This 4 bedroom rental home comes with a housekeeper, boat/boatman, and cook (the food is delicious!). http://www.caribbeanmag.com/search/hotels/Belize/whiteridgeinn/hotel/1577/3/ en-us Copyright 1998 e-TravelMedia.com/CaribbeanMag.com Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:39:48 EST This vacation rental has much more to offer... Talk with locals; explore jungle rivers; cast a line; snorkel/dive; explore Mayan ruins; tour exotic jungles; discover ancient caves; visit the Belize Zoo; shop the Indian market on the Guatamalan border. These are all within 2 hours of the WineBerry house. AMENITIES: ACTIVITIES: Water Trips: We are surrounded by water...rivers, lagoons and the Caribbean. By boat you can go up the jungle rivers, out fishing, canoeing, manatee watching, etc. You may swim in the rivers or the Caribbean (a few minutes away) or snorkel/dive off the cayes. Land Trips: You can explore exotic jungle, caves, limestone cliffs...or stroll through the creole village of Gales Point Manatee. Tours: Belize is an amazing country...within 1/2 to 2 hours by bus or car all of the following are available: Belize Zoo (1/2 hour); Cockscomb Basin (Jaguar Reserve); Mayan ruins at Altun Ha, Xunantunich, or Lamanai; Monkey Bay; the Baboon Sanctuary; and the Indian market (on the Guatamalan border). Airport (Belize City) to White Ridge Inn The most spectacular and beautiful way to get to the Inn is by boat... You will travel through 29 miles of exotic jungle rivers and lagoons (1 1/2 hours). You may reach the Inn directly by taxi (1 hour): More economically, you may take a taxi to the bus station in Belize City ...then take a bus to Gales Point (1 hour). Water trips: The White Ridge Inn is surrounded by water: rivers, lagoons, creeks, and the Caribbean. We have a Mexican skiff and boatman available at cost. Local guides are available. Here are some of the trips our guests delight in: Venture out with a bushman in a Mexican skiff to see crocadiles, a cave accessible by water, and Bird Caye (a bird sanctuary). Take a moonlight cruise across the lagoon to Mr. Gentle's "Cool Spot" in Gales Point Manatee. Here you can sample the local beer and wines (cashew, berry, cassava) and chat with the locals. Take an expedition up the beautiful Manatee Jungle River. Journey out the Bar River to the Caribbean for a picnic and swim. Cruise across the lagoon to the Manatee Hole to watch the manatee play. Local fishing...wake early to cast for mullet (bait), then fish for tarpon, jack, shark, etc. Swim in the lagoon at the mouth of the Manatee River. Both swimmers and non-swimmers delight in this shallow, clear water as it flows from the river into the lagoon. Diving/Snorkeling: Our neighbor on the sea handles our local diving/snorkeling expeditions. He is a certified instructor. He picks you up at our pier, takes you out to Rendezvous Caye (a romantic little Caye on the reef) and returns you. Canoeing: A neighbor in the village manages our canoeing journeys. Her canoes and guides are first class. A canoe ride down the Manatee River is a must for the naturalist. The guide will point out all the local flora and fauna. Land Trips: Take a 3-hour journey through open savanna and then dense jungle to an old Mayan cave, which is well worth exploring. Drive or walk down Soldier's creek through the bamboo thickets and jungle. The swimming is wonderful. An expedition back into the bush by limestone cliffs near Quimina Creek allow you to glimpse or hear the howler monkeys. A swim in the cool, clear creek is a treat in itself. Walk through the creole village of Gales Point Manatee. The village is on a narrow peninsula (about two miles long) that stretches out into the lagoon. It has an exotic beauty, almost oriental, with the Mayan Mountains in the background. The sunsets are breathtaking. For the beach combers, there are three miles of virgin Caribbean beach. If you'd like to see parrots and maybe toucan, a trip to Soldier's creek ar sunrise is a must. A bushman from the village can be hired for the day to take you on various other cave and jungle trips. DINING/RESTARUANTS: Type: Vacation Rental Beach Location: Beach Front (Directly on Beach/Water Front) http://www.caribbeanmag.com/search/hotels/Belize/whiteridgeinn/hotel/1577/3/ Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:39:48 EST