Once in Belize, the quickest way to get around is by taking little hopper flights between destinations. Yes, you can drive or take water taxis if you are truly opposed to tiny planes, but why waste another few hours when you can knock out the journey with a 15-minute flight?
Tropic Air is the main local airline, and they were fantastic. Their check-in counter is about 30 steps from baggage claim (don’t let the overzealous airport porters make you feel Iike it is further...they got us!), and their staff is about as nice as can be. They checked us in and jokingly offered to send our kids along on another day (...I was tempted…). Our flight was not for another few hours, but they bumped us up, and we were loaded onto a tiny little plane about 15 minutes later!
Tropic Air in Belize - Our first little hopper plane (Erin Correia)
It is tight quarters, and they are up and moving before you are even buckled in - but it was great!
Tropic Air in Belize - Tiny flight to Ambergris Caye (Erin Correia)Tropic Air in Belize - Tiny flight to Ambergris Caye (Erin Correia)
A smooth ride with excellent views of the ocean and reefs, and then we were there! Up came the ladder, out came the bags, and we were off. They unload the luggage into an outdoor baggage claim area and then check your bag check tags and bring you your bags - nice and safe!
Baggage claim in Ambergris Caye (Erin Correia)
Then, you literally turn around, and taxis are lined up behind you!
On the way home, they have a tiny little terminal counter/gate area all in one.
They assign you to planes in order of your arrival at the airport, rather than by your set schedule. The boarding passes are plastic - similar to the old-fashioned “do not disturb” door signs from hotels - and they are color coded.
Tropic Air - Boarding passes (Erin Correia)
They hand out a dozen blue ones, then move on to red ones, then green and so on. As a plane is ready to go, they call a color, and everyone with that color boarding pass lines up at the door and walks out to the plane.
Tropic Air - About to board our last little hopper flight (Erin Correia)
You hand them your pass as you get on, and they bring them back into the airport to use for the next group. Very simple and very effective!
Tropic Air - Our last hopper flight (Erin Correia)
Overall, Tropic Air gets two big thumbs up from me!
Jessica was wonderful! She made every effort to ensure our trip was just what we wanted.
Celine Krafft
5 days ago
Erin was easy to work with and very helpful. She was patient and helped us figure out the adventure tour we were hoping for in Belize. Can’t wait to go on this trip!
Sam Wedll
1 week ago
Belize adventures
I've worked with Adventure Life before in planning trips and appreciate the quality of trips they put together. They use knowledgeable local guides, comfortable lodgings, and assist with transportation. I find trip planning stressful, so am happy to turn it over to them. They work within our parameters of time, budget, activity level, and types of activities to give us great experiences!
Kaesa Footracer
2 months ago
Jess was so helpful in talking me through some of the trip options I'd told her I was interested in, and then also bringing up similar alternatives with more flexible dates. Now that everything is booked I realize all the extra things she figured out for us as well, besides booking the transfers from and to each location, she realized that we wouldn't make it to my desired flight time on three departure date and was able to easily add another day so that even our departure day is stress free!
Wendy
3 months ago
Good candid advice and suggestions; prompt replies.
