The Rough Guide to Belize 2 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) [Paperback]

Peter Eltringham (Author)

Book Description

Series: Rough Guide Travel Guides | Publication Date: September 6, 2001

The ultimate handbook to this fascinating country. The guide includes comprehensive coverage of every destination, from getting the best out of a visit to historic Belize City to climbing majestic, jungle-clad Victoria Peak. Practical advice on where to stay, from budget guest houses to luxury jungle lodges and secluded Caribbean cabanas. Expert guidance on exploring Belize's inland reserves and the caves and atolls of the western hemisphere's longest barrier reef.

Editorial Reviews

Review

SOLIDLY WRITTEN, IMMACULATELY RESEARCHED, ROUGH GUIDES ARE AS NEAR AS MODERN GUIDES GET TO ESSENTIAL

Sunday Times, London

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Rough Guides; 2nd Updtd edition (September 6, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1858287103
• ISBN-13: 978-1858287102
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,961,729 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Wait until the next edition comes out., March 2, 2004

By 

Allan M. Gathercoal "fdoamerica" (Norcross, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Rough Guide to Belize 2 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) (Paperback)

This book, though it has many excellent sections and qualities, has one short-coming: its accommodations and restaurants are dated (published 2001 but most establishments were reviewed in 2000 or 1999). There are many new establishments that have opened and a bunch that have closed. I knocked on the door of the "Trends Guest House" in Belize City only to be told by the neighbor, "Its closed. Been closed for two years", "Oh", I replied. "Yea man, there was a murder" the neighbor said. "Oh?" I replied. "Yea, the owner was murdered by a guest." Oh! I replied. So the recommendations are hit and miss, but for those that which were open, the comments are reliable (most have raised their prices) and worth pursuing.

If you are going to snorkel or dive, you should know that much of the reefs in the Northern Cayes (Ambergris & Caulker) are 65-85% dead. This is because of the three hurricanes in the last 5 years. According to one marine expert, it will take 20 years or more of them to return. Nothing is said about the destruction to the coral reefs in this guide.

On the plus side this guide has excellent Internet references. Almost every hotel has email addresses and many of them have webpage addresses. Maps are clear, concise and easy to use. Tons of references that point you to a plethora of information on Belize. (most with web address). Belize is completely covered, no area of interest is omitted, and Peter Eltringham has include a very good section on TIKAL, Flores (across the boarder in Guatemala) and the Bay Islands (Roatan).

His bibliography on recommended books to read is valuable and solid for anyone that wants to know more on Belize.

All Rough Guides have a difficult to use number system to quote the price range of a hotel, i.e. one hotel is a number '6' which means between BZ$110-150 that scale is back on page 28 of the guide, then you convert the BZ$ to $US. This system is a pain when it is so much easier just to say $75 dollars.

Bottomline: WHEN the new edition comes out, Rough Guide to Belize will be at the very top of the Belize guides but, until then, you will be best served by another guide.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We tried others - but Rough Guide came through., July 5, 2002

By 

leslie "leslie53" (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Rough Guide to Belize 2 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) (Paperback)

We had Lonely Planet "Central America" and Fodor's "Guatemala and Belize", but it was Rough Guide we kept coming back too. In our trip to Guatemala and Belize we spent 4 days in Belize, but only out on the Cayes. Most of the time was spent on Caye Caulker (a very laid back and relaxing escape) staying at Mara's Place which was listed in the guide without much fanfare, but hit the spot.

If you need low budget (~25US per room - no tax!) stay with Mara. She is right near the swimming spit and has lovely cabins (no A/C, but ceiling fans) that are simple, but clean. You'll always notice Mara driving around town in her sporty ATV.

For the size of the Caye the restaurants are plentiful with most listed in the guide.

The one short coming was scuba info. Belize barrier reefs are known for their great scuba and snorkeling and the island has plenty of shops - but only 1 is listed. They will refer you elsewhere if they can't accomodate you, but I am surprised that Rough Guide didn't dedicate more space to this popular sport. I assume the writer either a) didn't spend much time on the Cayes or b) didn't care much for water sports. Might have been both, but this is a huge oversight given that the Cayes are one of the most popular destinations in Belize.

Despite this shortcoming - you won't be disappointed.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A recommended purchase for your trip to Belize, March 30, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Rough Guide to Belize 2 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) (Paperback)

My wife and I went to Belize in April 2002. I reviewed several books of Belize, of which there were few. This one seemed to be the book to buy. I wasn't disappointed. It had very good restuarant recommendations for Ambergris Caye as well as hotel info. Some information was not updated (internet cafe in Cayo had moved, [an inexpensive] great internet connection place was not mentioned also, a series of cabins that were listed as in business in Crooked Tree were *completely* run-down and *nowhere* near being in business) but this didn't hamper our vacation very much. It had good info on stuff to do in and near Cayo. Bottomline: buy this guide if you're going to Belize.