This isn't related to the "value-oriented" side of tips on Belize,... but I figured it'd be the best place to ask while we have so many Belize FTers congregated in one thread. :D

I've been doing some research on the recommended inoculations for Belize. Although none are required, I see that Hep A and Typhoid shots would be most recommended. Anything else?

Ahhhhh, yes, you are correct! Forgot about the Holidy Hotel! Thanks for the correction. I would have made a bee-line for the white building and pink trim coming from the airport.

Some suggest malaria shots or meds.

Is that for the rainforest? I presume that there's much lower malaria risk on the cayes?

Correct. More of an issue if you are on the mainland. In that case, many recommend it. If out on the cayes, people kind of say you can get one if it makes you feel better, but generally not required.

Exactly so.

PSUhorty, here is a pix of the "Rubies Hotel" sign...you inspired me to figure this out...the kid in the orange has his hands full of something he just got from Ruby's deli. You will notice the pix was taken before the street was cobble stoned. Enjoy your stay. ^

http://i445.photobucket.com/albums/q...ainstreet2.jpg

There are some Belize properties that list auctions on luxurylink and skyauction. Might be of interest.

Maps http://ambergriscaye.com/maps/index.html

Downloadable guides http://www.belizefirst.com/

Thanks for all the tips, guys.

I'll say it again though if you're heading to the cayes in winter -- make your hotel reservations ASAP, especially if you've got more than 2 people. I was amazed at how difficult it was to find good accomodations on Caye Caulker. The prices are good but availability is poor. If you run into trouble, PM me for some realtor contacts.

I did Belize last year for the AA/Y, TA/C deals for about $200. I think that Caye Caulker is nice and laid back. I asked a number of locals about where they would go, and they all pointed me towards the laid back Caye Caulker.

One day at the most in Belize City. Too many panhandlers, but still some nice Caribbean restaurants.

That certainly tips the scale in favor of a family beach vacation. :p

I've never done the malaria regimen. Is it still a whole bunch of pills taken for a long time, or is there a new option? Also, I presume it's generally not covered by regular health insurance.

FWIW, I didn't get my Hep A shots until I figured out a way to do it for free (basically don't tell them you want it for foreign travel). I assume it's hard to say you need malaria drugs for your hometown!

I booked tickets from EWR to BZE for my family of 4 Friday, 1/23/2009 though Wednesday, 1/28/2009

My kids are 2 & 4

Any suggestions on hotels that would be good for our family? Something low cost, large or small, near the beach would be good!

From the posts above I'm willing to guess that we should be looking at the Cays, but I would really like to visit one of the Mayan ruins; can this be done as a day trip? Would it involve a boat trip back to Belize City, then a car ride to the ruins? Should I rent a car? Hire a car and guide? Should I split our stay into a few days on one of the cays then a night or two inland?

my idea was basically spend usd 120 for 3 nights, maybe time spent snorkelling, then fly back. i too would be keen on value ideas but im on a student budget.

There are many hotels on the beach. Even the ones that aren't are within a block or so of the beach. But yeah, I would want to be on the beach too. Roughly speaking, there are two types of accomodations on Ambergris.
1. Cheap, no-frills, basic room. You'll have your bathroom, a bed or two, a dresser, and perhaps air-conditioning. However, we always found it nice to leave the windows open and let the breeze cool us as we slept. Jan is in the middle of high season. You will pay anywhere from $50-$125 or so per night at these. These would include the Spindrift, Ruby's, Conch Shell Inn, Holiday Hotel, Lily's, and several others.

2. Bit more costly, better equipped rooms, may have a pool, poolside bar, restaurant, etc. They won't be 5* or anything, but still nice. You could expect to pay anywhere from $150-$300/nt. These would include Banyan Bay, Ramone's (many people stay at this one), Banana Beach, Caribbean Villas, etc. There are others.
Take a look at this site:
http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/lodge/lodging.html
It lists nearly all of the hotels on the island. If I were you, I'd want to be IN Sand Pedro town, on the beach. You are at the epicenter. If you want to be a bit more peaceful, I'd stay south of town. There are some great resorts north of town, but it's a royal b*tch to get to town from there. The road is horrible and you will have to rent a golf cart for the week (not cheap).

Yes, the Mayan ruins can be done as a day trip, but it makes for a long day, especially w/2 young kids. You'll hop on a boat back to the mainland (about 1.5 hrs). You'll then board a bus that will take you to near the mayan ruins. Then, the bus and boat ride back. Long day.

If you stay on the keys, no, you won't need to rent a car or guide. There are many outfitters on both Ambergris and Caulker that will set everything up for you. They'll pair you up w/others who wanted to do the same. Trust me, the outfitters are everywhere. Walk down the beach and you'll see signs outside the dive operator's buildings on the walls. You won't have ahard time getting this set up. Also, most any of the hotels you stay at on the keys will be able to set this up for you too.

Can't necessarily answer that for you. Never stayed back on the mainland. If it were me and i had two, young kids, I'd stay one night on the mainland to make for a shorter day to the ruins. I never went, but I understand the Belize Zoo is excellent too. With all that said, I'd stay on the keys for as many days as possible.

Trekkie, depends on when you are going. You can find hotel rooms for $40/nt during low-season. Ruby's for one. I'm paying $40/nt at Ruby's 8 days from now. I don't need much... just gimme a room on the beach that has a bed and bathroom. During high season, you will pay more like $60-$75/nt for this same room. Still not expensive, but not as enticing as $40. Ruby's will be one of the cheapest on the island, btw.

As far as eating, you can eat there on a budget. It's called street food and it's darned good there. From one bar to the next, walk the town at night and get a tamale for a couple bucks. Lunchtime, you'll find guys BBQing chicken roadside. I did this one day for lunch. Excellent. You can still get good ol' chicken tenders at restaurants if you like. Or a good burger relatively cheaply. But if you're into eating the seafood everyday, it could start to get costly.

Snorkeling- I think I paid $35 for a half day. Went to three different spots. It was spectacular. If you have your own snorkel gear, you can simply snorkel by one of the resort piers... for free. Many head to Ramone's pier. That's where I went for a few hours. While not as spectacular as the coral reefs, it was still pretty darned cool. Many, many fish.