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Belize is a place of two halves (subtropical and sylvan inland and a caye-strewn coastline) and many tongues. English is the official language, which makes travel a breeze, but you might also hear Kriol, Spanish, Garifuna and Maya — perhaps even the German dialect of remote Mennonite farming communities. Our specialists love planning Belize vacations that take in all this rich miscellany. For your travels, they might suggest the lagoons and jungle of the Orange Walk District — where Maya temples still sit half-submerged by forest — or visits to enigmatic lowland caves and the organic cacao producers of the undeveloped Toledo District.
They’d also say that vacations to Belize are rarely complete without you spending time in the languid, limpid waters of the Caribbean, which lap multiple offshore sandy cayes and atolls. You might explore the Blue Hole, one of the biggest stars in the scuba-diving firmament. If you don’t have diving experience, it’s no matter: Belize’s waters are chock-full of rewarding snorkeling sites.
Our specialists advise on the best months to visit Belize, including information about climate, events and festivals.
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The official language of Belize is English, although many mestizos (those of mixed Maya and European descent) only speak Spanish and the Mayan dialects of either Mopan or Qʼeqchiʼ. The increasingly used creole language has both an English and a Spanish version and is often a mixture of the two languages.
The currency of Belize is the Belize dollar (BZ$ or BZD). It’s tied to the US dollar at a fixed rate of 1US$ to 2BZ$. In conversation, most people refer to the US currency as dollars, and local currency as Belize. If only a dollar sign is used on prices, check first if it’s US dollars or Belize dollars.
You’ll find ATMs in all cities and larger towns, and credit cards are widely accepted in hotels, and in larger restaurants and stores.
In general, Belize is more expensive than other Central American countries with prices around the same as in the US. US dollars are fairly readily accepted but carry smaller denominations ($20 or less) and make sure notes aren’t damaged.
The national dish of Belize is rice and beans, usually livened up with a dash of Marie Sharp’s hot sauce. You should also try hudut (fish stew with mashed plantain), and boilup (vegetable and pigtail stew). Local lobster is available from July to February, and conch from October to June.
Portions are generous in Belize and one main meal can usually be shared between two people. Snack foods such as conch fritters, ceviche, and garnache (a fried corn tortilla topped with refried beans) are also popular, and refried beans are often on the breakfast menu served with tortilla, fry jacks (deep fried dough balls), or johnny cakes (flat bread rolls).
The national beer is Belikin, but you’ll also find a variety of local rums and rum punch on offer in most bars.
A tip of 10% is welcome in Belize but check to see if a service charge has automatically been added to your total before paying.
For the latest travel advice for Belize, including entry requirements, health information, and the safety and security situation, please refer to the Canadian Government Travel & Tourism website.
In Belize, you’ll find white-sand beaches, jade forests teeming with wildlife, and prehistoric Maya cities. It’s a small country with a huge range of attractions, and you can choose to linger on powdery beaches, dive, or snorkel on the second longest barrier reef in the world, go canoeing, caving, or river tubing, or take boats trips to spot manatees, turtles, and sharks.
The biodiversity of Belize’s forests is astounding, and in its nature reserves and national parks you could spot black howler monkeys, crocodiles, and iguanas as well as bright scarlet macaws and toucans flitting through the trees.
If you’re more interested in history and culture, you can head for Belize’s many relics of ancient civilisations with Maya cities, ceremonial sites, and burial temples to explore.
In Belize, you can stay in luxury beachfront resorts, ecolodges in the heart of the forest, or family-run hotels with local character. Belize offers a great range of places to stay at all budget levels and you can opt for a luxury jungle lodge with pool and spa, a plantation house set in tropical gardens, beachfront villas, or simple self-catering suites.
For more ideas, browse our collection of places to stay in Belize.
In compact but diverse Belize, you should divide your time between the caye-strewn coastline and the lush, emerald forest of the interior. For relaxation, the atolls and cayes along the coast offer sugary sands and endless snorkel sites. For divers, the big lure is the Great Blue Hole, a giant underwater sinkhole.
Inland, you should make your way to the Cayo District and Caracol to explore subtropical forests and cave systems, and to see Belize’s largest archeological site, Caracol, an elaborate Maya city. Other archaeological sites worth seeking out include Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave and the ancient ceremonial site at Xunantunich.
For immersive wildlife experiences and glittering lagoons, head for the Orange Walk District, while in the little-visited Toledo District you can explore lowland cave systems and visit remote Maya communities and organic cacao producers.
It takes around five hours to fly from Toronto in Canada to Belize, and around six and a half hours from Vancouver.
The time zone in Belize is UTC-6 hours. Daylight Savings Time isn’t observed.
The best way to get around Belize is by car. The infrastructure is poor, and many roads are bumpy and unpaved, so we can arrange a local car and driver to take you to your next stop. For longer journeys, taking an internal flight or chartering an aircraft is an alternative option.
As well as a destination in its own right, a trip to Belize can easily be combined with a trip to Guatemala.
Canadian citizens don’t need a visa to enter Belize for stays of up to 30 days. Citizens of other countries should check their visa requirements. We recommend using our partner Visa Central.
For vaccine advice for Belize, it’s best to speak to your doctor. You can check the suggested vaccinations on the Government of Canada - travel vaccinations website and it’s also a good idea to make sure you’re up to date with the recommended vaccinations at home.
Your passport must be valid for six months after your date of departure from Belize and should have one unstamped page free.
Written by our specialists from the viewpoint of their own travels, these guides will help you decide on the shape of your own trip to Belize. Aiming to inspire and inform, we share our recommendations for how to appreciate Belize at its best.
Family vacations in Belize
Leisurely river floats, swimming in turquoise seas, jungle adventures, and Maya cities ripe for exploring — Belize makes an ideal under-the-radar family destination. Specialist Nik shares his recommendations.
Belize honeymoons: ideas for exploring the rainforest, ruins and reef
Travel specialist Leticia shares her ideas for the best places to honeymoon in Belize, Central America’s only English-speaking country. She suggests focusing on exploring the rainforest, Maya ruins and the barrier reef, before relaxing on the beaches of Ambergris Caye.
Still looking for ideas? If Belize has captured your interest, we think you might also like these destinations.