Amazing Service & Guides!
I messaged Joe to inquire about a few tours for our stay in San Ignacio and he provided us with information on different options and coordinated everything for us. He even set us up with a room at Hode’s Place, a little hotel with a great restaurant. Joe was quick to reply, friendly, and really helpful. He made our last minute trip to Belize even more carefree. Joe coordinated a half day tour of cave tubing with Josiah as our guide. There are normally 300-400 tourists in the cave on any given day, but because it was a rainy day during low-season, it was only Josiah, my boyfriend, and I in the whole park! It made for an amazing experience. We would highly recommend Josiah, who was funny, laid back, and knowledgeable. Our second day was spent on a full day tour into Guatemala to see the Mayan ruins of Tikal. Our guide, Jorge De Leon and a local guide were friendly, helpful, and very knowledgeable on Mayan history, culture, and hieroglyphs. They walked us through the park, highlighted different significant aspects and told stories in such a passionate and detailed way. It really made for an interesting day
The best tour service in Belize!
We LOVED Nine Eco Tours! Our guide Josiah picked us up at the airport and shuttled us to San Ignacio. All along the way he provided us with history, insight, and interesting facts about the country. He was very knowledgeable and extremely friendly, answering our plethora of annoying tourist questions with a smile every time. We even requested to stop for lunch and Josiah obliged us and waited for us with no additional charge. We decided to book our transfer back to Belize City three days later and Josiah took us back, even stopping along the way to let us browse at gift shops and showing us where to find Belizean coffee. Our transfer was well worth the price, and Josiah was a very kind and helpful guide. We would readily book our transfers with nine again. We also did the ATM tour with nine as well. It was… spectacular, to say the least. Our guide Patrick was extremely knowledgeable, and you could tell he took pride in the cave- the #1 sacred cave in the world. (If you’re reading this review- do it! it is one of the most astonishing experiences I’ve ever had.) We thoroughly enjoyed Patrick’s love and knowledge of the cave, and the climbing and swimming made it one grand adventure. Nine Eco tours provided local Belizean lunch (stew chicken and rice and beans) and it was AMAZING. Finally, at the end of the ATM tour, we celebrated with two Belikin beers apiece. The tour was well worth the price. From the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank Joe Awe, Patrick and Josiah for giving us a truly memorable and wonderful experience. You truly made our trip! Thank you!
Hands Down! Best Tour Guide in Belize!
We have used Nine Eco Cultural Tours for many years in Belize to tour Xunantunich with different groups. Prior to that, we experienced a few other tour guides, and I can say with confidence that Joe Awe is the best tour guide we ever had. He is incredibly knowledgeable and entertaining and easily keeps the interest of all of our group participants. Joe has a degree in cultural anthropology and he is highly educated about Maya history and is able to draw meaningful parallels with contemporary society. He also teaches tourism at a local college and often has students joining him to provide them with experience and learn from him, which is commendable. We hope to be able to use Nine Eco Cultural Tours for many years to come!
Belize transportation and tour guides extraordinaire
We used Nine Eco tours for the inland part of our Belize trip. We had prearranged our transportation with Nine Eco Tours and were picked up at the airport, by Joshua, a very knowledgeable and warm young man. We had an enjoyable ride to San Ignacio with plenty of information given us about Belize. The next morning we met with Hob for our tour to the Carocal Ruins. Joshua left off, Hob picked up. The ride to Carocal is, let’s say not smooth, but still very enjoyable with Hob doing the driving. He was an encyclopedia on this day’s excursion. He very much loves his job and you know it. The next day we went zip-lining and cave rafting. Again, Hob was our guide, so we knew it was going to be a great day. Our trip to the ruins the day before took its toll on my wife legs. Hob to the rescue! He helped with her the raft, carrying it when she was not able. Both tours were good, could have been better, if it were not for the cruise ship folks. Hint, (Tuesdays and Thursdays are cruise ship days) so do your excursions at a distance, 3 hours, away from Belize City. Nine Eco Tours did not arrange our trips these days, our travel agent did. If the event’s days had been swapped, it would have been perfect.
Joe Awe
Joe Awe is an amazing tour guide. He is not only extremely educated about Belize history but about life itself as well. I had the best experience laughing and learning about everything! He is an absolute inspiration, when I return to Belize I will connect with him again. It is truly beautiful to have a guide be so comfortable, fun, smart, caring, and genuine. His words spoke to me on a deeper level. The day spent with him was by favorite day in Belize.
Friendly, knowledgeable and passionate about the site!!!
We had a free day in Belize City before our cruise with Belize Sailing Vacations, and they recommended Joe Awe for a Mayan tour. He picked us up personally and drove us to the site of Xunantunich, stopping for lunch. During the drive he was very engaging; we talked about the culture and politics of Belize & points of interest along the way [including a stop for lunch as it was some distance]. Joe is a professor at a local college and his tour was a good deal like a field trip. He didn’t just recite facts; he taught a mini-seminar and held our interest for the entire time. We enjoyed it immensely and recommended him to other tourists we met. Can’t go wrong here!!
SO Friendly and Knowledgeable!
I can’t say enough compliments about Joe & his team (we were with Giselle and Dan, as well as Juan Carlos). Having them as guides made our family trip to Belize not just stress-free, but also very comfortable as they were so easy to talk with – it was like hanging out with friends. We learned SO much about Mayan culture and the animals and life in Belize. I would highly recommend their services, especially for families with kids as they were especially patient and attentive.
Trip to Xunantunich
I had a free day before starting a temporary work program in Belmopan so I decided to give Nine Eco a call. Every aspect of their operation was cordial and professional. They picked me up on time from my where I was staying (Hode’s), offered me an ice cold bottle of water and directly took me to the site. It cannot be stressed enough (though other reviewers have tried) that Joe Awe, the leading tour guide, is a wealth of information on everything from the history of the Maya to the best local watering holes. Nine Eco is the only way to experience Xunantunich, San Ignacio, and the rest of Belize.
NINE scores a 10
I came across Nine Eco Cultural Tours through an old friend who writes for Lonely Planet in Central America. And she was right on the money. Joe Awe knows so much about Belize and is eager to share it with you. He and the knowledgeable people he works with do a professional job meeting and exceeding expectations. If you have special interests, as we did (archaeology), he will work to find things to suit them. In our case, attending the archaeology symposium and meeting many of the archaeologists. He is reliable and trustworthy. If you are going to Belize, you won’t go wrong with nine!
Nine is a way of life!
I’ve used Nine Eco Cultural Tours quite a few times over the years. Joe Awe is a wonderful guide, who is well knowledge, and he imparts that knowledge at the local JC too. In the last semester, I’ve done around 3 tours with nine, and they were all phenomenal. We did the Tropical Education Center, and did the night tour, along with Guanacaste National Park thrown in around the same time. We were able to zip line and rappel down a waterfall at MamaNoots at Bocawina National Forest. We also did the La Capitana Pontoon boat on Lake Benque. I’ve written extensively about all those, and how they were all amazing trips, so you can find those reviews on that too.