bELIZE
There are places you visit for the beaches, places you visit for the history, and places you visit because you want a little adventure. Belize somehow gives you all three.
Tucked between Mexico and Guatemala along the Caribbean Sea, Belize is small enough to explore without feeling overwhelming, but incredibly diverse. You can spend one morning wandering through ancient Maya ruins hidden in the jungle and the next floating above coral reefs in impossibly clear blue water.
And while Belize certainly has beautiful beaches, that isn’t really what makes it special.
The reef, the islands, the caves, the jungle and the Maya history are what make Belize worth the trip.
Getting to Belize
Shaping the Landscape
Most international travelers arrive at Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport near Belize City.
From there, where you go depends entirely on the kind of Belize trip you’re planning.
If you’re heading to Ambergris Caye or Caye Caulker, you can continue by a short domestic flight or water taxi. If you’re exploring the interior of Belize, renting a car or arranging transportation toward San Ignacio gives you easy access to some of the country’s best jungle adventures and archaeological sites.
English is the country’s official language, although you’ll hear Kriol, Spanish, Garifuna and Maya languages throughout the country.
Where to Stay
One of the hardest parts about planning Belize is deciding which version of Belize you want.
Ambergris Caye & San Pedro
If turquoise Caribbean water is what brought you to Belize, start here.
Ambergris Caye is Belize’s largest island, with San Pedro serving as its lively little hub of restaurants, shops, resorts and beach bars.
The Belize Barrier Reef sits just offshore, making this an excellent base for snorkeling, diving and boat trips.
Golf carts are a popular way to get around the island, and life here moves at exactly the speed you hope it will when you’re somewhere surrounded by Caribbean water.
Caye Caulker
For something smaller and more laid-back, head to Caye Caulker.
This tiny island is the kind of place where your itinerary can very quickly turn into swimming, eating, wandering around barefoot and deciding you actually don’t need an itinerary after all.
It’s especially good for travelers who care more about relaxed island atmosphere than big resorts.
San Ignacio
Want the jungle and Maya side of Belize?
Stay in San Ignacio.
Located in western Belize near the Guatemalan border, San Ignacio makes an excellent base for exploring caves, waterfalls, jungle reserves and ancient Maya sites.
This is the Belize I would choose if I wanted adventure rather than several consecutive days sitting beside the ocean.
Placencia
Placencia gives you a little bit of both worlds.
The long peninsula along Belize’s southern coast offers Caribbean beaches and easy access to the reef while still putting you within reach of mainland adventures.
It’s quieter than San Pedro and a good choice if you’re looking for somewhere that feels relaxed without feeling completely isolated.
The Belize Barrier Reef
You cannot really talk about Belize without talking about the reef.
The Belize Barrier Reef stretches approximately 185 miles along the country’s coast and forms part of the enormous Mesoamerican Barrier Reef system.
There are hundreds of cayes scattered throughout the reef system, along with an extraordinary variety of coral, tropical fish and other marine life.
Even if you’ve never considered yourself a snorkeling person, Belize may change your mind.
Snorkel Hol Chan Marine Reserve
One of the most popular snorkeling excursions from Ambergris Caye is Hol Chan Marine Reserve.
Expect clear Caribbean water, coral formations and plenty of marine life.
Many excursions combine Hol Chan with nearby snorkeling areas, making this an easy half-day adventure from San Pedro.
If you’re only going to book one water activity while staying on Ambergris Caye, I’d put snorkeling near the top of the list.
See the Great Blue Hole
Then there’s Belize’s most recognizable natural landmark.
The Great Blue Hole is a massive underwater sinkhole at Lighthouse Reef Atoll measuring roughly 1,000 feet across and more than 400 feet deep.
Experienced divers can descend into the Blue Hole itself, where enormous underwater limestone formations remain from an ancient cave system.
But you don’t have to scuba dive to experience it.
Boat excursions visit the surrounding reef, and scenic flights provide what may actually be the most spectacular view of the Blue Hole — from directly above.
If I were choosing purely for the view and the photographs, I’d take the flight.
Visit Xunantunich
Belize’s history stretches far beyond its beaches.
Near San Ignacio, Xunantunich was once an important Maya ceremonial center and today contains more than 25 temples and palaces spread across six plazas.
Getting there is part of the experience.
Visitors cross the Mopan River aboard a hand-cranked ferry before continuing to the archaeological site.
The enormous El Castillo rises about 130 feet above the plaza, and on a clear day the views extend toward Guatemala.
Give yourself time here. This isn’t somewhere I’d want to rush through simply to check it off a list.
Explore ATM Cave
For something considerably more adventurous, there’s Actun Tunichil Muknal — usually called ATM Cave.
This is not your walk-through-a-cave-and-look-at-some-stalactites experience.
Reaching the archaeological site involves hiking through the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve, crossing streams and swimming into the cave itself.
Inside are ancient Maya ceramics, artifacts and human remains associated with ceremonial practices.
ATM is physically demanding and requires a guide, but for adventurous travelers it can easily become one of the most memorable experiences in Belize.
Go Cave Tubing
If ATM sounds a little too intense, Belize has a gentler way to experience its cave systems.
Cave tubing combines a jungle walk with floating through limestone caves on an inner tube.
It’s touristy.
I would still do it.
There’s something wonderfully ridiculous about peacefully floating down a river through a cave in the middle of the Belizean jungle.
Explore the Jungle
Don’t make the mistake of treating Belize as an island vacation with a mainland attached.
The interior is gorgeous.
Western Belize is filled with caves, rivers, waterfalls, protected forests and Maya archaeological sites.
Spend a day around the Mountain Pine Ridge area, paddle along the Macal or Mopan River, hike through the jungle or simply book a lodge surrounded by trees and listen to absolutely nothing for a while.
Belize’s jungle deserves at least as much attention as its coastline.
What to Eat in Belize
Come hungry.
Belizean food reflects the country’s mix of Creole, Maya, Mestizo, Garifuna and Caribbean influences.
Look for rice and beans cooked with coconut milk, stew chicken, fry jacks, fresh fish, ceviche, tamales and Belizean-style tacos.
And yes, “rice and beans” and “beans and rice” are actually considered different dishes in Belize.
For breakfast, find yourself some fry jacks — pieces of fried dough often served alongside eggs, beans, cheese or other savory fillings.
This is not the vacation to suddenly decide you’re avoiding carbohydrates.
When to Visit Belize
Belize stays warm throughout the year, with average annual temperatures around 84°F.
The country’s generally drier season falls between February and May, while the wetter season runs roughly June through December.
That doesn’t automatically mean avoiding summer. Tropical rain can arrive hard and fast and disappear again, and you’ll often find fewer visitors during wetter months.
Hurricane season is something to consider for late-summer and fall travel, so keep an eye on weather forecasts and consider travel insurance if you’re visiting during that period.
How Long Do You Need?
You can absolutely enjoy Belize in four or five days, especially if you choose either the islands or the jungle.
But if you’re flying all the way there, I’d give yourself about a week.
A seven-day trip lets you split your time between the interior and the Caribbean without spending the entire vacation packing and unpacking.
A Simple 7-Day Belize Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Belize and travel to San Ignacio.
Day 2: Explore Xunantunich and western Belize.
Day 3: Choose ATM Cave, cave tubing or a jungle adventure.
Day 4: Travel to Ambergris Caye and settle into San Pedro.
Day 5: Snorkel Hol Chan Marine Reserve and spend the afternoon exploring the island.
Day 6: Take a Great Blue Hole excursion, scenic flight or another reef trip.
Day 7: Slow breakfast, one final look at that Caribbean water and head home.
It’s enough adventure to feel like you’ve actually seen Belize without turning the entire trip into a race.
A Few Things to Know Before You Go
Belize uses the Belize dollar, although U.S. dollars are widely accepted in tourist areas. English being the official language makes independent travel relatively easy for American visitors.
Belize also now offers an online immigration and customs declaration that travelers can complete before arrival.
And don’t underestimate distances simply because Belize looks tiny on a map. Boats, ferries and jungle roads can make travel days longer than expected.
Build some breathing room into the itinerary.
Why Visit Belize?
Belize isn’t somewhere I’d visit just to sit beside a resort pool.
You’d be missing the best part.
Come here to swim above coral reefs, climb ancient Maya temples, disappear into the jungle, float through caves and eat something you’ve never ordered before.
Then spend an afternoon doing absolutely nothing beside the Caribbean Sea.
Belize manages to feel adventurous without requiring a month-long expedition to experience it.
For a relatively small country, it packs an astonishing amount into one trip.
And that might be the best reason to go.