Other Things to Note

The customary sequence of events for our guests on the day they are going to the island is: 1. Pick you up at local hotel or airport, 2. get vegetables, 3. swing by our office for equipment outfitting and finally do food shopping and off we go. The entire process takes approximate one hour.

>> General Meeting Place: Unless other arrangements have been made, the best meeting place is in our main office (Bird Island/Privasea Tour building) which is right on main street Placencia, where the sidewalk crosses the main road in the middle of town. 

  >> Reservations: It is important that the reservation is indeed accurate as to the number of guests just ~before~ arrival since it helps us plan for your stay.  Only 4-years old and younger are free. Also please let us know your arrival information so we could help you with travel logistics. Best to invite others that are fully aware they are coming to a self-catering adventure, not a resort.

   >> Getting to Placencia from Belize City Airport: There are four (3) choices. Let us know which appeals to you and we will arrange it for you.
~By Shuttle: There are a few shuttle services available and usually about $90 per person.  Pick up at Belize International airport. 3-hour ride to Placencia.
~By Rental Car: between $90 - $100 USD a day; again 3-hour drive. We have our own private place to leave your rental car while in Placencia. Note: do NOT take 'coastal' road, but drive through Belmopan and then take the new recently-finished Hummingbird Hwy to Placencia.
~By Air: (Maya or Tropic Air) About $110 USD each way per person / 40 minute flight. 
(Note: If going to Bird Island the same day as arriving, the shuttle/rental car way works best if one is arriving in Belize International Airport by 2pm or earlier;  it is a 3hr drive to Placencia + 1 hour for food shopping + 20 minutes to get to the island. It gets dark  in Belize by 6:30pm. If arriving to Belize International after 2pm it is best to ~fly~ to Placencia if leaving for island on the same day). Staying a day in the village of Placencia prior to coming to the island is a great choice since it is a fun place to spend time in also).

   >> Length of stay: We have a minimum of 4 days;  we have at least a 24-hour window between guests for general cleaning and/or maintenance.   

   >>  In order to help you with your logistics and food shopping, we can pick you up at the Placencia airport (or local hotel) at 11am (or later) whjen going to the island the same day as arriving  in town. 
   
   >> The trip from Placencia Village to Bird Island via boat is included in the price (18-minute run).  Pick-up from the island when returning should be about 2 hours before flying out of Placencia.

   >>  Exclusivity. Yes, when you book Bird Island, you will have the entire island all to yourself in absolute privacy. There is no staff on the island, which makes Bird Island the only truly totally-private island opportunity in Belize. 

   >> Accommodations: The island has 4 separate places to stay (6 beds),  and each with their own dedicated bathroom. There are many added places in the island to make use of our extra cots.

  >>  Snorkeling equipment: Best to bring your own, specially a mask that you are comfortable with but you are most welcomed to borrow whatever you need from our shop in the mainland. We have every size of good-quality Cressi snorkeling equipment available.

>>  Food Supply: Bird Island is a self-catering scenario, so the plan is to bring enough meats, vegetable and drinks (i.e. liquor, ice) for your stay. We do assist you with your food shopping. The island does have a very well-stocked kitchen with a myriad of condiments such as cake mixes, flour, rice, spices, oils, paper towels, garbage bags, etc., so you are not required to think of every little thing.  Food shopping is a very simple affair and will be the very last step before leaving for Bird Island. The island has a big refrigeration, ice cooler and 2 Yeti coolers at the bar to maintain ice.

   >>  Drinking Water: The island has a well-filtered rain-water system for all general uses. However, we still provide purified bottled drinking water for drinking. No need to worry about bringing drinking water yourself.

   >>  Wading slipper-type shoes. The island is surrounded by sand flats and within 100 feet a spectacular reef with live coral; bringing soft shoes that cover your toes and ankle are a good thing to have when walking about. 

   >>  Fishing equipment: The island is usually surrounded by constant marauding schools of fish (jacks, snappers, etc.) feeding around it.  As for equipment, best to bring your own. If you want to do bottom fishing, make sure to buy some shrimp bait when food shopping and use our fishing hand wheels.  

>>  Refrigeration: The island has an electric large-size refrigerator and ice freezer.  Bringing at least six (6) bags of ice when food shopping is highly recommended.

>>  Communication:   The island has very good (and unlimited) High-Speed Internet and a 32' Smart TV. A local phone is at the island so you can make local calls.

>>  Entertainment: The island has Bluetooth (2), many great board games and an extensive library of books. If you love reading, you will find no finer selection of books. 

>>  Side Tours (while staying in Placencia or Bird Island): We have our own tour company ( Privasea Adventures right on main street) which caters to  small group, private tours. We include an excellent lunch and the use of the best equipment. There is one tour we highly recommend while staying in Bird Island:  a fishing trip, which will provide all the fish you will need the rest of the week.  On the days staying on the mainland the Monkey River/Manatee Watch tours are great ones to go on or inland tours to the ruins or cave tubing.

   >>  Security: Though Bird Island is only 6 miles away from town and inside its own atoll, we share a security association with other islands. The new Coast Guard station is in an island within sight of Bird Island.

   >>  Power. The island runs on solar-power and has a wind generator.. Considering it is solar, power usage should be kept in mind during your stay. Nonetheless the island has a new super-quite generator that you can turn on anytime (electric start) to run anything and at the same time recharge the batteries during periods of too little sun, rare indeed but good to have a backup.

  >>  Getting around the atoll. There are 2 single-person and 2 new double-person kayaks and two (2) Paddle boards to cruise the atoll that surrounds the island.  

  >>  Sun Tan Lotion (and Bug Spray). Remember, it is the tropics; the best type of suntan lotion is one of a high Block Factor, either lotion or spray type. 

  >>  Bugs (i.e. sand flies, mosquitoes). Unlike the mainland or most other islands, Bird Island just doesn't have them, in fact it is one of the things our guests really appreciate the most. We have never have had to even spray for them either. 

  >>  Places to stay in Placencia Peninsula: if arriving before your stay in Bird Island,  there are many places to stay nowadays right on the Placencia beach, and within walking distance to where we depart from.  

  >>  General weather pattern:
January-June 15th: is considered the 'dry season'. 
June 15th-July 15th: the first seasonal rains tend to occur.
July 15th-September 15th: usually is very nice weather, interrupted by the occasional 30-minute passing shower.
September 15th-October 20th: the second seasonal rains tend to occur, again daily passing showers.
November 1st-December 30th Occasional thunderstorms here and there but great weather in long stretches between them.  

  >> Nothing ever stays the same in Bird Island, we are always changing in order to improve our place for the benefit of ours guests. We reserve the right to make changes without notice. 

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