Fodor's Belize 2008 (Fodor's Gold Guides) (Paperback)

by Fodor's (Author)
Key Phrases: mountain pine ridge, southern highway, tourist village, Belize City, San Ignacio, San Pedro (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Though it's a mere sliver on the Caribbean, Belize is one of the fastest growing destinations in Central America, and it's easy to see why. Belize enchants over 230,000 visitors a year—including honeymooners, celebrities, and diving and deep-sea fishing enthusiasts—with its surreal landscape. This brand-new guide gives a thorough overview of the entire country, from inland Maya ruin expeditions to coastal adventures.

• 8-page color insert

• Full coverage of outdoor activities from hiking in the Cayo district to boating around the atolls

• Feature chapter on Maya Ruins, including tips on visiting a ruin and a specialized itinerary

About the Author
Every Fodor's Travel Guide is researched and written by resident experts. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Fodor's; Revised edition (August 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400017874
• ISBN-13: 978-1400017874
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #627,434 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book, although more $$ recommendations, October 20, 2006

By	Michelle R. Parker "rohana81" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Fodor's Belize 2007 (Fodor's Gold Guides) (Paperback)

My husband and I just returned from a 16 day trip, and this book was definitely worth the money!! It is the most up to date Belize guidebook you can buy right now, and almost all of it's information was right on. We also bought the Belize Moon Guidebook, and comparing the two, I would say that Fodors is more upscale. Usually, it's assuming you're going to rent a car and hire guides for your trips (both of which cost $$$), and it does a better job of describing more expensive hotels and restaurants. This is great if you have the money, but we were on a budget, so this info was useless for us. The Moon book did a better job covering places and topics for a budget traveller (like what to do if you get a GI bug--something no one wants, but when it happens, you're glad it's covered in the book!). That said, Fodor's was still really helpful because it's the most up to date, so it's maps, attractions, restaurant, and lodging recommendations could usually be relied on (Kudos for the Fodor's recommendation for Tradewinds in Plancencia--this tip alone made me glad I bought the book!). Overall, it's the perfect book if you are planning a more upscale trip, but it's still very helpful (4 star) if you're a budget traveller and I would defintely recommend purchasing it along with the Moon Belize book.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing drop in quality., December 20, 2006

By	Ed Dinty (Las Vegas, NV) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fodor's Belize 2007 (Fodor's Gold Guides) (Paperback)

I have always considered Fodor's travel books to be the best. They covered the highlights of each country in terms of a brief history, what to expect, places to visit, restaurants and where to stay. Their reviews were concise, accurate and covered a range from moderate to expensive. Most refreshing was an absence of the pretentious attitudes that often characterized other guides. (Frommers being the worst offender.)

I've visited Belize before, but since it had been a few years, picked up Fodor's Belize 2007 guide. First thing I noticed is it is now one complete book devoted to the country, where in the past it was grouped under the title of "Central America". In this case, more does not translate into better. Much of this book is irrelevant filler.

Most disappointing however is that the writers seems to have "phoned it in" while lounging by the resort swimming pool. In short, if you love expensive hotels or trendy restaurants, this is the book for you. If you are interested in visiting more of the real country, try another publication.

For example, Dangriga is a fascinating part of Belize, but lacks traditional tourist infrastructure. While it may not be the most popular part of the country for the Fodor writers, I would expect at least an update of hotel descriptions. Sadly, some are easily two years out of date.

Yet another example is seen in the coverage afforded to Belmopan, the capitol of the country. Belmopan is also not a major area for tourism, but people do visit. There are some small hotels and B&B's available, nothing fancy, but clean and friendly. Yet the only listings shown in the 2007 Guide are for resorts located many miles away (One suggestion is at least a 45 minute drive from Belmopan. Its a beautiful air-conditioned jungle lodge but so far away, to list it is absurd.) Again, the writers may not like having to stay in a small hotel, but they should at least list them for others who may visit.

Not surprisingly, the only place this book excels is when it comes to Ambergris Caye and San Pedro. It does give a very good listing of hotels, restaurants and activities. While the focus is on the more expensive, it does cover a representative range.

I hope this guide does not mark a new direction for Fodors. I personally enjoy staying in more upscale accommodations, but would not avoid a section of a country simply because there are no 4-star hotels. A good travel book should give a complete range. I stopped using Frommers because of this arrogance. I hope Fodors is not following in their footsteps.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good preparation for Belize, May 22, 2008

By	Thomas J. Drexel (Tucson, AZ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book answered most of the questions I had prior to taking my trip to Belize. The questions it could not answer were questions that only could be answered in specific situations by actually being there. For an in depth look at Belize and how to prepare for your trip, it is an excellent guide book.