Going here in a couple of days. Anyone been? What were your experiences like?
Costa Rica many times its the shit...Also loved Panama.
Went to BELIZE in the off season (non summer months) Great scuba diving, obviously. It has the blue hole, one of the top ten dives in the world. Their is belize city on the mainland and two main islands, caye caulker, and ambergis caye.
MARINE LIFE- If you're thinking about scuba diving try ambergis divers on ambergis caye, and you have to dive the blue hole if you scuba. If you don't scuba take a day trip for about $60 they get you drunk, throw you in the water to snorkel at a few different locations, and they chum the water. Grouper, sea turtles, stingrays, barracuda, and other big colorful things are common on all dives and even the snorkeling trip cuz they bring you to a shallow marine reserve to scuba and snorkel. The nurse sharks are so people friendly the divemasters grab them, turn them over and rub their bellies like their a dog or something. Real friendly nurse sharks, you get real close, its rediculous.
LODGING- The Ruby Inn (if I remember the name correctly, ruby something) in Ambergis caye is a friendly hostel type place with rooms from $15-50.
Belize city reminds me of mexico (go figure, so close). English is the main language. If you want to party, go to mexico. If you want laid back island life, fall asleep on the beach and not get fucked up with, try Belize. Would serve better as a romantic place to bring a lady friend. If you want to rip it up like I said go to mexico, or keep heading south to guatemala. If your a cheap backpacker like myself you can do what I did and stay at the Ruby hotel/inn place (ocean side by the way) and walk the beach and wonder into the fancy/expensive hotels areas and use their lawn chairs on the beach, and eat at their fancy restaurants on the beach, walk on their docks, etc.
ACTIVITIES- Activity guides and signs are everywhere. You will have no problem not reading below and finding something everything their is to do in Belize as soon as you get get off the plane, brouchers, flyers, travel guides everywhere. BUT.....previously mentioned, the sailing/snorkeling trip. FUN, cuz unlike scuba diving you can get in the water while drunk and the guide will snorkel with you point something out, then surface and tell you about what he just pointed at for example, "fire coral, burns like hell, don't touch it"...I had a blast, had no safety issues.
Scuba diving-Ambergis divers highly recommended. Fun people to hang out with.
Restaurants-they're all good, and all serve cheap lobster.
Ruins- You can go to the belize city on the mainland and take a day tour hiking up to see the ruins, I have not done this, but hear it is a physical trip. Sounds like fun.
Spent some time in Nebraska & Kansas. Pretty good time.
Belize is awesome for water sports, plus they sort of speak English.
Go to El Salvador! Good surf, good people, good food.
Ryase - Panama is amazing. Especially in November and February.
I was always a big fan of the end of the dry season. Around May. All the fruit trees would be putting out fruit. My friends and I growing up would feast on mamons, guinups (sp) and mangoes all day long.
what about mosquitoes?
Cahuita, Costa Rica. You can thank me later.
Will be heading to Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic around January, I hope to have a good time. Will also try to sneak in a few days in some other places around there.
OshKos B'Josh All American Blanket - what about mosquitoes?
they use some hardcore industrial chemicals to get rid of mosquitoes in the 3rd world. Worst mosquitoes Ive ever encountered have been in the Everglades of FL