Rating: 
Summary: Recommended
Review: (Planeta.com Journal) - This 300-page book is a superb second edition that details the best of ways of exploring Belize (and nearby Tikal and the Bay Islands). What Belize First calls "a tour de force" is a must-read for travelers heading to this country. Author Eltringham's first visit was during his tour of duty by the UK's Royal Air Force. He's returned numerous times and covers community tourism issues with the same clear-spoken authority of trekking and diving. Independent travelers will relish the detailed information, practical advice and helpful maps.
Rating:
Summary: Recommended
Review: (Planeta.com Journal) - This 300-page book is a superb second edition that details the best of ways of exploring Belize (and nearby Tikal and the Bay Islands). What Belize First calls "a tour de force" is a must-read for travelers heading to this country. Author Eltringham's first visit was during his tour of duty by the UK's Royal Air Force. He's returned numerous times and covers community tourism issues with the same clear-spoken authority of trekking and diving. Independent travelers will relish the detailed information, practical advice and helpful maps.
Rating: 
Summary: Very Good Guide-Needs Update
Review: After looking at several other books we chose this one for our 14 day trip in January of 2001. It was an excellent resource for important info and interesting tid-bits. It is a little old now and some information is out dated at this point. It could really use an update. My husband and I would volunteer to go again!! We had a great time and higly recomend Belize for the less mainstream traveler. Go now though, it is definatly changing! Don't miss Hol Chan marine reserve snorkeling and Placencia village. Also, we loved Crooked Tree and Tikal. Have a great time and take this book with you!!!
Rating:
Summary: Very Good Guide-Needs Update
Review: After looking at several other books we chose this one for our 14 day trip in January of 2001. It was an excellent resource for important info and interesting tid-bits. It is a little old now and some information is out dated at this point. It could really use an update. My husband and I would volunteer to go again!! We had a great time and higly recomend Belize for the less mainstream traveler. Go now though, it is definatly changing! Don't miss Hol Chan marine reserve snorkeling and Placencia village. Also, we loved Crooked Tree and Tikal. Have a great time and take this book with you!!!
Rating:
Summary: Rough Guides Rock!
Review: Hi out there,I would highly reccomend this book to anyone who is interested in traveling in Belize. It really gives you the straight story on how to go about getting to Belize, and what to expect once you arrive. Very down to earth approach to writing a guidebook. I encourage people to get Rough Guides when they travel, I have had very good luck with them.
Rating:
Summary: tour de force of relentless research, timely info & sharp
Review: Hooray! Belize now has its own Rough Guide. In the past, Belize has been combined with Guatemala in one edition. The new Belize edition, by Peter Eltringham (who co-authored the old Guatemala-Belize guide and has a hand in several other of Rough Guides to Mexico and Central America) is a tour de force of relentless research, timely info and sharp writing. I want to try to explain why this is such a good guide. But first, let's get something out of the way -- the name. Many North American reader still think the Rough Guides, published in London, are for budget travelers. In fact, as I understand it, the name Rough is an Anglicism meant to suggest that it is an approximation, an expected plan, as in a "rough plan." The Rough Guides, of which there are now more than a hundred, are definitely not just for travelers who are "roughing it." In fact, they cover all levels of travel, from budget to upmarket. A name change awhile back didn't stick, and the guides now go by the name by which they're known to experience travelers the world over, Rough Guides. Anyway, back to the new guide to Belize. Peter Eltringham first came to Belize with the Royal Air Force. He's been just about everywhere in Belize and knows it inside out. Turn to any section, and his recommendations on hotels, restaurants and what to do are almost always spot on. Although he's generous -- occasionally to a fault -- with hotels he likes, Peter can be blunt: He's willing to call a hotel overpriced when it is or to point out the illegal cutting of mangroves by resort developers. This guide is especially good on lesser-known destinations such as the southern cayes or Corozal District. There's also a helpful section on Tikal and one on the Honduras Bay Islands, though this latter section was written before Hurricane Mitch and is therefore nearly useless. A section called Contexts offers insightful information on Belize history, music, literature and other subjects. In short, this is a must-carry for anyone traveling in Belize.
Rating:
Summary: tour de force of relentless research, timely info & sharp
Review: Hooray! Belize now has its own Rough Guide. In the past, Belize has been combined with Guatemala in one edition. The new Belize edition, by Peter Eltringham (who co-authored the old Guatemala-Belize guide and has a hand in several other of Rough Guides to Mexico and Central America) is a tour de force of relentless research, timely info and sharp writing. I want to try to explain why this is such a good guide. But first, let's get something out of the way -- the name. Many North American reader still think the Rough Guides, published in London, are for budget travelers. In fact, as I understand it, the name Rough is an Anglicism meant to suggest that it is an approximation, an expected plan, as in a "rough plan." The Rough Guides, of which there are now more than a hundred, are definitely not just for travelers who are "roughing it." In fact, they cover all levels of travel, from budget to upmarket. A name change awhile back didn't stick, and the guides now go by the name by which they're known to experience travelers the world over, Rough Guides. Anyway, back to the new guide to Belize. Peter Eltringham first came to Belize with the Royal Air Force. He's been just about everywhere in Belize and knows it inside out. Turn to any section, and his recommendations on hotels, restaurants and what to do are almost always spot on. Although he's generous -- occasionally to a fault -- with hotels he likes, Peter can be blunt: He's willing to call a hotel overpriced when it is or to point out the illegal cutting of mangroves by resort developers. This guide is especially good on lesser-known destinations such as the southern cayes or Corozal District. There's also a helpful section on Tikal and one on the Honduras Bay Islands, though this latter section was written before Hurricane Mitch and is therefore nearly useless. A section called Contexts offers insightful information on Belize history, music, literature and other subjects. In short, this is a must-carry for anyone traveling in Belize. --Lan Sluder Editor & Publisher Belize First Magazine
Rating: 
Summary: A grateful author thanks a reviewer and readers.
Review: Just a line or two of thanks to Lan Sluder of Belize First Magazine for his review (on Amazon.com and in magazine). I've just returned from a research trip to Central America and met a number of very satisfied readers. I always enjoy meeting readers in the area I'm writing about - especially when they're enjoying their trip so much. So this is a thank-you to all the people I met in Guatemala and Belize with the various Rough Guides, and also to anyone else with any other book who was able to travel more confidently with their questions answered correctly. Also thanks to everyone I know in Belize - you've all helped make my work an absolute pleasure. And thanks to Amazon of course. Now enjoy Belize, The Maya World and Central America. Email any comments on the books. Thanks, Peter
Rating:
Summary: A recommended purchase for your trip to Belize
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: Wait until the next edition comes out.
Review: 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.
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