Belize
Discover Belize
Introduction
Belize is the Central American country that faces the Caribbean rather than the Pacific, speaks English by law and Kriol, Spanish and Maya by habit, and has fewer people, more spread out, than any of its neighbours. Its 22,960 square kilometres hold a 386-kilometre coast flanked by the second-longest barrier reef in the world, three coral atolls beyond it, a forested interior that still covers about 56 per cent of the land, and Maya cities -- Caracol, Xunantunich, Lamanai -- built by a civilisation that spread here between 1500 BC and AD 300 and flourished until about 1200.
The Barrier Reef, 300 kilometres of the Mesoamerican system and a World Heritage Site since 1996, and the Great Blue Hole, a marine sinkhole 318 metres across and 124 deep on Lighthouse Reef, are the two reasons most visitors come; the cayes -- Caye Caulker, 45 minutes from Belize City by water taxi, and San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, an hour and a half -- are where they stay. The interior, with its caves, rivers and the first jaguar sanctuary in the world, is the half of the country that the beach-bound skip.
British from the logwood cutters of 1638 to independence on 21 September 1981, Belize keeps a parliamentary system, a currency pegged at two to the US dollar, and a capital, Belmopan, built inland after a hurricane flattened Belize City in 1961. The rainy season runs June to November and the hurricanes come mostly from September to December; the dry months from January to May are the season, and the crowd, and the price.
Do I need a visa?
Holders of a valid multiple-entry visa or permanent residence card from the United States or Canada, or a valid multiple-entry Schengen visa, are exempt from the Belize entry visa for visits of up to 30 days; other nationalities should check the Immigration Department's list. Any stay past 30 days needs an extension from an Immigration Office.
What money do I need?
Belize dollars, fixed at BZ$2 to US$1; US dollars are accepted at that rate.
How do I get to the cayes?
Water taxi from Belize City: about 45 minutes to Caye Caulker, about an hour and a half to San Pedro, several departures a day, tickets online. Both islands also have airstrips.
How much are the Maya sites?
On NICH's ticketing site, Caracol is $15 to $25, Xunantunich and Lamanai $10 to $25, Altun Ha and Cahal Pech $10 to $20, the smaller sites from $5; the ranges are the ticket categories the site sells.
Can I take photos in the ATM cave?
No, not without a permit; cameras have been banned since 2012.
When is the best time to visit?
The dry season from January to May. The rains run June to November and the hurricane risk is highest from September to December.