Two Weeks Belize Holiday: A Complete Guide (+ Itineraries)
January 2021: we were having a real good time in New Orleans when we felt the need for warmer weather again (NOLA in January is COLD!!) and opted for a Belize holiday of about two weeks.
Together with Peru and Jordan, Belize had actually been on our original world trip plan, unlike Costa Rica or French Polynesia, and we were quite thrilled that we managed to get there despite the Covid19-pandemic going on.
Belize is a very small but oh so rich and diverse country: from lush green jungles over fascinating underground caving-worlds and mysterious Mayan ruins, to Caribbean islets surrounded by crystal clear, turquoise waters.
Here's a complete guide for a two weeks Belize holiday (don't forget to check out the itineraries at the end)!
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Why did we opt for a Belize holiday in the first place?
After several road trips through Europe (Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Crete) during summer 2020, we left for Costa Rica in October.
From here, we travelled to Mexico to visit our friend and, while we were just next to Belize, a destination that was in our original world trip plan, they had very strict rules regarding the pandemic.
One major issue was, that the accommodations allowed to host tourists had to be 'Gold Standard certificated'. The Gold Standard Certificate implies for example that they have a separate room for possible quarantine in case of a positive Covid19-test.
This, and other rules, required a certain preparation and Belize had just barely opened at that moment. Nearly all the accommodations on the list issued by the Belizean government were 4 or 5 star all-inclusive resorts. No AirBnB's, no boutique hotels, no hostels.
Not really our type of accommodation.
So we decided to get to Peru, had an amazing time in Cusco and the Colca Canyon area, spent Christmas and New Year's in the Dominican Republic and hopped to New Orleans to visit a friend.
By then, a lot of hosts had had the time to adapt to the new strict rules and the list of options was now a lot more interesting. And so we decided to go for a short but sweet Belize holiday.
Belize for beginners
Where is Belize located and what's the capital city?
Belize is located on the East side of Central America and it borders on Mexico to the North, Guatemala to the West (and South) and the Caribbean Sea on the East.
The country is divided into six districts:
- Belize district, with Belize City amongst others
- Cayo district, with the capital Belmopan
- Corozal in the North
- Orange Walk
- Stann Creek, with Hopkins and Placencia
- Toledo district in the South
On the contrary to what we thought before visiting Belize, the capital city is actually Belmopan, not Belize City anymore. Belmopan became the capital and seat of the government in 1970, even though, with 24.000 residents, it is a lot smaller than Belize City (63.000 residents).
Belize in a nutshell
The Belizean 'Cayes'
The Cayes are actually just little islands located between mainland Belize and the Belizean Barrier reef.
With white sandy beaches and pristine turquoise water, incredible sea-life and laidback attitudes, the Cayes form a contrast with the lush green and more hectic life on the mainland.
Shades of blue on Caye Caulker
Read also | Amazing beaches and hidden gems in Crete
People of Belize and their languages
Despite being surrounded by Hispanic countries, Belize's official language is English, which is the reason the country isn't considered a part of Latin America.
But there are several other languages such as Spanish or Spanglish (a mix of English and Spanish), English-Creole and different Mayan dialects. There is even something called Plautdietsch, a 'low German' spoken by the community of conservative Mennonites that settled in Belize in the 1950s and 1960s.
Mestizos, people of mixed European and indigenous heritage, form the larger part of Belize's residents. But there are several other groups such as the Kriols, Belizean Creoles with mixed African/European ancestors that were brought to Belize as slaves during the colonial era.
About 11% of Belizeans have Mayan ancestors, hence the still spoken dialects, who migrated to Belize from Mexico and Guatemala.
Because of that variety of cultural backgrounds, Belize is this fascinating melting-pot with very distinctive influences coming together.
Belizean food
Keeping this short and sweet because there will most certainly be another blogpost on this specific subject - you know, as a foodie, I love to write those (check them out below).
The Belizean cuisine is very divers, just like the people of Belize. The influences of various heritages are very obvious.
Among the typically Belizean dishes you will find Fry Jacks, which are pieces of deep fried dough, usually served for breakfast, together with eggs, hard cheese and frijoles refritos, fried beans.
There are obviously lots of Latin American elements such as corn tortillas and tamales, a Mesoamerican dish made of starchy corn flour, steamed in banana leaves. But also Creole influences in rice-and-bean dishes like on the Caribbean coast, where you will find coconut-curries with chicken, pineapple and rice for example.
Read also | Food in Barcelona: amazing tapas and more
Costa Rican food is amazing and here is why
Restaurants in Cusco: where to find the best food
French Polynesian cuisine and what to expect
Things to know before going on a Belize holiday
Internet
Belize has decent internet coverage, compared to most other countries in central America, though the speed isn't always that great, despite being called 'high-speed' DSL. It's not like what we might know in Europe or the US.
Still, most AirBnB's adapted to the needs of digital nomads and such and even indicate the exact speed in mbps when advertising their place - that gives you a good idea of what you will get.
Internet-cafes are also available in most cities or bigger towns. Though here again: it might not be fast enough for you. The thing with internet in general is: it's expensive.
Restaurants in tourist-areas usually offer free wifi midst a password they will gladly disclose once you ask.
The other possibility is to buy a local sim card with data. But this again is quite expensive.
Currency
The dollar has been around in Belize since the 19th century when it was still British Honduras. In 1973, the country was renamed Belize and so was the currency that became the Belize-dollar.
1 US $ = 1,97 BZ$: the Belize and US dollars are directl linked to each other.
Though for the sake of convenience, it's pegged at 2 BZ$ = 1 US $. Makes it quite easy to convert in your head.
To get the Euro-value, the conversion is a bit less easy: 1 BZ $ = 0,42 € or 1 € = 2,40 BZ $ (June 2021).
Good to know:
Because the Belize dollar is generally also abbreviated with '$' make sure you check whether it's USD or BZD when looking at prices.
In general, it will be BZD but due to the amount of American tourists coming to Belize, tour rates etc. are often advertised in US $.
Also: US $ are gladly accepted everywhere.
Just like the US dollar, the Belize dollar is divided into 100 cents.
Coins come as 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 cents and 1 BZ$, while banknotes are divided in 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 BZ$.
For pictures of the banknotes, see here.
Timezone
Belize's timezone is UTC-6, the same one as Costa Rica, the Galápagos-islands, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, the Eastern half of Mexico, some provinces of central Canada and the states in the centre of the US.
The country didn't adopt the daylight saving time so it stays UTC-6 throughout the whole year.
Electricity and power plugs
The electricity power in Belize is of 110 V and 60 Hz and the sockets most commonly found are of the types A, B and G. Check on World Power Plugs to see if you might need an adapter.
Supermarkets
There are bigger and smaller supermarkets in basically every town.
But according to locals, the best and most complete supermarkets are held by Chinese migrants and if you are looking for something specific or even of good quality, that's where you should go.
How to get to Belize
Belize's major airport is the Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport, abbreviated BZE, in Belize City.
Many major American Airlines such as United or American Airlines fly back and forth between the US and Belize on a regular basis.
From Europe, there is no direct flight to Belize City. You will always have to do a (generally short) stopover at an American airport.
Getting around in Belize
By car | The easiest way to travel around in Belize is to rent a car. You can easily do this right at the Belize City airport. We rented with Alamo and paid 835,79 € / 997,35 US $ for 12 days, including full coverage and a second driver.
You know we love road trips so this is always our favourite way of travelling (see below). Though in this case, it was also for safety reasons because travelling by bus during the pandemic wasn't recommended - even the Belize Tourism board said so.
Everything went super smooth and unlike in Mexico or the Dominican Republic, nobody tried to sell us additional coverage that we didn't need or tried to rip us off by adding scratches or damages that weren't ours.
Read also | Driving in Belize: Useful Tips And Information
Good to know:
Major international gas stations such as Shell, Puma, etc. but also regional ones can be found in and near every bigger city or town in Belize.
However, if you head out to the countryside, make sure to fill up on gas beforehand as stations get scarce.
By plane | There are several smaller domestic airports all over the country if you don't feel like driving around and want to save time. However, the fares for these short domestic flights with Tropic Air or Maya Island Air are quite high.
By ferry/water taxi | On the Caribbean coast, you will most likely also use the ferry or water taxi to get around. On the islands such as Caye Caulker or Ambergris Caye, the most popular way (and the only one on Caye Caulker!) of getting around is by golf-cart.
By Bus | Belize's bus system is known to be quite good, reliable and a much cheaper option than renting a car. Though you loose flexibility and some remote places might be hard to reach. For more information, check out this Belize Bus and Travel Guide.
Read also | Driving in Costa Rica: useful tips and info
Where to stay for your Belize holiday
DISCLAIMER: This section contains some affiliate links which means we earn a teeny-tiny commission every time you book through one of our links (no matter the accommodation you end up choosing), at no additional cost to you at all. It just helps to keep this blog afloat.
General thoughts about accommodations in Belize
Because Belize is nestled between quite budget-friendly Latin American countries, you'd expect the same kind of prices here. But Belize is generally more expensive and so are the accommodations.
Compared to Europe or the US you will still find reasonably priced places but you don't get incredibly much value for your money because everything is usually quite basic. You get everything you need, yes. But not much more.
The Northern district
Corozal
Close to the Mexican border, Corozal is still considered a bit of a hidden gem when it comes to the Northern district of the same name. Lots of expats live here so you won't have any trouble connecting with fellow travellers either.
Central Belize
Belize district
Belize City | There are plenty of budget-friendly and good accommodations in Belize City. We wouldn't advise to stay here very long because there is actually not THAT much to do in Belize City. It's also the only part of the country where you want to be more careful than elsewhere. Parking your car in front of a supermarket with the keys still inside, like you could easily do in San Ignacio, is a bad idea in Belize City. Stay here for about two nights to get a general feel for the Belizean culture and then move on.
Cayo district
San Ignacio | If you are here for the Mayan culture, San Ignacio is the perfect base. Close to the borders with Guatemala, you can also easily visit the famous site of Tikal in the neighbouring country. Though we must say, we loved the remote location and quietness of Caracol (read below). There are also several super interesting caves close-by to visit such as the ATM or the Crystal Cave. San Ignacio looks more like a jungle-town and you will feel incredibly safe and welcome here.
Check out the Sanpopo Tree Top Cottage we stayed at: absolutely recommended!
Stann Creek district
Hopkins | Upon arrival in Belize City, we immediately headed to Hopkins for our first night. It's here that you will find the quirky Caribbean flair of the Garifuna, descendants of black slaves from the Caribbean, who came to Belize during the 19th century. Beaches, blue sea and Caribbean-style food, that's what you'll get here.
Placencia | We stayed in Placencia for several nights and it had this vacation-village vibe due to lots of expats living here. There are several highly priced resorts in Placencia but it's also quite easy to find cute private accommodations run by either friendly locals or (in our case Canadian) expats. Water activities are very popular here and it's also a great basis if you intent to snorkel with whale sharks. Try the seafood, it's a lot more budget-friendly than elsewhere.
The South
Toledo district
Punta Gorda | While we travelled down to the Toledo district, we didn't actually stay here for the night. But we got lots of recommendations for Punta Gorda, a very quiet town in the far South of the country. Overall, this area is a lot less touristy even though it is absolutely beautiful and charming. Many caves, waterfalls, jungle treks and rivers, ideal for swimming, characterise this district. And at the same time, it's located by the sea and a good basis to visit the Southern Cayes.
The Cayes
The most beautiful but therefore popular and crowded Cayes are Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye with the town of San Pedro.
During high season, these places are hotspots for young American spring-breakers and they are little pieces of paradise during low season and definitely worth spending some time.
If you don't want to risk having your Belize holiday on the islands ruined by excessively drinking fellas, check out these recommendations on Travelbelize for some 'low-key cayes'.
Honestly, we didn't need them because we were travelling during the pandemic and at that moment the hotspot-islands were totally devoid of people.
Caye Caulker | If visiting the Great Blue Hole is on your list (read below why it doesn't necessarily should be), Caye Caulker is the place to stay. It is tiny, there are no cars and you will quickly have seen everything. But due to the fact that it is so popular among backpackers, digital nomads and expats alike, you get a kind of boho vibe on the famous 'Go slow'-island. The pristine water is delightful, snorkel tours are full of amazing sea-life and the food is pretty great. Just be mindful that once you head towards 'the Split', prices go up and conversation levels drop.
San Pedro/Ambergris Caye | Ambergris Caye, also called San Pedro because of the only real town on the island, is slightly bigger than Caye Caulker and also very close to the Great Blue Hole. It offers the same kind of activities as the smaller neighbour, though a lot more choices in accommodations and restaurants. It is a lot more crowded and 'hectic' too - at least that's what people living on Caye Caulker say... it still has a very laidback and relaxed atmosphere.
A two weeks Belize holiday: what to see and do
We had a great mix of fascinating culture with lots of Mayan ruins (heads up: archaeologist talking here!), getting-over-your-claustrophobia tours deep down in natural caves, wildlife-admiration in jungles with insane views and paradise-feeling on the Cayes.
Here's what our Belizean holiday itinerary looked like in short:
- Belize City (A) - Hopkins (B)
- Hopkins (B) - Placencia (C)
- Placencia (C) - Toledo District (D)
- Toledo District (D) - San Ignacio (E)
- San Ignacio (E) - Caye Caulker (F) (via Belize City)
Day 1 - Arrival at Belize City & drive to Hopkins (Stann Creek district)
We arrived in Belize City by plane from New Orleans (via Houston) which took less than 6 hours in total. Upon arrival, we had to do a rapid Covid19-test - part of their safety measures at the time - and wait for the result in a separate waiting room.
It was also possible to bring a negative PCR-test, that way we would not have to wait that long. But PCR-tests in the US for non-Americans were incredibly expensive at that moment while the rapid-test done at the airport was 'only' 50 US $ per person.
Because we just came from the city, we weren't in the mood for that kind of travel and wanted a more relaxing atmosphere. So we picked up our rental car at the airport and drove down to Hopkins, which took about 2 hours.
We arrived at our accommodation in the late afternoon, went for a cheeky beer at Peer's Place down the road and went to bed early.
Waiting for the results of the rapid-test
Finally!
A well-deserved Belikin-beer
Day 2 - Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Preserve
The 400km² Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Preserve was created as a sanctuary for the endangered jaguars and is the most important jaguar preserve in the world.
Although there is currently a population of about 200 jaguars inside the preserve, it's highly unlikely that you encounter one during this specific hike as their strength is to see without being seen; also, they're mostly active at night and keep away from humans.
The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Preserve is a short 30 min drive (25 km) to the Southwest of Hopkins. Arriving at the parking, we left our car in the deserted area and went inside the visitor centre where a charming Belizean explained what this preserve was all about.
He showed us different trails on the map and gave some information about the wildlife we might encounter. He didn't want any tip but showed us a box where we could put our money to support their conservational efforts.
We ultimately chose to do the Tiger Fern Trail because of the promised viewpoint and waterfalls.
The hardest part is the steep walk up to said viewpoint but the climb is so rewarding: prepare for 360°-views over the Cockscomb Basin, all the way to Victoria's Peak, the second-highest point in Belize. To get to this point, that would be a 3 to 4 day hike with camp sites to sleep at - we didn't do it but this might be an option for avid hikers on an alternative itinerary.
Hiking through nature
View on Victoria's peak
Loved this spot
After a little picnic we brought ourselves, we followed the (steep and slippery!) trail down to a double waterfall. Yes, there is not one, but two waterfalls with natural pools where we went for a refreshing swim. This is totally optional because you could just follow the trail back to the visitor centre if you fear the climb is too hard.
One of the two beautiful waterfalls during the hike
Be cautious, though, I slipped on the wet stones at the falls and hurt my ankle. That's why I always cary a big travel pharmacy when we're travelling - I'm incredibly clumsy.
After the hike and before leaving the preserve, we stopped to check out the eerie looking plane wreck in the middle of the forest. Walking towards the exit of the park from the main parking lot, a sign will show you a little path to follow on your right.
Pretty cool photo-subject
Tiger Fern Trail:
Entrance fee: 4 € / 5 US $ per person
Length: 5,5 km (6,7 with the waterfalls) through lush green jungle with an elevation gain of 294 m
Duration: The hike on itself will take about 1h to the first viewpoint + about 20 min down to the falls; then you have to get back.
Pro-tip: there are two waterfalls! The second one is hidden behind the first one; there is a tiny path across the river on the right to get to it.
Back at the accommodation, we showered, changed and then went for a lovely, romantic beach walk in Hopkins. We stopped at this usually quite popular 'holiday camp' called the Hopkins Bay Muy'Ono Resort that had cute bungalows on the beach front.
We were totally alone, though, and had the super friendly staff all to ourselves to serve us yummy Caribbean-style curry accompanied by their national pride: the Belikin beer.
We stayed for the sunset and went back to our apartment, totally satisfied.
Happy travelers
Delicious Caribbean chicken curry
The country's pride: Belikin beer
Just enjoying life
Beautiful sunset-colours at Hopkins Bay
Day 3 - Placencia (Stann Creek district) and the expats
From the very authentic feeling town of Hopkins, we had a little more than 1 hour drive (65,30 km) further down to get to Placencia, located on a long and narrow headland nestled between the Caribbean Sea on the East and a lagoon on the West side.
On the way to the most Southern point of this headland, you will find resort after resort, beach-front villa after beach-front villa. It feels not Belizean at all.
But then we arrived at the heart of the town and the impressions got a lot better. Yes, you will probably find more foreigners here than locals but the general vibe and charm of the place makes you see why that is.
We stayed in the 'Nut cabins' of a quite talkative but very friendly Canadian and had our own little pool. Placencia really is a place to just enjoy beach walks, water activities (especially snorkelling with whale sharks!) and inexpensive but oh so yummy seafood such as locally caught lobster!
Try the Barefoot Beach Bar for some delicious burgers and tasty cocktails. We loved the colourful decoration and the fact that you could literally eat with your feet in the sand.
Cute beach villas
Charming Placencia
Not the same with masks but okay
Day 4 - Driving from Placencia to the Toledo district
Meet Bruno
When we were in Hopkins, we had food at Peer's Place at the beach, a restaurant held by a German who left everything behind to start a new life in Belize.
Because he is far from being the only German to do such a crazy thing, there is a whole community of German expats in Belize. And so he gave us the number of a fellow German named Bruno who lives in the Toledo district and works as a tourist-guide.
We drove down the 2h30 (156 km) to the Río Blanco National Park and had a bit trouble finding his place somewhere near Santa Cruz because the fella really lives out in the sticks, literally in the jungle.
After long years of working for a big car company in Germany, Bruno decided that he wanted to leave the corporate world and set out to find a new purpose in life.
He travelled around for a bit but then lost his heart to Belize (yes, he fell in love with a lovely local lady). That was 25 years ago and ever since, he has been quite successful in the woodworking-business (Belize's mahogany wood is very popular all over the world!) but left that too to become a licensed tour-guide.
Bruno showing what the cocoa beans look like
Belize's fauna and people
Bruno first showed us around in his 'garden' - literally a big chunk of jungle - and explained Belize's flora. We basically tasted everything: from all kinds of bananas over cocoa beans, turmeric and ginger roots, palm-hearts to fresh coco- and cohune nuts (smaller than coconuts, a lot harder to open!).
Cocoa beans
Tasting raw turmeric roots
Raw cocoa beans taste weird
Then he took us to a beautiful small waterfall inside the San Antonio Indian reservation, surrounded by greens, where you can swim or just relax in the natural pool. There is a tiny fee to pay at the entrance to support the local Maya communities.
Bruno explained that these Mayan descendants aren't well supported - they lack education and infrastructure. Also, due to the proximity with Guatemala, the villages are frequently raided, resulting in the killing of indigenous people by rival tribes from the neighbouring country.
Beautiful little falls (and Sebi)
Río Blanco waterfall
In the same area around San Antonio, in the middle of the Río Blanco National Park, there's a really cool waterfall that leads to another natural pool. Both the waterfall and the pool are bigger than the ones we visited previously.
There's no entrance fee but a little changing room if you fancy a swim. Sebi did. He jumped down that waterfall several times and had an absolute blast.
Next to the waterfall, there's a little trail leading past beautiful flowers to a wobbly wooden hanging bridge over the river. Guess who jumped down from that bridge into the river? Yep, Sebi.
The Río Blanco waterfall
Sebi having fun near the waterfall
Picturesque bridge...
...that Sebi had to jump from
Mysterious Mayan ruins and connection problems
We thought that Bruno would be tired of showing us around by now but no. He took us to a mysterious Maya site that has never been excavated.
You have to look really closely to recognise anything because nature just goes its way and covered the whole site but it's pretty cool to know that there is still so much to discover in this small country.
Funny side-note: the cell phone reception in this part of Belize is very poor. Kids have to climb onto hills in order to have internet for TikTok and stuff. These two guys here literally spend their whole day watching videos from up top that Maya ruin.
After this exciting and instructive tour, we drove back to Placencia to get ready for our next drive in the morning.
Bruno showing non-excavated Maya sites
Kids from the Maya community looking for cell phone reception
Day 5 - From Placencia up to San Ignacio (Cayo district)
The quirky town of San Ignacio is located in the Cayo district, in the centre of Belize, close to the borders with Guatemala. There are plenty of things to see and do in this part of the country and a Belize holiday wouldn't be complete without some of them.
To get to San Ignacio from Placencia, count about 3 hours (190 km) but it's a very enjoyable drive with beautiful views along the way.
Our first impressions were bewilderment because it didn't really feel like a city when we arrived. That's because the houses have been integrated into the green landscape. And people's 'yards' are actually just pieces of rainforest with gorgeous wildlife.
Here again, it was quite adventurous finding Peter's Sanpopo Tree Top Cottage we had booked for two nights. Let me tell you straight away: we loved this place so much, we added another three nights...
Peter's Sanpopo Tree Top Cottage
Meet Peter and his family
Peter is originally from the UK but moved to South Africa as a young fella where he met his lovely South African wife Jenny. They found this acre of rainforest where they built their own little jungle-paradise with thoughtfully decorated and cosy bungalows, surrounded by exotic wildlife such as hummingbirds, iguanas, and so on.
This is a place we would definitely go back to! An amazing family of friendly hosts giving great tips and always there to help.
Their daughter actually runs a cat sanctuary in the same area and she does an amazing job! Truth is, cats are considered parasites in Belize. They get abused in cat fights, abandoned, decapitated or drowned. Cat food is expensive and hard to find, same goes for litter.
Peter's amazing daughter started with a few and has now 80 cats she takes care of by hand-feeding them. She puts a lot of time, money and energy into her 'Crazy Tails Cat Sanctuary'.
If you are fond of cats - and even if you aren't - don't hesitate to support her (see the PayPal-Link on her site).
She lives with the cats
Giving them all the love she can
Look at this poor little fella
San Ignacio
Together with Santa Elena, its twin town, San Ignacio is the second-biggest city in Belize, after Belize City. Still, there are less than 10.000 inhabitants.
And that makes it a very safe area. Like Peter told us, he is used to leaving his car running with the mobile phone in full display when he stops at the supermarket - and nothing ever happens. There is no criminality whatsoever according to him.
Everyone knows everyone and the only incidents happen when drunk tourists get on each others nerves.
Despite not having access to the sea, like the other towns we visited, San Ignacio was actually one of our favourite stops during our Belize holiday. We could just totally understand why people would move here. And it's not because it's particularly beautiful but the people and the vibe make it a cosy place to live.
Cahal Pech
Cahal Pech was the first Ancient Maya site we visited in Belize. Because it's located right at the borders of San Ignacio, we decided to visit it on the same day we arrived - it was still early in the afternoon.
The site lies on top of a little hill and comprises about thirty buildings and seven squares that had served different purposes (public place, ceremonial and residential area) as well as a little museum.
As with most Maya sites in Belize, there is still so much underneath the earth, not uncovered nor documented yet. My archaeologist's heart was overwhelmed.
Cahal Pech was inhabited from approximately 1200 BC until the 9th century AD, making it one of the oldest Maya sites in Western Belize, and was at some point used as the main residence for a royal family.
The name has its origins in the Yucatec Maya language and means 'place of the ticks' - the name is self-explanatory - given by the archeologists when they first came to conduct studies here in the 1950s.
Due to the proximity of Belize's major archaeological site Caracol (read below), this site gets often overlooked. Though we absolutely loved strolling around in this dense jungle, totally alone, wondering what happened in this place.
The pyramids of Cahal Pech, San Ignacio
Having an early night before a hard day
Back at the cottage, we asked Peter about the famous ATM-cave, short for Actun Tunichil Muknal or the 'Cave of the Crystal Sepulchre'.
He recommended a local tour-guide, Francisco, from
Belize Caving Expeditions to pick us up early in the morning the next day for a visit of these caves.
With this tour booked, we headed out to town to have a light dinner and went to bed early.
Day 6 - The Crystal Cave
Changing plans
We got up early in the morning to get ready and have a proper breakfast since pick-up was going to be at 8 am.
Unfortunately it had rained the whole night and the river flowing through the ATM-cave totally flooded the whole place. So they closed it to the public.
We could have chosen to just stay at the accommodation but Francisco asked if we were up for an even cooler adventure inside a cave that was not touristy at all.
Of course we were!
So we put on our hiking shoes and climbed into his jeep.
Located in St Herman's Blue Hole National Park at about 1 hour drive from San Ignacio, the Crystal Cave is also called 'Mountain Cow Cave' - for whatever reason.
This cave really is an insider tip because people solely focus on the much more equipped and tourist-friendly ATM-cave.
This one is raw. Like, really raw. No electricity, hence no lighting, no proper trails and certainly no way of getting out once you've lost your way or your headlamp.
But we didn't know at that point...
Getting to the cave
Getting to the cave required about half an hour hiking through the jungle, where we got to hear toucans and see things like snake-eating-snakes (I kid you not!).
On the way, Francisco explained what Belizean jungles are like, which animals live here, which ones are dangerous and how he came to start this caving-business (he started as a kid, accompanying his archaeologist-grandfather). And that we could use the 'facilitrees' or the 'green latrines' if we had to go...
Do I look scared? I do, don't I?
First minor panic attack at the entrance and off we went
Looking down to that big black hole opening in the ground, we were a little scared. Well, Sebi was pretty excited. I was the one almost wetting my pants.
To be clear: ever since my surgery on the throat due to a (benign) tumor (read my full health story here), I have a huge fear of suffocating. This makes me claustrophobic as well because, well, narrow spaces usually don't have a lot of oxygen.
Anyhow, I swallowed that fear and after a few encouraging words from my very cute boyfriend, we climbed down into the abyss.
Quick summary of what to expect: pitch black rooms, fascinating stalactites and stalagmites, Maya offering sites with skulls and pottery, sparkling fairy-like formations, a tasty lunch a few hundred meters below the earth, very physical climbs up and down cramped spaces and dirty clothes at the end of the trip.
Surrounded by VERY old elements
The Crystal Cave adventure with Belize Caving Expeditions:
Cost: 92 € / 110 US $ per person (pick-up, lunch and snacks included)
Length: 7 km round-trip
Duration: 30 minutes jungle-walk, 4 hours inside the cave, 30 minutes walk back
Difficulty: hard, it involves a lot of arms- and legwork
Pro-tip: wear long pants!
Also: take your swimming gear and leave it in the car. At the beginning of the trail to the Crystal cave is a 'blue hole' where you can go for a refreshing plunge after the adventure.
Day 7 - The majestic site of Caracol
Road conditions
You can imagine how knackered we were after that caving adventure so we went to bed early again.
But we loved Francisco's guiding services so much that we asked Peter to arrange another tour with him, this time to visit the famous Maya site of Caracol.
It started with a mildly uncomfortable and adventurous 2 hour-drive to get to the site. Uncomfortable because the car was shaking and adventurous because without a 4x4 jeep and an experimented driver, you will totally get stuck! It was one big muddy slope to reach Caracol.
Also: some pumas might be lingering around so you really don't want to be stuck somewhere without any cell phone reception... get a
guide!
Without our guide Francisco, we would have missed an incredible sighting on the way to Caracol: two big scarlet macaws flew over us and he stopped the jeep to see where they were at. And here they sat on the tree and stayed there long enough for me to take a series of macaw-portraits. Incredibly beautiful!
Beautiful scarlet macaws spotted on the way to Caracol
Empty site & howler monkeys
The Maya site of Caracol was one of the most important regional political centres of Mayan Lowlands during what is called the 'Classic Period', officially founded in 331.
It was first a client state of Tikal, in Guatemala, which is about 76 km from there. Then they were at war with Tikal, got defeated at first but conquered them later.
Caracol covers an area of 200 km² and was more populated than Belize City with 120.000 residents. What you get to see today is but a fraction of the whole site as lots of it are still underground.
There are two main pyramids you can climb up: the 'caana', or 'sky-palace', the tallest manmade structure in Belize with 43 m, and the astronomical centre with the watch tower and the residence of the priests on the other side.
From up caana, which was the main residence of the ruler, his wife and children, you can see all the way to Guatemala. The dead were buried inside the residences, by the way. The Maya weren't afraid of death and being sacrificed to the Gods was considered an honour (hence: the winner of their famous pelota ball-games was the one to be killed...).
For more details on this incredible site: blogpost in the making 🙂
One very cool detail, though: we were practically alone on the site. Just us, our guide, a few military men (because of the border with Guatemala that was closed at that time) and... very loud howler monkeys!!
The main square of Caracol seen from the ruler's residence
Lunch and a few extra stops
Here again, Francisco had packed a yummy Belizean lunch and a few snacks that we had at the entrance of the site.
Before driving back to San Ignacio, we stopped first at the río frío caves, which are totally not comparable to the cave we did the other day, but was a nice tunnel-like structure with an underground river flowing through.
We got back to that río frío a bit further towards San Ignacio and here the riverbed had formed some natural pools and little rapids - Sebi and I took about an hour for a swim and let-yourself-slide-down-the-rapid-fun. There were even changing rooms here as well. No entrance fee.
Oh, and on the drive back, we saw this huge impressive and dangerous croco casually sitting on a rock in the same river we just bathed in...
The río frío with natural pools
Caracol tour with Belize Caving Expeditions:
Cost: 101 € / 120 US $ per person (pick-up, lunch and snacks included)
Duration: 8 hours
Difficulty: easy
Pro-tip: take your swimsuit!
Another highlight of our Belize holiday
We ended up totally beaten again after that long day - but it was such a cool experience. Really makes me want to come back with a whole team to start digging in Caracol.
According to Francisco, they are desperately waiting for the archaeologists to come back. Maybe I should apply...
Day 8 - enjoying the last moments in San Ignacio
A beautiful sunny day that started with breakfast at Mike's Kitchen in the city centre where you can enjoy traditional Belizean dishes with fry jacks, eggs, beans and cheese.
We spent the rest of the day just strolling around in San Ignacio and went to the farmer's market in the centre for lunch.
Here they sell all kinds of fresh produce, typical Belizean food and handmade items. The Mennonites come here as well to sell wooden furniture. This was actually the first time we saw them because until then we didn't even know there were communities in Belize.
It was quite obvious afterwards, though, because there is even a road sign warning people in cars that there might be a super slow horse-carriage on the way...
The day ended with ... Sebi rescuing a beautiful ginger iguana that had its back leg stuck in the tree! My hero!
Enjoying Belizean breakfast with Fry Jacks at Mike's Kitchen
San Ignacio's Farmer's Market
Road signs we don't have in Europe
Day 9 - Getting to Caye Caulker
Sadly, we had to leave San Ignacio at some point because we were longing for the blue sea.
So we drove the 2 hours (115 km) from San Ignacio to Belize City. We left our rental car at the airport and took a taxi to get to the ferry-port.
From the port in Belize City, the ferry takes about 1h15 to reach Caye Caulker and costs 8,40 € / 10 US $ one way or 14,70 € / 17,50 US $ for the round-trip.
Given that I get seasick quite easily, I was a bit apprehensive. But it all went well (thanks to my weird-looking glasses) and we reached the tiny paradise.
Picking up the vibe and adapting
After a few very active and adventurous days, we were in need of some down-time with relaxing beach walks and lazy days by the sea.
Caye Caulker's guiding principle is 'Go slow'. And that's definitely what you should do here.
The first day, we were easily spotted by locals telling us to 'go slow', not rush, relaaax, breathe...
I think we learned quite quickly how to adapt because that same guy recognised us a few days later and said "that's riiiight, now you're doing it! Going slooow! Good job!".
Because we were supposed to only stay a few days (we had booked for two nights) and the apartments we had wasn't that great anyway (check out the Barefoot Hotel instead: we passed that one many times and regretted not having booked there!), we immediately headed out to book a snorkel tour with Salt Life Eco tours. They came highly recommended by friends who visited Belize before.
Then we had some nice grilled food at Chef Kareem's UnBelizeable Lunch with our feet in the sand and called it a day.
Quiet sea-front on Caye Caulker
The sign says it all...
Pristine water on Caye Caulker
Day 10 - The infamous Split
A very nervous Cyn had some very tasty breakfast at Chef Juan's Kitchen & Pastries early in the morning because the briefing was supposed to be at 8.30 am.
I had even taken half a Dramamine because I was so scared of getting sick on the boat - the snorkel-tour was supposed to go for 6 hours.
BUT, due to quite strong winds that morning, the tour was cancelled and we had to reschedule for the next day.
The feelings I had were a mix of relieve and disappointment.
So we spent the day chillaxing on this picture-perfect island with sand everywhere - there are no proper streets because there are no cars anyway - buying coconuts from a little vendor and sipping Piña Colada and a beer by the infamous Split.
What's that now?
'The Split' is actually a very popular beach amongst American spring-breakers and other party people. So totally not our thing. But Covid19 kind of cancelled spring-break this year, and so we enjoyed the opportunity of appreciating that beach without too many people.
It's called the split because it is said that hurricane Hattie cut off a piece of the island in 1961 by creating a channel that forms an amazingly rich natural pool with clear waters.
So that's where we stayed for the remainder of the day. Though we went back to the centre of the island for food because prices at the Split are triple of what you pay elsewhere...
You could enjoy the special green drink at the Lazy Lizard for fun. Just don't waist your money on their food.
The famous/infamous Split
Day 11 - Snorkelling in the Belize Barrier Reef
All nervous again
Of course I was nervous again! But because I had been drowsy for half of the day when the tour was cancelled, I didn't want to take another Dramamine. And I just relied on my super-goofy-looking glasses (read about them here).
We had a very healthy breakfast at the Namasté Café & Yoga studio and I was mentally ready to take on the challenge of staying on a tiny boat for more than 6 hours (with snorkel-breaks in-between).
And this snorkel-adventure during our short Belize holiday is what made us buy our own snorkel-gear!
We loved this so much that we planned on doing more snorkelling and wanted our own maks and tuba to avoid using those that have teeth mark of other people on them (even though the gear provided by Salt Life Eco tours was of good quality).
Breakfast at Namasté Café & Yoga studio
7-stop snorkelling tour
We did their popular
7-stop snorkelling tour because it leads you to the very best spots in the bay of Caye Caulker, part of the Belize Barrier Reef. This reef is actually the second-biggest (!) reef system in the world, after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
Our first stop was to spot the manatees which, unfortunately, we didn't. Instead, we saw several huge turtles casually swimming by and stingrays elegantly spreading their wings.
Then we got to admire multi-coloured corals in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, a protected area since 1987.
After spending some time here, it was time to get to one of my personal highlights: the Ray Alley. Despite the name, the interesting thing here are the hundreds (!) of nursing sharks feeding here! You just jump down and you're surrounded by big beautiful but harmless sharks. I was thrilled!
At noon our guides served freshly prepared concha-ceviche (our guide actually dove down himself to get that concha!) and rum-punch (very popular in Belize!) for lunch and took pictures and videos with their GoPro. We got the pictures and everything on the same evening - that's what I call great service!
And after lunch, some more snorkelling. This time above a huge shipwreck and inside the dreamy coral garden.
And YES, I survived! I wasn't sick at all!!
We came back to the shore to have some fun playing around with huge tarpons (these guys can measure up to 2,40 m and weigh 127 kg) jumping out of the water if you stretch out your hand above them, admiring tiiiiny little seahorses in their nesting ground and trying to play catch with big pelicans.
Yet another great day in our Belize holiday!
7-stop snorkelling tour with Sea Life Eco tours:
Cost: 67 € / 80 US $ per person (pick-up, lunch and pictures/videos included)
Duration: 6 hours
Possible sightings: corals, colourful fish, shipwreck, stingrays, turtles, nursing sharks, manatees, sea-horses, tarpons
Pro-tip: bring your own snorkel-gear and reef-friendly sunscreen (available in the supermarkets on Caye Caulker)
We ended the day with yet another beautiful sunset at the beach and went to bed quite happy.
Day 12 - Chillaxing and lunch at Koko King / Northside Beach Club
After some very sporty activities the previous day, it was time for some chillaxing again.
So this day was again spent walking around, swimming, having some nice food and just enjoying ourselves.
We started again with some breakfast at the Namasté Café & Yoga studio and we actually wanted to do some Yoga-classes on their beautiful roof-top but there were no spaces available. Something to remember for next time: book ahead!
Instead, we took a water-taxi (free in this case) to bring us to the other side of Caye Caulker, you know the part of the island that got separated by the Split. That's where you'll find Koko King, a beach-restaurant with quite the reputation.
Here again: we were totally alone and this is usually a hotspot where you will have to get reservations first.
And while writing this post, I just read that they renamed it 'Northside Beach Club' - not quite that catchy, is it?
Happy Cyn
The day ended with - how could it be any different? - admiring the Caribbean sunset but this time on the other side of the island, at the Pelican Sunset Bar.
A (virgin) piña colada and a Landshark (local) beer + sunset: bliss!
Day 13 - Ambergris Caye / San Pedro
Okay we didn't go back to the Namasté Café this time because the morning was so nice, we wanted to have breakfast at the beach.
So we went to Ice and Beans for some incredibly yummy (vegan) bagels, watching the waves going back and forth.
Then it was time for us to get to San Pedro because we needed a ... Covid19 PCR-test to leave Belize. We had set our next destination and this was required.
But Caye Caulker is so small, there's no doctor, let alone a hospital around.
The Ambergris Caye is an island that's a bit bigger and San Pedro is a proper town with about 16.000 inhabitants. So they had a 'specially designed' PCR-testing station.
While this city has real streets (not sandy ones like on Caulker), there are still hardly any cars here and everything is done with golf cars. We even had someone giving us a ride to the testing-station as it was quite far to go on foot.
The Ocean Ferry Belize takes you to San Pedro in about 30 minutes and it costs the same as the ride from Belize City to Caye Caulker: 8,40 € / 10 US $ one way or 14,70 € / 17,50 US $ for a round-trip.
We wanted to visit San Pedro's most beautiful beaches but unfortunately there was not much time left after the whole testing-procedure so we had to get back to Caye Caulker.
Day 14 - Time to leave
Our short Belize holiday had to come to an end at some point and that point was today.
We got back to Belize City with the ferry and embarked on our long and strenuous journey of almost 24 hours (with several stops throughout the US) to get to our next destination: French Polynesia.
Itinerary variations
Three weeks Belize holiday
Day 1 to 3 - Belize City (A)
Add two days when arriving in Belize City to visit the museums and get more background information on Belizean history.
Day 3 to 5 - Hopkins (B)
There is not much more to do than what we did so I'd keep Hopkins at one or two days
Day 5 to 7 - Placencia (C)
Same as with Hopkins: two days in Placencia is actually enough
Day 7 to 8 - Toledo district (D)
Stay in Punta Gorda and do even more hikes in the beautiful lush Toledo district
Day 8 to 14 - San Ignacio (E)
Actun Tunichil Muknal cave | If you can and have the money, visit the ATM-cave to see the spectacular 'crystal sepulchre', a Maya skeleton that looks crystallised from the water droplets constantly falling down from the cave roof.
Xunantunich | The 'stone lady' (literal translation of the name) is another very impressive archaeological site that we sadly didn't get to visit. The most famous building is the 'El Castillo' pyramid of 42 m high.
Tikal, Guatemala | When you're in San Ignacio, you are SO close to Tikal that it would be a pity to not cross the borders to see that marvel of the world. Though people say that after visiting both Tikal and Caracol, they prefered the latter. Tikal got so popular that the site has now more Disney-like features, compared to the still authentic Caracol.
Day 14 to 16 - Orange Walk district (F)
From San Ignacio, head back up north to explore the Orange Walk district to experience a very non-touristy part of Belize and the archaeological site of Lamanai, the 'immersed crocodile', the longest inhabited Maya site in Belize (continuously for about 3000 years). Getting there is an adventure on itself as there is no land-access, a boat takes you to the site over the river.
Day 16 to 17 - Corozal & Chetumal (G & H)
Drive up to the far North from Orange Walk town and stay in Corozal. If you have the time and the borders are open, go visit Chetumal in Mexico, and dive into the Maya-history in their very cool and interactive Museo de la Cultura Maya.
Day 17 to 21 - Caye Caulker (I)
Drive back to Belize City and take the ferry to Caye Caulker for a bit of paradise Caribbean beaches.
Four weeks Belize holiday
Take the same itinerary as the one for three weeks but add the Ambergris Caye and San Pedro for two to three days and one or two other Cayes that are less touristy.
Don't visit...
...the Great Blue Hole. Yes, it's famous. Sure, it looks super cool. No, divers don't find it interesting. They actually think it's boring, even the experimented ones. There are just no fish in the depth because they can't survive there.
It is incredibly expensive to fly above it and if you are lucky, you will spot it (for free!!) when arriving on at Belize City by plane anyway!
Planning the perfect Belize holiday
Of course there is always the possibility to stretch out some other places as well but we covered the main places in this post. The districts of Corozal and Belize don't have that much else to offer and Orange Walk, except for the site of Lamanai, is also very quiet.
That doesn't mean you shouldn't stay longer in these areas, on the contrary: you should venture out to discover new places by talking to locals and following their advice.
We will most certainly get back someday to do some more exploring of the lesser-known corners of that insanely beautiful and versatile country.
Let us know if you have any questions regarding other possible itineraries, places we visited or recommended or if you have suggestions to make that we should add to this post!
Also, please tag us on Instagram or Facebook if you happen to be in Belize and followed some of our tips - we would love to see that this post was useful!
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As ever
xx
Cyn
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