Ten things to keep in mind on your trip to Belize:
1. Don't sit under a coconut tree bearing brown coconuts. "Brown means they are ready to fall, and we've had people knocked out by them," says Ranguana Cay caretaker Steve Rowland.
2. Do wear insect repellent and long pants at dawn and dusk. Too late? Buy some Rainforest Remedy at the pharmacy. It's the Belizean antidote to itching.
3. Do get proper vaccinations before you go. Visit cdc.gov/travel/vaccinat.htm to see what you need.
4. Don't speak Spanish. Belize, once British Honduras, was an English colony, and that language remains widespread.
5. Do go to the local health clinic immediately if you have medical problems. (The Belizean method of overcoming illness may be admirable -- "When I got the bug last week, I played soccer and then built a fence," Steve says -- but not necessarily wise for travelers.)
6. Don't step on the coral or touch it when snorkeling. Second largest in the world, the Belize Barrier Reef is highly fragile.
7. Do wipe the lip of a Belikin beer before drinking. It's a tradition for good reason: The bottles are dirty.
8. Don't worry about paying in U.S. dollars, but expect your change in Belizean currency. (At press time, the U.S. dollar is worth about double the Belizean dollar.)
9. Do save $32.50 U.S. from your rum-punch funds to pay departure tax when leaving the country.
10. Don't even think about checking your PDA. "When you're in Belize, you're at ease" is the local saying.
I only walked through town, but dirty, and lots of people begging for money!! The crafts made and sold by the locals are beautiful, lots of wooden animals, fish and birds!! The beaded jewelry is the same as other ports!!
Yes - Belize City is dirty and very poor, but many of the people have this amazing grace and dignity about them. We met a wonderful uncle and his niece who were polite and informative and happy to share though they didn't have much themselves. I love to interact with the natives wherever I go, I wouldn't walk through the worst parts of town on purpose, but I also won't purposely avoid finding out about the culture of a destination just because it's poor.
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