Just south of Mexico, Belize is warm all year round. I wound up visiting Belize for my Nieces Graduation, and while there had the opportunity to explore much of what the country has to offer!
Quick notes
Belize is most famous for it's Mayan Ruins and Beautiful Beaches and Reefs
I don't think many tourists spend time in Belize City itself
Belize was formerly a British colony, so English is widely spoken
Belize is not that cheap of a destination (when compared to SE Asia or the Caucuses), certain things like rental cars will really eat up your budget
Save big money
Flights in and out of Belize City can be expensive, so unless you find it at a good sale, you definitely want to consider the generally much cheaper option of flying into Cancun and taking the bus from there down into Belize (You can visit both Cancun and Tulum directly on your way). I flew into Cancun and out from Belize City. I typically don’t like to fly in and out of the same airport anyways, as it requires backtracking at the end of your trip.
Must visit places
Altun Ha- These are some really nice Mayan Ruins. They’re fun to explore and you can climb up to the top of most of them. There is a pond you can walk over to- it was a nice walk and we ran into a snake on one of the trees- I was very surprised at how fast it could move, it definitely got me running! There was a nice little restaurant right out front that had pretty good fried chicken.
Snorkel Caye Caulker- The snorkeling around Caye Caulker was incredible. However, it was underwhelming just offshore. It was definitely necessary to take a boat trip out to the reef, which will generally include stops at
Coral Gardens-I absolutely loved the purple sea fans in this area. I had never seen them before. When I got home, I decided to make a painting of the Belize Barrier Reef!
Sting Ray Alley
Sea Horses
Some other kind of big fish (We had to leave the tour early so unfortunately didn't get to see this part/ hence why I can't remember the kind of fish)
Xunantunich Mayan Ruins- These are located near the border with Guatemala (which can be seen from them) so a bit of a drive from where most people stay, but a well worthwhile place to visit. They are in a gorgeous hilly area and there are monkeys living all around them. You can walk up to the top of the main temple, and the view from there is amazing. These ruins have some really awesome carving on the side (I’m pretty sure its been restored/reconstructed) but it really helped my imagination to see these ruins as they once were.
If you have a little longer
Placencia- It's a beautiful peninsula, but pretty remote. I can't say I would recommend going here on your first trip to Belize, unless you're on an extended trip
Foodie Alert
Bring home some of Marie Sharps Habanero Hot Sauce- It's really delicious!! Buy it at a regular grocery store before arriving to the airport, as there's a huge upcharge at the airport. Also, please bring some for me! I’m all out and I can’t find it anywhere in LA
Julie’s - Order the Sweet and Sour Chicken, instead of fried chicken this time! By far the biggest surprise foodwise in Belize was Julies! I ordered the sweet and sour chicken and it arrived large enough to feed a whole family. I remember when we were headed here, my aunt looked at the sign and said “Julio’s! We’re here! ” so it’s a bit of an inside joke now that we call it Julio’s. It was so good that we wound up stopping here and getting more the every time we drove by! The place looks like a cage where some Chinese guys are working, and when you order the guy who takes your order will yell it in Chinese to the guy in the basement. It’s also super high security with lots of camera’s in the minimarket that’s attached to it. You won’t find it on Google Maps, but it's near Ladyville, right on the East side of the Northern Highway
Why I'll be going back
ATM Cave- This was one place that looked amazing that I wish I would have had time to explore
Corozal- Nice beach town...I didn’t get the chance to go here but it looks beautiful!
Caracol- Another beautiful Mayan Ruin
The Blue Hole- Once I learn how to scuba dive, I'll want to visit the blue hole
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