Do you need help planning your trip to Belize?
Well, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve worked in tourism for more than 15 years and have shared expert travel advice here for over 10 years. I use my local knowledge to make this website: Belize Adventure, a resource-rich Belize blog filled with the best travel tips.
There are so many things you need to know before you travel to Belize, from entry guidelines to health and safety concerns, to what to bring/pack or buy on vacation. The information listed below serves as a 10-step travel guide for Belize that offers information on when to visit, where to stay, the best places to go, and top-rated tourist attractions.
1. Best time to visit Belize and top places to go
Belize is small but it has a lot to offer. Here are the top beach & jungle destinations in Belize www.belizeadventure.ca/destinations
Should you visit Belize during the dry season or wet season? www.belizeadventure.ca/when-is-the-best-time-to-visit-belize
Belize festivals and events by month www.belizeadventure.ca/festivals
2. Things to do in Belize: Top tourist attractions & activities
The 10 best things to do in Belize www.belizeadventure.ca/things-to-do-in-belize
TOP 35 Belize Experiences www.belizeadventure.ca/activities
Belize itinerary for one-week www.belizeadventure.ca/one-week-in-belize or two weeks www.belizeadventure.ca/two-weeks-in-belize
3. Establish your travel budget: low, mid-range, or luxury
Do you want to visit cool spots but want to travel around Belize as cheaply as possible? www.belizeadventure.ca/belize-on-the-cheap
Or are you splurging and want to experience the best of Belize? Below you can find my curated lists of top Belize hotels and resorts:
Click for the top Belize hotels, resorts & guest houses
- Top Luxury Hotels in Belize
- The Best Jungle Resorts & Eco Lodges in Belize
- Top 5 All-inclusive Resorts in Belize
- 10 Best Beach Resorts in Belize
- Top 5 Adult-Only Belize Resorts
- Best Dive Resorts in Belize
- The Best Family Resorts in Belize
- Top 5 Over-Water Bungalows & Villas in Belize
- The Best Cheap Hotels in Belize
- Top Treehouse Hotels in Belize
- Belize Gold Standard Hotels and Resorts
If you found this information useful, keep this blog going through support via Paypal.com/donate-to-belize-adventure. Or find the “Buy me a beer” button on the sidebar to donate $10 or more. Thanks!
4. Book hotels by top destinations in Belize
I’ve spent the past 10 years meticulously curating lists on top places to stay in Belize: www.belizeadventure.ca/hotels/
- Click on the links to see where to stay in Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, San Ignacio, Cayo, Placencia, and Hopkins.
Stay at hand-picked resorts & lodges that partner with me:
1. The Lodge at Chaa Creek
Chaa Creek is the oldest jungle resort in Belize and has won many international awards for its eco-friendly status. They are eco-tourism pioneers and were “green” before it was trendy. This eco lodge is perfect for nature lovers since it’s located in a 400-acre private nature reserve 1/2 hour away from San Ignacio, Cayo, which is the hub for eco-adventures in Western Belize.
2. Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort
Located in Hopkins, Stann Creek, the award-winning Hamanasi Resort is the perfect base for eco-friendly travelers seeking an adventure outpost with rustic-chic elegance. This resort specializes in scuba diving (they have a PADI 5-star dive facility) and its prime location in Belize’s southeastern coast makes jungle day trips to Maya temples and caves easy. However, the main highlight of Hopkins is the unique Garifuna culture of Belize.
3. Pelican Reef Villas Resort
Pelican Reef has several modern and well-equipped beachfront condos in southern Ambergris Caye. It is located 15 minutes away from Downtown San Pedro and offers the perfect setting for families and groups of friends. Guests enjoy having the option of cooking their own meals or eating at the onsite restaurant & bar. After a day of fun activities in San Pedro, you can lounge by their pool or soak up the sun on the beach. They also have a dock that can be used for snorkeling or fishing.
4. Island Expeditions
Island Expeditions has been offering Belize adventure packages for small groups since 1987. It all started when three Canadian friends explored remote Cayes in Belize and had such an incredible experience that they decided to share it with others. Their signature experience allows visitors to stay on Glover’s Reef Atoll, which is 36 miles off the coast of Dangriga at the edge of the southern Belize Barrier Reef.
5. What to eat and tipping guide
Things you MUST eat in Belize www.belizeadventure.ca/belizean-food-to-try
A simple guide to Belize’s tipping culture www.belizeadventure.ca/travel-tips/tipping
6. Basic facts about Belize and how to get there & around
Get to know basic facts about Belize www.belizeadventure.ca/belize
People can get to Belize by air, land, and sea www.belizeadventure.ca/travel-tips/getting-to
Here’s a guide to getting around in Belize www.belizeadventure.ca/travel-tips/getting-around
If you found this information useful, keep this blog going through support via Paypal.com/donate-to-belize-adventure. Or find the “Buy me a beer” button on the sidebar to donate $10 or more. Thanks!
7. Travel documents and requirements for entry to Belize
Most people don’t need visas to enter Belize. All that is needed is a passport that is valid for at least 30 days. www.belizeadventure.ca/travel-tips/entry-requirements
There is no entry fee for Belize, however, there is an exit fee a.k.a. departure tax. www.belizeadventure.ca/travel-tips/departure-tax
8. Health and safety concerns in Belize
Here are travel safety warnings and information www.belizeadventure.ca/is-belize-safe
Use this guide to Belize’s healthcare system www.belizeadventure.ca/healthcare
As of July 2022, Belize lifted all of its COVID-19 public health measures for entry www.belizeadventure.ca/travel-tips/covid-19-coronavirus
9. Belize Packing list
Tips on what to pack for Belize, including what not to bring www.belizeadventure.ca/travel-tips/packing-list
10. How to save money on your trip to Belize
A few ways how you can save money on a Belize vacation www.belizeadventure.ca/save-money-on-a-belize-vacation
If you found this information useful, keep this blog going through support via Paypal.com/donate-to-belize-adventure. Or find the “Buy me a beer” button on the sidebar to donate $10 or more. Thanks!
FAQ
The top 10 places to visit in Belize are Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, San Ignacio, Placencia, Hopkins, Belize City, Cayo, Offshore Atolls, Tobacco Caye, and Corozal.
1. Explore Belize’s Barrier Reef by diving the Great Blue Hole and Half Moon Caye Wall or snorkeling at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and South Water Caye Marine Reserve
2. Learn about Belize’s ancient Maya by visiting top Maya sites such as Xunantunich, Caracol or Lamanai, and top Maya caves such as Actun Tunichil Muknal and Caves Branch for cave tubing.
3. Visit Belize’s many islands (known as Cayes). Popular Cayes include Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker and less-visited Cayes include Tobacco Caye and Glover’s Reef.
4. Visit National Parks and Protected Areas such as Mountain Pine Ridge in Cayo and the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary in Crooked Tree.
5. Go wildlife spotting by visiting the Belize Zoo or the Baboon Sanctuary. Alternatively, go hiking at the Cockscomb Basin or Monkey River.
Tap water in Belize is not safe to drink. However, most hotels, resorts and some vacation rentals provide “purified” water to guests so bring a reusable water bottle. If drinking water isn’t included in your stay, it can be bought at supermarkets in 500 ml, 1 litre, 1.5 litres, 1 gallon, & 5 gallons bottles.
Belize was closed to international travel from March 24 to October 1, 2020, due to COVID. Since then, Belize has reopened with minimum tourism protocols.