And why, as the locals from Belize say… see’n is Belize’n…
3 REASONS YOUR NEXT TRIP SHOULD BE TO BELIZE
WHERE’S BELIZE?
Before we get in to telling you WHY you should visit this country, let’s first cover a more important question: where’s Belize? What most don’t know, is that Belize is a country which is located in Central America, and boarders Mexico and Guatemala. It is also part of the Commonwealth Caribbean. When most people think of the Caribbean, they think of The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, or Virgin Islands. Or maybe Aruba, or Barbados. Where you’re likely NOT thinking about, is Belize. So here’s 3 reasons your next trip should be to Belize.
JUNGLE OR TROPICS? WHY NOT BOTH?
One of the beauties of this country is its diverse environment and climate. Much of mainland Belize consists of lush and beautiful rainforests. While heading to coast will give you white sand beaches and beautiful clear waters. The drive from Belize City to the Guatemala boarder is only 2 hours, and relatively easy. So our recommendation, spend some time in mainland Belize, and spend some time on the coast. You’ll thank us.
Renting a vehicle in Belize is relatively simple. They have some of the major car rental companies like Avis as well as smaller local companies right at the airport in Belize City. They drive on the right side of the street and us a mix of both miles and kilometers. So if you do rent, make sure you brush up on your conversions!
THE JUNGLE AND RAINFORESTS
We stayed at Jaguar Creek in Belmopan and absolutely loved it. It’s a secluded resort in the middle of Belize which prides itself on disconnecting from the hustle and bustle and connecting more with nature. The cabanas have an open-air feel to them allowing you to really feel and hear the nature around you. We spent 2 nights here and it was not enough.
THE CARIBBEAN COAST AND TROPICS
From Belize City, you can take a flight or a ferry to some of the islands and cays (caye/key) off-shore like Caye Caulker or Ambergis Caye to get your fix of the tropics. We opted for San Pedro which is part of Ambergis Caye. Many of these places have every type of tropical resort you can think of or wish for. Our recommendation, stay at the Mahogany Bay Resort by Hilton. This resort consists of private cottages, small food truck-like huts where private vendors come to sell their food each day, a beautiful bar, restaurant and pool as well as a private beach club for members staying at the resort. This place will make you never want to leave. We were able to book this location for free using points. For more info on using points to book your travels, check out our Guide to Booking Travel Using Points and Miles.
ROAD TRIP TO GUATEMALA TO VISIT MAYAN RUINS, YES PLEASE!
We mentioned above that the drive from Belize City to Guatemala was only 2 hours. And if you stay in Belmopan like we did, it’s even closer (roughly an hour). And not far from the boarder, you’ll find Tikal National Park. Tikal is an ancient Mayan Citadel and UNESCO World Heritage Centre with temples and ruins dating as far back as 600 B.C. You’ll find a strong resemblance to the Mayan temples of Yucatan, which are often confused with the temples of Tikal.
There are a number of different tour companies and agencies which operate out of San Ignacio, Belize such as Pacztours. These tour companies will provide transport from Belize in to Guatemala, as well as tour guides within the National Park. The tours usually depart early in the morning, and arrive back in San Ignacio in the late evening. In the park you’ll get to visit and walk up to the top of many of the temples and sites. Seeing these towering structures that have held up for more than 2,000 years is worth the trip alone.
TIP: These tour companies will often gather up 10-20 people at a time each day to do these tours. And they will want to collect everyone’s passports as you pass to and from the Belize/Guatemalan boarder. This can be quite discomforting, but is part of the process. So our recommendation, don’t be alarmed if they ask you for you passport. Just make sure you have photo copies of your documentation and always know who has your passport and where they are.
THE GREAT BLUE HOLE
A 45 minute flight or slightly longer boat ride off the coast of Belize, is The Great Blue Hole. The Great Blue Hole is the largest sinkhole in the world, and another UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also part of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, and is considered one of the top 5 scuba diving spots in the world. But in addition to being a site to see under water, it’s also one of the most unique sites you’ll see from above. The extremely dark blue hole surrounded by beautiful shallow turquoise waters as far as the eye can see is something you don’t get to see every day.
BONUS-ISH: In addition to seeing this incredible site, you’ll also pass by the Westerhaven cargo ship. This ship mistakenly hit the reef in 2009 and has been abandoned in the middle of the ocean ever since. While this has had major negative impacts to the reef, seeing a large cargo ship stranded in the middle of the ocean is really interesting to see.
CONCLUSION
Whether you’re looking for adventure, site seeing, or some relaxation on the beach, Belize has it all. The close proximity from one thing to the next makes it relatively easy to transition from one to another. But the sites, and scenery are not all that Belize has. One of the things we loved most was the Caribbean nature and hospitality of the locals. It was rare to find someone not smiling and enjoying life. We hope these 3 reasons why your next trip should be to Belize have been helpful. And if there is one thing we’ll always remember, it’s that see’n is Belize’n!
