There are many cool things to do in Belize.
This is an incredible country with rich culture and history; fabulous nature – beaches, jungle and a great reef; delicious food and welcoming people.
Belize is a small country, and roughly 350000 people live in it. The biggest city being Belize City and the capital set in tiny Belmopan, where it was established after that hurricane Hattie flooded Belize City in 1961.
So, are you in search of what to do in Belize? Continue reading this post to discover the top things to do in Belize
Xunantunich archeological site is one of the many Belize attractions – courtesy of Chaa Creek
6 Unmissable Things To Do In Belize
Exploring the fabulous nature
From mountains to tropical rainforest, fertile subtropical foothills where cattle is reared, rivers and jungle covered Mayan archeological sites Belize is a fabulous Caribbean country, yet set in Central America. It has enough to inspire adventure seekers, animal lovers, birdwatchers, trekkers and sport addicts, as well as Mayan history enthusiasts.
One of the nicest things to do in Belize is definitely taking advantage of all its amazing nature. You can go fun tubing, zip lining, hiking in the forest, visit caves – and much more.
Visiting the archeological sites
When researching about the things to do in Belize, remember that a trip to Belize isn’t complete without a visit to the archeological sites. The most famous ones are Caracol, Xunantunich and Altun Ha. The best part of visiting Mayan sites in Belize is that they are not nearly as crowded as the ones in other countries of Central America (think Tikal in Guatemala, or Palenque and Chichen Itza in Mexico). I recommend hiring a guide when visiting the ruins, so that you can make more sense of what you are seeing.
Visiting one of Belize beaches and barrier reef
Hundreds of cayes (such as Ambergris and St. George’s Cayes) contribute to the small land surface of Belize. The reefs and cayes spread to over 200 km of barrier reef with crystal clear water that rightly attracts those interested in diving, snorkeling and sport fishing.
The reef and its islands became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.
Belize is also home to the Blue Hole, one of the world’s best dives. Diving is definitely one of the unmissable things to do in Belize!
Crystal clear water of Belizean coast, among Belize attractions – courtesy of Chaa Creek
Eating
Ok, it may not be Mexico, which was inscribed in 2010 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, but food in Belize is actually delicious. The local staple is rice and beans, just as in most of Central America, and it is usually accompanied with either beef, chicken or pork, in the form of stews.
Fruit is also very abundant, so fresh and so sweet that I am pretty sure you won’t be able to eat any tropical fruit back home!
By the way, did you know that you can find some of the best burritos in the continent (you’ll have to scout for them in the street!), as well as incredible seafood on the coast.
Interacting with the locals
Less than 350000 people live in Belize, and for as little as this may seem, there is a great mixture of ethnicities, languages and cultures. Here you will be able to hear English (did you know that Belize was under British domination, and it used to be called British Honduras?), Spanish, Creole and Mayan.
This reflects the population, which consists of Creoles, West Indians, Mayans, Chinese as well as Garifunas.
Most importantly, people in Belize are extremely friendly and laid back, always willing to lend a hand to travelers, make jokes and ensuring everyone feels welcome. Belize’s Love FM advert says “be kind to tourists”. I guess people take this quite literally! Not to mention, the fact that everybody here speaks English makes it so easy for travelers.
Stay at a fabulous resort
Last, but definitely not least, Chaa Creek Ecolodge and the Macal River Camp are also great reasons to love Belize.
Chaa Cree is located close to San Ignacio. This is not far from the Guatemala border and from Tikal, and it is the second largest city in the country, with as many as 20000 people!
The lodge is completely immersed in the rain forest (and rain you will get!), with lovely rooms (some so huge that they look more like mansions), a great infinity pool, a bar and a restaurant serving delicious drinks (including the good Belikin, best enjoyed on a hammock!) and meals.
While the lodge is definitely not suitable for a backpacker’s budget, the Macal River Camp (a 10 minutes jungle walk from the lodge) can be factored in. At $ 65 USD per night, it may seem expensive. However, included in the price you can get breakfast and dinner, and you can use of all the facilities and excursions at the lodge, such as tubing, canoeing, birdwatching, touring the butterfly farm and the medicinal route.
There is no electricity at the camp (well, just in the bathrooms and in the dining area), nor wifi. Bungalows, which fit up to 4 persons, are lit by kerosene lamps and surrounded by mosquito nests.
Where to stay in Belize: Macal River Camp casitas
There are 4 spotless toilets and showers. Each night a fire is lit for guests to sit about, tell stories and share their wisdom. It simply is the perfect place to relax, to listen to the sound of nature and to be stranded in tropical rain.
All that is needed now is gathering appropriate hiking and diving gear and start planning a trip to Belize.
Planning to visit Belize? Let us know in the comments below!
Other resources: Backpacking Belize on a Budget by Road Affair.
Further readings about Central America
Make sure to read my other posts if you are planning a trip to Central America:
- The Most Awesome Things To Do In Nicaragua
- What to expect when volcano boarding on Cerro Negro, Nicaragua
- Everything You Need To Know When Going On A Hike Of Pacaya Volcano, In Guatemala
- 27 Absolutely Fabulous Things To Do In Costa Rica
- 7 Absolutely Incredible Things To Do In Panama
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Hi Claudia! I am so happy to bump into this post as I am traveling to Mexico and Belize in two weeks! after reading it, I am even more excited! how did you travel there, I mean how are the roads in Belize? we are planning to rent a car in Mexico and travel all the way from Cancun to the south?
I arrived from Guatemala. The roads seemed ok to me!!
The architectural site looks really impressive. I always heard that Belize is a very expensive country to travel in, compared to other countries in Central America. Is that true?
Yes – but on the other hand, the services are much better!
I’ll be honest, belize has never really been on my radar – but it is now! Great post.
It wasn’t on mine, till I actually went. Now I want to go again 🙂
I think I’d pretty much be stuck with the reef. It looks gorgeous!
Yup, I think many of us would be 🙂
Oh Belize I miss you so much … 😀 It really is a beautiful country, isn’t it? So much nature and the people are so friendly. Can’t wait to go back.
I can understand that!
We were gutted we didn’t have time for Belize (made it as far at Tikal, where we got engaged!) on our Central American trip, but it’s top of the list for when we got back. We loved Guatemala, but it didn’t have the amazing beaches and coral reefs of Belize. Looks like a stunning country to visit, thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I admit that for some reason I had never considered it before. Then I went there for work, on a tour I led, and fell in love with it!
Great post. I may be bookmarking this as I thought I was going to be visiting Belize this year but I think realistically thinking, probably next year now.
Cool! Consider going to the Macal River camp – sooooo cool there!