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Belize✨ 10 best things to do in Belize

Things to do in Belize

1. Dive the Great Blue HoleDrop into the deep, perfectly round sinkhole at Lighthouse Reef, one of the world's most famous dive sites.
2. Snorkel Hol Chan & Shark Ray AlleyFloat above coral gardens and glide alongside nurse sharks and stingrays off Ambergris Caye.
3. Explore ATM CaveWade, swim and climb into Actun Tunichil Muknal to see ancient Maya pottery and remains deep underground.
4. Climb XunantunichCross the river on a hand-cranked ferry and scale El Castillo for views into Guatemala.
5. Go slow on Caye CaulkerLive by the island motto 'go slow' with hammocks, fresh lobster in season and swimming at the Split.
6. Boat up to LamanaiCruise the New River past crocodiles and birds to reach jungle temples with masks carved in stone.
7. Drum with the GarifunaLearn about Garifuna rhythms, cassava bread and history in Hopkins or Dangriga.
8. Spot jaguar tracksHike the trails of Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, a reserve set up to protect jaguars.
9. Tube through cavesFloat on an inner tube through river caves in the Cayo or Caves Branch area.
10. Eat rice and beansTry the national plate of rice and beans with stewed chicken, plus fry jacks for breakfast.

Belize🗺️ Where to visit in Belize

Where to go in Belize

• 
  Ambergris CayeNorthern cayes · reef & beachesBelize's largest island, with San Pedro town, easy reef access and plenty of water sports.
• 
  Caye CaulkerNorthern cayes · laid-back islandA small, car-free island popular with backpackers for snorkelling trips and a relaxed vibe.
• 
  San IgnacioCayo District · jungle baseA lively inland town for trips to ATM Cave, Xunantunich, Caracol and the Mountain Pine Ridge.
• 📍
  CaracolChiquibul forest · Maya ruinsThe largest Maya site in Belize, with the towering Caana pyramid hidden deep in the forest.
• 
  PlacenciaSouthern coast · peninsulaA long sandy peninsula with beaches, seafood and boat trips to outer cayes and whale shark waters in season.
• 📍
  HopkinsStann Creek · Garifuna villageA friendly beach village known for Garifuna drumming, food and culture.
• 📍
  Lighthouse Reef & Great Blue HoleOffshore atoll · divingA remote atoll with world-class walls, the Blue Hole and red-footed boobies on Half Moon Caye.
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  LamanaiOrange Walk · Maya ruinsRiverside ruins reached by boat, where temples rise from the jungle and howler monkeys call.

Belize🌦️ Weather & best time to visit Belize

Best time to visit Belize

Belize is tropical, hot and humid year-round, with a rainy season roughly June to November. The south is much wetter than the north, and inland hills like the Mountain Pine Ridge are a little cooler.

Typical daytime highs and rain in Belize City (approximate averages).

Belize🎉 Festivals & events in Belize

• November 19
  Garifuna Settlement DayRe-enactments of the Garifuna arrival by boat, with drumming and dancing, especially in Dangriga and Hopkins.
• September
  September CelebrationsWeeks of parades and carnival culminating in St George's Caye Day (10th) and Independence Day (21st).
• June-July
  LobsterfestCoastal towns such as Caye Caulker, San Pedro and Placencia celebrate the opening of lobster season.
• March
  La Ruta Maya River ChallengeA multi-day canoe race along the Belize River from San Ignacio to Belize City.

Belize🧭 Belize itinerary ideas

How many days in Belize?

Belize🎒 Backpacking Belize – tips & hacks

Backpacker budget: about $50–80 a day

• Local buses, many of them old US school buses, are the cheapest way to travel along the main highways.
• Caye Caulker and San Ignacio are the backpacker hubs, with hostels and good-value group tours.
• Water taxis connect Belize City with Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye several times a day.
• Fill up on street food such as tacos, salbutes, panades and rice and beans, which are far cheaper than tourist restaurants.
• Belize is pricier than its neighbours, so many backpackers combine it with Guatemala via the San Ignacio-Melchor border.

Belize🛡️ Safety & money in Belize

Emergency: 911 police, fire & ambulance

Belize🛬 Getting to Belize

Most travellers fly into Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport near Belize City. Land borders connect with Mexico at Chetumal and Guatemala near Benque Viejo, and boats link southern Belize with Guatemala and Honduras.

✈️ Cheap flights to Belize: airports, flight times & best time to fly →

Belize💡 Did you know? 5 facts about Belize

• Belize is the only country in Central America with English as its official language.
• The Belize Barrier Reef is the longest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere.
• Cockscomb Basin was among the world's first protected areas set up specifically for jaguars.
• The capital moved from Belize City to the planned inland town of Belmopan after a devastating hurricane in 1961.
• Belize has more than one hundred ancient Maya sites, many still being excavated.

Belize❓ Belize travel FAQ

Belize travel questions