Welcome to the best things to do in Belize!
This Caribbean gem is one of my favorite countries I’ve been to so far.
On today’s post, I’ve rounded up all the best things to do in Belize.
Let’s dive in.
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Discover Experiences In Belize
1. Marvel at the Great Blue Hole
The Great Blue Hole is a famous underwater sinkhole about 60 miles off of Belize’s coast.
This perfectly circular sandstone hole is 480 feet deep, and almost 1,000 feet wide.
At its deeper depths, the hole reveals stalactites, caves, and other bizarre rock formations.
These indicate that the Great Blue Hole was once an above-ground cave!
Researchers believe it filled with water around the last Ice Age.
As a bucket-list scuba destination, the Great Blue Hole draws divers from all over the world.
It’s an advanced dive, and you’ll need your Advanced PADI Certification to complete it.
Another option is to snorkel around the surrounding reef, but the boat ride is really long, and there’s honestly better snorkeling elsewhere in Belize.
With all that said, most people agree that the best way to see the Great Blue Hole is by plane!
Although scenic flights tours can be a little pricey, seeing this bucket-list beauty from a bird’s eye view is totally worth it.
2. Snorkel in Hol Chan Marine Reserve
Speaking of the best snorkeling in Belize, you absolutely must snorkel in Hol Chan Marine Reserve.
I’ve snorkeled in beautiful destinations like Hawaii, Mexico, and Costa Rica, but Hol Chan remains the best I’ve experienced so far.
Hol Chan Marine Reserve is off of Belize’s coast, near the islands of Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye.
It’s home to coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangrove forests, and tons of wildlife.
Most excursions combine snorkeling in Hol Chan’s Coral Reef Zone and its Shark Ray Alley.
We took one of these tours, and I’d highly recommend it.
We started at the reef, where our guide showed us lots of interesting coral and fish.
Snorkeling here was so special because of its high visibility, ultra-clear water, and how vibrant the coral was.
After that, we made our way to Shark Ray Alley, named for its population of largely harmless nurse sharks.
Shark Ray alley used to be a spot where local fisherman would clean their catches, which the nearby sharks caught on to.
The sharks learned that they could enjoy the tasty fish that dropped in the water, and started to return regularly.
Swimming in the super clear water with all of the sharks was a really awesome experience.
After the sharks cleared, we even got to hang out with some friendly sea turtles.
Related: 15 Best Things To Do In Tulum, Mexico
3. Explore Ambergris Caye
Ambergris Caye (pronounced am-bur-gris KEE) is the largest of the 200+ islands that dot the coast of Belize.
In my opinion, it’s a vacation sweet spot.
The island has enough amenities, natural beauty, and things to do without being overdeveloped.
We made it our home base for our whole Belize trip, and we really enjoyed it.
San Pedro is the main town here, bustling with local restaurants, bars, and shops.
Outside of that, you’ll find gorgeous white sand beaches, and easy excursions to Belize’s best attractions like Hol Chan Marine Reserve.
If you want to visit places on the mainland like Mayan ruins, you can easily book transport back and forth.
Overall, the whole vibe on Ambergris Caye is super laidback.
In fact, there are no cars on the island! (Other than strictly government vehicles, taxis, and delivery trucks.)
So the main form of transportation here is golf carts.
I recommend renting a golf cart for a day, and exploring some of the further sights on the island like the beautiful Secret Beach.
Other than that, you can get most places you need to go by walking or biking.
To get to Ambergris Caye, you’ll need to take a puddle jumper or ferry from the mainland.
We opted for the flight, which gave us jaw-dropping views of the ocean along the way.
4. Relax on Caye Caulker
Caye Caulker is Ambergris Caye’s smaller, lesser-visited neighbor.
The motto is “go slow” here, so this is the place to really unwind.
You can catch a water taxi from the mainland and visit in a day trip, or stay on the island.
While you’re here, make sure to check out the Split, the channel that divides the island in two.
This is the perfect place to hang out on the water, and enjoy some cold drinks at the famous Lazy Lizard bar.
You can also book excursions from Caye Caulker to places like Hol Chan Marine Reserve.
5. Go cave tubing
One of the best things to do in Belize is cave tubing, which I highly recommend.
In fact, it’s been one of the most unique things I’ve done on my travels so far!
The Caves Branch River runs through a network of limestone caves in western Belize.
This creates a natural lazy river that winds through amazing, prehistoric caverns.
You can only enter these caves with a licensed guide, so booking a tour is a must.
We chose a tour that combined a trip to the Mayan ruins Xunantunich and cave tubing at Nohoch Che’en.
It made for a long day leaving out of Ambergris Caye, but it was totally worth it.
At the cave tubing part of the tour, we entered the reserve and had a short walk along a jungle trail to the entrance of the cave.
Along the way, our guide pointed out interesting facts about the local flora and fauna.
When we reached the cave, we set our thick rubber tubes down in the calm river, and set off on our journey.
Our headlamps and flashlights illuminated just enough of the cave to make us feel completely safe, but left enough darkness to fill us with wonder.
We felt like we were floating back in time, as we entered a place that felt completely untouched and mysterious.
As we floated, our guide pointed out interesting rock formations and made a couple stops so we could get out of the water and climb around.
At one point, we got to jump off of a high rock into the pitch black water, which was simultaneously scary and exciting.
6. Visit Mayan Ruins
Where Belize is now, was once the heart of the ancient Maya Empire.
Today, the country holds incredibly preserved ruins from this era.
Some of the most impressive ruins in Belize are Xunantunich, Altun Ha, Caracol, Cahal Pech, and Lamanai.
Xunantunich
We chose to visit Xunantunich (the “Xu” is pronounced like “shoe”) which we combined with a cave tubing tour.
Although researchers have uncovered lots of information at this site, much of its history including its original name, are still a mystery.
We do know that Xunantunich rose and fell between 700 and 1000 AD, and once housed 200,000 people.
Today, you can still gaze upon and climb up the central El Castillo temple, and explore all the surrounding structures.
7. Explore ATM Cave
Actun Tunichil Muknal, also known as the ATM Cave, has been named the world’s most sacred cave by National Geographic.
This cave was once the site of Mayan ceremonies, which included worship and human sacrifice.
Many remains and artifacts are still preserved in this cave, untouched by time.
Some of these items even date back to 250 AD!
The ATM Cave is famously known as the final resting place of the “Crystal Maiden.”
These skeletal remains belong to what is believed to have been a sacrificial victim, now completely preserved and calcified.
The calcite has given the bones a sparkling patina, earning the nickname.
Visiting the ATM Cave includes a hike, stream crossings, a little bit of swimming, some mild rock scrambling, and even taking your shoes off for a portion of the tour.
You’ll totally feel like Tomb Raider!
You can only enter the caves with a licensed guide, so booking a tour is a must.
Unfortunately, there are no cameras allowed inside the cave.
This was implemented after a tourist famously dropped a camera on an ancient skull and broke it.
8. Explore the Placencia Peninsula
The Placencia Peninsula is a peninsula in southern Belize.
It’s home to several charming towns, including the seaside village of Placencia.
Placencia is the most popular vacation spot on Belize’s mainland.
This is due to its beautiful beaches, water sports, close proximity to mainland activities, and easy access to the Southern Cayes.
Life here centers around a 4 foot wide “Main Street” where you’ll find most bars, restaurants, and hotels.
While you’re here, exploring the whole Placencia Peninsula is also a must.
This includes the nearby towns of Seine Bight and Maya Beach, and the Placencia Lagoon.
About an hour drive away, the Cockscomb Wildlife Sanctuary is an awesome place to see local wildlife and waterfalls.
9. Take a manatee tour
Belize has more manatees than any other Central American country.
These gentle sea cows love Belize’s warm waters, and strong protection from the government is helping to increase their population.
You can spot manatees all along Belize’s coast, but you’ll have the best chance of seeing them in one of three protected areas.
These are the Northern Lagoon, Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary, and Gales Point Manatee Wildlife Sanctuary.
10. Try local Belizean food
One of the best things to do in Belize is sample all of its local flavors.
Belize’s culture has been influenced by many different groups of people, including the Mestizo, Maya, Garifuna, Creole, and even the British.
All of those influences really present themselves in the local food scene.
Belizean food encompasses rice and beans, chicken stew, plantains, tamales, ceviche, fry jacks, fresh fruit, fish, and more.
Make sure to try a Belikin, Belize’s beloved local beer.
How To Get Around Belize
In my opinion (and many other’s in travel forums) renting a car in Belize is not necessary.
It’s doable, but you don’t necessarily need one.
Most towns in Belize are walkable or bikable, and it’s easy enough to rely on taxis or tour transport for longer distances.
If you do decide to rent a car in Belize, I recommend using RentalCars.com.
Personally, I use them every time I plan a trip.
I LOVE that they compare prices across every company at once, which saves a ton of time hunting down the best deals.
Less time researching, more time exploring right??
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