Whether you want an action packed agenda in the water and the jungle, to enjoy wonderful local and international cuisine, or simply spend some quality time in a hammock – Belize has something for all tastes and tempos.
Aquatic Adventurer? World class fishing, diving and snorkeling await. More of a Land Lover? Take a trek through the jungle, explore magnificent caves and spot the local wildlife. History Buff? Ancient Mayan ruins populate the region, with expert guides ready to give you local insight.
Whether you are looking for an adventure or simply to relax and restore yourself, we can craft the perfect itinerary for your trip.
The barrier reef lies close to shore of Belize, which shelters the land and creates a calm turquoise sea - a veritable water sports playground. Sail, kayak or jet ski. Windsurf, kite surf or para-sail. Pretty much anything you can think of is available, waiting for you to have a go.
With the largest barrier reef in the western hemisphere and three of the four major atolls in the world, including the famous Blue Hole, Belize is a diver's paradise.
With inland rivers, lagoons, mangroves, hundreds of square miles of flats, together with over 160 miles of barrier reef just offshore, Belize boats some of the world's most exciting fishing, whether for the sports fishing enthusiast, or for people looking to enjoy a day on the water with some bonus snapper to make a fresh fish dinner.
For the adrenaline junkies amongst you, Belize has some seriously exciting, action-packed tours and excursions, offering great diversity and exhilaration. Zip line through the jungle, dive at the world-famous Blue Hole, horseback ride through the jungle, clamber through caves, or hang out with the big fish at night to witness them flashing their bioluminescence.
With a commendable conservation program in place, over forty per cent of Belize is protected in the form of nature reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, making it a nature enthusiast's paradise.
The ancient Mayan empire left one of the richest cultural and archaeological legacies in the world and flourished in Belize for almost 3000 years, until around 900 AD. These grand cities and their splendid temples are scattered throughout the country, only a handful having been excavated and open for visitors to explore and marvel at.
Whether you're after some simply barbecued fish on the beach, freshly made tacos from a street vendor, or international fare in upscale surroundings, you will be spoilt for choice in Belize.
Whether you want an action packed agenda in the water and the jungle, or simply spend some quality time in a hammock, Belize has something for all tastes and tempos.
The next festival...
Garifuna Settlement Day celebrates the arrival of the first Garifuna in 1832, descendants of the Black Caribbeans who were first deported from St Vincent in 1797.
To mark the Queen of England’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, Belize will be proudly hosting [...]
The barrier reef lies close to shore of Belize, which shelters the land and creates a calm turquoise sea - a veritable water sports playground. Sail, kayak or jet ski. Windsurf, kite surf or para-sail. Pretty much anything you can think of is available, waiting for you to have a go.
A day's sailing and snorkeling in crystal clear waters is (we think) a near-perfect way to spend your day.
Here are some suggestions of things to do, right off your beach:<
With the largest barrier reef in the western hemisphere and three of the four major atolls in the Caribbean, including the famous Blue Hole, Belize is a diver's paradise. The waters are teeming with marine life in all sizes and shapes, including 70 types of hard corals and nearly 500 species of fish.
Belize is ranked as one of the top three dive destinations in the entire Caribbean. Luckily, tourism has been slower to develop here, giving you the luxury of diving in unspoiled and uncrowded sites. If you time your trip with the full moons between March and June, you have the chance to witness whale shark as they come close to the reef to feed on spawn. At up to 60 feet in length and up to 15 tons in weight, diving with the world's largest fish is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Diving in Belize can typically be divided into 4 main areas - the northern cayes, central cayes, southern cayes and offshore atolls:<
With inland rivers, lagoons, mangroves, hundreds of square miles of flats, together with over 160 miles of barrier reef just offshore, Belize boasts some of the world's most exciting fishing.
A major attraction is the opportunity to do the "grand slam" of tarpon, bonefish, permit and snook on the shallow flats. In the deep sea, wahoo, marlin, baracuda and tuna are in abundance.
Noteworthy places and events include:<
For the adrenaline junkies amongst you, Belize has some seriously exciting, action-packed tours and excursions, offering great diversity and exhilaration. Zip line through the jungle, dive at the world-famous Blue Hole, horseback ride through the jungle, clamber through caves, or hang out with the big fish at night to witness them flashing their bioluminescence.<
With a commendable conservation program in place, over forty per cent of Belize is protected in the form of nature reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, making it a nature enthusiast's paradise, up high, on the ground or under the water.<
The ancient Mayan empire flourished in Belize for almost 3000 years, until around 900 AD, and left one of the world's richest cultural and archaeological legacies. Their grand cities and splendid temples are scattered throughout most of the country, only a handful having been excavated and open for visitors to explore.
Perhaps the most impressive examples of the Mayan kingdom in Belize are Caracol, in the Mountain Pine Ridge, and Lamanai in Orange Walk district with its spectacular jungle setting. Xunantunich in Cayo is easily accessible and makes for a great day combination with the smaller Cahel Pech, on the outskirts of San Ignacio town, or hop across the border to Guatemala and visit Tikal, the region's most significant and powerful Mayan site.
The Mayans are regarded as the inventors of many aspects of Meso-American cultures in the western hemisphere, including the first calendar, hieroglyphic writing and astronomy. They were also noted for elaborate ceremonial architecture, including temple-pyramids, palaces and observatories. Clearing large sections of tropical rain forest and building sizeable underground reservoirs for the storage of rainwater, harvesting crops and clearing routes through jungles and swamps to foster extensive trade networks, they were also skilled farmers and merchants. The relationship between the Olmecs and the Maya is still considered to be vague, and it is a mystery whether the Maya were their descendants, trading partners, or had some other connection altogether.<
Belize is a melting pot of ethnicities and this is evident in the cuisine available. Authentic styles of cookery can be grouped as Mestizo and Maya, Creole and Garifuna, however there is significant overlap, together with international influences including American, Chinese and Indian.
Belize is abundant with seafood. Fresh fish, lobster (when in season), shrimp, and conch are widely available, especially in the beach destinations. Ceviche is a must - a cold marinade of fish, conch, and/or shrimp "cooked" in lime juice and seasoned, served with local tortilla chips. Conch fritters are also commonplace…. and deliciously moreish. Rice and beans is a big staple, often cooked in coconut milk and served with stew chicken, stew pork or stew beef. These Creole recipes are rich stews that get their color from a broad mix of spices, as well as red recado, which is made from annatto seed.
Something on every dinner table is Marie Sharp's Hot Sauce, which is a very spicy sauce made from a base of habanero peppers, carrots, and onions. No Belizean dish is complete without it. Belikin beer is the national brew of Belize, with several varieties: Belikin Lighthouse, Belikin Regular, Belikin Premium, and Belikin Stout. Rum is the liqour of choice with Caribbean White, Caribbean Dark and One Barrel, which has a slightly richer vanilla flavor.
Whether you're after some simply barbecued fish on the beach, freshly made tacos from a street vendor, or international fare in upscale surroundings, you will be spoilt for choice in Belize.<
19 November
Garifuna Settlement Day celebrates the arrival of the first Garifuna in 1832, descendants of the Black Caribbeans who were first deported from St Vincent in 1797.
The day showcases their rich, unique culture with music and a staging of the arrival by the first settlers at the port.
Processions and traditional dancing are held throughout Belize, but especially in Dangriga, the spiritual home of the Garifuna, plus in Hopkins and Punta Gorda.
The Garifuna flag is then raised throughout the country: a mix of yellow, white and black. Yellow represents the sun, white for peace and black is the color of the people. After the flag-raising there are cultural presentations and a series of official ceremonies.<