This information is provided because many people want to visit Belize but know so little about it. I don't know much but have visited four parts of the country and enjoyed it all. This is by no means complete. Maybe it will help you get started.
No tips are provided on Placencia or San Ignacio. It’s either been too long or we didn’t spend enough time there. There are additional links in the Links Section of this site.
Belize used to be British Honduras. That may help some of the older readers relate. It is located in Central America, just below Mexico on the Caribbean. It’s bordered on the west and south by Guatemala.
Belize tend to be very nice and accommodating. They work hard so that we can enjoy their country. That is part of what makes Belize a nice place to visit. The country certainly isn't crime free but we've never had any troubles. It's also convenient that nearly everyone speaks English.
Getting there and Back
It is easy to fly there. Flights will go into Goldson International in Belize City. By most US standards it is a small international airport but it gets the job done. As a US citizen, you need a US passport for entry. No visa is required for short visits. Nearly all the citizens speak English. There really aren't many communication problems. When you leave the country, you need to pay approximately $37 US for the privilege. It may be included in the cost of your airline ticket. Do note that it must be paid in US. There was a Visa sign so that may be an option.
Currency
The Belizean currency is $2 for each US $1. Either currency may be used and may be mixed in a transaction. There aren't many ATM's in the country so don't count on having one immediately available. Atlantic Bank now has international ATM’s in a few areas around the country. There’s one at the departure check in area at the airport and one on Caye Caulker. There are others but I don’t remember where. Traveler's checks are widely accepted. Visa is pretty much accepted but don't be surprised it they add a fee for the privilege.
When you leave the country, you can exchange Belize dollars for US at the Atlantic Bank at the departure check-in area. There is a small charge. I think it was $.50 per $20 US. It’s better than taking a pocketful of Belize cash home with you. The Atlantic Bank on Caye Caulker wouldn’t / couldn’t provide the service.
Reservations
There are basically three schools of thought in visiting Belize. One seems to be rent a car and make no reservations and go exploring. Another is make your plans and reservations in advance whether you have a car or not. The third would be take your backpack and head across the country without a car or reservations. None of the approaches are wrong, it just depends on what you like. Obviously there are other ways to travel but these seem to be the main ones. We've never rented a car there so I don't know about that. If we care about where we stay, we get reservations. If not, we explore.
I understand that Easter and Christmas get very busy on the Cayes. Local festivals probably get pretty busy too. You do need reservations at these times and they might be hard to get.
Odds and Ends
- You better like beans, rice and chicken. Served many places and seems to be a staple in the diet. Very good too.
- Caye is pronounced “key”.
- Belikin is the national beer. The lager is actually pretty good. It costs $2.50US most places but can be found for less.
Information Sources
- The Belize Forum is a mix of Belizeans, American Ex-Pats and assorted tourists. They're a good source of information for any visits to Belize.
- Lan Sluder wrote the Belize sections for Fodors. He has a lot of information on the country on his web site. He also posts on the Belize Forum. His Belize First website has a lot of information and reviews on hotels in the country.
- Trip Advisor also has a Belize forum. Its fairly active and a decent source of information as well.
Caye Caulker
Getting to the Cayes can be done via Water Taxi or airplane. Not sure one is better than the other. The water taxi terminal in Belize City is a $25 cab ride from the airport. The boat ride is 45 minutes and costs around $10. San Pedro is another half-hour and I don’t know the cost. The boat ride itself is nice and the view coming into Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye is nice. I don't know what the plane costs but it should be $60 or less. Its probably more civilized than the water taxi but more expensive. You also don't see countryside and Belize City on your way.
When you arrive in the Cayes, you need to figure out how to get to your accommodations if you have reservations. I'd work it out in advance with them. They may pick you up or tell you that there are plenty of cabs available. Bear in mind that on Caye Caulker, at least, cabs are large golf carts. There seemed to be several around the pier when we arrived.
Meals on Caye Caulker can be pretty much what you want them to be. Without drinks, they seemed to run from $8 US to $23 US for dinner. Habaneras’ is the most expensive but is very good. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get good food.
Ambergris Caye
Ambergris Caye is much larger than Caye Caulker. Where you stay on the island will affect how you get around the island. I don't know that any one area is better than the other but they may affect you differently.
North of San Pedro, the island is cut in two by a split or river. There are many nice places to stay in the north but transportation may be a problem. Water taxis are primarily how you would get to town. That isn't a huge problem but is more difficult than a taxi. In San Pedro, you are closer to the bigger restaurants and bars. It looked to be much more exciting than where we were. It was also more congested. South of San Pedro, it is quieter but there also less restaurants and bars. We were about 1 1/4 mile south of San Pedro at Banana Beach. We usually walked to town but finding a cab isn't a problem.
When visiting Ambergris Caye, spend some time finding the local restaurants. In my opinion, they're aren't easy to dig out. The upscale expensive ones are quite good but if you want a basic burrito or similar, you'll have to hunt it. We spent more on food than I expected to. It was all good though.