Belize travel guide

Getting there

Most travellers fly into Philip S. W.

Best time to visit: Dec–Apr – dry season with sunny days and good diving.

Tougher months: September-October - peak of the hurricane season and the wettest weeks, especially in the south.

Weather by month in Belize City

• 27°J●
• 28°F●
• 29°M
• 31°A
• 31°M●
• 31°J●●
• 31°J●●
• 31°A●●
• 31°S●●●
• 30°O●●●
• 28°N●●
• 27°D●●

Average daytime highs in °C; dots show how rainy the month is (one dot dry, three dots wet).

Time zone: America/Belize. Compare with your local time.

Visas: in our passport dataset, 106 of 198 other passports can enter Belize without arranging a visa first (visa-free or visa on arrival), 0 need an e-visa or electronic authorisation, and 92 need a visa in advance. Check your passport.

Background: Visa policy of Belize (Wikipedia).

Official advisory: Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (U.S. Department of State, updated 2026-03-12). Read the advisory.

Source and more: Belize travel facts on RoamSun

Stay

Most trips to Belize are based around Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker or San Ignacio. Pick a base for your main interest, then add day trips rather than moving hotels every night.

Typical daily budget: about US$50–80 for a backpacker and US$120–220 mid-range, per person.

Source: RoamSun Belize page · Browse hotel guides

Connect

Plug types: A, B, G. Voltage: 110 V. Check your own devices on the plug and currency checker.

Calling code: +501.

Mobile data: read the travel eSIM setup guide before you fly so the plan is installed and ready on landing.

Source: Advinne eSIM guide · RoamSun

Do

• Ambergris Caye (Northern cayes · reef & beaches): Belize's largest island, with San Pedro town, easy reef access and plenty of water sports.
• Caye Caulker (Northern cayes · laid-back island): A small, car-free island popular with backpackers for snorkelling trips and a relaxed vibe.
• San Ignacio (Cayo District · jungle base): A lively inland town for trips to ATM Cave, Xunantunich, Caracol and the Mountain Pine Ridge.
• Caracol (Chiquibul forest · Maya ruins): The largest Maya site in Belize, with the towering Caana pyramid hidden deep in the forest.
• Placencia (Southern coast · peninsula): A long sandy peninsula with beaches, seafood and boat trips to outer cayes and whale shark waters in season.
• Hopkins (Stann Creek · Garifuna village): A friendly beach village known for Garifuna drumming, food and culture.
• Lighthouse Reef & Great Blue Hole (Offshore atoll · diving): A remote atoll with world-class walls, the Blue Hole and red-footed boobies on Half Moon Caye.
• Lamanai (Orange Walk · Maya ruins): Riverside ruins reached by boat, where temples rise from the jungle and howler monkeys call.

Things to do

• Dive the Great Blue Hole. Drop into the deep, perfectly round sinkhole at Lighthouse Reef, one of the world's most famous dive sites.
• Snorkel Hol Chan & Shark Ray Alley. Float above coral gardens and glide alongside nurse sharks and stingrays off Ambergris Caye.
• Explore ATM Cave. Wade, swim and climb into Actun Tunichil Muknal to see ancient Maya pottery and remains deep underground.
• Climb Xunantunich. Cross the river on a hand-cranked ferry and scale El Castillo for views into Guatemala.
• Go slow on Caye Caulker. Live by the island motto 'go slow' with hammocks, fresh lobster in season and swimming at the Split.
• Boat up to Lamanai. Cruise the New River past crocodiles and birds to reach jungle temples with masks carved in stone.
• Drum with the Garifuna. Learn about Garifuna rhythms, cassava bread and history in Hopkins or Dangriga.
• Spot jaguar tracks. Hike the trails of Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, a reserve set up to protect jaguars.

Source: full Belize guide on RoamSun

Eat and drink

• Rice and beans with stew chicken – the classic Belizean meal
• Fry jacks – puffy fried dough for breakfast
• Hudut – Garifuna fish stew in coconut broth with mashed plantain
• Salbutes – small fried tortillas topped with chicken and cabbage

Source: RoamSun Belize guide

Money and safety

Currency: Belize dollar (BZD). Currency and plug checker.

Tipping: 10–15% in restaurants if not included; tip guides and boat crews.

Emergency numbers: 911 police, fire & ambulance.

• The Belize dollar is pegged to the US dollar, and US dollars are widely accepted - check which currency prices are quoted in.
• ATMs are found in towns and on the main cayes, but carry cash for smaller villages and buses.
• Most tourist areas are relaxed, but take extra care in parts of Belize City, especially at night, and use taxis after dark.
• Use licensed guides for caves, ruins and border-area sites such as Caracol.

Source: RoamSun Belize facts