A trip through Belize
Search! The man screams as he walks from the bus station to the Belize City boardwalk. Hesitantly, he worries that he is trying to distract you to free you from your belongings. After all, Belize City is known as one of the most dangerous cities in Central America. Instead, he is treated to a view of thousands of birds flying above his head as he says, “welcome to my country, enjoy the beauty of Belize.”
Whatever your vision of Central America is, check it out at the door before entering this beautiful and welcoming country. Many travel guides will tell you to “get out of Belize City and head to the islands.” It really is a shame, because they are causing people to miss out on the opportunity to meet the very proud and helpful citizens of this vibrant city.
Cruise ships stop here regularly and take tourists to Tikal in Guatemala, or to Amgergris Caye off the coast. The port is well developed and you can spend your time browsing the shops in the comfortable terminal. However, walking through the city is where you get the true Caribbean flair.
Settled by the English in the late 16th century, Belize City is a mix of colonial buildings and Creole culture. Eat international cuisine or enjoy local food at Jembel’s Jerk Pit or Big Daddy’s Diner. Music plays from inside the shops as smiling people greet you speaking perfect English, only to turn to their partner and speak in rhythmic Creole. Belize’s official language is English, but you’ll often hear a mixture of Spanish, Creole, Mayan, and German throughout the country.
After soaking up the culture and cuisine of the country’s largest city, take a water taxi to Caye Caulker. For $10, you will be transported to paradise. Much less crowded than its overdeveloped neighbor Ambergris Caye, this tiny island is a destination gem.
The island’s laid-back vibe has a Jamaican feel, and reggae plays in bars and restaurants. Walk the dirt roads to find a beachfront hotel and you can spend as little as $20 for a room. Only golf carts drive on the island, so you won’t have to worry about exhaust or noise pollution. Residents’ hard work to preserve their culture and large-scale development is not in their future.
Located just 1 mile from the Belize Barrier Reef, it offers some of the best diving and snorkeling in the world. Hire a boat to take you to Shark Ray Alley and you’ll swim with the sharks while the manta rays brush past you. A marine reserve for the last 12 years, the coral and marine life are second to none in the world. Dolphin sightings are common and you are sure to see barracuda, octopus, rays, eels and lobsters.
For experienced divers, The Blue Hole is not to be missed. Made famous by Jacques Cousteau, dive 150 feet into this collapsed cave as sharks circle above the hanging stalactites. If you are not a diver yet, take an open water diving course.
Prices are reasonable and you will experience the opportunity to see even more wildlife and appreciate the ocean.
Finding a company to go with is easy, just walk down the main dirt road and you’ll find dive operators and snorkel shops lined up to take you.
If diving into the water with natural predators isn’t your cup of tea, take a sailing trip to visit other islands. Belize has several islands and you can take a trip to have lunch on the beach or enjoy an island drink at a luxury resort on Ambergris Caye.
Caye Caulker may not be overly developed, but you can still enjoy great food ranging from seafood to pasta to barbecue. Nightlife isn’t wild, but you can find a good bar to enjoy a drink or two, gaze out over the water while swinging in a hammock, or listen to live music well into the night.
Belize is certainly filled with many more places of interest. It features rainforest and islands, and the largest cave system in Central America. It is teeming with wildlife, from howler monkeys to jaguars. Like its surrounding neighbors, it has Mayan ruins dotted around the country for you to enjoy and beautiful beaches can be found everywhere, the best being in Placencia on the mainland.
It would take weeks to really discover everything Belize has to offer, but if you have the time, it’s definitely worth the investment.