Overview
** BELIZE CITY , BELIZE TOURS **
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Belize is a beautiful gem, with clean beaches, clear blue and green waters, great Caribbean food, unique music and happy people.
Majority of the population is colored. You’ll love it and it will love you!
The city is filled with a lot of local foods at a very affordable price. USD $5 can feed two people on local street food.
The nightlife is everything as well, with clubs playing dancehall and soca as well as local PUNTA music which is just as great… think afro beats finally making it mainstream.. that’s what punta is.
WHERE IS BELIZE?: Belize is located in Central America on the western edge of the Caribbean Sea. It’s south of Mexico, east of Guatemala, and north of Honduras. Ambergris Caye is one of the hundreds of islands, or cayes, off the coast of Belize.
WHEN TO GO: Traveling to Belize in the high season from April through May is the most popular. It may be a bit hot and humid during the early part of the season but it’s still pleasant. The wet season, from June to November, is also the hottest period so not as popular.
CURRENCY: Belize is pretty affordable as 1 USD = 2 BZD! However, USD are widely accepted. You can utilize the numerous ATMs on the island to withdraw local currency. Budget Tip: Some restaurants overcharge for drinks but those places are usually tourist traps anyway. Keep an eye on your costs by choosing the drink special or a Belikin Beer with is the tasty, local beer. Also, check out my post on saving money while traveling to help keep your budget in line.
SAFETY: Overall, San Pedro in Ambergris Caye has safe areas and not so safe areas like any city. You should always be mindful of your surroundings as always and do more detailed research on the best areas. Don’t walk around alone at night, keep an eye on your belongings at all times, lock your hotel room doors and patio, and utilize the safe in your room.
WHAT TO DO:
While there are plenty of things to do in Ambergris Caye, it’s a good idea to get out and see more of Belize (as a whole). Look for tour operators that offer the best prices and have the best reviews.
Hol Chan Marine Reserve & Shark Ray Alley, Mayan Ruins at Lamanai and the Blue Hole.
Festivals in Belize
Carnival
San Pedro Lagoon Reef Eco Challenge
San Pedro Lobster Festival
Dia de San Pedro
International Costa Maya Festival
Tres Pescados Slam Tournament
Belize Independence Day
Holiday Boat Parade
When visiting Belize, it’s almost mandatory to visit the Xunantunich Mayan Ruins. I promise you, you won’t regret it. I traveled to Belize on a Carnival Cruise, which means that I was only in the country for a short while. While here, my boyfriend and I made it a point to make the most out of our time, and explore these ruins. The transportation and tour was coordinated by the cruise line as an excursion. The only con to this experience was that it took approximately 2.5 hours to get to the ruins from Belize City and 2.5 hours back. The bus ride was comfortable, but long! The travel time was definitely worth the wait, as the ruins were extremely beautiful. It’s something that one cannot describe but only experience for themselves. We were given a tour of the grounds, as well as the opportunity to climb some of the ruins and of course take photos. I highly recommend visiting the ruins any time that you’re in Belize.
I rented a scooter and toured the city myself. It was absolutely beautiful and i highly recommend renting a scooter and touring the city. We met an awesome citizen of Belize named Jaush and he was very helpful giving us a tour. I will say be very careful because it is a very poor area.
Things to do included local restaurants, tours, shopping, zip lining and much more!
Belize City is beautiful, and worth going. I went during a cruise with my family. Here was my first zip lining experience. It was scary and fun as hell at the same time. We didn’t do one of the commercial I went during a cruise with my family. I was intrigued to go due to my grandfather’s late wife was from Belize. We aren’t really taught about what happened to the slave descendants that were sent to Central and South America. To see people who looked like me there, but not American. This is definitely worth another visit.
Things to Do:
-Zipline
-City tour
-beach
-ruins
-snorkling
-eat locally
Belize is definitely a bucket list destination. The food is amazing. The people are beautiful and there are a lot of things to do. My family is from here so I was able to experience being a local and also do tourist activities. Cave tubing is a MUST. People who can’t swim, it’s okay, the tour is led by an experienced swimmer who will take care of you. Zip lining was a lot of fun. It’s a lot of walking so comfortable clothing and shoes is a must. Caye caulker is my favorite Island to do jet ski and party at lazy lizard. San Pedro is my go to spot for snorkeling and parasailing. Garnarches, meat pies, tamales and panades are different eats that you should try :). Oh! Also if you’re in Belize city Euphrates Car rental is a great company to rent a car. :)
Had a great experience in Belize! Went with a great group of friends (3 guys, 3 ladies).
Our group decided to stay at the Nature Resort in Bermudian Landing https://www.natureresortbelize.com/ for the first two days of the trip. The Nature Resort was nearly a 30 minute drive from the Belize City airport. It featured cabanas, coconut trees, and good ole fashioned peace. It is owned by Roy, who carries on the legacy from his parents.
DAY 1: Our group craved adventure, so we decided to start the trip in the jungle. Throughout the day, we casually explored the Nature Resort and surrounding rural community. Later we met local Lloyd, who welcomed us to his lush backyard to wrestle coconuts from trees, chop them with machetes, and eat blackberries and guavas, while enjoying the sunset. What a way to start the trip, right? We ended the night back at the Nature Resort, where we enjoyed delicious Belizean cuisine prepared by the Nature Resort’s manager, Marcelina.
DAY 2: Early in the morning, we were guided on a nature tour of the surrounding jungle by Russell, where we learned about the the moving, sweet mimosa plant and the medicinal uses of plants throughout environment. During the tour, the black howler monkeys graced us with their presence. The Nature Resort is in the heart of what’s locally known as the Community Baboon Sanctuary and is home to many black howler monkeys.
After the jungle tour, we rented a car from AQ rental and drove about an hour away to Altun Ha to see ancient Mayan ruins! Once there, we were greeted by Frederick who offered to guide us through the ruins. I cannot overstate the value of Frederick’s guidance. With his stories of Mayan traditions, Frederick brought the ruins to life, transporting us back in time to visualize the ancient civilization.
Fun Fact: The acoustics surrounding the Altun Ha temples were stunning. For example, you could stand in the middle of the temple courtyard and hear someone speaking at a normal volume from the top of one of the temples, nearly a football field away.
After leaving Altun Ha, we drove to Belize City to eat dinner. On our way back to the Nature Resort, we saw the most unusual site – dozens of crabs crossing the street. Unfortunately, the street was quite busy, and many of the crabs did not survive. It was brutal. Again, we ended the night at the Nature Resort, playing an intense game of Heads Up on the balcony of our cabanas.
DAY 3: Road trip day! We decided to keep our AQ rental car and use it to drive from Northern Belize to Southern Belize. We planned to spend the rest of the trip in Placencia, a beautiful little beach town on the tip of a peninsula in the southern part of Belize. However, along the way, we wanted to make several stops!
1st Stop – Belize National Zoo, where we saw local wildlife, including pumas, jaguars, and toucans.
2nd Stop – St. Herman’s Cave, where we hiked around the trails of the 575 acres of forest and eventually arrived to St. Herman’s cave mouth to explore 200 yards into the cave unguided
3rd Stop – Blue Hole, where we swam in the sapphire-colored pool that forms at the end of the river flowing through St. Herman’s cave
After about 3 hours of driving and many adventures along the way, we finally arrived in Placencia around nightfall and checked into our AirBnB, a beautiful home located in the heart of the town – one or two blocks from both the beach and the best bars and restaurants. Not to mention, our AirBnB hosts were nothing short of amazing. More on them later!
DAYS 4 & 5: After running around Northern Belize and finally making it to Placencia, we were ready to RELAX. We spent the next two days chilling, eating, walking around the town, and most importantly, hanging out on the beach!
Highlights: Barefoot Bar and Brewed Awakenings – If I could’ve packed up these two places and brought them back to D.C. with me, I would have. When I tell you I went to both establishments at least once a day, I am not kidding.
DAY 6: Wednesday was a big day. Our AirBnB hosts had helped us find a scuba diving instructor to show us the ropes before guiding us through the Caribbean Sea. After a routine morning trip to Brewed Awakenings (previously mentioned:) ), we met up with our instructor for an equipment fitting and proceeded to take a fifty minute boat trip off the coast of Placencia and into the deep blue. We ended up drifting closer to the most beautiful tiny island I’ve ever seen in my life – Silk Caye. We honestly couldn’t help but take at least 10 minutes to marvel at the beauty.
After taking in the views, it was time to learn how to use our scuba diving equipment. After getting comfortable with breathing underwater, we started to swim away from the shallow waters surrounding the island in order to explore more of the colorful plants and fish in the deeper parts of the sea. For our first session, we spent about 25 minutes diving and then we swam back to the Silk Caye to eat lunch. After lunch, we all got back in the boat and took a trip to the middle of the ocean to do a deep sea dive along the Belize Barrier Reef, the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere. I cannot tell you how excited and terrified I was to fall backward off that boat into the middle of the ocean. Once we were underwater, we sank down slowly and saw the breathtaking barrier reef and its inhabitants, including eels and all kinds of fish. We explored the reef for about 40 minutes.
After the second dive, we traveled a bit further on the boat to snorkel with turtles and sharks while the sun set over the water. On the fifty minute boat ride back to Placencia, I couldn’t help but reminisce in amazement that I had seen so much of the ocean without dying. To be honest, I’m still amazed. We ended the night eating street food after dancing at local bar – Street Feet.
Highlight: Silk Caye – Most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.
DAY 7: The day was lit. Plain and simple. Thursday September 21, 2017 was Independence Day in Belize and we were expecting to experience the local Placencia Carnival parade. However, our AirBnB hosts, who owned the clothing boutique Secret Treasures had made extra costumes and invited us to join them and actually be in the parade. She did not have to ask us twice. We got dressed with feathers and all, joined the rest of the Secret Treasures crew, and got in the truck blasting Soca music before arriving at the top of the peninsula where the parade began.
From there, we smiled for the newspaper photo, joined the procession, and began the miles long dance to the tip of the peninsula. It was a beautiful day with few clouds in the sky, so it got uncomfortably hot at times, but our group was prepared with plenty of water to drink and throw on each other! Pure joy.
Highlight: Carnival, duh. At the end of the parade, an older woman approached us and said she was an expat (I’m assuming from the U.S., based on her accent) and drunkenly exclaimed how much she enjoyed us in the parade. Little did she know, that we were also American. When we saw our AirBnB hosts later that night, they said we were officially Belizean. That made our day. Black Belizeans seemed to love that Black Americans were visiting their country.
DAY 8: Walk around Placencia, chill on the beach, buy souvenirs
DAY 9: We woke up early in the morning to catch the sunrise at Hopkins Beach before continue North toward Belize City airport to catch our flights back to the states.
Basically, this trip gave me so much joy that is has renewed my wanderlust and inspired me to share that feeling with whoever will accept it. I hope you accept it and decide to go live your best life. It’s your turn!
Belize City, Belize was by far the most eye opening trip to date. This was truly a poor country, bottom 25 in the world in GDP. This was also the first location where it did not seem Americanized at all. There were no Starbucks. There were no McDonalds. It was a mash up of Creol, Blacks, Mexicans, Nicaraguans from across the border, and an influx of Asians who bought up a bunch of restaurants and made them Belizean Chinese cuisine.
There were people of all shades and colors from the darkest black people to caramel skinned people with “good” hair. After speaking to my impromptu guide Raymond, he informed me that there is no racism there. He attributes it to black people being there first. I attribute it to everyone being poor, so no one is above anyone. It is a very proud place as people from the city put on a sort of talent show in order to display their culture.
On the bus ride from the city to the capital of Belmopan to the city of ruins, San Ignacio, it was abject poverty. People literally living in wooden shells that they called houses. Dirt roads that lead to their neighborhoods. Sales along the road selling old cars, tvs, etc. It is almost as if we stepped back into time. The Mayan ruins were a sight to see, to step back into time into their advanced civilizations is mind blowing. Belize is known for beautiful beaches such as the Cays. They have great coral reef and caves as well. Cave tubing is a big deal as well as zip lining. I did see an extreme amount of what we call private schools aka religious affiliated schools. I wonder if this is due to imperialization? Very poor nation, I would go back to see the islands, but it is not on the return list. Nightlife has a few casinos that have clubs inside of them and a location called Thirsty Thursdays that is supposed to be great
Belize was nice and very beautiful! The people here are so humble and they are very appreciative. I went to the Barcardi factory and I also visited a real tree house and learned lots about Belize, their history, food and agriculture. So worth it!!
I am so happy I didn’t listen to others when they said don’t visit Belize, it’s not safe, etc. My friends and I went on a girls trip and it was much, much needed for me. We spent 3 days in a private villa where the beach was technically our back yard. Everything was at our disposal from food to a cleaning crew. When we want to go in the city area, we took a 20 min boat ride to do some shopping, club hopping and hanging out. After 3 days of spending time in the private villa area, we stayed in the city area for 2 days to enjoy more of the culture. We supported the locals by shopping at the boutiques and eat from their food carts. I had a hamburger that was so good and juicy. It was cooked to perfection and fully dressed. The people were really nice and our tour guide was very familiar with the city. We visited the Mayan Ruins, went cave tubing and went to an art museum. Everything was very affordable and the weather was really nice. We went in the month of May.
Before I went to Belize, I heard that it was a dangerous place to go. I’m so glad I didn’t listen because it was an experience that I loved. The people are very nice and helpful. One of the top things to do in Belize is the cave tubing. It’s one of the top attractions to do there. You are on a tube and you float down a river while exploring caves and learning the history of the country. We also did some zip lining which was very fun. Nothing like ziplining through the jungles of Central America. Belize offers many thrilling activities for those looking for adventure. While there I also believe they had swimming with sharks tours, but I was too afraid at the time. This is place to go if you want adventure and like to be outdoors.
Belize, Belize, Belize…where do I start!?
So my mother and I…30 years apart decided to go on a cruise for my 20th birthday this month (december). Our cruise went to Central America so granted we had limited time in Belize City! But what I will say is that out of all 17 countries I’ve been to this year that Belize is HOME! Many do not know but Belize is the only Central American country whose primary language is ENGLISH. That made traveling that much similar. After being ambushed by tourist company at the port we made our way as we usually do to the local taxis who only charged us $20 (40 BZD) a person to basically be our personal tour guide for the day. This included a city tour, rum factory tour, and time at Kukumba Beach, and of course personal time to shop with the locals. The currency exchange rate was not a worry at all. Now when it came to meeting people everyone literally looks like us…BLACK! And you wouldn’t think anything less until someone spoke to you and you hear a slight accent. Everyone embraced us in the most polite manner ever! I personally believed this had to do a lot with my mothers “rasta locs” that people love in every country lol. Everyone is either darker skinned or lighter with many complexions in between. Similar to many other countries Belize has become very westernized. Our tour guide told us they listen to the same artist we do. Where else would I hear Meek Mill, Young Thug and more outside the US?! BELIZE! We not once felt threatened, segregated, or anything while in Belize, we truly felt as though we were home and are even in the process of planning another trip back for longer.
I traveled to Belize on a cruise and I had one of the best snorkeling experiences to date. The water is a deep clear blue and the fish are colorful. The cost for Carnival cruises to Belize and other parts of Western Caribbean ranges from 400-700 from Miami Tampa and parts of Texas
During our Norwegian Cruise we made a stop in Harvest Caye (a little island off the coast of Belize). We came to find out that the island is actually owned by the cruise line so it didn’t feel as though we got an authentic look into Belize culture, however the scenery was gorgeous. We spoke with many of the friendly locals that worked on the island and they spoke so highly of other near by cities that we are planning a full trip back to actually see Belize. While in Harvest Caye we went parasailing, took a stroll through a butterfly garden and hung out on the beach. There was an option to catch a fairy across to the mainland but the fairy departure time did not coincide with our parasailing excursion.
Going to Belize was quite an experience for us. The water is a beautiful teal blue the food was delicious perfectly seasoned as expected. On this experience for us in Belize we learned a lot about the good, bad, and the ugly of things from the locals perspective. Belize is very poor. Once you pass the tourist area you quickly will see lots of homelessness, very very small shack homes that with one hard blow of the wind will apart. Furniture hanging out the home due to the size. The locals talk about the huge Chinese presence that is coming to do business in the country and taking over. They have gated stores set up around and their prejudice vibes that they give off is a problem to the locals. The local driver we had spoke how many schools there have no AC and they charge tuition therefore there is a huge drop out rate. In certain neighborhoods when it is dark if one doesn’t own a car and they are walking they could be arrested in an effort to keep poor locals away from wealthier individuals and foreigners homes to keep them safe. He even showed us a place where he stated in Belize to this day they still hang as capital punishment. We felt safe the entire time in the country we love when our money goes far! and the beaches were so smooth. It was breathtaking! It was definitely a great experience although at times you may not know how to feel because you are excepted because when abroad many see that you are an American first that happens to be black yet the locals that are black get mistreated which makes you mad because in our mind we are Black and proud!in our case just so happen to be American.
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Belize is my country! For such a small country (about the size of Rhode Island) it’s very diverse and offers a wide variety of activities. The country is English speaking and your money doubles when you go, making it very affordable. Prices can range from $30-$300/night depending on what kind of stay you’re looking for, affordable or luxury, you have a plethora of options. If you’re looking for high adventure or just a relaxing time, both can be found in Belize. It’s a country of history with the Mayan Ruins a must see, untouched rain forests and mountains and beautiful beaches, it has something for everyone. It’s also home to the largest living coral reef, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef being the first (plus it’s no longer living), so if you’re into any kind of water activities, it’s simply amazing. Belize City itself is where I would spend the least amount of time, there’s not much to see and it’s very hot. If you’re looking for rainforest and mountains I would venture to the Cayo district. And if you’re wanting island life, I would visit the cayes, there’s so many to choose from. My absolute favorite part of Belize is Placencia Village, it has the best beach in the country and is a small, very affordable place. The people are friendly and the food is amazing.
When I say Belize has the best fried chicken I am so serious. If you are so lucky to travel Belize with a belizean native you will experience Belize in a whole different way then on your own. The food is jus amazing and delicious and very natural. The spices used the fresh caught fish and the home cook feel is just so overwhelmingly insane. It’s true island food at its best. Not expensive at all. From eating in the city or on one of the keys
No matter what places u chose I’m sure you will be satisfied. Don’t judge the food by the building its cooked in the best food come fron the whole in the wall places.
Visited Belize as stop on a cruise with my 9 year old niece. We went ziplining with Explore Belize Caves for $75. The guide was Dennis Perez. He took us to the Belize signs right outside of the cruise terminal and gave cultural information about Belize. We were the only ones ziplining at the time. We went over a river and on a suspension bridge. The views were beautiful. Be sure to take your charged camera. I bought souvenirs from vendors outside of the cruise terminal. The locals were never pushy with selling things and nice.
It is very obvious this city is quite poor. We didn’t have specific plans when we got there, but it was very easy for us to get around and find something to do. We ended up chatting with a group of taxi drivers and he took us around town and gave us a history lesson of the country for a great price. We really just went with the flow of the day. Those types of trips are the best. There are a lot of black people in this country. I did not feel out of place in the sense of the color of my skin. Everyone appeared to be welcoming. I was only there for a day, and I honestly felt like we did all that we could in that city. I couldn’t imagine being there for more than a day or so.
I didn’t know what to expect when deciding to travel to Belize…I didn’t have many expectations and in some ways they exceeded them and in some they were the opposite. I stayed 5 nights in Belize City and 2 in Caye Caulker. Unless you have family in Belize City- there is no real reason that I believe you should stay in B.C! It is not a great tourist destination… they do have a few tour locations- that I did enjoy like zip lining, baboon sanctuary, hiking the Mayan ruins, etc. And if you stay in Caye Caulker, San Pedro, or any other islands/cities they will take you to Belize City. If anything stay in B.C. for one day. There weren’t many food options other than a nice park in the city that has different food places. The city is EXTREMELY POOR… There are many homes less people, hungry dogs walking the streets, and not very clean. The hotel accommodations aren’t great either… The hotel in Belize City I stayed at was one of the best in the city and they weren’t very clean or sanitary. The hotel, which we prepaid for, also charged us more money per person when we were checking in. The city is really small and there are also areas that you shouldn’t walk into- that as a tourist you wouldn’t know. Caye Caulker though, was a place with many activities and restaurants. I walked around Caye Caulker alone at night and still felt pretty safe. There are many activities on the island and the beach is really nice and water is clear… Which in comparison to Belize City, where the water was a gray color and not very clean is probably reasons you should choose to stay there. Overall, I did enjoy my trip.. I just know that the next time I will probably stay in Caye Caulker and maybe the first day in Belize City for some of the activities at a lower rate. Also, purchase tickets for tours and activities when you get there… they cheat you when you purchase them online. For additional info or photos of my trip, check out my blog @soul.rae .
Doing the great blue hole was one of the coolest things I got to do in Belize. When I looked to my left, I could see everything and when I looked to my right, I was staring into darkness
I’ve been skiplining a couple times, but doing it Belize was one of my favorite places.
Stay in Caye Caulker an island off the coast of Belize if you want quiet and relaxation. There is a water taxi that takes you there for about 30 bucks a person round trip. There are no cars on the island just golf carts so that should give you an idea of how quiet it can be. For the night life take the water taxi to San Pedro another island where you want to go to party and experience the nightlife for those turnup nights.
Belize City is very poor, so if you’re moved to sadness at the sight of homeless and less than fortunate people, stay out of the city. As for me we went out to ride ATV’s which was a blast as we just got to have at it without a guide. After that we went to a super small island 20 mins off the coast, small enough to throw a rock from once side to the other. There we we got suited and did some snorkeling and got to see beautiful coral reefs and wildlife!! Then that had a few beers at a local bar, been once probably won’t go again, but the experience was worth it.