Belize Travel FAQ

Belmopan has been the capital of Belize since 1970. The government moved inland after Hurricane Hattie badly damaged Belize City in 1961. Belize City is still the largest city and the main gateway for visitors: the international airport, the cruise tender port at the Fort Street Tourism Village and the water taxis to Caye Caulker and San Pedro are all there.

Belize is on the Caribbean coast of Central America. Mexico borders it to the north, Guatemala to the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. The country is slightly smaller than Massachusetts and has about 400,000 people. Its coast is sheltered by the Belize Barrier Reef, part of the second-largest barrier reef system in the world.

English is the official language, which makes Belize one of the easiest countries in Central America for English-speaking travelers. Spanish and Belizean Kriol are also widely spoken, and some communities speak Garifuna, Maya languages or Mennonite Low German. Our tours are guided in English, and Spanish is available on many tours.

Belize uses Central Standard Time (GMT-6) all year and does not observe daylight saving time. From March to November, when the United States is on daylight time, Belize matches US Mountain Time; the rest of the year it matches US Central Time. Tour pickup times are always given in Belize time.

Belize is warm and humid all year, with daytime temperatures usually in the 80s °F (high 20s to low 30s °C) on the coast. Inland hills such as the Mountain Pine Ridge near Caracol are cooler. The dry season runs from about late November to May, and the rainy season from June to November brings short, heavy afternoon showers.

Yes. Forest still covers more than half of Belize, and over a third of the country's land is in national parks, reserves and wildlife sanctuaries. Well-known protected areas include the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, created in 1986 as the world's first jaguar preserve, and the Chiquibul and Mountain Pine Ridge forests around the Caracol Maya site.

Yes. Every international visitor needs a valid passport to enter Belize, including US citizens arriving by air, land or cruise ship. You may also be asked for proof of a return or onward ticket. Entry rules can change, so check the Belize Immigration and Nationality Department or your own government's travel advisory before you travel.

No. US citizens can visit Belize as tourists without a visa and are normally admitted for up to 30 days. Longer stays need an extension from the Belize Immigration and Nationality Department. Visitors of other nationalities should check whether they need a visa before booking flights, because requirements differ by passport.

Belize uses the Belize dollar (BZD), which is fixed at 2 Belize dollars to 1 US dollar. US dollars are accepted almost everywhere, and change is often given in Belize dollars. All Belize Fun Tours prices are quoted in US dollars, shown with a US$ prefix.

Yes. US dollar cash is accepted at hotels, restaurants, shops and tour operators across Belize at the fixed rate of 2 Belize dollars to 1 US dollar. Bring small, undamaged bills, because torn notes and large bills can be refused. Prices are sometimes shown in Belize dollars, so confirm which currency a price is in before you pay.

Visa and Mastercard are accepted at most hotels, larger restaurants and tour operators, and American Express less often. Some businesses add a card surcharge. Small shops, market stalls, street food vendors and many taxis take cash only, so carry some US or Belize dollars. ATMs are available in Belize City, San Pedro, Caye Caulker, San Ignacio and Placencia.

Belize uses 110-volt, 60 Hz electricity, the same as the United States and Canada. Most outlets take US-style plugs, so North American travelers usually do not need an adapter. Some buildings also have British-style three-pin outlets, so visitors from other regions should pack a universal adapter.

Most visitors drink bottled or purified water, which is cheap and sold everywhere. Many hotels and lodges provide filtered water for refilling bottles. Tap water in Belize City and the larger towns is treated, but the supply in rural areas and on the cayes varies, so purified water is the safer choice for a short trip.

Make sure your routine vaccinations are up to date. Health agencies such as the US CDC also recommend hepatitis A and typhoid for most travelers, and advise protecting yourself from mosquito bites because dengue occurs in the region. Advice changes, so check the CDC's Belize page or see a travel-health clinic four to six weeks before you leave.

Mosquitoes and sand flies are common, especially in the rainy season from June to November, in the jungle and at dusk on the beach. Pack an insect repellent with DEET or picaridin and light long-sleeved clothing for jungle tours. Breezy spots on the cayes usually have fewer insects than sheltered inland areas.

The legal drinking age in Belize is 18, and identification may be requested in bars and shops. Local beers such as Belikin and Belizean rum are sold widely in bars, restaurants and shops. For safety, plan to drink only after activities such as caving, cave tubing, swimming or driving an ATV.

Most visitors fly into Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE), about 30 minutes from Belize City. Direct flights operate from several US and Canadian cities, and there are connections through Mexico and Central America. Many travelers also arrive on a cruise ship at Belize City, or overland from Mexico or Guatemala.

A direct flight to Belize City takes about 2 hours from Miami or Houston and about 2.5 hours from Dallas. Flights from Atlanta, Charlotte and other US hubs take about 3 hours, and from Canada about 5 hours. Schedules and nonstop routes vary by season, so check with your airline.

International airlines serving Belize include American, Delta, United, Southwest, Air Canada, WestJet and Copa, with routes that vary by season. Inside Belize, Tropic Air and Maya Island Air fly small planes between Belize City and San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Placencia, Dangriga and other towns.

Water taxis leave Belize City for Caye Caulker (about 45 minutes) and San Pedro on Ambergris Caye (about 1.5 hours) several times a day. Tropic Air and Maya Island Air also fly to both islands in about 15 to 20 minutes. Several of our island tours include the water taxi or boat ride to the mainland.

No. Uber, Lyft and similar rideshare apps do not operate in Belize. Travelers use licensed taxis, which have green license plates, plus water taxis, domestic flights and private shuttles. Belize Fun Tours runs private shuttle transfers between the airport, Belize City, San Ignacio, Hopkins, Placencia and the northern border.

Yes. Visitors can drive in Belize on a valid driver's license from home for a short stay, and rental cars are available at the international airport and in Belize City. Rental companies set their own minimum age and deposit rules. Main highways are paved, but many roads to ruins and lodges are gravel, and speed bumps are common in villages.

Yes. Belize City is a regular Western Caribbean cruise stop. Large ships anchor offshore and bring passengers ashore by tender to the Fort Street Tourism Village, where Belize Fun Tours is based. Norwegian Cruise Line also stops at its own island, Harvest Caye, in southern Belize. Shore excursions must return in time for the last tender.

Belize is best known for the Belize Barrier Reef and the Great Blue Hole, ancient Maya cities such as Caracol, Xunantunich, Lamanai and Altun Ha, river caves like Actun Tunichil Muknal, and rainforest wildlife. It is a compact country, so reef, jungle and ruins can all be visited on day trips from Belize City, San Ignacio or the cayes.

Popular day trips include cave tubing on the Caves Branch River, the ATM cave near San Ignacio, the Maya sites of Xunantunich, Altun Ha, Lamanai and Caracol, snorkeling at Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley, and a day trip to Tikal in Guatemala. Many guests combine two or three activities, such as cave tubing and a Maya site, in one day.

Yes. Belize has hundreds of Maya sites. Caracol is the largest in Belize and has its tallest pyramid, Caana. Xunantunich overlooks the Mopan River near San Ignacio, Lamanai is reached by a river boat ride through the jungle, Altun Ha is close to Belize City, and Cahal Pech is in San Ignacio itself.

The Great Blue Hole is a circular marine sinkhole at Lighthouse Reef Atoll, about 70 km (43 miles) off the coast. It is roughly 300 m (1,000 ft) across and about 125 m (410 ft) deep, and is part of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is visited by dive boats and on sightseeing flights.

Yes. The Belize Barrier Reef runs almost the full length of the coast, close to San Pedro and Caye Caulker. Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley are the most popular snorkel stops, with coral, tropical fish, rays and nurse sharks. Divers also travel to the offshore atolls, including Lighthouse Reef and the Great Blue Hole.

Yes. The best-known are nurse sharks, which are generally docile and gather with southern stingrays at Shark Ray Alley in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve near San Pedro. Snorkelers swim with them there under a guide's supervision. Reef sharks also live along the barrier reef and around the atolls.

Belize is home to jaguars, tapirs, howler and spider monkeys, crocodiles, manatees, sea turtles and more than 500 species of birds, including toucans and scarlet macaws. Jaguars are shy and rarely seen, but howler monkeys are often heard and seen at the Community Baboon Sanctuary and Lamanai. The Belize Zoo cares for native animals that cannot return to the wild.

Yes. Belize is known for fly fishing on the flats for bonefish, permit and tarpon, and for reef fishing for snapper, grouper and barracuda. Deep-sea trips target species such as wahoo and sailfish. Visiting anglers need a sport fishing license from the Belize Fisheries Department, and many flats species are catch-and-release only.

Yes. The best-known beaches are on Ambergris Caye (San Pedro), Caye Caulker, the Placencia peninsula and around Hopkins. Because the barrier reef breaks the waves, the water is usually calm and clear, but many island shorelines are narrow, with docks used for swimming. Seaweed (sargassum) can wash ashore in some months.

The dry season, from about late November to April, is the most popular time, with sunny days and the busiest hotels. The rainy season from June to November brings afternoon showers, lower prices and green jungle, and overlaps the Atlantic hurricane season. After heavy rain, river caves such as ATM and cave tubing sites can close until water levels drop.

Most visits to Belize are trouble-free, and tourist areas such as San Pedro, Caye Caulker, San Ignacio and Placencia are generally relaxed. As anywhere, use normal precautions: do not show valuables, use licensed taxis at night and avoid walking alone after dark in parts of Belize City. Check your government's current travel advisory before you go.

Belize usually costs more than neighboring Guatemala and Mexico, because many goods are imported and taxes are added to hotels and meals. Budget travelers can find guesthouses and local restaurants, while resorts on the cayes and jungle lodges are higher priced. Tours and transfers are a large part of most budgets, so compare what each price includes.

Yes. Belize is compact, English-speaking and has plenty of activities children enjoy, such as cave tubing, the Belize Zoo, snorkeling in calm water and climbing Maya temples. Some tours have age or height limits, so check each tour page. Belize Fun Tours lists its family-friendly tours, with child prices, on its family tours page.

Yes. Couples often combine a few nights at a jungle lodge near San Ignacio, with Maya ruins and rivers, with a beach stay on Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker or the Placencia peninsula. Distances are short, so two or three bases fit into one week, connected by private shuttle, water taxi or a short domestic flight.

Yes, but fewer than Mexico or the Dominican Republic, and most are smaller. All-inclusive and full-board options exist on Ambergris Caye, on the Placencia peninsula, near Hopkins and at some jungle lodges in the Cayo District. Many visitors instead stay in boutique hotels and book tours separately, which gives more flexibility.

Popular Belizean dishes include rice and beans with stewed chicken, fry jacks for breakfast, salbutes and panades, conch fritters, fresh lobster in season (mid-June to mid-February), and Garifuna hudut, a fish stew with mashed plantain. Many of our day tours include a local lunch.

Belize's Supreme Court struck down the law criminalizing same-sex relations in 2016. Tourist areas such as San Pedro, Caye Caulker and Placencia are generally relaxed and welcoming. Belize is still a socially conservative country in places, so many couples are discreet with public displays of affection outside the main tourist areas.

Belize Fun Tours is a locally owned tour company based on Fort Street, at the Tourism Village in Belize City. It has operated since 2000 and runs guided day tours and private shuttle transfers from Belize City, San Ignacio, San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Placencia and Hopkins. Reservations are answered by phone, WhatsApp and email from 6 AM to 6 PM Belize time, daily.

Every price on belizefuntours.com is in US dollars. Each tour page shows the total price per person and, separately, the deposit due when you book; the deposit is part of the tour price, not an extra charge. The final price for your date and group is confirmed before you pay. Cancellation terms are on our cancellation policy page.