Belize
Belize is a small nation with a great diversity in landscapes and people. There is so much to see and do in a country the size of Massachusetts and a population just over 300,000. In Belize you can visit ancient Mayan cities, sail down a jungle river full of howler monkeys, swim through caves, and relax on white sand beaches with crystal clear water on the same trip if you have the time. The country is the least populated in Central America and is the only English-speaking country in the region. It’s a popular destination for cruises, beach getaways, snorkeling at the second largest barrier reef in the world and jungle adventures. We have traveled to Belize multiple times with it being one of the first countries we visited on our travels. Here are our adventures in Belize!
How to get to Belize and Transportation
Belize is a short 2-hour flight from cities like Houston and does have flights available to Belize with multiple US Airlines from many of the major hub airports in the US. There is only one international airport in Belize that is called the Phillip S. W. Goldson International Airport just outside of the largest city in the country (Belize City). Belize has two airlines that provide domestic flights to different areas of the country out of Belize City. Another way to get to Belize is on a cruise as most major lines have cruises that stop at Belize City. Belize City is a tender port meaning you do not dock there but take small boats from the ship to shore. Norwegian Cruise Line has a great private island in Southern Belize call Harvest Caye that is very nice.
For transportation around the country, you have multiple options to get to the islands or the interior. To get to the islands such as Ambergris Caye, you can take a ferry from Belize City or fly airlines like Tropic or Maya Air on a short 10-to-15-minute flight. For the interior areas there are plenty of transfer services you can book to take you to any of the areas you might want to go to, but with developing roads it might take a little while. You can also fly Tropic or Maya Air to different areas in the interior as well. I do not recommend renting a car in Belize and let locals handle the travel outside of the Cayes. On the Cayes it’s very easy to rent a golf cart to take you around the island.
Country Information
As a US Citizen, you can enter the country Visa Free as long as you stay less than 30 days. You are required to fill out an online traveler entry and departure form that replaces the form you fill out on the plane before arrival with basic information. It will produce a QR code you can provide to Passport Control for a speedier entry or exit. English is the official language but other languages like Spanish, Belizean Creole, Garifuna and others are spoken by some. The country has a very diverse population with Mayan, Spanish, Mennonite and Caribbean ancestry. Belize is part of the Caribbean Community, so it’s highly linked to the Caribbean. The Belizean Dollar is the official currency with a Belizean dollar with $.5 US Dollars so it’s easy to convert the amount. The US Dollar is pretty much accepted everywhere and so are credit cards outside of small, more rural vendors. As with all countries check travel warnings and information before you travel.
Safety Information
As of this writing, the US State Department rates Belize as a Level 2 destination that puts the country on pare with many European countries. There are crime issues in Belize with Southern Belize City and some of the border areas being the most risky areas. Belize City is a Level 3 area rated by the US State Department. We have visited Belize City with a guide and many different areas of the country and never felt unsafe. We mostly traveled with a guide and that helps security with a local being there who knows where to go and not to go. As always this is our experiences and opinions in Belize, and you should do a bit of research and determine if Belize is right for you
Tropic Air Belize
Our favorite way to get to the Cayes and other areas of Belize is on Tropic Air. It’s a small airline that has service to different locations in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. With the international flights you can either add Belize onto a trip from Cancun or Roatan for example or vice versa. Tropic Air has been in operation for over 40 years and uses single engine Cessna Caravan Aircraft that can carry 14 people. We personally trust the safety of Tropic Air as they have IATA Safety Registration and the only airline in Belize to have it.
We have flown Tropic Air multiple times from Belize City to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye and to Caye Caulker. We have found the staff are very friendly and helpful and their check in and boarding process is very efficient and easy. They are accommodating to passengers and have at one point put us on an earlier flight to San Pedro so we could cut our wait time down and with the changeable fare very easily changed our flight from Caye Caulker to San Pedro. The flights to the Cayes are very short so for us it means more time to enjoy the islands and cut down on the travel time. Our flight to San Pedro from Belize City was 15 minutes, Caye Caulker from Belize City was 10 minutes and Caye Caulker to San Pedro was 6 minutes. An added bonus is the amazing views of the Barrier Reef and blue water. If you look closely, you can spot stingrays as you fly swimming amongst the reefs.
Tropic Air has their own terminal facilities in San Pedro and Caye Caulker and we found them to be very nice. They have Air Conditioning, very nice seats and nice decor. They really make travel easy from our experiences. They also offer tours such as a fly over of the Blue Hole and a flight and river trip to Mayan Ruins. We have yet to experience one of their tours but plan to in the future. They are a great option while in Belize!
Cruising to Belize
A popular way to visit Belize is by cruise ship. There are two cruise ports in Belize with one being Belize City (the main port in the country) and the other is Harvest Caye in Southern Belize that is a private Norwegian Cruise Line Island. At both ports there are many great excursions you can take. From Belize City you can visit multiple ancient Mayan Cities, visit the rainforest, do water and more adventure activities. From Harvest Caye you can take excursions up the Monkey River and other activities or just enjoy the island. Belize City was the 5th cruise port and Belize was the 5th country we visited in our adventures that is now over 80 different countries at the time of this writing. We visited Harvest Caye years later. Here are our cruising experiences in Belize!
Tours From Belize City (Click Below):
Belize City - San Ignacio - Xunantunich
Our first experience in Belize was a cruise excursion on Carnival CruiseLine that stopped in Belize City in December. We tendered from our ship and it took around 15 to 20 minutes to get from our ship to mainland Belize. It was a cloudy and rainy day but with the water being shallow and protected by the barrier reef the tender boats where not too rough a ride. We picked up our bus and drove through the somewhat small Belize City which when we visited only had a couple of stop lights in the city (which we caught it coming back). Belize City and Belize in general is a developing nation so we did see poverty in areas and at times had bumpy roads. From Belize City we headed to the complete other side of the country near the Guatemalan border. It was a little over a 2-hour drive at 77 miles to Xunantunich. We passed small towns, flat pastures and mountains/hills. Our bus made it to the Mopan River in the rainforest where the next part of the adventure took place.
To get across the Mopan River, the only option is a hand cranked ferry that uses a metal guide wire to keep it in place. A local cranked us across the decently wide jungle river. It made me feel a bit like Indiana Jones heading to an ancient city. From there we walked to the ancient city of Xunantunich, which was the first truly ancient city we visited in our travels. It’s a fairly large site with multiple pyramids including the second largest in Belize called “El Castillio”. We walked to the top of the smaller pyramids and listened to the history about the site that was inhabited for a long time. The site is very close to the Guatemalan border at less than a mile away and having not been there yet, I wanted to at least see another country. We had two guides with one being from the tour company contracted by Carnival and a local guide. The Carnival guide suggested we not climb to the top of “El Castillio” and only go part of the way up. We started climbing the pyramid and stopped every once and awhile to learn more. The pyramid has a decorative and amazing Freise with Mayan art. It currently is only on one side of the pyramid as the other sides are lost to history. Our local guide assured us going to the top is not too bad, so we headed up. The view was beautiful looking over the canopy of the rainforest into Guatemala. It started to rain and the way down became treacherous with very steep steps that had a layer of algae/plant matter that made it slick. If you slipped it was a long fall to the ground. We ended up sitting down and scooting step by step. While the view is wonderful, the ancient steps are risk. It has been a few years since we have been there so hikes to the top might not be allowed any longer.
Before we headed back to our ship in Belize City we got our first taste of Belizean Cuisine at a local restaurant. We had chicken, fried plantains and “Rice and Peas”. For dessert we had local ice cream made by the Mennonite Community. On the way to San Ignacio (the small city we ate at a local restaurant at and did a bit of shopping) we saw horse drawn carriages on the road from the Mennonite community. At the restaurant we got to try the famous and very tasty Marie Sharps hot sauce that since that first time and have grown to love the sauce. We also tried the local beer Belikin that was good. After lunch, we headed back across the country where on the small highway (two lane) had speed bumps every so often. It was a great first experience in Belize!
Tour Options from San Ignacio:
Harvest Caye
In 2022 we took a 5-day Norwegian Cruise that stopped in Cozumel and Harvest Caye, Belize. Harvest Caye is a small private island in far South Belize near Guatemala. There we took an interesting cruise down the Monkey River that reminded me of the Jungle Cruise at Disney World with the variety of the animals we saw including howler Monkeys. If you would like more information about Harvest Caye, check out the page below about Harvest Caye that is part of the Private Cruise Island section of our website:
Staying in Belize
We have stayed in Belize on two different trips so far, with both of them focused on the islands of Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker. We are looking to visit interior Belize and stay in one of the wonderful hotels there as well. To fly to Belize is pretty easy with it being a short flight from states like Texas and quite a few non-stop flights to Belize City. The Belize City airport is fairly small (has no jetways/gates) and from our experience’s customs doesn’t take too long as long as you fill out the entry form online ahead of time (see link in Country Information for details). When we arrive, we go through Passport Control and Customs and head to the Tropic Air check in. Their check in process is nice and quick and we head back through security and wait in the terminal area for our flight to the Cayes. We have stayed on two of the most popular Cayes being Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker. Both Islands have very different vibes for sure.
Ambergris Caye
Ambergris Caye is one of the most popular places for tourism in Belize due to it’s beautiful water and its proximity to the Belizean Barrier Reef that is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the second largest in the world behind Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The Caye is in far Northern Belize, and it shares a water border with Mexico on the far Northern tip of the Caye. It’s the largest Island in Belize at 25 miles long and only a mile wide. There are many great resorts on the island but few are all inclusive like you might find in Mexico. The best way to get around is by Golf Cart that you can rent all over the island. On our second trip we rented a golf cart to explore more of the island. On our first trip we stayed and relaxed at our resort and spent time in the azure- colored waters. Here are our experiences, resort tours and bookable excursions at Ambergris Caye!
Where we Stayed and Toured
On Ambergris Caye, we have stayed at one resort but have toured a second resort. There are a few large resorts, but most are smaller hotels and resorts. The island only has a population of around 13,000 people so in general in it’s a smaller place to visit. Here are the properties we visited in Ambergris Caye.
Mahogany Bay Resort and Beach Club
We have stayed at the beautiful Mahogany Bay Resort which is a Curio by Hilton. It is part Vacation Club where owners have room and a resort for anyone. They have multiple amenities at the resort. They have a large central building that has a nice restaurant, golf cart rentals, a large meeting space upstairs that would be perfect for weddings with a nice view of the area and a spacious lobby area. The staff are very helpful and kind at the resort. When we arrived they took care of our bags while we checked in and then drove up by golf cart to our room. They took the bags upstairs for us and when leaving the resort, they did the same for us taking our bags back to the main building. One time a driver saw us walking and offered us a ride to our room. The resort is pretty large with multiple rows of buildings. It is not a traditional hotel with large building with rooms. It has multiple small town home like buildings/cottages spread throughout the resort. There are one-bedroom single cottages, rooms with a nice upstairs patio with air conditioning and a small kitchen to large multi bedroom suites. Each room has a Belizean style shower (wooden floor and metal walls) and unique window shades that are wooden and there is no window, just a mosquito screen.
The resort has plenty of dining options to choose from. There is a Japanese style restaurant with Sushi and plenty of other items on the menu. We had it one night and it is really good. The resort has its own restaurant that serves international and traditional Belizean food options that are very good. It’s also where you can get breakfast (not a buffet) that also has Belizean options like Fry Jacks (reminds me of a sopapilla). There is a great coffee shop called the Rum Bean that had an amazing Snickers Frappuccino and drinks like a great Belizean Ginger beverage we liked. There are several bars and at the beach club there is a small casual food restaurant. The resort has a general store where we bought Gatorades and there is a tour agency on site where on our first trip we booked a sunset sailing on a catamaran.
The Beach Club is their local beach available for guests. The resort is surrounded by a bay and mangrove forests so it’s not swimmable. To get to the beach club you take a 15–20-minute scenic boat ride to a secluded beach with turquoise waters. It’s a great place to relax and enjoy a nice casual meal with a great view.
The resort is around a 15-minute drive from San Pedro’s airport, and they can arrange a driver to be there to pick you up.
There are not many All-Inclusive Resorts in Belize, but Mahogany Bay now has different plans that include All-Inclusive or just breakfast.
Our Room - 1 King Bed Keeping Suite
The two times we have been to the resort we stayed in this type of room. It has the patio/sitting area, a small kitchen, a large king bedroom and the Belizean shower. We really enjoy the room and would stay there again!
1 King Bed Garden Cottage
This is the standard room at the property with is your own cottage!
2 Queen Beds Keeping Suite
A room similar to what we stayed in but with two queen beds and a lower-level patio that is a bit larger than what ours was.
3 Bedroom Family Cottage 2 King Twin Bunkbed
The 3 Bedroom Family Cottage is a great suite for a family to enjoy a vacation in Belize. It has a nice living room area and a large dining room table to fit the family at for dinner or games!
3 Bedroom Townhouse
The three-bedroom town house is over 2300 square feet and has a king, queen and two twin beds. It has a spacious living room and kitchen, patio and 2.5 bathrooms. It’s a great place for a family or larger group!
Matachica Resort and Spa
The Matachica Resort is around 30-40 minutes to the North of San Pedro in a more secluded area of Ambergris Caye. It is a Small Luxury Hotel (SLH) and is part of the Hilton brand of resorts. It’s consists of Private Casitas that are colorful and look modest from the outside but are full of luxury and elegance on the inside. The resort is adults only and has an onsite spa for those who want to relax even more. The resort is right on the beach and not far from the Barrier Reef. The resort has a fitness center and bicycles you can use. The resort has two restaurants with the Mambo Restaurant being one of the best restaurants on the island and serves international food created by a French Chef. It is only open for dinner and by reservation only. The Mambo Bistro is a more casual restaurant that is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is also a Tree Bar that is built around a tree outside. The resort of course has nice pools and hot tubs as well. While we were there the beach was unfortunately full of Sargassum (seaweed) as happens to the islands and Mexico as well. The great staff were working hard to clear the beach with shovels and a large equipment. When this occurs, not to worry as they will take you the “The Secret Beach” on the lagoon side of the island that is free of Sargassum. We did not stay at the resort but did tour the entire property.
Catamaran Sunset Cruise
On our very first visit to Ambergris Caye, we went on a spur of the moment Catamaran Cruise that we purchased at our hotel’s tour office. We went on the cruise with a young family with two kids and had some snacks and drinks while on the cruise. We went to the North and got to see much of the island while talking and enjoying the sunset over Ambergris Caye. We were able to sit on the bow (front) of the Catamaran and enjoy the relaxing sounds of the ocean. This tour picked us up near our hotel at a dock and brought us back there as well. We have been on multiple Catamarans in our travels, and they are fun, unique and relaxing. It was a great tour and on our second visit to Ambergris Caye we took another sunset tour on a slightly different boat.
Sailboat Sunset Cruise
On our second trip to Ambergris Caye we wanted to try a different sunset cruise experience. We had never been on a sailboat before, and we always like to try something new. We headed to the meeting point at the Blue Tang in in San Pedro which has a long pier with a busy restaurant and bar. It was an extremely windy day with 30+mph winds, so we were asked to be there a little earlier than planned. We boarded the fairly large sailboat with a large group and while most when to the front where there was a good chance of being splashed, we stayed in the back where we were served Belikin Beer and non-alcoholic drinks as well. We headed out at first by engine power and then they unfurled the sails. It was wonderful sailing along like the old age of ships and just being able to listen to the sea and relax without engine noise. We headed North where we saw many of the resorts on the island. It was cool to experience the ship tilting on it’s side at angles not normal when using an engine as we cruised along. We saw a playful dolphin around the ship for a while before it went after a crab pot (trap). We were served fresh Ceviche, Salsa and a few other snacks by the crew and more drinks. The crew was wonderful and friendly. I spent time standing on the side of the ship with the wind and sea blowing and watching a beautiful sunset over the Caye. I talked with the captain as he sailed about Belize and Central America in general. The people I meet is one of the great parts about travel. You will find most people are friendly and while culturally different are more alike to us as they enjoy time with family, work hard and enjoy different foods. After our talk and ducking down from time to time as the sail switched sides of the ship we headed back with engine power to the dock where the party had just started at the bar and restaurant on the pier. It was a wonderful experience, and one we suggest you try as riding in a sailboat is relaxing and different. We hope to do it again there someday!
Ambergris Caye Sunset Cruises:
Exploring Ambergris Caye by Golf Cart
On our second trip so we could go from our resort to tour the Matachica Resort we decided to rent a golf cart for the day. It’s an around 8-mile drive from Mahogany Bay Resort to Matachica so it was for sure the longest distance we have ever driven in a golf cart! On Ambergris Caye there really aren’t many cars and trucks on the island. You do see them from time to time, but golf cart is the true means of transportation on the Caye. You do need a driver’s license to rent a golf cart, and each has it’s own license plate. It wasn’t too hard driving around Ambergris Caye other than some drivers had faster golf carts and the few cars there were would usually go for the pass. The roads can be a bit bumpy, and the speed bumps really can bounce you around so drive carefully. Most golf carts have a locking device to keep the golf cart from being taken. As you get out of San Pedro to the North it becomes much more rural and a bit dusty at times. After our resort tour, we explored a bit of the other side of the Caye as well.
Ambergris Caye Golf Cart Rentals:
Secret Beach and CoCo Grande Beach Bar and Grill
After the tour of the Matachica resort multiple people including our driver on Caye Caulker suggested going because of the beautiful beach and water, and a great restaurant called CoCo Grande. We drove the golf cart over to Secret beach and passed through a generally undeveloped area full of mangrove forests. We arrived and a group of lively staff called us over to park at their restaurant. It was CoCo Grande! The beach on the Western mainland Belize facing side of the island is beautiful with light blue water that’s clear. The staff at CoCo Grande were very friendly and got us seated at a table in the open-air pavilion. They had plenty of beach chairs and in the water they had a small bar that people could swim up to. There were plenty of grass roofed umbrellas with a bar for eating or drinking. We wanted a snack, so we got Conch Fritters and chips with guacamole. We also got margaritas. The food was really good there and the service was nice. At secret beach there are a few small restaurants on the beach but otherwise its relatively un-developed but there looked to be development coming. We didn’t have our swim suites, so we didn’t go swimming, but it looked like a great place to go, and it wasn’t suffering from Sargassum being on the land facing side of the island. After this tour we headed back to our resort and took a rest. After our sailboat tour, we filled up the gas tank just like a rental car and turned it in to our hotel.
Ambergris Caye Tours:
Caye Caulker
Caye Caulker is a smaller island compared to Ambergris Caye and has a much different vibe as well. The Caye is much more relaxed and less crowded than Ambergris Caye. The island doesn’t have any large resorts or restaurants. It is locally owned businesses that are small. The beaches and water are amazing there just like many areas of Belize. The population is small with a little over 2,000 people on the Caye. The Caye is split by a small channel with the airport and where we stayed being on the Southern Caye. You can get there by ferry from Belize City or Ambergris Caye. The island has a small airport where Tropic Air and Maya have small terminals there. The Tropic Air terminal we flew into was very nice and the staff friendly and helpful. On arrival they brought us our bags quickly and our hotel had a taxi (a multi-seat golf cart), and we headed on our short adventure in Caye Caulker!
Where we Stayed - Barefoot Caye Caulker Hotel
We stayed at the locally owned Barefoot Caye Caulker Hotel on the main road facing the Caribbean. Most hotels are small like the hotel we stayed at. We were greeted by the staff, and they helped us with our bags. The check in staff were very helpful with giving us directions and information about the Caye. The small hotel did not have elevators, so they helped us take our bags up to our second-floor room. The room was very nice with a King Bed, mini fridge, a patio that had a partial view of the ocean, a nice TV where you could watch Netflix and nice bathroom. The Air Conditioner was very good, and that’s important for a hot and humid location. The hotel had a nice pool, a bar in the outdoor lobby area and on the top floor a nice deck where you can see pretty much the entire island and the ocean while relaxing. In the morning, they provided a continental breakfast for free that had bananas, oatmeal, yogurt and a few other items that was filling enough for us as we got up to tour. They held our bags during our tour day and really went above and beyond. We would definitely stay there again!
Dining in Caye Caulker
While staying in Caye Caulker we ate at two very different restaurants. On our first night after traveling, we headed across the street to the Barefoot Caribe Bar and Grill. They have a pier and outdoor area you can sit in and inside is still generally open air. It’s a locally owned restaurant. They have various international foods and Belizean twists on some. We tried the loaded nachos and then got a pineapple quesadilla that is Mexican with a Belizean twist. It all was really good and filling. The inside is nice, and the staff were attentive and friendly. If we are in the area, we would for sure try it again!
On our second day we explored the island and stopped for lunch at a Street Food shop called Ester’s Crab Chill Grill. They invited us to visit them on our way by. We usually do not buy food from street vendors even in the US due to the risk of “Stomach Issues”. We decided to try the Jerk Chicken with rice and peas fried plantains and street corn. It was really good. The Jerk Sauce tasted very flavorful and had a bit of spiciness to it. Ester’s had a couple grills and a small trailer for the seafood and other items. They had a few tables available and there were also a few more street food vendors in that particular area. The food prices we found are cheaper than other areas on the island. We had a great experience at Ester’s with the Jerk Chicken for lunch and it was great to mix in with some more locals as well. In general, though do be careful when ordering from street vendors around the world as there is always a risk of food poisoning. All was well for us at Ester’s though on our trip and the taste was great!
Exploring Caye Caulker
While on the caye we tried our first golf cart experience in Belize there and decided to explore the entire caye. We want to try in our travels to have a lesser impact related to our carbon footprint. So, we decided to rent our golf cart from Eco Beach Rides. They rent golf carts that run on solar power. The roof of the golf cart is a solar panel! We really liked the golf cart as it was quiet, and there of course were no fumes. The golf cart had blue tooth, so we listened to music as we explored. It was a very nice golfcart! Eco Beach Rides picked us up from the hotel and after we turned in the golf cart, they took us to the airport for our 6-minute flight to Ambergris Caye.
We decided to try to visit the Southern Caye from North to South and try to do a few things as we toured as well. There are not really many museums or large attractions on the island outside of its beauty. As we drove South, once we got past the airport it became pretty rural and the roads went from generally pave to dirt roads that were rocky and bumpy. We past by the small clinic with a larger sized golf cart as the ambulance for is Caye. Like Ambergris Caye cars are limited and on Caye Caulker its more restrictive. As we drove on, we decided to turn around due to the unpaved and very rocky roads to avoid tire issues even though the golf cart had large wheels for off-roading. We headed back North and visited “The Lazy Lizard” that is at the far Northern point of the Southern Caye Caulker Island. There are multiple bars and grills there and a swimming area. You can also see the Northern Island/Caye as well. Long ago there was no channel or split but occurred after a hurricane and man-made dredging. There are a few privately owned ferry services if you want to visit the Northern Island/Caye. They are good enough for golf carts and they are modified pontoon boats that can handle one golf cart and a few people to cross the split.
Tarpon Cove - Feeding the Tarpon
A very unique experience in Caye Caulker is feeding the very large Tarpon fish that hand out in a little cove. There is a dock with a small store that for a few dollars they will give you fish to feed to the Tarpon. You have to hold it carefully to make sure they don’t pull you in the water. We both fed multiple fish and a couple times the mouth went around each of our hands. They don’t have teeth so it did not hurt. The locals teaching us how to feed the fish and provided the fish were very friendly and helpful. It was unique and a great experience that you should do if you are there!
After feeding the Tarpon we spent the time visiting the craft market where we bought some local souvenirs, and actually went by the airport to watch a couple planes leave. They turn the planes around very quickly with the Tropic Air flight only spending at most 10 minutes on the ground. We passed by a Rastafarian home with many different leaders they considered good and bad in the world. They also had a variety of scripture written. After our lunch break and visiting much of the island it was time for us to head over to Ambergris Caye.
Leaving Caye Caulker on Tropic Air
Eco Beach Rides took us to the airport after we turned in our golf cart and we have a friendly conversation with a member of the staff as we left. He gave us the suggestion of visiting Secret Beach and CoCo Grande before we left. The terminal is nice on the island and the staff talked to us about Tropic Air and Belize in general. The check in process was very easy with giving us our boarding pass after looking at our reservation. We bought a few Tropic Air shirts from the staff and pretty shortly later we were heading off on our 6-minute flight to Ambergris Caye.
Caye Caulker Tour Options:
Leaving Belize from Ambergris Caye
On both of our trips it was relatively the same process that will most likely be a bit different now due to the addition of security checks on Belizean domestic flights due to a recent incident (2025) where an American man hijacked a flight with a knife. It was nice to kind of go back to a time where security was not so intense. We headed from the Mahagony Bay Resort on a taxi they called for us. The terminal for Tropic Air is the largest we have been to that is dedicated just for Tropic Air. They have their headquarters at the airport in San Pedro. The terminal is nice with a large aquarium inside. Since we got there early, they went ahead and put us on an earlier flight. On our second time on the island, we had a quick stop on Caye Caulker before heading to Belize City. On the flight, if you look closely when heading to Belize City while flying you can see stingrays swimming around the coral reef. Once we arrived in Belize City we headed in and checked in for our flight back to the US. We went through security and exit passport control. Do remember to fill out your exit form online and get your QR code like for when you enter to save some time. Afterwards we waited and did a bit of shopping at the airport and got some Pizza at the nice restaurant there before we headed on the couple hour flight home.
Belize Tips
For a small country with a small population there is a lot to do and great diversity in landscapes and people. In interior Belize you have dense rainforest, small mountains, ancient Mayan Cities and jungle rivers. You can find so many animals like howler monkeys. They also have coffee farms in Belize so you can try coffee from small coffee makers from a country that has great coffee, but you do not hear a lot about it. In the Cayes, you can enjoy snorkeling, sailing, and so many other great water and beach activities. The people are friendly and also very diverse. You will find Mennonites driving horse drawn carriages, the Garifuna culture that is a people of Caribbean and African descent that has it’s own distinct culture, and those of Spanish descent. You will also find expats from the US and other countries in this melting pot.
I highly recommend Tropic Air if you are looking to get to the Cayes or interior Belize that might take a long time by bus or transfer. They are a great airline from our experiences with great staff! Visiting by cruise is a great option to see different areas but staying there will allow you to see much more. Do try the local food and Marie Sharp’s if you like spicey things. Areas of Belize City can be dangerous, so if you visit the city take precautions. If you go with a guide then they will make sure you stay out of troubled areas. Be prepared for rain especially during the rainy season and Belize can get hit by hurricanes from time to time.
Belize is an amazing country that is well worth visiting. If you want to check it out before flying there, try out a cruise. Like us, you will want to come back and experience this beautiful country many more times!
If you are Interested in this trip:
Contact Donna or Jason Miller with ET Family Travel and we can help you book your dream trip today including customized trips, guided tours, cruises and much more. Our travel planning services are completely free if you book with us. Contact us at [email protected] or [email protected] to book today!
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