Where's Johnny Jet: Out for Adventure in Belize

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Buenos dias from Central America! Last week, we left off from Miami just before boarding a plane to Belize. "Belize" it or not, Belize is just a short hop, skip and a jump from the United States. Flight time from Miami is just under two hours and a number of other North American cities offer nonstop service, too. If you're up for checking out a new eco-friendly jungle resort, exploring ancient Mayan ruins, going cave tubing, zip lining and a whole lot more (including a run for the Guatemalan border), then grab your passport and sense of adventure.

China & Myanmar Relief Efforts

Before we get started I just want to say my heart and prayers go out to all those involved in China earthquake and Myanmar Hurricane. Watching the horrible images on TV makes me feel so sad and helpless. If you want to help out here is a list of organizations and groups working on both relief efforts.

Miami Airport

From downtown Miami, a taxi to the airport took 20 minutes and set me back $25, not including tip. This time, I had a female Haitian driver who didn't once get off her cell phone during the entire ride -- not even when she dropped me off. The MIA airport was busy as usual and I sure was happy that I'd accrued enough miles to earn elite status on American Airlines so I could bypass some of the airport's long lines. Check-in at the First Class/Gold desk took five minutes and security was another 10. My wait time would have been quadruple the time if I didn't have elite status. If you aren't flying First Class or don't have elite status, be sure to allow yourself plenty of time to make it from curb to gate. It helps to pack light, not check a bag and print your boarding pass online before arriving at the airport. NOTE: American Airlines doesn't allow online check-in for international flights.

Delayed

Miami's concourse C is the complete opposite of its new D terminal. The gate area is depressing and they have very few food options. The 737 plane was all set to leave 15 minutes early when the pilot got on the PA and said, "Sorry folks â€" something's wrong with one of the plane's flaps." We ended up just sitting on the ground for 90 minutes waiting for the problem to be fixed. When I spotted the ground crew taking bags off the plane, I knew we weren't going anywhere soon so I immediately called American's 800 number to secure a seat on the 2pm flight. Fortunately, the agent told us not to worry as they had another 737 available. The captain confirmed this information moments later. This is one of the benefits of flying out of an airline's hub.

Miami to Belize City

It was a good hike to the E concourse and the pilot, my new best friend, said that if everything went well, we'd be out of there in 45 minutes. He was right. Boarding was a breeze and felt like a scene straight from the movie Groundhog Day, as all the same faces and bags assumed their earlier positions. Maybe the airlines should set aside a retired jet for passengers who don't fly often so they can do a practice run â€" it's much faster the second time ‘round. If you're hungry, be sure to bring your own snacks and drinks because the flight time is so short (one hour and 54 minutes), that American doesn't even offer buy-on-board service and came around with the drink cart just once.

Carbon Offset: I realize what airplane emissions are doing to the environment so instead of giving privately, each week I will list the amount of money I spend for a carbon offset. This may not be as good as not flying at all but let's face it: the plane is still taking off whether I'm on it or not. And my name is Johnny Jet not Johnny Train. From Miami to Belize it's 765 miles and a carbon offset from CarbonFund.org is just $1.53 (round trip).

Customs

We deplaned using stairs and I made sure I paid attention this time so I didn't trip and fall like I did in Kona a few months back. The hot, humid, tropical air was a nice welcome from the chilly spring air I'd left back home. Inside the old customs building, there were four lines with five agents and they moved pretty quickly. It's nice when a country's passport officials actually appreciate and want foreign visitors. My agent in particular was very friendly and when she saw what I did for a living, she said, "I hope you write good things about my country." I hoped so, too.

Belize

Belize is located just south of Mexico and east of Guatemala at the base of the Yucatan Peninsula in Central America. The country is only 8,805 square miles; roughly the same size as the state of New Hampshire (8,968 square miles) and has a total population of 311,000. Everyone seems to know each other so don't be surprised when your driver or guide is constantly waving at people passing by. You would think that Spanish is the official language here but it's not; English is. Belize was made a British colony in 1862 but achieved its independence in 1981.

Did You Know? The capital of Belize is Belmopan City. The capital was moved from Belize City in 1971.

The Wild

When people think of Belize, they often think of tropical beaches and the country's famous Blue Hole and coral reef. That's what I associated with Belize. But more than 65% of the country is forested and my Frommer's Guide taught me that the region was once at the heart of the Mayan empire. Archaeologists estimate that one to two million Mayans lived in this area. Today, Belize is home to 178 plant species, 247 different marine flora, over 550 species of birds and who knows how many animals. Here, you'll find five different kinds of wild cats; the jaguarondi, puma, margay, ocelot and the jaguar. Did you know that Belize has the highest concentration of jaguars than anywhere else in the world? There are also howler monkeys, green iguanas, boa constrictors and the list goes on and on. And just in case you're curious, the national animal is the tapir. The best part of Belize is that more than half of its land and marine areas have been set aside as national parks, nature preserves and wildlife sanctuaries. That's why some call Belize Nature's Best Kept Secret.

Belize Money & Weather

The official currency is the Belizean Dollar (at the time of publication, $1 BZD = $0.51 USD so it's 2:1), but practically everywhere accepts U.S. greenbacks. However, most places will give change in the local currency. The majority of people who come to Belize, come to escape winter as the temperature in Belize holds relatively steady. Highs hover around 86 degrees F (30 degrees C) and the temperature inland is often five to 10 degrees warmer than on the coast. There is a difference in seasons here: The dry season, which runs from January to May, is the best time to come and it's also the most expensive. The wet season is mid-June until the end of November but it isn't so wet that you can't do anything except in the south. Although Belize is in the Hurricane Belt (hurricane season runs the same as the wet season), on average they are hit by a major hurricane once every 20 years. Here's a link to the 10-day forecast for Belize City.

Malaria

It's recommended that travelers take Malaria pills when visiting the western part of the country but I didn't take any, nor did anyone in my group. Luckily, no one contracted it but the mosquitoes weren't out. Just in case, I doused myself with bug spray and some even wore Insect Shield repellent apparel that is proven to repel insects. Next time, I'm going to wear it too because I asked a local if I should worry about Malaria she said, "Oh no, it's fine!" After a huge sigh, I asked if she knew anyone who'd ever gotten malaria. She said, "Oh yes, my dad got malaria last month." What?! She went on to say that he was sick for seven days but then he got better like it was no big deal. She said no one takes malaria pills nor do they get flu shots -- they just ride these things out. For more information on malaria, read my story on South Africa.

Airport to Hotel

I wasn't in Belize to experience the incredible beaches or remarkable diving in the world's second largest coral reef. Instead, I headed west to the country's jungle interior. I recommend doing both; start out in the jungle and finish up on the coast. The majority of visitors will want to rent a car since it's easy to get around and there's a lot to see and do. However, if you have deep pockets and prefer not to drive, many resorts can arrange car transfers and set up private guides or drivers.

Did You Know? Driving Belize's borders takes just under two hours east to west and five to six hours north to south.

Pit Stop for Lunch

The drive to the Ka'ana Resort where I was staying is 73 miles. It's three miles from the town of San Ignacio and eight miles from the Guatemala border. It took us only 90 minutes because we bypassed Belize City (over 70,000 residents) and took the shortcut. If you're starving because you didn't eat on the plane (like me), a great place to stop off is Amigos bar/restaurant. It's 45 minutes from the airport and they serve local favorites like stewed chicken. I had the BBQ chicken with rice and beans ($10 BZD) and it hit the spot.

Belizean Food

Belizean food is made up of lots of rice and beans. Inland, chicken is a popular choice and seafood is an obvious choice on the coast. The cuisine is a mishmash of Mexican, Caribbean, African and Spanish cuisines but everything can be found, including hamburger, pizza and Chinese food joints. Speaking of the Chinese, they own practically every grocery store in Belize. I found that out when I stocked up on some bug spray.

Note: I love fruit and Belize grows lots of tropical ones. The most common are mangoes, papayas, pineapples, bananas and star fruit.

Ka'ana Boutique Resort and Spa

I was fortunate enough to check into the brand new Ka'ana Boutique Resort and Spa, located in the Cayo District. It's the perfect place if you're looking to explore and do some soft adventure in the western part of the country. The resort has 15 well-kept casitas (luxury bungalows) that are spacious and surrounded by tropical landscape. The path to the rooms has labels of all the different trees. This one was my favorite.

The Rooms

Ka'ana is for those who, after a long day of exploring, want to have all the comforts of home and not have to rough it. Guests can come back to their air-conditioned room where there's a large flat screen TV with satellite, iPod docking station, mini bar and Internet access and take a hot shower. After all that, enjoy live music over an incredible meal (breakfast, lunch and/or dinner) from Chef Manolo because he stirs up some delicious creations like: Trio Soup: carrot, potato and broccoli ($10), chicken carpaccio ($16), Chicken En Mole Verde ($20) and dessert. Then, climb into one of Belize's best beds and sleep in a relatively bug-free environment. Full disclosure: I had one harmless roach and a gecko in my room but that's pretty darned good for the jungle. Geckos are cool because they eat insects but they are loud and sound like someone's knocking at the door. I think they just like to mess with guests.

Ka'ana Spa

There's also an outdoor pool and small spa. Gretal, the resident masseuse, is Belizean and is very good. She moves fast, covers the WHOLE body and is not shy about you being exposed. Try Ka'ana's Signature Massage: A combination of various Swedish and deep tissue techniques with hot stone massage and gentle stretching (90 minutes = $120).

Ka'ana Location

One of Ka'ana's best attributes, besides the little details and the great service is the location. It's nestled away in a valley surrounded by the Maya Mountains and is located near cultural, historical and eco-adventure attractions. Guests are actually sleeping where Mayans slept thousands of years ago. Room rates begin at $250 but I met a few guests who found incredible package deals on LuxuryFinder.com. For more information, visit KaanaBelize.com.

Boat Race

The Cayo District is full of soft adventure and places to see. You will need a good three days to catch most of it, which includes Mayan ruins, caves, nature trails, jungle tours, canoeing, tubing, zip lining and horseback riding. If you time it right, you can also witness the country's biggest boat race, The La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge. It's a four-day event where contestants from all over the world paddle 175 miles down the Belize River. Next year will be the third annual event and it takes place from March 6 to March 9, 2009. It starts at the historic Hawksworth Bridge in San Ignacio (five minutes from the resort) and it ends at the Belcan Bridge in downtown Belize City. For more information, log on to LaRutaMayaBelize.com.

Horseback Riding

On my first morning, I had I a choice of activities: Actun Loch Tunich (a black hole drop) or horseback riding. Since I'm not keen on anything to do with heights, I passed on rappelling 300 feet down to the rainforest floor and exploring the jungle and caves, thank you very much. I'm Johnny Jet, not Indiana Jones. Instead, I went for a relaxing horseback ride five minutes away at the 400-acre San Lorenzo farm. After the first hour of really enjoying the scenery, my butt seriously started killing me. It was then that I was no longer bummed out that we couldn't gallop because of insurance reasons … who would have thought that in Belize, you have to worry about being sued? If I ever go again, I would do it earlier in the morning (it gets hot out) and I would either bring a seat cushion or go for just an hour. The only problem with that is that the highlight is stopping at the Mopan River, which takes time to get to. Cost: $35USD per person for two hours and includes transportation to and from the resort, water and a soft drink.

Cell Phones: My T-Mobile BlackBerry did not work in Belize but once I made it to Guatemala, it worked and emails started pouring in. Check with your service provider if you care.

Local Delights

Though the food is really good at the resort, you probably don't want to eat every meal there; it's expensive and lacks a local feel. I had dinner in San Ignacio at The Aguada Hotel (Tel: 501-804-3609). It's an eight-minute drive and a real casual place that serves up local Belizean cuisine. I opted for the Bocanas: shredded chicken over nachos ($8.50) and a chicken burrito ($8.50). They have indoor and outdoor tables and the food is just okay. One thing about dining out is that all the restaurants offer Marie Sharp's Hot Sauce, which is like Tabasco sauce but is locally made from a base of habanero peppers, carrots and onions. NOTE: That night I had some crazy and unusual nightmares. I dreamt I was being chased by a pack of tapirs and tripped and fell into a pit surrounded by poisonous snakes that were laughing at me. I'm not sure what induced the nightmare: the food, the hot sauce or the Cayo Twist ice cream (made with soy beans) I finished off with at the end of the night.

Zip Lining

An hour drive from Ka'ana (towards the airport) is Jaguar Paw, a 200-acre jungle resort. They offer multiple activities here including: an Aerial Trek Canopy Tour, better known as zip lining. I've done this twice before in Costa Rica and South Africa and this was my favorite as it was short and felt the safest. They have well-constructed wood platforms, eight and six zip lines attaching them. After suiting up (helmet, body harness, pulley and gloves) and a quick safety briefing, we were off. Each group has two guides and if they are not busy, you can go with just your friend(s), no strangers.

King of the Jungle

Each user has two back-up cables attached to their harness so they'll be safe, soaring above and through the jungle treetops. The highest platform is 85 feet above the forest floor and the longest run is 300 feet long. The scariest part for me was getting down. To reach the ground, everyone has to rappel down 45 feet. Before dropping, you're just dangling there for a few seconds before you are dropped at the speed of your choosing ... slow, medium, fast. I chose the medium speed, which you can see in the video below. Be sure to bring your camera because the one picture they take to sell is not that great. The Aerial Trek Canopy Tour costs $55 per person.

Note: No matter which activity you choose, always try to avoid the days when cruise ships are in port. Their large crowds ruin everything and they are usually in town on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. But in peak season (December and January), it's every day.

Cave Tubing

We took a break and had lunch in the Jaguar Paw restaurant. I had their specialty chicken, rice and beans with coleslaw ($7), which was darn good and was just what I needed before my next soft adventure; cave tubing! Huh? I thought the same thing. What the heck is cave tubing?! For starters, each person gets an inflated tire tube. You have to carry it across the knee-high, clear blue Caves Branch River, which is quite chilly. Once on the other side, you walk down a wide cutout path through the jungle for 25 minutes. Most people do two caves so it's a longer walk but I was happy to do just one.

What to Bring

You will want to bring water shoes, a bathing suit and a waterproof camera. I gave my regular camera and sunglasses to the guide who carries a dry bag. The entrance to the cave is beautiful but I have to be honest -- with all the mining accidents last year, I was a little nervous about going in a dark cave. And only Mother Nature knows how long you'll be in there for; depending on the water flow, a trip can take anywhere between 30 and 90 minutes. Fortunately, the river was moving at its peak.

Into the Dark We Go

We plopped down, into our tubes and I felt the cold water on my bum. We turned our headlamps on and we were off. If you don't want to do it alone, I suggest holding on tight to a friend's tube, either by your feet or hands. If don't hook yourselves together right away, it's difficult to catch up later as you float at the will of the water. Floating into a quiet pitch-black cave with small rooms that were once used by the Mayans for rituals, is not the most comforting feeling. During the first and last hundred yards, you can see the lights on either end of the cave and there's also a spot somewhere in the middle, which has an opening and you can see people walking through the crystal caves. For some kind of sick and twisted fun, our guide suggested that we turn off our lights so it was completely, utterly dark. I mean, I couldn't see my hand in front of my face but it was actually very peaceful just lying there, listening to the gentle swish of the rapids. Of course, that all ended when I crashed into a wall. I had to use my hands and feet to push off the walls on three separate occasions. Overall, the experience felt like a Disney ride but without the safety. It's definitely a unique eco-tourism experience and I would do it again for sure. Next time, I'll bring a wet suit, though. It gets chilly! Rates begin at $45 per person. For more information, visit JaguarPaw.com or tel. 877/624-3770 or 011-501-820-2023.

San Jose Succotz

The resort is about a 45-minute drive to Caracol, a famous archaeological site with ruins of one of the great Mayan city-states. It's located within the Chiquibil Forest Reserve and the drive is not only time consuming but also supposedly quite winding. Instead, I went to the lesser-known Mayan ruins of Xunantunich. Xunantunich means Stone Lady and it's pronounced zshoo-NAN-too-NEECH. It's just a five-minute drive from the hotel to the village of San Jose Succotz. There, locals sell inexpensive, handcrafted goods including on-the-spot slate carving of Mayan calendars. It's also where you catch the free, eco-friendly hand-cranked car ferry across the Mopan River. It's only about 50 yards but it's the only way to get across and it's neat to see and try.

Xunantunich

Xunantunich was a thriving Mayan city during the Classic Period (A.D. 600 to 900). The National Park is 25 square miles and has more than 26 temples and palaces. After a mile drive up the hill and a couple hundred-yard hike from the parking lot, you enter main field. Admission is $15BZD ($7.50). We arrived early and there was no one there but a French family having a breakfast picnic on the grounds. Even in Belize, the French picnic. It was remarkable to roam around the recently uncovered ruins from thousands of years ago and not have to share the experience with hundreds of gawping tourists. What's even crazier is that there are even more ruins still covered than uncovered. All the rolling green hills are actually hidden gems but it costs too much to dig them out. What a shame.

View From the Top

The most prominent temple is El Castillo (The Castle). The pyramid stands 130 feet high, which makes it the second tallest structure in Belize. Unlike Chichen Itza and other Mayan ruins, visitors can climb to the top. It was steep and narrow at times with no handrails but the views are so rewarding. It was so amazing, I can't really describe it. I can only compare it to the beautiful view I witnessed from the top of Blarney Castle except that this place is even better. Everything is so green and being 185 meters above sea level, you can see for miles, even the Guatemalan valleys. Without a doubt, this makes my top 15 views of all time. When we were leaving around 8:30am, tour groups started rolling in so it's important to be there right when they open at 7:30am to get the same unspoiled experience. NOTE: The Mayan symbols at the top of El Castillo are a fiberglass replica.

12/21/12

I learned a lot of facts about the Mayans. None greater or freakier than that humans were supposedly first made up of sticks, then destroyed by fire. Second time around, they were made up of mud and killed by water. Presently, we are believed to be compiled of corn but no one knows how we will be destroyed. However, according to the Mayan Long Count Calendar, the "End Date" is December 21, 2012. It's so significant that their calendar just comes to a stop. Yikes!

Guatemala, Here I Come!

Seeing the Guatemalan valleys and knowing that the border was just eight short miles away, I felt like I had to see it. I really wanted to go to Tikal to see what is billed as the grandest surviving classic Mayan cities but I hear you need a good eight hours (takes 2.5 hours each way) and all I had was four. Wilbert, the resort's guide, drove my friend Natalie and me. It sure was nice going with an experienced multilingual local to show you the ropes.

Crossing the Border

It took just five minutes to get to the border and the first stop was Belize's passport control. Departure tax is 30 BZE (US$15) and then you go to the next counter to show your receipt and get an exit stamp from Belize in your passport. The good news it there was no wait. Wilbert picked us up on the other side and we drove 100 yards through "No Man's Land". All cars go through a mandatory spraying for bugs and at then we parked at the Guatemalan border. It got a little dicey here when Wilbert asked for our passports because he said it will save time and money ($4) to have a local guide do it. I don't hand my passport to anyone but I trusted him and he's been working at the resort for a while.

What The ...?

Five minutes later, Wilbert came running out over the dusty dirt road and said that there was a problem with the vehicle. It had never been properly discharged the last time it was taken over the border and he needed a passport to put a stamp in it. I handed him mine but he said that I had too many pages stamped so he used Natalie's. The longer he took to return with her passport, the more Natalie freaked out. I guess it didn't help when I joked that I hoped he hadn't stashed mounds of drugs in the van now that he'd registered the vehicle's border crossing with her passport. "If he did," I said to Natalie, "you're going to jail for a long time!" Before she could cry, he came out and everything was totally legit. Directly across there is a border town which is a lot nicer and probably safer than Tijuana but it doesn't have the modern buildings or people bugging you to buy stuff. Chiclets Anyone? Not here.

Guatemala

Guatemala was noticeably different from Belize, the moment we entered. First of all, it's a Spanish speaking country, they use kilometers not miles, the currency is Guatemala Quetzales (at the time of publication, 1.00 USD = 7.4 GTQ) and the roads aren't as nice. The first 30km or so was on a hard dirt road, which they are just now working on. The new government is working diligently to improve tourism. But what's ironic is that the dirt road was actually better than the paved roads because it didn't have deep potholes.

Did You Know? Guatemala has 22 beers, Gallo being the most popular while Belize only has just one called Belikin Beer.

El Remate

Gas is a bit cheaper than in Belize so Wilbert pulled into a station to fill up. I needed to use the loo and as I jumped out, Wilbert warned me not to be alarmed when an armed guard with a 12-gauge shotgun opened the bathroom door for me. I'm glad he told me, otherwise I would've just handed him my wallet. We then drove for 90 minutes. The first hour, there wasn't much to see but farmland. It got more interesting when we checked out three different lakes. I can't remember all the names just the last one, which was fresh water. I do know (I think) that the first two were made up of sulfur and salt water. The last was Lake Peteen Itz and the village of El Remate sits along its eastern shores. El Remate is a tiny tourist town that caters primarily to Tikal visitors (the entrance of Tikal is just 30km away but it takes 40 minutes to drive from there to the ruins as the speed limit is 20km). We stopped off here to relax, stretch, soak up the sun and the warm lake water. Wilbert pointed out the "Sleeping Crocodile" silhouette that's formed by the shape of the forested hills and then we went souvenir shopping. The locals were very nice and it was fascinating to see their everyday life. Just like in Belize, they bathe and do their laundry waist deep in the rivers. It's a whole other life here and I'm glad I got to witness it -- even if it was just for a few hours.

Note: This trip was sponsored by Ka'ana Boutique Resort and Spa.

Johnny Jet has been featured over 1,000 times in major publications, including USA Today, Time, Fortune and The New York Times, and has appeared on ABC, CBS, CNBC, MSNBC, NBC, FOX News Channel, and PBS. JohnnyJet.com has been named "one of the top best money-saving web sites for travel" by Budget Travel Magazine, while the L.A. Times calls it "one of the top 10 essential travel resources on the internet." In the May 2007 issue of Outside Magazine, Johnny Jet was touted for having one of the world's best "dream jobs". Every week Johnny hosts a "travel website of the week" for several radio stations around the country, he writes weekly for Frommers.com and he has written for USAToday, The Boston Herald and Coast Magazine. Sign up today for Johnny Jet's free weekly travel newsletter at www.johnnyjet.com.

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Related Information:

• Destinations: San Ignacio
• Trip Ideas: Outdoor & Adventure

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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