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Belize travel guide

There are so many things that people dont realise about Belize, and the biggie is its barrier reef. The second largest in the world no less, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its brimming with cayes, coves and coral that make writing this Belize travel guide almost painful, the urge to dive in is so great. Its not all about the sea in Belize, however. With a Mayan history, the archaeological sites of temples and palaces are stunning, the Caribbean Creole culture is beyond cool, and every tropical hiking trail is brimming with birdlife. Birds of paradise, of course. Because thats what Belize is.




If Belize was a dating website profile, you would just think, This is made up. Too good to be true. Caribbean cool, wildlife-filled sub tropical mountains, multi-cultural marvels that flavour cuisine, language and music, the second longest barrier reef in the world, and 200 sandy islands to explore by diving, snorkeling or kayaking. English speaking but fluent in Spanish, friendly, open and with a passion for enjoying the good things in life, from hiking and swimming to ancient archaeology and chilling with a Belizean beer as the sun sets. And then rises again, every day of the year. And heres when you think you really should just swipe left, and that it must all be a lie  there are enough producers to merit an annual chocolate festival. But there really are. So, swipe right, and be prepared to fall in love.

Read on in our Belize travel guide.




Canoeing & camping ▼
Sea kayaking ▼
Hopkins ▼
Southern Belize ▼


Mayan archaeology ▼
Marine conservation ▼
St. Hermans Blue Hole National Park ▼
The Cayes ▼


Buying coral ▼
Diving only in Blue Hole ▼
Belize City ▼ Canoeing & camping

There is a lot of focus on reef and diving in Belize, but for inner beauty go canoeing and wild camping along the Belize River. Also known as Old River. This, and also the adjoining Macal and Mopan Rivers, just east of San Ignacio, travels for 290km of natural pathway, where local people bathe in the river, birdlife basks on limestone or jungle covered cliffs, and life takes on a real Belizean pace.

Sea kayaking

Paddling paradise, spend days just kayaking from caye to caye, cove to cove. Discover bits of the coral reef that are far away from divers and snorkelers, along traditional routes of local fishermen to places such as Billy Hawk Caye or South Caye Marine Reserve, following the line of where the Barrier Reef waves crest, or adding sails to the kayaks and letting the wind take you to all the best haunts.


Home to the culturally rich Garifuna ethnic group, direct descendants of a group of slaves who escaped two ship-wrecked Spanish slave ships in 1635. Everywhere you go, the traditional drumming and music is heard, as is the language, a French and Arawak mix. Their home is location, location, location, with the Caribbean on one side and Maya Mountains on the other. Not to be missed.

Southern Belize

There is a north-south divide when it comes to tourism, but oh those southern belles. The cayes, the coves, the culture, and the effortless Caribbean joie de vivre. Try kayaking on Stann Creek, go hunting for Mayan temples around Toledo, Belizes Mayan hub, or chill on the beach at Placencia, where the Lobster Festival in June is pure Belizean fun. With a lot of rum. Mayan archaeology

Although neighbouring Guatemala is more famous for its Mayan sites, Belize is also on the Mayan Trail, with over a million Mayans living here over a period of 2,000 years. The most famous sites are Xunantunich, Altun Ha and Caracol. Or check out Lamanai on the banks of the New River Lagoon which you can access by boat. Just you and the crocs on this particular Mayan Trail. And birds, in paradise.

Marine conservation

Belize has the second largest barrier reef in the world, and so not only are diving vacations the biz, full on marine conservation trips are the real biz. Heading into the quieter waters of southern Belize, conservation vacations explore the likes of Sapodilla Cayes Marine Park, identifying marine species, training for PADI qualifications, and learning how to spear invasive lionfish. Tough gig but someone has to do it.

St. Hermans Blue Hole National Park

There are two blue holes in Belize. Well, actually it is brimming with blue holes. But the two most famous ones are this inland one and the one at sea, officially called Blue Hole Natural Monument. Both beautiful. This one is a limestone wonderland of sapphire sinkholes, St. Herman's Cave, ancient stalactites and stalagmites, as well as Mayan artifacts for whom this was a spiritual underworld. And for us visitors, it's a magical world of adventure.

The Cayes

Pronounced keys, these are small islands formed by a gathering of sand on top of reefs. Belize is caye central boasting over 200. The most popular are Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker both gateways for snorkelling and diving in Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Head south for the lesser known Snake Cayes, accessible from Punta Gorda and Monkey River Town, or treat yourself to private Thatch Caye, with impressive eco resort. Buying coral

Most coral is illegal, except black coral which is still legally harvested in Belize and it should display the government licensed label. But responsible travelers tend to just enjoy leaving coral where it should be. In the water. Be wary of jade too, and get a certificate of authenticity otherwise you risk buying loot from an ancient, unprotected Mayan site. In fact, most jade-like jewellery is actually nephrite nowadays.

Diving only in Blue Hole

The Blue Hole is stunning, but some scuba divers find it an anti climax, after having it at the top of their dive wish lists for as long as they have had their PADI. It is very deep, so you have to be experienced, dives are often short, and the conditions have to be perfect to really see clearly. Dont let it upstage the myriad marine experiences all along this extraordinary coastline, where caye follows cove, atoll follows archipelago.


Although the largest city, and the one that tourists fly into, the capital is actually Belmopan nowadays, following Belize Citys destruction by a hurricane in 1961. Its still considered a stormy city by some metaphorically however, with occasional instances of crime reported, but these have fallen in recent years. Tourist areas are well policed, but it isnt really a city that evokes chillin in the Caribbean. Unlike the rest of the country. Which is Belizean bliss.



Eating & drinking in Belize

Rice and beans  its the law to eat this in Belize. Meat cooked with local spice recado, rice, beans, all served with gravy, and lashings of potato salad.
Cashew wine on ice, very very nice. Although locally brewed beer is the local staple, as is rum.
Shrimp and conch ceviche is a good way to start your seafood safari.
For yummy Yucatac-Maya traditions, seek out cochinita pibil slow roasted pork or escabeche chicken soup.

I am still craving craboo fruits. I ate them like sweets straight from the market, treated myself to a craboo ice cream daily, and a craboo wine nightly.


As a former British colony, English is the national language, spoken with a beautiful Caribbean lilt. Belizean Creole (or Kriol) is commonly heard, especially on the coast, and you will also come across Spanish near the Mexican or Guatemalan borders. You might also be lucky enough to hear some Maya or Garifuna (Carib).
Try out some of these Creole expressions  you'll work out what they mean when you say them out loud!


"Weh di gaan an?"

"Gud maanin."

"Mi love Bileez!"

"Fu chroo?" (Is that so?)


Hot Sauce is a Belizean institution, and it travels well.

Basket weaving is a Mayan tradition, so look out for beauties in the markets.

Toledo is the best region for buying the countrys famous chocolate. The food of the gods, according to Mayan tradition. And most of us chocoholics.

Garifuna drums come in all shapes and sizes, and sounds.


"Ah Waahn Noa Hoo Seh Kriol Noh Ga No Kolcha?  "Who said the Creole dont have any culture?"  Belizean Creole artist and performer,
Leela Vernon


Bike rental: £12 - £15 per day

Rice and beans lunch: £4

Belikin beer: £1.80 - £2.80

Bunch of bananas:30p

3 hour snorkel trip: £25 - £40

A brief history of Belize

You just need to look at the delightfully diverse demographics of Belize to get a quick overview of this countrys history. First of all, the national language is English, a hangover from its years of British colonial rule, when they took over from the Spanish who had claimed it as part of their Central American Territories. Defeating the Spanish first in 1798, at the Battle of St. George's Caye, and then formally declaring British rule, they renamed it British Honduras in 1862. It remained a British colony until 1981 and is still a Commonwealth member. Read more ▼

Nearly 50 percent of Belizes population describes itself as Hispanic, and indeed the Spanish first started moving into Belize in 1506. However, they found it difficult to settle, as the resistance from the indigenous Mayan people was very strong, culminating in a massive rebellion in 1546. Battles between the Spanish, already settling the rest of the Yucatan Peninsula, and the Mayan people continued for over two centuries, resulting in outright destruction of Mayan homes, people and their culture. In the middle of this battle for survival, a plague of locusts and ensuing famine almost wiped out the Mayan people altogether between 1627-1630. Indeed, today it remains the most sparsely populated country in Central America. Just over 10 percent of the current population is Mayan, divided into three groups: The Yucatec, originally from the Yucatan, the Mopan, indigenous to Belize and Kek'Chi who fled from slavery in Guatemala in the 19th century.

British colonisation brought other issues of course, the main one being slavery. Before the British formally took over Belize, they were granted logging rights by the Spanish, and for this purpose they introduced slaves and indentured servants, mostly originating from African countries. These logging masters became known as baymen. Today, Kriols make up roughly 21 percent of the Belizean population, Kriols being descendants of these slaves or, in some cases, of the Baymen slave owners too. In 1838, when emancipation was declared, freed slaves made up half of Belizes population and today the Kriol culture is a vibrant and important part of Belizean life, with the Kriol language, invented during the years of slavery, now spoken by 75 percent of Belizeans. And all this before British claimed the land as its own in 1862.

Belizean soldiers fought for the British during WWI after which the country, along with so many across the world was hit by the 1930s Depression. It was also hit by one of the most destructive hurricanes ever to strike Belize, in 1931, killing around 2,500 people and wiping out Belize City. The following couple of decades saw Belizeans becoming very active politically, as they fought for economic survival, with trade unions and suffrage movements taking hold. This led to constitutional reforms of 1953 which gave the country limited autonomy, when the general election was won by People's United Party (PUP), led by George Price. He then went on to work towards full autonomy, which was granted in 1964 as well as, most importantly, universal adult suffrage. Price stayed in power and become Prime Minister when the country was finally declared independent in 1981. Tension with neighbouring Guatemala over territorial claims had been ongoing for years, however, and they refused to recognize the newly named Belize until 1992, with British troops remaining in situ to protect its former colony. The dispute still remains unresolved and is currently in the hands of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Responsible Travel would like to thank Belize for their sponsorship of this guide
Photo credits: [Ambergris Quay, Belize: Ken Douglas] [Canoeing & camping: claire rowland] [Sea kayaking: Justin Vidamo] [Hopkins: Ken Mayer] [Southern Belize: Dennis Jarvis] [Mayan archaeology: Thomas Shahan] [Marine conservation: Adam] [St. Hermans Blue Hole NP: Haakon S. Krohn] [The Cayes: James Willamor] [Buying coral: storebukkebruse] [Diving only in Blue Hole: bettyx1138] [Belize City: Rick Goldman] [ceviche: regan76] [creole poster: Bernard DUPONT] [marie's hot sauce: winestem] [cycle rental: Rick Goldman] [helpdesk box: SNORKELINGDIVES.COM] Mexico, Belize and Guatemala vacation

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Spearfishing the invasive lionfish in beautiful Belize!
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