Lamanai Ruins and River Safari

The day of our Lamanai Ruins tour didn't look too promising. The temperatures were in the low 70s, which isn't bad until the wind and cloud cover were factored in. We left the Jewel with a backpack stuffed with rain gear, light jackets, and anything else we would need might the weather change for the worse.

We took a small ferry across the choppy waters to the port. If that wasn't stomach churning enough, we then hopped on a Cold War era Grayhound bus. I was expecting it to break down the entire time but it didn't. Captain Chino (yes, that's what he wanted us to call him) handled the details well and got us safely to our destination.

Add caption

The first stop was a small, open-air restaurant that overlooked a small lake. We channeled through the restaurant and loaded onto a speedboat. There were a few older couples who were surprised that this was a speedboat tour--they were thinking a river cruise ship--so the cold winds, cramped quarters and lack of cocktails took them by surprise.

During the river safari, Captain Chino pointed out numerous plants and trees. That's interesting and everything but I was most excited about the animals! We spotted a few bird species, two iguanas chillin' in the trees, and a monkey. He was my absolute favorite.

Mr. Monkey had an agenda. I think he knew that the tourist come through that way because he was sitting on a low branch waiting on us. The skipper from the boat ahead of us handed him some fruit and the little monkey paused for his photo op. He was adorable though not as wild as I would have thought.

After a 40 minute ride through the winding channels of New River, we reached the Lamanai Visitors Center. It serves as a gateway to the three major points of interest in the Lamani complex. The first is the Jaguar Temple, which I think was the prettiest. The worn, moss-covered rocks were beautiful. I later learned that most of this temple is still underground. If fully excavated, it would be the tallest temple in the complex. (So dig it up already!) Only downside: I could've lived without the cheesy growling jaguar sounds looping from speakers.

Next came High Temple at Lamanai, the submerged crocodile. It's nearly 10 stories high and is the best excavated of the three. It's the one that most tourist want to climb. Once at the top, we were rewarded with stunning view of the New River, nearby lagoon, and lush jungle.

Add caption

The stairs are incredibly steep and narrow, so many people crawled up like spiders and came down sideways. There was one older woman who slid down step-by-step on her butt, which was funny, and incredibly smart for anyone with weak knees.

The last stop on the tour was the Masks Temple, which is tiny compared to the other two but it has the best preserved mask carvings on either side. They're about 8' tall, I think, and quite fascinating.

I don't have any photos of the ride back because it started to rain the second that we got on the speedboat. It was the longest, wettest, coldest boa tride that I've ever had in my life. So worth it! The ruins were beautiful and really spoke to the skill of the Mayans. They were inspirational for a book that I'm working on and the images will stay with me forever.

ATV Jungle Excursion and Beach Break in Costa Maya, Mexico

During our cruise of the Western Caribbean on the Norwegian Jewel, we participated in the ATV Jungle Adventure and Beach Break in Costa Maya. It was an excellent choice.

The ATVs are automatic and super easy to navigate. The course starts off straight and simple (to help beginners get acclimated) and then escalates in difficulty. Check out our video!


Midway through the ride, we had a water break at a pretty outlook area. Our tour guide Daniel told us a bit about Costa Maya and life in the area. Costa Maya is what Cancun was about 30 years ago. Aside from a shopping center at the port and a few private beaches, it's quite underdeveloped. That's a good thing for locals who don't want to be flooded with tourist yet not so great for the economy. As development moves forward, they're playing a balancing act, trying to keep a small-town feel while fueling the economy.

Even bandits need water breaks

Daniel is incredibly kind and helpful so I recommend working with him if you have the option to take the tour.

After the water break we continued the tour. Along the way, one passenger's ATV broke down. It was a minor hiccup. The assistant tour guide switched ATVs with her and he waited for the repair crew to arrive while we continued the tour. Surprises happen so it's nice when the crew is organized enough to handle them.

Overall, the ATV excursion lasts for about 45 minutes. There is a straight paved section, a winding sand track, a bumpy section similar to a pump track for bikes, and then an overgrown jungle and winding trail towards the end. That's where the most photos are taken, so you look all hardcore on your ATV busting through the jungle, hahaa.

There are a few things that you should know to get the most out of your adventure:

• Be sure to wear sunglasses. Aside from blocking the sun, they will keep dust and sand out of your eyes. Oh, and tree branches. 
• The little bandanas that Daniel gave us are optional. After rain, the sand doesn't blow around as much. We didn't really need to wear them. But I imagine that bandanas are really helpful in drier conditions where kicked-up sand could irritate your nose and throat.
• Wear shorts! Some ads for the ATV ride recommended wearing pants. Those who did were hot and miserable.
• Bring a video recorder like GoPro so that you can make your own videos. The pictures that the tour company took came out blurry and were $16 each. Safeguard your memories and save money by taking your own videos and pictures.

I heard saltwater helps locs tighten...?

After the ATV ride we were dropped off at a private resort just for cruise members. The service is exceptionally good (the bathroom attendant was like a second mother, haha). The open bar proved to be a much needed relief from the $12 cocktails on the cruise ship. Drink up!

Note: Food orders do take a while (since large groups arrive at once) so don't wait until you're famished to order. Order ahead and enjoy the beach while you wait.