Belize has become a popular tourist destination in Central America over the last several years. It is a beautiful country full of exotic jungles, ancient Mayan ruins, and some of the most stunning barrier reefs in the world.
Whether you are looking for an all-inclusive resort where you can soak up the sun, or you want an adventurous excursion, you can find it all here. Belize is one of the most beautiful diving destinations in the world and has been working hard to preserve the magnificent sea-life in the area.
This Belize travel guide includes some tips on where to stay, how to get around, and information on some breathtaking places to visit.
If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind experience, check out my post about Thatch Caye. This beautiful island resort is just off the coast of Dangriga and was one of the most magical places I have ever stayed. If you are looking for an all-inclusive resort that offers a more secluded experience, Thatch Caye is the perfect place.
READ MORE: Thatch Caye: How to Spend 5 Days in Paradise
Best Time to Travel to Belize
November through April is referred to as the “dry season,” where there is less of a chance of tropical storms. The temperature is around 80°F, but without the humidity that you would get during the summer.
However, this is when the majority of tourists visit, and therefore it will be busier than if you went during the off-season. Belize is still a newer travel destination, so even though this is the peak time to visit, the country is not overrun by tourists any time of the year.
You could try visiting August through October for a less crowded vacation, but you may encounter a lot of rain. We visited in the beginning of August for a wedding and were fortunate for beautiful weather.
We had a pretty intense tropical storm during one night, but it cleared up by the time we got up in the morning, and the rest of our trip was nothing but sunshine.
How to Get Around Belize
Depending on where you are staying will determine how you get around. If you are staying in the more touristy areas like Placencia, it is easy to get around on foot.
Belize is a poor country and I do not recommend walking around the more local areas for safety reasons. If you are staying at a resort, as we did, you will probably have free transportation to and from the airport provided by the resort. We were lucky enough to have transportation provided by both places where we stayed.
Our second resort was less than 10 minutes from Placencia and had golf carts for us to use. Although it was a slower option, it was a free way to get to and from the town each day.
If you are staying somewhere that does not include these travel amenities, here are some other ways to get around:
Taxi
If you are not comfortable with public transportation or have a further way to go, I recommend taking a Taxi. We took a taxi a couple of times at night when we did not want to take the golf cart from the hotel. The fares were pretty reasonable, and I felt a lot safer than taking public transportation.
Bus
If you are okay with using public transportation, this is the cheapest travel option. The majority of the buses are old American school buses that have been repurposed as public transportation. Unlike other countries, it is not as easy to get a bus schedule and there is no real website.
Car
If you want the ease of getting around whenever you like, you may want to rent a car. There are a bunch of car companies in the area that you can rent from.
Ferry
Many of the islands have ferry access. Belize City, Caye Caulker, and San Pedro are the main areas that have ferry transportation. Transportation times and prices vary from port to port, but many routes end at about 5:30 pm. Ocean Ferry Belize is one of the main boat companies.
Where to Stay in Belize
Placencia
Placencia is a great city to stay in if you are looking to explore the country. You have access to lots of diving locations here and are close to the Mayan ruins. Placencia is home to 16 miles of beaches on the Caribbean coast, which is why it is one of the main snorkeling/diving locations.
It is not only a terrific place for water adventures, but a perfect location to stay. Placencia is a laid back town with lots of little restaurants and beach bars. We stayed there for the last few days of our trip and really enjoyed it.
Placencia Hotels: Mariposa Beach Resort, Caribbean Beach Cabanas Resort, Elysian Boutique Hotel, and Ocean Breeze Beach Resort
Caye Caulker
This small tropical island is only six square miles and just one mile from the Great Blue Hole. If you are wanting a more serene experience and want to be close to the water, Caye Caulker is a great place to stay.
The Caye offers a variety of water sports such as snorkeling, diving, and windsurfing. There are also many day tour options from the island. Caye Caulker gives you a more authentic experience of life in Belize than if you were to stay in one of the cities.
Caye Caulker Hotels: Colinda Cabanas, Weezie’s Ocean Front Hotel and Garden Cottages, Caye Reef Condos, and Island Magic Beach Resort
San Ignacio
For the best jungle adventures, you should stay in this small town. San Ignacio is close to many of the caves and Myan Ruins, and there are numerous outdoor options available here. If you are not interested in beach excursions but rather spend your time hiking and exploring the rainforest, San Ignacio is a great option for you.
San Ignacio Hotels: Sweet Songs Jungle Lodge, The Lodge at Chaa Creek, and Villa Cayo.
Ambergris Caye
Ambergris Caye is a 25 miles stretch of land just off the coast of Belize. Many people choose to stay in the small town of San Pedro, which has become very popular s of late. Staying at Ambergris Caye gives you a little bit of everything.
You are still in a town close to local restaurants and amenities, but you get a more laid-back atmosphere than if you stayed in the large Belize City. The caye is also very close to many popular destinations such as the Barrier Reef, Hol Chan Marine Reserve, and Blue Hole.
Ambergris Caye Hotels: Mahogany Bar Resort, Bella Vista Resort, Pelican Reef Villas, and Victoria House Resort and Spa.
Popular Things to Do in Belize
Visit the Different Mayan Ruins
Belize was once home to the Maya for over 2,000 years. This advanced civilization created some of the most complex architecture that is still standing to this day. There are several different Mayan ruins in Belize. Some of the most popular sites are Caracol, Altun Ha, Xunantunich, and Lamanai.
Caracol
The Caracol ruins are the largest Mayan site and are in the heart of the Chiquibul Forest. The ancient city was home to over 140,000 people and was even larger than today’s Belize City.
The pyramid in Caracol houses four palaces and three temples. Other parts of the ruins to see are the reservoirs, hieroglyphics, and courts.
Altun Ha
The Altun Ha site is close to Belize City and is the location of the famous Jade Head. It is the largest object carved from jade from the Maya civilization. It is also one of the most popular archaeological sites in Belize.
During your visit, don’t be surprised if you encounter armadillos, bats, and other wildlife. There are over 200 species of birds alone that call this Maya city home.
The ruins include dozens of temples, homes, and pyramids. You can either visit the ruins on your own or as part of a tour group.
Xunantunich
These Mayan ruins are a little harder to reach, but they are worth the trip. You will have to take a ferry from the village of San Jose Succotz to get there.
The highest ruin here is 133 feet tall, and there are an additional 25 temples, palaces, and museums on the site.
It is estimated that this civilization existed over 3,000 years ago. Since Xunantunich is such a desired attraction, there are several different tours available.
Lamanai
To get here, you must first go through Orange Walk Town, then hop on a boat to the Lamanai Archeological Reserve. The trip itself is just half the fun of this excursion! Once you reach Lamanai, you can explore all the beautiful Mayan buildings.
Make sure to climb to the top of the High Temple for fabulous panoramic views of the jungle. A couple of other famous buildings are the Jaguar Temple and Mask Temple.
Lamanai also has the remains of two Spanish churches. If you are interested in visiting the ruins as part of a tour, here are some popular tour options.
Explore the Actun Tunichil Muknal Caves
If you are interested in a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, I recommend visiting these caves. The site was used for Mayan sacrifices and was discovered back in 1989 by a group of archaeologists.
You will hike and swim down into the cave, where you will find human skeletons, stoneware, and ceramics from the civilization that lived here long ago. This guided tour from San Ignacio includes transportation, lunch, and an expert guide to take you down into the caves.
Other cave excursions:
- Nohoc Chen Park Kayak Cave Tour (From Belize City)
- Xunantunich Archeologic Site and Cave Tubing (From San Ignacio)
- Cave Tubing and Zipline (From Belize City)
Snorkel or Dive Belize’s Berrier Reefs
Belize has the second-longest reef in the world, stretching over 300km. Diving is the most popular thing to do in Belize, and it is easy to see why. The reefs in Belize are full of colorful coral and unique marine life.
There are many different places where you can dive. Some of the popular places to snorkel/dive are the Silk Cayes, South Water Caye, Glover’s Reef, and Laughing Bird Caye National Park. I actually went to Laughing Bird Caye and will be talking more about my excursion in this section.
Silk Cayes
Silk Cayes is a popular snorkeling and diving destination. It is also a protected marine reserve where you will find lots of tropical fish, coral, and several species of turtles.
Silk Cayes is about 36 km off the coast of Placencia, making it very easy to get there. The Silk Cayes Snorkel Excursion picks you up for Placencia and takes you to the location by boat.
Once there, you will be briefed by the park ranger and allowed to explore the area. You will see lots of craps, barracuda, and even lobster in the water.
If you are lucky, you might even see some turtles and rays. For lunch, you will enjoy a barbecue picnic on the island before heading back into the ocean.
Southern Water Caye Reserve
This beautiful reserve covers over 100,000 acres and is known for its beautifully preserved marine life. Here you can find manatees, crocodiles, colorful reefs, and bright blue water.
The reserve is just a boat ride from Dangriga but is also accessible from Placencia. Several local island resorts offer accommodations as well. Some options include Thatch Caye (I loved my stay here!), Coco Plum Caye, and South Water Caye.
Glover’s Reef
Glover’s Reef is part of the Barrier Reef that has been designated as a UNESCO world heritage site. This beautiful area is home to five different cayes.
The reef is perfect for snorkeling and kayaking, but a little further out it is surrounded by drop-offs. This is one of the popular diving locations due to the variety of marine life in this reef.
Laughing Bird Caye National Park
Laughing Bird Caye National Park is a nature preserve. It is named after the unique laughing seagull that uses the island to nest. The island itself is small but is surrounded by clear water and reefs.
We took this Catamaran tour to the island. The tour group picked us up from the Placencia Pier in a luxury catamaran.
We were greeted with drinks and freshly baked donuts, and the staff came around through the 2-hour trip to offer us unlimited refreshments.
We spent the majority of the boat ride at the front of the catamaran enjoying the ocean view and even had some dolphins swimming beside us.
Once at the island, the crew helped us into a smaller boat to take us to shore. We first met with the park ranger, who gave us some information about the island, and were then able to snorkel around the reefs. If you do not have your own snorkel gear, they will give you a mask and flippers.
For lunch, the crew made us a delicious meal. We had some of the best lobster tails I had ever had with shrimp ceviche, potatoes, and salad on the side. The crew also brought a bunch of refreshments onto the island for us to have with our meal.
After lunch, we had the option to either stay on the island or get back in the water. I ended up exploring the island. There were several turtle egg nesting areas that were roped off. The island was very small, so I was able to explore it all before hopping back on the catamaran.
Dive at the Famous Blue Hole
The Blue Hole is a National Monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located off the coast of Belize City, the underwater cave is around 410 feet deep and 984 feet wide, making it the largest natural formation in the world.
The Blue Hole is home to large groupers and a variety of sharks. For all these reasons, this diving location is open only to more experienced divers. If you are not a diver, you can still find plenty of snorkel expeditions to the area and even tours from the air.
Go on a Jungle Excursion
We took the Monkey River Wildlife Tour from Placencia by boat to Monkey River Town. From there, we started our tour down the river to the jungle. Along the way, we saw a ton of wildlife.
There were a few crocodiles along the banks, turtles, and many species of tropical birds. Once we got pretty far down the river, we anchored the boat and started our tour into the rainforest.
Everything in here was remarkable, and I could quickly see why it is important to have a guide. The guides were very knowledgeable about the different plants and animals that call the jungle their home.
They were even able to point out some hidden animals around us that none of us had even noticed. The most memorable part of the trip was the howler monkeys in the trees high above us.
We headed back to Monkey River for lunch at a local restaurant and took a detour to look for manatees. There is a specific area where you can find them and we were fortunate to see at least half a dozen on our journey back to Placencia.
For a first-hand experience of the jungles of Belize, I highly recommend this tour. Many of us had never experienced an actual jungle before. The guides made everyone feel at ease the entire time, and most importantly, made us all feel safe. Witnessing the howler monkeys alone was worth the trip!
Other Jungle Excursions:
- Jungle and Waterfall Tour (From San Ignacio)
- Howler Monkey Sanctuary Tour (From Belize City)
Kid-Friendly Attractions
The Belize Zoo
For a family-friendly experience, visit the Belize Zoo. The 29-acre zoo is home to over 150 animals and doubles as a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center. The zoo is located outside of Belize City and is open every day from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.
Bacab Adventure and Nature Park
The park has over 300 acres of wild jungle for you to explore and is a perfect place for families to visit. Enjoy hiking trails, canopy tours, waterfalls, and exotic wildlife, to name some of the many activities offered here.
The park also has a kiddie pool and a restaurant. If you are traveling with children or want some less adventurous excursion options, Bacab Eco Park is for you.
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