself acquainted with the local beer "Belikin".
Ourselves we really like the local suds but think it's a coin-toss between their "Premium" or "regular" brew as to which is really the best. If you aren't interested in cell phones, food, or drink proceed to the security clearance area on the opposite side of the room. Show them your passport and your boarding pass. Next is the carry-on security screening, just like in the U.S.. You will probably see a sign asking you to remove your shoes. This is not necessary unless you are asked to do so. When you pass through security screening you will enter the lobby for the gates. Inside you will find some small shops with not much to buy, a bar, and restrooms. Your flight to the island will take approximately 15-18 minutes depending on whether or not they make a quick stop on one of the other Cayes (pronounced as "Keys" by the non-tourists).
Grocery Suggestions:
•1) San Pedro Market, Super Buy, or Island Supermarket:
Grocery Stores with the best selection of US products. FYI, our favorite for good prices vs. selection is Super Buy (aka "the purple store" by locals).
•2) San Pedro Distributors:
Beer and Sodas by the case...best prices. With a few days notice we can order drinks ahead of time for you. Drinks will be cold on arrival and you'll pay the island's lowest prices.
•3) The Greenhouse:
Best Selection of Vegetables. They also have fresh eggs and good quality frozen shrimp.
•4) Chico's:
Although the place does not look like much from the outside, they have the best frozen chicken on the island at a very reasonable price.
•5) Liquor Box:
Good availability and best prices for booze. Keep in mind that imported alcohol can be expensive here (typically twice to three times the US price). That said you may want to pack your favorite bottle of Vodka or Scotch from home if you have space in your bags.
•6) Bakery:
Garlic bread, fresh baked bread and some pastries. The baked goods in Belize contain no preservatives and don't last long in the Tropics. Best to keep your baked goods in the refrigerator. You can purchase Bagels and English Muffins at the grocery store. The Tortilla factory is great for fresh, warm corn tortillas. Mar will make you all the flour tortillas you want and they are better than what you buy in town.
Here are a few things to consider packing (although available in Belize if you forget):
Ground coffee, your favorite cereal, some of your favorite spices (in case we don't have them or to avoid buying a large quantity locally for just a short stay), frozen concentrated juice for the kids.
Dining:
Personally we enjoy doing lunch in San Pedro town and eating in at night. Some of our favorite eateries are: Caliente (our favorite beachfront Mexican food), Elvi's (tried and true), Caramba, El Fogon (great local flare), and Mangos (the cook used to work at Victoria House!). BC's also has a great BBQ lunch on Sundays.
Diving:
All things considered, the best diving we've ever done anywhere is right here in San Pedro!
Dive Shops we recommend are:
1) Belize Ocean Divers (located at Journey's End, minutes away)
2) Amigos del Mar (San Pedro)
3) Aqua Dives (San Pedro)
There are many other dive shops in the area however apart from renting equipment; most will contract out your dives with one of the above shops.
For local day or night reef diving around Casa Blanca you can try Belize Ocean Divers at Journey's End resort - they'll pick you up and drop you off straight at our dock. All guests that we've referred to them have always had good things to say about their experience. Typically guest will do 2-3 dives a day with them. They'll pick you up on our dock at 9AM and drop you back off at 1PM in time for lunch.
If you plan to dive the Blue Hole, we recommend you go with Amigos del Mar or Aqua Divers as they seem to have some of the best offshore boats on the island. They also seem to make the trip more than anyone. Our opinion: the Blue Hole dives are actually very nice and not too tough for even beginners, definitely worth doing once in your life. Keep in mind though that it's a 50-mile (3-hour) ride each way. Going on a rough water day can be a real punishment so wait for calm seas if you can.
FYI, typical pricing for local 2-tank dive is about $50/person + any equipment rental. All-day excursions such as diving the "Blue Hole" dives are about $230/person.
Some Do's & Don'ts....
Most of our guests are very content with Alberto's favorite fishing holes. For more exotic fishing options such as offshore, tarpon, or bone fishing Alberto will be happy to line you up with the right person for the best price.
Daytrips can be planned to the mainland to: view ruins, go cave tubing, bird watching, and a number of other activities you are sure to love. Just let Alberto know what you want to do and he can assist you. As a licensed tour guide himself Alberto will be happy to point you in the right direction and make sure you only deal with the best in the business. From our own experience, a couple of really fun day trips we've enjoyed are the "Me Too" catamaran trip to Caye Caulker and the "Altun Ha" ruin trip, both run by Hustler Tours in town.
Golf Cart rental: Renting a golf cart for a day or two to visit San Pedro and the surrounding areas can be a lot of fun. We usually suggest renting from Cholo's, where the prices are reasonable and a 10% discount is usually yours just for the asking. Castle Cars too has really nice carts and they also have a rental location close to Casa Blanca that's real convenient for drop-off. If you decide to rent a cart we suggest you opt for a gas-powered cart rather than batteries. Oh and don't forget to bring bug repellant if you decide to go trail-blazing on the backside of the island!
To bring or not to bring...
Bathing Suits, Shorts, T-Shirts, Sandals, Hats and Visors. Leave your fancy clothes at home as it's strictly casual here in the tropics!
Sunblock, & Bug Repellent. (Benedryl Gel is great should you get some bites and Solarcane can be worth its weight in gold should you stay too long in the sunshine). Don't forget your personal meds.
Isa@intercol.us
Bonus Material
For those of you who enjoy a little boozin' while on vacation, below are 2 or our favorite drink recipes while on the island:
Casa Blanca Margarita
(mixed in blender)
3 Cups Ice (24 ice cubes)
1/2 Cup Triple Sec or Grand Marnier
1 Cup Tequila
4 Oz. Frozen Limeade (best to pack a few of these from the US)
1 Lemon Squeezed (strain any seeds out first!)
Dash of strawberry daiquiri mix (optional)
Casa Blanca Rum Punch
(dosed using the coffee pot - all ingredients available in San Pedro)
4 Parts Pineapple Juice
4 Parts Rum (In Belize, Old Barrel Dark Rum recommended)
2 Parts Orange Juice
1 Part Cranberry Juice
1 Part Mango juice
1 Fresh Squeezed Grapefruit (optional)
2-4 Limes ("Jamaican" Limes are the best - ask Alberto to get some if available)
Dash of Grenadine