belize travel guide

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While I only spent a quick weekend in Belize, you better BELIZE this travel guide is still packed with everything you need to know about where to stay, what to do and where to eat and drink while there. Plus, you’ll get the lowdown on Belize’s current travel requirements due to COVID-19.

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I cannot stress enough how much we enjoyed spending a weekend here. Located in Central America, Belize was breathtaking and the locals we met could not have made our time spent there any better. We traveled to Belize for one of our best friends birthdays and I couldn’t image a better place to celebrate her. From the crystal clear water to the mouthwatering food, Belize is sure to steal your heart.

Disclosure: Some of these links are affiliate links, which means when you purchase something using these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. However, I link these companies because I have used them and truly recommend them based on their quality and the experience I had.

covid-19 travel requirements

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Similar to Hawaii, there are still a few travel requirements in place for visitors to Belize. I found the official Belize tourism website super helpful when planning our trip. For a quick travel guide to Belize right now, here are some things you need to do before heading there:

1. Download the Belize Health app on your phone 72 hours before departure.
2. Provide proof of one of the following:
   + Negative PCR test taken 96 hours in advance
   + Negative rapid test taken 48 hours in advance
   + Full vaccination
3. Fill out Belize’s health questionnaire through the Belize Health app before departure.
4. Provide proof you are staying at a gold standard Belize hotel at customs.
5. If you are an American and returning to the United States of America after Belize, you will need to provide proof of a negative COVID test. Most hotels will provide one on site or the airport has options for travelers as well.

GETTING AROUND BELIZE

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Getting around Belize is a little bit different than I had expected. It all depends on how far you plan to travel and where you are traveling from. We landed in Belize City and were headed to Placencia. From the airport, our hotel offered transfers via flight or by car. The fastest way was obviously by flight so we chose to take an island hopper which was about a 25 minute flight. The other option, by car, was around a 3 hour car drive.

Once you are at your destination, your hotel will be able to arrange most of your transfers. A lot of hotels in Placencia, Belize offer golf carts as a means of getting around. Itz’ana Resort, where we stayed, was great about transfers and use of their golf carts. It’s the easiest way to travel around the city you are in. Taxi’s are also an option but the cost in Placencia was surprisingly expensive. Your best bet is to ask your hotel for any transfers and they will set it up for you.

WHERE TO STAY IN BELIZE

Although Belize isn’t a big country, there are still quite a few destinations to choose from when you are deciding where to stay in Belize. While most land in Belize City, this is not the most popular destination for a Belize vacation.

The area we stayed in was called Placencia, Belize and we stayed at the beautiful Itz’ana Resort. From the decor to the staff, their attention to detail was superb. I would highly recommend booking a stay here while in Placencia, Belize.

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If you have time, I recommend splitting your vacation between one of the many destinations in Belize listed below.
+ Ambergris Caye: this is one of the more popular spots to stay and it’s the biggest island in Belize.
+ Belize City: you’ll find the most amount of hotels here, but most don’t spend longer than a few days.
+ Caye Caulker: a smaller island, but still just as beautiful. Lot’s of snorkeling and diving can be found here.
+ Cayo: here is where you’ll find the Mayan ruins and it’s known as the eco-tourism hub for Belize.
+ Placencia: this area is on the mainland and quickly becoming a popular spot all while offering a truly local and authentic atmosphere.

WHat to do IN BELIZE

There are sooo many activities to do in Belize. It’s honestly a bit overwhelming. Obviously snorkeling is huge and so is scuba diving, but Belize also has some amazing Mayan ruins to discover as well. A laundry list of activities and adventurous experiences are listed below. Depending on which area you stay, some of these activities may be a bit closer or further than where we were.

pool & beach

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You can’t go wrong by choosing to relax by the pool or beach. At Itz’ana, you’ll not only get a great beach front, but one of the coolest pools I’ve seen. Relax and sip on some mojito’s for the day and you won’t be disappointed.

ISLAND HOP IN BELIZE

We chose to spend our day island hopping around Belize from Placencia and it was truly one of the best ways to spend our time and money. Our friend was able to book directly with a local company called Ocean Motion. With them, we visited a few islands including Ivan’s Island. Our tour guides, Sonny and Evan, caught us lunch from the boat and made a truly authentic Belizean meal for us. It was such an amazing experience and highly recommend for anyone visiting.

snorkeling in belize

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Belize is known for their barrier reef, which means their snorkeling is some of the best in the world. It’s the longest unbroken barrier reef system in the world and the locals take good care of it. It’s super colorful and absolutely huge. I haven’t seen anything like it before. There are quite a few options to snorkel in Belize, but a few of the main ones are listed below:

• Inner Reef snorkeling: Laughing Bird, Pampion or Ranguana Caye are all snorkeling options here. These Cayes are surrounded by the famous Barrier Reef.
• Outer Reef snorkeling: here you’ll be snorkeling along the famous Belize barrier reef. You can choose to venture more towards south water Caye marine reserve or near Glovers Reef Atollis. You’ll see tons of turtles and sting rays in this area.
• Silk Caye snorkeling: along the coast of southern Belize this Caye sits above the Gulf of Honduras. Here you’ll see turtles and sharks.

Belize’s Great blue hole

If you are a certified diver then you can’t leave Belize without diving in the Great Blue Hole. It’s actually a sinkhole (the largest sea hole in the world) and one of the top five snorkeling destinations in the world! It’s a long day traveling from Placencia to the Blue Hole, but this should be a bucket list item for all certified divers.

other activities in belize

Pro tip: I recently learned this through our friend we traveled with that you should always try to book tours directly with the local tour agency instead of the resort. Most resorts and hotels are using the same agency, but overcharging the guests for the tours and making money on the overcharge. We were able to book the same tour offered by our resort but for half the price!

WHERE TO EAT & DRINK IN BELIZE

Although Itz’ana Resort had some great food and drinks, there are so many other options in Placencia, Belize outside of the hotel and resort you’re staying at. I can’t possibly list all of them in this Belize travel guide, but I let you know where we went and where we wish we had time for below!

where we ate & drank

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+ Maya’s Beach Hotel: this restaurant came highly recommended by locals and it did not disappoint. Get the Caribbean chicken for a mouthwatering dish.
+ Wendy’s: we loved this restaurant! The food was great and the drinks were even better.
+ Barefoot Bar: this restaurant/bar had such a fun atmosphere and in a post-COVID world, this would definitely be a place to dance your booty off all night.

where we wish we had time for

+ The Secret Garden
+ Rumfish y Vino
+ Tuttifrutti Gelateria
+ Tipsy Tuna

Although we only spent a quick weekend in Belize, I clearly had a lot to say about this gem of a country. I wish we had more time to take in the beauty of it and relax on the beach while sipping some more mojito’s but that is saved for our next trip there — cause you know I’m already planning a return. I hope you find this Belize travel guide helpful and as always, let me know what questions you have or any recommendations for my next vacation to Belize!

happy travels, liz stanford

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