BELIZE

Travel itinerary
Belize is visited mainly by American tourists looking for warm temperatures, sea and sun... and how to blame them? This country has the second longest coral reef in the world after the Australian one: a travel itinerary in Belize is mostly based on boat trips, snorkeling and diving. The Caribbean Sea allows swimming with myriads of fish, turtles, rays and sharks.

For a more complete holiday, you can continue your own travel itinerary in the Belize mainland, visiting jungle, rivers, waterfalls, Mayan temples and caves. And one of the most important Mayan centers in the world, Tikal, in Guatemala, is just beyond the border.

Caye Caulker and San Pedro
Caye Caulker is a small Caribbean island with colorful wooden houses: you can walk around it in a couple of hours.

There are many beach bars and several restaurants that offer fresh fish and cheap lobster. Caye Caulker is a simple island, with relaxed rhythms, even if tourism has increased the prices of trips and drinks. The beaches and the water are not heavenly as one might expect from a Caribbean island.

You must take a boat to really appreciate the sea of Belize, and Caye Caulker is indeed a fundamental starting point for boat trips on the coral reef: there are many tour operators offering snorkeling excursions. They are all nice and similar and let you see lots of fish, sharks, stingrays and corals.

The other touristic island of Belize is Ambergris Caye, where San Pedro is located, a largest and most active but less picturesque resort than Caye Caulker. From here you can also take a flight to see the Blue Hole from the sky.

The coral reef and the Blue Hole
The coral reef is the main attraction on a travel itinerary in Belize. The classic snorkeling trip departing from Caye Caulker or San Pedro brings you to Hol Chan Marine Reserve, where you can swim with nurse sharks and stingrays: it is absolutely worth it. Snorkeling on the coral reef here is well worth it, even if the corals are not as colourful as in other parts of the world.

Longer and more expensive trips let you go snorkelling and especially diving in the Turnoffe and Lighthouse atolls and in the Blue Hole.
To better appreciate this blue chasm in the Caribbean Sea you have to be good divers, or admire it from above with a flight whose cost starts at 200 USD.

We greatly enjoyed a two-day sailing trip (even if we sailed by motor!) Which took us to sleep in Tent at Goff's Caye, a very small strip of sand with a few palm trees. Beautiful swims, a beautiful sunset, a magnificent starry, a limpid dawn.

For sailors, exploring atolls and islets aboard a catamaran is a great way to travel around Belize.

Other destinations
We talked about the sea, but let's not forget the mainland. The Cayo District is the place to go to admire nature and archeology. The Mayan temples of Caracol, Xunantunich and Lamanai must be included in your travel itinerary in Belize. And the incredible cave of Actun Tunichil Muknal offers a great adventure (imagine walking in the dark until you find some Mayan skeletons!). On the jungle rivers you can go kayaking or do other activities.

How, when and other information
Avoiding the rainy season from June to October, every other time of the year can be fine for a holiday in Belize. You could still get some rain, and all in all the best months are maybe February and March, which are warm, but not too hot, and dry.

Both for the mainland and for the Caribbean sea, the most comfortable option for traveling in Belize is to rely on the tours. If you are good at bargaining, especially out of season, you could snatch some good deals; otherwise, the tours are rather expensive.
Belize City is known as a very dangerous city: be careful not to get lost on isolated roads. However, Belize is a fantastic destination, so organize your travel itinerary well... and enjoy!
To find other photos of Belize (and at higher resolution), click on this photogallery:

If you are enjoying photos and trip reports, please like the following Facebook page by clicking here (you'll find updates with info, photos and new itineraries):