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Central AmericaDivingRuinsJungle

Belize

The Great Blue Hole, Mayan ruins in the jungle and English-speaking Central America's most relaxed destination.

Central America
🐠 Great Blue Hole🏛️ Mayan Ruins🌿 Jungle Lodges🐊 Wildlife

Backpacking Belize

Belize is the only English-speaking country in Central America, which makes it uniquely accessible. The Belize Barrier Reef (the second largest in the world) offers extraordinary snorkelling and diving. The jungle interior contains some of the most atmospheric Mayan ruins in the region. And the cayes (islands) off the coast are among the most relaxed and beautiful in the Caribbean.

£40–£70/day avg daily budget
Key Info
Belize Dollar (BZD) — BZD 2:1 USDEnglish (Spanish, Kriol)Type B/GDrive Right
10–15% at restaurants
Weather
Best: Nov–Apr
Dry Season (Nov–Apr) — best for reef diving and visibility
May–October is rainy season with hurricane risk. November–April is the ideal window.
Health
⚠️Bottled water recommended throughout Belize
Hepatitis Arecommended
Yellow Feverrequired if coming from endemic country
Transport
Water taxiBusDomestic flight
✈️ BZE Philip Goldson International, Belize City
Water taxis connect Belize City to Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye. Domestic flights to inland lodges.
Emergency
👮 Police911
🚑 Ambulance911
🔥 Fire911
The Highlights

8 Things to Do in Belize

01
Snorkel or dive the Great Blue Hole — the 300m diameter sinkhole is one of the world's top dive sites
02
Caye Caulker — the backpacker island with the 'Go Slow' motto and great snorkelling
03
Tikal day trip from Flores, Guatemala — across the border, the greatest Mayan city in the jungle
04
Actun Tunichil Muknal cave — swim and hike through a Mayan sacrificial cave with a guide
05
Caracol Mayan ruins — deep in the jungle, once the largest city in the Mayan world
06
Snorkelling with whale sharks at Gladden Spit — seasonal (March–June) whale shark aggregation
07
Baboon sanctuary — the community-managed conservation area for black howler monkeys
08
Placencia Peninsula — the laid-back southern beach strip for extended stays
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Insider Knowledge

What Most Guides Don't Tell You About Belize