Belize Travel Guide

Belize, a dream vacation spot, is ideal for travelers wanting to explore both South America and the Caribbean. Located between Guatemala and the Yucatan Peninsula, this year-round destination is situated on the Caribbean Sea. A Belize vacation offers travelers a taste of South America with opportunities to explore Maya ruins and breathtaking jungles. Vacationers can also explore the Caribbean lifestyle in this former British colony through the excellent fishing, boating, and swimming. English is the official language of Belize, but Spanish is widely spoken.

Best Times to Go

This tiny country enjoys a warm and humid climate all year long, but the peak times for a Belize vacation are during North America’s winter months. Called the Dry Season, December through May is typically the most popular time to visit.  If you want to avoid large crowds and don’t mind a bit of rain, then the Wet Season (June – October) is the most economical time to visit Belize. The seasonal rains come in the form of quick, passing thunderstorms, and often occur at night. Belize can, however, experience hurricanes and tropical storms during the months of September and October, although hurricanes are rare. 

Flights and Transportation

Cheap flights to Belize can be found year round. Airfare to Philip Goldson International Airport (BZE), just 11 miles outside Belize City, can be as low as $704 from LAX, $750 from SFO, $449 from ORD, and $704 from JFK. From Belize City, travelers can fly into a number of smaller domestic airports.

Although buses are plentiful within the cities, a private vehicle will enable you to visit more remote areas.  

Hotels and Lodging

A Belize vacation can be the perfect opportunity to escape from your every-day lifestyle.  Anything from luxurious resorts to campgrounds can be secured for lodging. For a rainforest adventure, consider staying at Pooks Hill Lodge located in the Cayo District of Belize within a 300 acre Private Reserve. For a distinctly Caribbean experience, choose the Chateau Caribbean seafront hotel. This one-time hospital is close to both the beach and Belize City. Alternatively, Belize is becoming a popular destination for ecotourism and small eco-lodges can be found throughout the inland areas.

What to Do In Belize

A Belize vacation offers unlimited opportunities for families, couples and singles to explore and relax. The Belize Barrier Reef is one of the most diverse ecological environments in the world, providing unsurpassed opportunities for snorkeling and scuba diving. The supremely clear, tranquil, water at the world’s second longest barrier reef is less than 20 feet deep in most places.  Belize also has the largest cave system in Central America, and one of the most popular activities for tourists is cave tubing.  Here visitors see magnificent rock formations while riding down a jungle river in inner tubes.

Belize is considered the center of the Mayan world, so plan to visit one of the many Maya ruins while there.  Caracol, in western Belize, contains the remains of thousands of structures and was once the heart of one of the largest Maya kingdoms.  In northern Belize, visit Cerros, one of the earliest Maya sites.  Lamanai, in the Orange Walk District, is known for being one of the longest continually-occupied sites.  Altun Ha can be made in a day trip from Belize City.   

The internationally celebrated Belize Zoo gives travelers the opportunity to see animals in their natural habitat. American Sharon Matola founded the zoo in the early 1980’s after exotic animals were used in a film on which she worked. All of the wildlife featured at the zoo are native to the region.