Charlie's Cave Tubing Tours

Charlie's Cave Tubing Tours

Charlie's Cave Tubing Tours
5
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
About
Charlie's Tours are very educational, ecological-oriented and adequate for school kids and students of all ages. Charlie offers an excellent ecological tour on the trails just prior to having to tube through the mysterious caves where the Maya priests once prayed to and worshiped the Gods of the Underworld. At Charlie's Cave Tubing we cater especially to our Eco-friendly guests. We are very serious about the conservation and preservation of the caves. We are sure you will find this a very relaxing and pleasant experience.
Belize City, Belize

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Tours and Tickets by Charlie's Cave Tubing Tours
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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5.0
478 reviews
Excellent
446
Very good
25
Average
3
Poor
2
Terrible
2

Dave
Riverside, CA138 contributions
Mar 2022
Charlie Chan (Mayan) is the founder/owner of this WONDERFUL business. We are a 74 year young couple from California who at the last minute communicated with Charlie and received a very prompt and affirmative response. We emailed on a Sunday night, received a response early Monday and had our adventure the very next day. Charlie is one of the most pleasant, caring, informative and fun guides we have had during our many, many independent travels. We had a very pleasant, easy walk through the rain forest with Charlie, learning a great deal about the flora and fauna. Charlie even carried our tubes for us, This was a tandem cave tubing experience where Charlie pulled us along the very easy current in the caves and river. He was extremely safety conscious, patient and a genuine pleasure to spend the several hours we had with him. At the end of the adventure we were very pleased to have lunch included in a very local and pleasant restaurant. His son also runs tours under his business. They do cruise ship groups as well. If you want to go tandem cave tubing, you must connect with Charlie. Nothing scary at all!
Written March 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ntrpriz1701e
Yardley, PA19 contributions
Nov 2020
There is a reason that Charlie Chan is rated #4 (currently) and most likely should be rated higher. We may be the first review since the opening of Belize. While we did not go cave tubing, we had Charlie for our own private excursion for my family and I. Charlie has been doing this for 25 years. It is easy to understand why he is the best. Not only is he friendly, informative, knowledgeable, etc., he is invested in your enjoying your day - it is as important to him as yourself.

Interested in safety in today's world? he is Gold Standard certified and took our family's "COVID safety" seriously. What does it say when Belize is doing it better than the US?

Anyway - no hesitation to use Charlie's org...This is the person to see!
Written November 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nicole R
Palm Beach Gardens, FL71 contributions
Mar 2023
Highly recommend this tour. Book directly through Charlie, at charliescavetubing@yahoo.com. He is a local of Mayan decent and has been giving cave tubing tours for over twenty years. We were picked up outside of the port by Charlie who drove us to the archeological site where the tubing takes place. We had time to change into our swimwear and water shoes in changing rooms/restrooms. Charlie locked our bags and dry clothes in his car. We then received a helmet and lifejacket (Charlie had our tubes sent ahead so we didn't have to carry them all the way to the start of the tubing area like other groups were doing). We then walked about 30 minutes crossing the river at a few waist level or below spots with Charlie giving us a history of the Mayans and the significance of the caves. The tubing itself is amazing and fun, our teens also loved it. After we changed back into our dry clothes and since we only had a half day at port and no time for lunch, Charlie drove us back to the cruise port. A great day overall!
Written March 27, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ah_decker
Morehead City, NC1 contribution
Feb 2022 • Couples
We had the most incredible day with Brett as our guide! He met us at the port terminal and was an informative guide from the time we departed. We learned much about Belize, its people, and its history on our drive to/from cave tubing. While walking to our launch point, he stopped several times to point out ecological features of the rain forest. Once we started our cave tour, he pointed out significant formations and shared elements of Mayan history. One of the best parts - we continued our float down river after cruise bookings had ended. Lunch at Teaky Tavern was authentic and delicious. We arrived back to port in plenty of time to tender back to our ship. Our friends said in their four trips to Belize, this was by far the best excursion they have taken. We cannot recommend highly enough!
Written February 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rzrbck
Arkansas19 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
Book this excursion right now. Do not hesitate for a second. Charlie is a gentleman and a scholar of all things Belize. He took our family of 7 on a cave tubing/ zip lining tour during our recent Carnival cruise. He was on time, honest, trustworthy and had us back on the ship in plenty of time. Send him an email to book: charliescavetubing@yahoo.com
Written August 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kim B
Hot Springs, AR101 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
We were so happy to be Charlie’s first group out since Covid. We did the zip line & cave tubing. The tubing is so unique. You will never forget it. He and Leo took great care of us from start to finish. Highly recommend.
Written August 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

754JJ754
Southside, AL52 contributions
Dec 2015 • Family
Our Family of 6 recently went here for an excursion while on a Norwegian Cruise. We had 2 adults, 2 teens and 2 under the age of 10. Depending on the excursion, we sometimes book through the cruise line and sometimes don't. We did NOT book this through the cruise line and I'm glad we didn't. The price was $50 per person when you book directly through Charlie's. The booking process was simple. You will send him an email on his website with the date/time you arrive at port, cruise ship line/name of ship and number of people. He will confirm back to you via email. No need to pay until you get to port. Once you get to port, walk off the cruise ship and meet at the designated spot. His guys all have on blue shirts that look like superman shirts. They will want to be paid in cash so make sure you bring cash with you from the boat.

I would suggest wearing your bathing suits to the location and bringing a change of clothes for when you're finished. There is a large bathhouse where you can change after your finished tubing. We all wore our Chocco sandals, which worked out perfectly for both walking to the area where you put in and for wearing during the tubing. If you don't have a pair of choccos or other type of water shoe, then they will rent a pair to you for $3 USD.

I didn't bring my smart phone but wish I had. There are no meaningful rapids so if your phone is in a life proof case, otter box or other water resistant case then you should be fine. I would recommend putting your phone in a zip lock freezer bag that you tuck in your shirt under your vest and then taking it out once your in your tube to take pictures of the cave and the sights along the way. You can always stick it back in the zip lock bag and tuck it back inside your shirt under your life vest when you want to put it up.

The ride was about 45 minutes and was included in the $50 pp fee. Once you get there, they provide you with a box lunch. Ours consisted of chicken, beans and rice and slaw. Not bad for a free lunch. They also provide you with a life jacket and helmet with light on top. As a bonus, when you book through Charlies, you do NOT have to carry your tube to the drop in location. This is a HUGE plus because its about a 20-30 minute walk to get to the drop in point. I'm not aware of any other companies that do this.

The ride lasts about 45 minutes and you will have a guide with your group who will talk about the rock formations in the cave and other stories behind the cave. Once your out of the cave, you'll float for about 15 to 20 minutes to the take out point. It's a very short walk back to the van from the take out point...maybe 5 minutes.

There is one other bonus. A the take out point, there is a rock that you can jump off that's about 20 feet above the water. This was one of the highlights of the trip for me and our two teenage boys! Just be sure that no inner tubers are passing under the rock when you jump.

For the price point, this was an EXCELLENT excursion for the money and one of the better value excursions that we've booked over the years. Also, one side note, we learned that Norwegian Cruise Line is going to discontinue the Belize Port as a destination as of February 2016. They claim it is because of crime. I haven't researched this issue but we never felt in danger while we were there. With that in mind, I wouldn't venture past the cruise port. I can also tell you that, from what we saw, it didn't look nearly as bad as the ports in the Bahamas where you feel like your in a bad scene from the movie "Blackhawk Down" and your hoping reinforcements will show up to dimply walk to the bathroom with you. If you're on Norwegian, I'm not sure if you'll be able to take a ferry from another stop or not but I would check with Norwegian if you're sailing with that cruise line. As far as I know, the other cruise lines are NOT discontinuing this port. Please click on the helpful button if this review was a benefit to you. Happy travels!
Written January 5, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ChipDerek
Grand Rapids, Michigan9 contributions
Jan 2015 • Couples
It was okay, nothing spectacular. It's definitely worth doing once but I wouldn't go back and do it again. The guides were pretty great though, nothing against them.
Written January 19, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cooljewel
Canada56 contributions
As cruise ship passengers destined for Belize City, we booked a tour with Charlie (http://charliescavetubing.com/index.html) through http://www.ecotoursbelize.com/. Charlie was standing where our tender docked even before we pulled in, holding a sign with our name on it. I'm so glad we went with him, instead of the ship. He was professional, knowledgable, and fun, and never once did we feel unsafe.
At the time of booking we requested an additional hike be added on to our regular cave tubing tour. For a small additional fee (still WAY cheaper per person than tours through the ship) we got a phenomenal tour unlike anyone else that went cave tubing that day. For one thing, our tour was private: just the three of us and Charlie, our extremely knowledgable guide. Charlie explained lots about Mayan traditions, and flora and fauna of the rainforest during our hike. It wasn't long before we'd gone far past the wide, perfectly groomed pathways, and past the place where the rest of the cruise ship passengers had entered the river. We stopped along the way to eat some termites live out of the nest (they tasted surprisingly good!) and we walked a narrow, muddy path in the rainforest, with no sign of other humans anywhere in sight. All of a sudden, a call in the rainforest caught our attention: we'd found some howler monkeys. Charlie explained all about the howlers, and ensured that it was safe for us to venture off the path a few feet so we could clearly see the monkeys high up in the canopy.
Afterwards, we entered the caves and briefly jumped into the refreshing water for a quick swim, before getting in our tubes. Charlie guided us through the caves --and since we'd walked further than any other cruise ship passengers, we had the first two caves totally to ourselves-- all the while explaining all about Mayan traditions and beliefs. We asked Charlie if he could find us some bats in the cave, so he did...but if we hadn't asked we never would have seen any of them. The caves themselves are incredible, and we covered about two miles of them. When we finally arrived back where we'd started, we wished we could turn around and do it all over again.
At the end of the tour, we sat down to a satisfying meal of chicken, beans and rice, before getting back into the air conditioned van and driving back to the cruise terminal. All in all, a perfect tour, filled with experiences we never would have had if we had booked through the ship.
Written February 19, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

lisa968
Meade, KS22 contributions
Mar 2014 • Couples
We had no trouble finding Charlie right outside the port. Big ole guy with a superman t-shirt, just as advertised. We were then led to a shaded area to wait for the rest of the people who booked with us (12 or so total). Our guide, King David, made sure he knew when we all had to be back at the ports. The ride to the tubing area was about 50 minutes through Brazil City. King David gave us a little Belizean history along the way. Throughout the hike to the river, King David tried to find some jungle critters and interesting plants. He also took us into a dry cave area to show us some of the features of the caves. We were offered "jungle snacks" also (termites). At the river crossing, we were allowed to stop and take a dip in the "refreshing" (read: icy cold) water. A few brave souls did. Unlike other tour groups, we didn't have to carry our inner tubes. Now, when we got closer to the river, every tour group in Belize was using the same trail. Several groups were breaking apart due to narrow areas along the trail, multiple groups, and the sizes of the inner tubes people (not us) had to carry. Once at the river, about seven tour groups were all vying for openings to get in. King David tied our inner tubes together so we didn't have to stick our feet into anybody's armpits (no kidding, some groups linked feet-to-armpit - GROSS). Once inside the cave, we had headlamps to help us see. King David pointed out only the important features unique to this cave, then he shut up. With 20 different tour groups inside a river cave, the noise echoes and carries. Nineteen other tour operators were loudly explaining stalagtites and stalagmites to their groups. King David had already covered this for us, so he didn't have to shout over the other nineteen, nor did he need to add his voice to the already deafening sounds of everybody else's. We were packed in there like sardines. It doesn't matter which tubing company you use - it will be loud, unromantic, and crowded. They all use the same cave system. Check how many ships are in port before you book this. That will matter.

Now, we had comfy, netted-bottom inner tubes with headrests. Several other tubers commented that they were a little jealous because we had the nicer tubes. Also, while still inside the cave, several other tour groups had their tours end. We floated gently down the ever-quieting river as one by one, the other tours had their patrons schlep their inner tubes out (wondering why we got to continue on the adventure). We did leave the cave system, and continued down the river, through the open jungle - this time, in peace! We got to hear the natural sounds of the jungle. At the end, we did get to carry our tubes about five minutes to the changing area. We were then allowed to change, shop, and enjoy a free Belizean meal. The meal was rice & beans, two small pieces of chicken, and a delicious warm coleslaw. It filled us up nicely. If you're one of those who need to super-size your meals, this will not fill you up. The meals were quite delicious, not outrageously seasoned, but nothing like you'd find in Kansas.

On the way back, King David did offer to drop some people off to shop in the city, he then took the rest of us back to port, then doubled back to pick up the shoppers.

So, why book with Charlies?
1. Half the price of booking through the cruise line. No joke. Half. Price.
2. No carrying your tubes.
3. No feet-to-armpit linkage
4. Yummy meal included
5. Small group size
6. Guide is respectful of the noise level in the caves
7. More time to enjoy the lush jungle from your inner tube
8. Quality inner tubes.

Side note: Some of the steps along the hike are rather steep and will be quite painful for anybody with bad knees. There are no handrails, either. Wheelchair and stroller access will not happen. It doesn't matter which tour company you use, they all use the same trail.
Written April 18, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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