Hey guys, we have been to Maui twice and enjoyed it but are now deciding if we should go back this year or go to Ambergris Caye, Belize. Our fav spots on Maui were more secluded south maui beaches and snorkeling as well as being able to drive upcountry to the winery area (one of the prettiest parts of Maui imo) and eating at different restautants. We considered Kaui but feel like we would be missing out without a town like Lahaina, areas like the winery or Paia to vist. We are interested in the snorkeling in Ambergris Cayec as well as the runins but have heard mixed things about the island, such as you can not flush tp, lots of bugs, extreme heat, etc. So...if anyone has any thoughts let me know.
Maui vs. Ambergris Caye
:)
Maui vs. Ambergris Caye
Besides being able to flush TP on Kauai, you can do an extensive amount of hiking if you are into such adventures. Check out Waimea Canyon and Kokee Forest and bring your camera/video cam. There are no big ';towns'; like Lahaina but you%26#39;ll find quaint areas like old Koloa town, Hanapepe and Poipu. If you really enjoyed the different restaurants and wineries, then Maui sounds more your style than Ambergris Caye.
I%26#39;ve been to the Ambergris Caye in Belize twice about 5 or 6 years ago. It was very hot and buggy. I wouldn%26#39;t be surprised if there were problems flushing the toilets. I used the bathroom at a tavern on the fishing pier, and it was just a hole in the pier to the open ocean below.
You can fly there from Belize City, or take a high speed motorboat for a bumpy 30 minute ride. The motorboats also go out into the Belize City harbor and take visitors directly from the cruise ships to Ambergris Caye to snorkel with the nurse sharks. They have an incredible barrier reef, but don%26#39;t realize it.
There are a couple of nice resorts, and some really cheap hotels. The streets were only sand and local residents used electric golf carts to run errands. A young kid from New York City who had dropped out of society was carving fish and animals figures on the beach, and he carved me a Queen Angelfish for $10 at my request.
It was even more laid back than the most laid back places in Hawai`i. There wasn%26#39;t much to do except sit in the shade and drink beer. There isn%26#39;t much to do in Belize City either. It%26#39;s a good place to get away from the Blackberry and cell phone culture.
I%26#39;ve traveled to Hawaii 4 times and still love it and will go back again at some point, but I have to say I am ready to branch out to other parts of the world. You are trying to compare two entirely different destinations. What are you in the mood for? Personally I have been thinking about St. John island in the Virgin Islands. Beaches, snorkeling, hiking and still the convenience of American soil. The Mayan Riviera is nice too, though the snorkeling there will not be as dramatic, but the ruins at Tulum, Coba and a 1/2 daytrip by flight to Chichen Itza is very cool, but that%26#39;s a whole other forum.
I%26#39;ve been to Maui and love it. I haven%26#39;t been to Belize yet, but plan to go in the next few years. The Barrier Reef there is considered endangered by some, because of it%26#39;s overuse and abuse. We experienced the TP thing in Cabo while in town and I didn%26#39;t think it was a big deal. Either choice would be fun.
aloha fellow Alaskan! Most folks head to Belize for the superior diving . . . so if you really aren%26#39;t into diving, I would head to a different Hawaiian island. For us, the flight is much shorter to get to Hawaii . . .that is a big plus. I would Kauai a try - it%26#39;s my favorite island. :)
We were in Ambergris Caye 2 years ago. It is very much a rustic vacation.
They don%26#39;t allow hotels higher than 3 floors. Ours was very nice right on the beach and was only $90 per night for an ocean view room with a balcony. It was a one bedroom unit which included a free made to order breakfast.
The snorkling was better than any other places were have been including Tahiti, St. John%26#39;s, Aruba and Hawaii.
If you go during the half of the year that allows lobster, it is the best! 2 giant lobster tails for $20.
The beaches are not very nice. There is much sea grass in the water as it is inside the reef.
It is like comparing apples to oranges. We love all of our beach vacations, but each place we go has pros and cons.
If you have specific questions about Ambergris, please e-mail me.
We spent 10 days on Ambergris a few years back. We rented a condo and it did have flushing toilets :) and AC. Nice pool and poolside bar. It was a cab ride from town though. It is known more as a location for diving. We did a day trip to the Blue Hole. Divers like it, but snorkeling the surface was boring. Not much to look at for a 2 hour boat ride each way. Like someone else mentioned, no shore snorkeling-too much grass. We didn%26#39;t make it over to the mainland so can%26#39;t comment on that. However, I did stop at Belize on a cruise stop once and we did a full day tour - riding up the river, and then visiting the ruins. That was pretty cool - seeing the monkeys and other wildlife along the river, but having been to Maui also, I would always go back to Hawaii.
It%26#39;s a little hard for me to hold Maui and AC in my mind at the same time, so completely are they different. So it%26#39;s a little hard to compare. I think that Maui is gorgeous. No one has ever called Ambergris gorgeous. No beach, except at the north resorts, where it is manually raked. No snorkeling in AC unless you go on a boat ride. I can%26#39;t even say that Ambergris is laid back: it%26#39;s crowded and noisy and lots of golf cart traffic. It%26#39;%26#39;s not even inexpensive. I liked Caye Caulker as a smaller friendlier more laid back place. Maui has all that scenery all around you, that culture that pervades everything. Maui has some extremely elegant resorts. Maybe Ambergris does too now, but I missed them.
I went to Belize to check out the diving, and that was pretty ordinary by Caribbean standards along the Ambergris reef. Much better diving out at the outer atolls, but that%26#39;s an additional hour plus boat ride. I did swim out to the reef at Ambergris, nearly a half mile out through lots of boat traffic, and from what I heard, almost no one else has ever been so stupid to try that. So much for snorkeling at Ambergris. At Maui we can snorkel right in front of our condo. And that%26#39;s not to mention the excellent whale watching we%26#39;ll have next month.
