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I love Belize for its preservation of Mayan temples. In about 1000 BC, the Mayan moved into Belize and their civilization flourished until about 1000 AD. Unfortunately, little is known about the Mayan in Belize until explorers reached the country’s coastline area in the 1500s. While the Spanish ignored Belize, shipwrecked British sailors established the first European settlement in 1638 and gradually gained control of the country. Originally, the country was a colony of Great Britain and was called British Honduras until 1973; with the country officially becoming independent by 1981.
What you may not know, is that the official language of Belize is English; however, most of the population also speak a creole patios. Many Belizeans are bilingual, with Yucatec, Mopán, and Kechí being spoken by the Maya in Belize. Spanish has gained in use as refugees from surrounding Central American countries movied in.
Belize’s currency is the Belizean dollar and is pegged to the US dollar two to one (US $1 = BZ $2.01). Nearly every business in Belize accepts US dollars and prices are often quoted in US dollars at resorts and hotels – always check in advance whether you’re paying Belize dollars or US dollars.
If you are a visiting tourist, you do not require a visa. Visitors planning to stay more than 30 days must have their passport re-stamped by a local immigration office and pay an additional fee for every additional month they wish to stay, up to six months.
DSL high-speed Internet is available in most places in Belize – though it may not be as fast as we are accustomed to “high speed” being – and is offered as a free service in most hotels. International cell phones can be used in Belize if they are GSM 1900 and unlocked. If your cell phone is not compatible with the local network or is locked to your phone company, you’ll need to activate international roaming, which is expensive – around US$2.50 to US$3 per minute of calls.
Tipping is not obligatory, but is always appreciated if guides, drivers, or servers have provided you with genuinely good service. Some hotels and restaurants add a service charge to your chack (typcally 10%). Hotels – it is not necessary to tip, but baggage porters appreciate a small gratuity. Restaurants – it is appreciated to round up the check between 5-10%. Taxis – tip is not expected. Tour guides – in high volume areas, tour guides are accustomed to receiving a small gratuity.
ATMs are widely available and credit cards are accepted at most hotels, restaurants, and shops.
You need a power plug adapter in Belize when living in the United States. You may also need a voltage converter. In Belize, the power plugs and sockets are of Type A, B, and G. The standard voltage is 110 / 220 V and the standard frequency is 60 Hz.
The best time to visit Belize is from late November to mid-April, during the country’s dry season. Although this peak season draws thousands of tourists, dealing with crowds is an easy sacrifice to make for warm temperatures, clear skies, and easy access to the country’s top attractions.
Travelers can navigate the country by plane, bus, car, boat, or horse, that’s right, horse. Transportation includes local airlines, helicopters, rental cars, tour operators, and buses that make getting around Belize easy. Remember to pack your sense of adventure, whether you’re headed to the beach, a dive site, Maya temples or any combination. Be ready for a journey.
In Belize, taxis are an affordable transit option and are more prevalent than buses. You will find taxis often parked at bus stations, water taxi terminals, and in downtowns throughout Belize. Golf carts qualify as taxis, so don’t be alarmed when you see a few.
Traveling by bus is a great way not only to best way to save money, as it’s the cheapest way to get around Belize, but it’s also a great way to experience the local culture. The only downside of using the bus is that most times buses are jam-packed and slow.
Local airlines fly small Cessna airplanes to major towns within the 6 districts of Belize. While expensive, it is the fastest and most convenient way to get around.
One of the easiest and most comfortable ways to get around Belize is by renting a car or renting a private transfer.
Water taxis are the most affordable ways to travel to the popular destinations of Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, as well as to St. George’s Caye. There are two water taxi companies in Belize City, both with daily departures from Belize City. You can also take water taxis in Placencia and Dangriga to popular secluded cayes such as Tobacco Caye and Glovers Reef.
Belizean cuisine is an amalgamation of all ethnicities in the nation of Belize and their respectively wide variety of foods. It makes use of a lot of spices and it is a blend of the many cultures within Belize. Black pepper and hot sauce are very popular. The food of Belize is also influenced by its Central American and Caribbean neighbors.
This Belizean staple is without a doubt the most abundant meal in Belize. From north to south, east to west, and out on the cayes, you won’t go anywhere without coming across rice and beans. Every location, indeed, every family has its own variation, but all start with the basics – rice and RK, Red Kidney beans. Cook will then add more or less, recados (an achiote based flavoring and coloring agent) and other spices, some coconut milk or none, and they can be moist or drier.
Stew chicken is another ever-present dish that arrives on the table in any number of subtle variations. At its best, it is a sublime mix of spices and melt-in-the-mouth tender chicken.
A variety of fillings, often with but not limited to chicken or pork, make up the center of a cornmeal roll which is wrapped in corn husks and steamed or boiled into something magical. While many people may be familiar with the Mexican version served in restaurants north of the border, the Belizean tamales are the real deal; virtually unchanged for thousands of years.
The seafood is marinated in lime juice with onions, garlic, habanero peppers, and other ingredients and allowed to sit for a while. The complexity comes with the individual touch of each cook, and that can make a huge difference. With the Caribbean and Belize Great Barrier Reef attracting a huge variety of fish and home to a wide assortment of shellfish, ordering ceviche in Belize is always a good bet.
Many travelers to Belize choose to split their time in this beautiful country between the jungles of the interior and the sunny Caribbean coast. This means that you could spend the first half of your vacation staying at an ecolodge deep in the rainforest, and the second half overnighting at a laid-back beach resort. Other lodging alternatives in Belize include small hotels and guesthouses, spacious vacation homes, and affordable hostels.
The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center is a zoo in Belize, located some 29 miles west of Belize City on the Western Highway. Set in 29 acres, the zoo was founded in 1983 by Sharon Matola. It is home to more than 175 animals of about 48 species, all native to Belize.
Lamanai is a Mesoamerican archaeological site and was once a major city of the Maya civilization, located in the north of Belize, in Orange Walk District. The site’s name is pre-Columbian, recorded by early Spanish missionaries, and documented over a millennium earlier in Maya inscriptions as Lam’an’ain.
Caye Caulker is a small Caribbean island off the coast of Belize. It’s divided by a narrow channel called the Split, where there is a bar and a sandy beach. To the south is the island’s only settlement, known as Caye Caulker Village. The north of the island is home to a dense mangrove forest and diverse birdlife, protected by a forest reserve. The Caye Caulker Marine Reserve has dive sites on the Belize Barrier Reef.
Cockscomb basin is home to many of Belize’s wildest and most elusive species, most famously the Panthera onca (jaguar). Cockscomb is also the only protected jaguar habitat in the world. There’s a lot more to see and do in Cockscomb Basin than look for a jaguar, whom chances are you wouldn’t find. The other main draw is Victoria peak which avid adventurers trek out to climb, Additionally, there are networks of forest trails, freshwater streams, waterfalls, and animal sighting to partake in.
Doyle’s Delight is the highest peak in Belize at 1,124 m (3,688 ft). It lies in the Cockscomb Range, a spur of the Maya Mountains in Western Belize.
Honey Camp Lagoon is a freshwater lagoon in Belize. The lagoon is located in the district of Orange Walk and is approximately 9 miles away from the nearest town Orange Walk Town. The surrounding area of the lagoon is mostly undeveloped properties that are privately owned. The water in the lagoon is clear and has a maximum depth of thirty feet, with a bottom being lined with decomposed limestone.
Accommodation:
Hotel or Hostel (single): $11
Double-occupancy room: $22
Food
Meals for one day: $7.93
Transportation
Taxis, local buses, train: $2.48
Intercity: $4.77
Entertainment
Entrance tickets & shows: $13
Tips & Handouts
Guides & service providers: $1.16
Alcohol
Drinks for one day: $4.19
Water
Bottled water for one day: $0.64
Accommodation
Hotel or rental home (single): $32
Double-occupancy room: $63
Food
Meals for one day: $19
Transportation
Taxis or Car rental: $6.45
Intercity: $13
Entertainment
Entrance tickets & shows: $36
Tips & Handouts
Guides & service providers: $3.29
Alcohol
Drinks for one day: $21
Water
Bottled water for one day: $2.963.29
Accommodation
Resort or hotel (single): $98
Double-occupancy room: $196
Food
Meals for one day: $45
Transportation
Car Rentals or private driver: $18
Intercity: $37
Entertainment
Entrance tickets & shows: $103
Tips & Handouts
Guides & service providers: $10
Alcohol
Drinks for one day: $21
Water
Bottled water for one day: $2.96
When planning for your trip to Belize, don’t forget about travel insurance! You never know what might happen and it’s better to be safe than sorry.
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