Moon Handbooks Belize (Paperback)

by Chicki Mallan (Author), Joshua Berman (Author) "Belize is peppered with ruins of known Maya settlements and cities..." (more)
Key Phrases: caye caulker, broadleaf jungle, small caye, Belize City, San Pedro, Punta Gorda (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
The latest in the batch of Moon Handbooks releases proves again that Moon is one of the finest travel series around. What sets Moon apart from most guidebooks is the attention to detail, and more importantly, a respect for the topic.

Product Description
Whether you're looking for the stunning Maya ruins of Xunantunich, the varied forests of the country's highlands, or world-class diving spots like Glover's Reef Atoll and the renowned Blue Hole, you'll find the information you need in this guidebook. Suggested travel strategies and lists of must-see sights provide you with real judgments so you can decide where you should go, stay, and eat—without hassles or regrets. Included is extensive information on outdoor activities, such as hiking, fishing, boating, sea kayaking, windsurfing, surfing, snorkeling, and scuba diving, plus essentials such as transportation, dining, and accommodation options for a range of budgets. Complete with maps, photos and illustrations, there are also sidebar topics on subjects such as island-hopping, cooking, religion, and bar lingo. Moon Handbooks Belize covers all the essentials for a uniquely memorable trip to this up-and-coming travel destination.

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: Avalon Travel Publishing; 6th edition (October 28, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566915759
• ISBN-13: 978-1566915755
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #598,667 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nice to have an old friend back in an updated edition, February 9, 1999

By	Belize Traveller (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Moon Handbooks: Belize (4th Ed.) (Paperback)

It's nice to have an old friend back, with a face lift and fresh new travel tales. Chicki Mallan's Belize Handbook has been a favorite of Belize travelers since its first publication in 1991. Like all Moon guides, it was known for its meticulous research, fact-packed layout, sensible organization and candid reporting. But the 3rd edition, researched in 1995 or before, was getting long in the tooth. This new edition, with updating by Chicki Mallan's daughter Patti Lange, brings it up to speed in most areas.

The layout is highly readable, with divisions that make sense, interesting sidebar boxes, and a good index. The maps, as in past editions, are clear and informative.

Belize, however, is changing fast, and even this guide, which came out in October 1998, is already out of date in a number of areas. Some hotels, such as Inn at Robert's Grove in Seine Bight (which opened in 1997) and Embassy Hotel at the international airport (which opened this year) are left out entirely. It is especially behind on developments on Ambergris Caye, which is changing faster than anywhere else in the country. The list of omissions here is long and ranges from the opening of Mata Chica resort to the new addition at Rubie's.

I'm also less than enthusiastic over the new approach to listing prices. Instead of giving specific rates, in most cases hotels are just listed in their price categories, from "Shoestring" to "Luxury" and often a hotel will be listed as having a spectrum of rates, such as "Inexpensive-Expensive." While I know from personal experience in writing guidebooks that it's impossible to keep up with constant rate changes, in my view it's better to list actual rates at a point in time than to leave the reader wondering whether premium-luxury means US$150 or $275.

That's the bad news. The good news is that despite its limitations this new edition is absolutely worth buying and using on your next trip to Belize. It's state-of-the-art in Belize guidebooks, with excellent maps, good black-and-white photos, tons of interesting facts and detailed coverage of nearly every nook and cranny of Belize. That's why, of course, this is thought to be the best-selling guidebook to Belize, with Moon claiming some 75,000 copies sold to date.

--Lan Sluder

Editor & Publisher

Belize First Magazine

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This review is for the New 2004 6th Edition, December 9, 2004

By	Karen Seawolfe - See all my reviews

NOTE: Josh has just finished updating for the new 7th Edition, which is in press and should be out by Fall 2007. The 6th Edition was published in November 2004. Joshua Berman spent months traveling and living in Belize while working on the major update for the 6th Edition. The Moon Handbook has been my favorite Belize Travel Guide since the 4th Edition and it's great to have a fresh update! Just, FYI, I am a marine scientist, living and working in Belize half-time...about 6 months each year. From my perspective, this handbook gives the most TRUE represenation of Belize... and I have all the others on my bookshelf. Unfortunately, the publisher selected a cover photo that was taken on a Pacific Ocean Coral Reef. The species on the front cover to not exist in Belize. Fortunately, the information inside the book IS most accurate. Just remember, during your visit, "If ya drink di watta, ya mus com bak".

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "must have" guide, November 1, 2000

By	"alleykatt" (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Moon Handbooks: Belize (4th Ed.) (Paperback)

As a new traveler, this book was a God send. Just recently having returned from Belize I can say without a doubt that this guide is indeed a "must have". It came in very handy when looking for places to stay, things to do and how to get there. Some prices have changed slightly since publication but for the most part it is quite accurate. I highly reccommend this travel guide.