Customer Reviews

Belize: Reefs, Rain Forests, and Mayan Ruins

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My biggest problem with this book is it's title, which implies that this is a guidebook, it is NOT. A better title would be something like "A brief history of Belize and the Maya".

This book is 147 pages, excluding the bibliography and index. The pages are large type with very large margins, so there's not a whole lot of "book" here.

The authors direct experience with Belize is on a 10 day guided tour with everything, including all meals, provided. The first 62 pages of the book describe that tour.

Even though "Reefs" is part of the book's title, there is only a 6 page chapter on Reefs. The only caye listed is Ambergris Caye, a stop on the tour. The author mentions Hol Chan Marine Reserve because they went snorkeling there. The remainder of the Reef chapter describes coral reefs in general.

The "Rain Forest" chapter is 8 pages. He talks about rain forest in general and list some of the fauna and flora that can be seen in Belize. Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary (a tour stop) is the only location listed by name.

The author's interest is obviously history and those chapters are the only redeeming aspect of this book. "The History of the Mayans" is 18 pages, "History of Tourism" is 2 pages, "History of Belize" is 24 pages. The author concludes with a 25 pages "Belize Today" chapter.

The book is simplistically written, at times it reads like a high school term paper. The original photos may have been fine, but the reproductions in this book are ghastly. Black and white printed on poor quality paper produces photos about as bad as anything I've ever seen in a book. Most of the photos of Mayan ruins are literally a black silhouette against a white sky.

If you're interested in just reading about Belize, primarily it's history, this book is probably fine. If you're planning to actually GO to Belize then don't waste your money on this book. Other guidebooks - Lonely Planet, Rough Guides and Moon are the ones I'm familiar with - are what you want. In addition to the information a traveler needs to know they also include the same Mayan history and general Belize history as "Belize: Reefs, Rain Forests, and Mayan Ruins".

Nicely illustrated throughout, Belize: Reefs, Rain Forests, And Mayan Ruins begins with an account of a tour of Belize, and then continues with a thoroughly "reader friendly" history of Belize, including a description of its government, people, problems, and environmental beauty. Author Dick Lutz is a gifted travel writer who showcases the many features and attractions of this remarkable Central American country. Chapters cover Belize's rain forests, the history of the Mayans, the history of local tourism, the history of Belize itself, and the conditions of Belize today. An index allows for quick and easy lookup of specific topics. Belize: Reefs, Rain Forests And Mayan Ruins is an excellent resource for bringing the lay reader up to date quickly on the people, forces, and events that have shaped Belize up to the present day, recommended for armchair travelers, amateur historians, and would-be tourists looking to better understand their travel destination.

Once again, Dick Lutz has written a fascinating book to add to his list of travel books.
He spares no detail, and writes with his usual clarity and insight. Should be on every adventurer's bookshelf, and should also be given as a gift to friends.

I am planning a trip to Belize and this book is exactly what I will need as I want to visit many of the Mayan ruins, small villages, culture of this paradise and the beaches. I do plan to look into Playa del Carmen as well then on to Guatamala where some of the more ancient mayan ruins are.