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General
Information for Visitors
Cities, Towns and Popular Areas of Belize
Hotels and other Accommodations
Getting
To Belize
Getting Around Belize
Places to See and Things to Do
Guidebooks and More
Links for Belize
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General Information on Belize
Belize
(formerly known as British Honduras) is almost as much a part of the Caribbean as it is
Central America. In fact, the country seems to have more in common with
its island neighbors than with the sometimes war-torn Central America as
its history is thoroughly coup-free. You will find a wonderful
collection of peoples of various culture, language and ethnic groups.
The almost 200,000 people in Belize consist of Creole, Garifuna,
Mestizo, Spanish, Maya, English, Mennonite, Lebanese, Chinese and East
Indian heritage. There are very few problems due to the religious
tolerance and a relatively non-violent political culture of the people,
most of who are
English speaking. Although a small country, it has an atmosphere that is very
laid-back and is perfect for a vacation getaway. Belize has a widespread
reputation for its friendly peoples
For the outdoor enthusiast, Belize
presents unlimited opportunities, especially along its wonderful
beaches. Belize also has its share of archaeological regions and parks,
marine and nature reserves and wildlife sanctuaries. From the Mayan
temples that tower above rainforest canopies, to the incredibly colorful
array birds, this is just a great place to visit.
Belize
Tourism Board
Street address:
Lower Flat, New Horizon Investment Building, 3 1/2 Miles Northern
Highway, Belize City, Belize
Postal address: PO Box 325, Belize City, Belize
Tel: 223 1913 or 1 800 624 0686 (toll-free from the USA only).
Website:
www.travelbelize.org
Passport and Visa Information
Passports are required for most visitors to Belize.
Citizens of the US, European Union and Commonwealth countries do not
require visas if they have a passport and return ticket. Most other
nationalities require a visa. British embassies frequently handle
Belize's diplomatic affairs.
2007 Travel Alert - Passports Needed for Canada, Mexico,
Bermuda and Caribbean.
Beginning
January 23, 2007, ALL persons,
including U.S. citizens, traveling by
air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and
South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid
passport. As early as January 1, 2008,
ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling between the U.S. and Canada,
Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by
land or
sea (including ferries), may be
required to present a valid passport or other documents as determined by the
Department of Homeland Security.
Click here for the State Department Summary.
And, if you need a passport in a hurry, because you
forgot to apply months ago when you should have and your trip is almost upon
you, click on
Passports In A Hurry,
or on
Passport Visa Express!
Visa Requirements
Along with your passport, you will also need a
return/onward ticket and sufficient funds (at least
$60 per night) required. Visa not required for stay of up to 30 days. If
visit exceeds 1 month, obtain a stay permit from the Immigration
Authorities in Belize. AIDS test required for those staying more than 3
months; U.S. test accepted if within 3 months of visit.
IMPORTANT: The information appearing on this website
may not be current. Just to be on the safe side, be sure to verify
travel requirements with the Belizean Embassy or at one of their
consulates prior to finalizing your travel plans.
For visitors
holding a United States passport:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa M. SHOMAN
chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888
You can find a Belizean Consulate in the following U.S. cities:
BELLEVILLE -
CHICAGO
- DALLAS-
DAYTON-
DETROIT
- HOUSTON
- LAS VEGAS -
LOS ANGELES
- MIAMI
- NEW ORLEANS-
SAN FRANCISCO-
SAN JUAN
- WASHINGTON
When To Go
February to April serves as a short
break from the more serious months of rain and see an extra hour or two
of sunshine. But with highs in the mid- to high- 80s. It is pretty much
hot and humid year-round.
Money Matters
The currency in Belize is
the Belize Dollar (BZ$). You can cash travelers' check at the major
hotels and resorts and at banks. Most major credit cards are accepted in
the tourist area, but it is still best to have some Belize dollars on
hand for smaller purchases, especially in the market areas.
Below is about what you might expect to spend for rooms and meals.
Average Room Prices: Low up to US$50, Mid-range up to US$125, High
up to US$300 and Deluxe US$300+.
Average Meal Prices: Prices for meals can range from as low as US$!
to over US$25.
Religion
Catholic (50%), Protestant (27%)
Health Matters
As with many places that are hot and humid, and have quite a bit of
unpopulated areas, some of them in jungle, there are several things you
should be aware of before you travel to Belize. Although it is pretty
safe in the populated tourist areas near the beaches, you could have
some problem in-country and should only travel into the interior with a
guide or on a guided tour. Here are some of the things you should at
least be familiar with:
Cholera
Dengue Fever
Hepatitis<
Malaria and
Typhoid>. You should check with your
health care provider or physician before making the final plans for your
trip.
Cholera -
This diarrhoeal disease can cause rapid dehydration and sometimes death.
It
is caused by a bacteria, Vibrio cholerae. It's transmitted from
person to person by direct contact (often via healthy carriers of the
disease) or via contaminated food and water. It can be spread by
seafood, including crustaceans and shellfish, which get infected via
sewage. As cholera exists where standards of environmental and personal
hygiene are low, this should not be a problem in the popular tourist
areas. However, in some of the interior areas of the country, every so often there are massive epidemics, usually due
to contaminated water in conditions where there is a breakdown of the
normal infrastructure.
The time
between becoming infected and symptoms appearing is usually short,
between one and five days.
Prevention
is by taking basic food and water precautions, avoiding seafood and
having scrupulous personal hygiene. The currently available vaccine is
not thought worthwhile as it provides only limited protection for a
short time.
Dengue
Fever
Unlike the
malaria mosquito, the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits the
dengue virus, is most active during the day, and is found mainly in
urban areas, in and around human dwellings.
Signs and symptoms of dengue fever include a sudden onset of high fever,
headache, joint and muscle pains, nausea and vomiting. A rash of small
red spots sometimes appears three to four days after the onset of fever.
Severe complications do sometimes occur. You should seek medical
attention as soon as possible if you think you may be infected. A blood
test can indicate the possibility of the fever. There is no specific
treatment. Aspirin should be avoided, as it increases the risk of
hemorrhaging. There is no vaccine against dengue fever.
Hepatitis
There are several
different viruses that can cause hepatitis. They mostly differ in the way that they are
transmitted. The symptoms in all forms of the illness include fever,
chills, headache, fatigue, feelings of weakness and aches and pains,
followed by loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark
urine, light-colored feces, jaundiced (yellow) skin and yellowing of
the whites of the eyes. Hepatitis A is transmitted by contaminated food
and drinking water. Seek medical advice, but there is not much you can
do apart from resting, drinking lots of fluids, eating lightly and
avoiding fatty foods. Hepatitis E is transmitted in the same way as
hepatitis A; it can be particularly serious in pregnant women. This is
the more common type, but can still be very discomforting.
Not nearly as common, or as easy to contract, is Hepatitis B. Hepatitis B
is spread through contact with infected blood, blood products or body
fluids, for example through sexual contact, unsterilised needles (and
shaving equipment) and blood transfusions, or contact with blood via
small breaks in the skin. The symptoms of hepatitis B may be more severe
than type A and the disease can lead to long-term problems such as
chronic liver damage, liver cancer or a long-term carrier state.
Hepatitis C and D are spread in the same way as hepatitis B and can also
lead to long-term complications. There are vaccines against both
types of hepatitis. Check with your doctor before you travel.
Malaria
If you are traveling in endemic areas it is extremely important to
avoid mosquito bites and to take tablets to prevent this disease.
Symptoms range from fever, chills and sweating, headache, diarrhea and
abdominal pains to a vague feeling of ill-health. Seek medical help
immediately if malaria is suspected. Without treatment malaria can
rapidly become more serious and can be fatal. If medical care is not
available, malaria tablets can be used for treatment. You should seek
medical advice, before you travel, on the right medication and dosage
for you. If you do contract malaria, be sure to be re-tested for malaria
once you return home as you can harbor malaria parasites in your body
even if you are symptom free. Travelers are advised to prevent mosquito
bites at all times. Things you can do to keep the mosquitoes away are: wear light-colored clothing
-
wear long trousers and long-sleeved shirts, even though it may be a bit
hotter to do so - use mosquito repellents
containing the compound DEET - avoid
perfumes and aftershave.
Typhoid
Also known
as enteric fever, Typhoid is transmitted via food and water, and symptom
less carriers, especially when they're working as food handlers,
are an important source of infection. Typhoid is caused by a type of
salmonella bacteria, Salmonella typhi. Paratyphoid is a similar
but milder disease.
Although there are several symptoms,
you almost always get a fever and headache
in the beginning, similar to how you would feel when getting the flu with
the accompanying aches and
pains, loss of appetite and general malaise. Typhoid can sometimes be confused
with malaria. The fever gradually rises during a week.
Other symptoms you may have are constipation or diarrhea and
stomach pains.
Language
English (official)
Electricity
Belize is on a 110/220V 60HzHz
Electric Plug Details >British-style plug with two flat blades and
one flat grounding blade
and looks like this:
American-style plug with two perpendicular
flat blades above a circular grounding pin
and looks like this:
Weather
One of the things you
can pretty much depend upon, is that you will have hot and humid weather. It is a good thing they
have such wonderful beaches. February to April serves as a short break
from the more serious months of rain and see an extra hour or two of
sunshine. But with highs in the mid- to high- 80s.
The hurricane season in Belize normally runs from June to
November.
Time Zone
Time Zone GMT/UTC -6
Geography
Belize
is located base of the Yucatan Peninsula in Central America and borders
Mexico and Guatemala, with Caribbean Sea to the east. Along with the
major portion of the country on the mainland, the country’s area
includes numerous small islands (or cayes, as they are called) off the
coast. It tends to be low and swampy along the coast, particularly in
the north, with mangroves, many salt and freshwater lagoons and some
sandy beaches. The country is crossed by a number of rivers. The most
heavily forested area is to the south and west where you will find the
Maya mountain range, with the Cockscomb range to the east and the
Mountain Pine Ridge in the west. The land to the west along the borders
with Guatemala is more open and quite scenic compared to much of the
interior. The shallow offshore cayes straddle a coral reef second only
in size to the Great Barrier Reef of Australia making this part of the
coastline quite beautiful.
Travel Warnings
For the most
part, visits to Belize are trouble-free. However, just as you would at
home, you should be on their guard and exercise caution. And, also just
like anywhere else, there have been occasional violent incidents against
tourists. Although the threat from terrorism is low, you should still be
aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks that seem
to occur against civilian targets, including places frequented by
foreigners. Visitors are advised to contact the following organizations
for the latest travel advice or warnings:
US Department of State
Website:
http://travel.state.gov/travel
British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Website:
www.fco.gov.uk
If you have information you
believe I should add to this section, please send it to me.
mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Getting To Belize
Most visitors to Belize arrive on one of the many
international flights to Belize City. From the United States, most tend
to go through Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles or Miami. There are also
flights between Belize and Guatemala, as well as other Central American
countries. You can book your flights at
www.gettingaway.com.
There are bus services from Belize City to Chetumal
(Mexico) and to Benque Viejo del Carmen on the Guatemalan border and
Melchor de Mencos (Guatemala). A land exit tax of US$18.75is payable at
Belizean land border-crossing points. You can travel by boat from Punta
Gorda in southern Belize to Puerto Barrios (Guatemala) and Lívingston
(Guatemala), or from Dangriga and Placencia to Puerto Cortés (Honduras).
A departure tax of US$35 is payable by travelers
departing by air. Sea departure tax is US$3.75
If you have information you
believe I should add to this section, please send it to me.
mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Getting Around
Belize
For most visitors, the best way to get around
the country is by air. Belize has no rail network, so it depends heavily
on small airplanes for transport. There are domestic airports in Belize
City, Caye Caulker, Corozal, Dangriga, Placencia, Punta Gorda and San
Pedro.
Most Belizeans travel within the country by bus.
Busses travel fairly regularly on the country's three major roads
(between Corozal and Belize City, between Benque Viejo del Carmen and
Belize City, and between Belmopan and Dangriga).
Cars can be rented in Belize City if you're at least
25 years old and have a valid driver's license from your home country.
You can also get around on rented bicycles and motorbikes that can be
hired on the cayes.
Fast and frequent motor launches connect Belize City
with Caye Chapel, Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye.
If you have information you
believe I should add to this section, please send it to me.
mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Accommodations
For accommodations in Belize, click on
Search by city for hotels and other accommodations
in Belize.
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i-to-i
is one of the world’s fastest growing adventure travel
organizations. It is unique as they specialize in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) training and
volunteer placements overseas. Each year, thousands of
i-to-i volunteers
are literally building bridges among communities and earning respect from some
of the most important care agencies in existence. The examples speak for
themselves. When Save the Children approached
i-to-i
for
assistance with their on-going development programmed for Intibucá, one of the
poorest regions in Honduras, they supplied volunteers who are now building homes
and teaching English to the indigenous Lenca people. Along with
Belize, they also operate in several other
countries including:
Australia,
Bolivia,
China,
Ecuador,
Ghana,
Honduras,
India,
Ireland,
Korea,
Mongolia,
Nepal,
South Africa,
Sri Lanka,
and
Thailand. For additional information, visit their website at
www.i-to-i.com
or send them an
E-mail.
Home Exchanges in Belize -
Why stay in a hotel when you can live just
like you would at home? Browse the most
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Here for more information.
Coming Soon. If you have information you
believe I should add to this section, please send it to me.
mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Cities, Towns and Areas of Belize
Belize City
Belize City
Belize's colorful former capital is the country's only
city of any
size. The town is a bit ramshackle as it seems to be constantly at the mercy of tropical storms
and hurricanes that create a lot of damaged wooden buildings of the place.
There can also be a bit of a smell in the air as they frequently flush out the open
drainage canals, that always seem to be filled with pollution, that crisscross the city.
When the weather is nice, Belize City
comes alive. Although few people
come to Belize City, except for a holiday or to see the sights, it is the
transportation and commercial hub of the country. As in any large
foreign city, you should use caution as some travelers report
that the city can be quite dangerous, especially after dark.
If you have information you
believe I should add to this section, please send it to me.
mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Places to
See and Things to Do
The Cayes
Xunantunich
Belize - Order FREE Travel Brochure!
The Cayes
This barrier reef that is over 180 miles long, the longest in the western
hemisphere. To the west of the reef are numerous cayes basking in warm
water. The two most popular with travelers are Caye Caulker for the
low-budget and Ambergris Caye for the more affluent up-scale resort oriented
traveler. Although
Caulker's
reef is smaller, is much nicer. Only a short boat ride from the
eastern shore, it offers some of the world's most exciting diving,
snorkeling and fishing. When the weather (and the water is clear) visibility
under water can be an astonishing - sometimes almost 200 feet. It is a
great place to see the coral and spectacularly colored tropical fish.
Xunantunich
Xunantunich,
or the Stone
Maiden, is set on top of a hilltop near the
Belize River. It is the archaeological pride of
Belize. The site was once a ceremonial
center and is thought to have been abandoned
after an earthquake damaged it around 900
AD. The site's tallest building - El
Castillo - rises an impressive 40m (131ft)
above the jungle.
Hours: 7:30am-4:00pm
If you have information you
believe I should add to this section, please send it to me.
mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Guidebooks and More
Links
for Belize
Central America & Caribbean Vacations - Order FREE Travel Brochure!
If you have information you
believe I should add to this section, please send it to me.
mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
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