A Mini Guide to Exploring Belize

Belize may be smaller than the state of Vermont, but there’s a lot to explore. Located just south of Mexico’s fabled Yucatan Peninsula, Belize has it all – beaches, mountains, jungles, rainforests, and hundreds of offshore islands.

What kind of experience you want to have in Belize depends on your style of vacationing. In this mini-guide, we’ll give you a quick tour of all the amazing things you can see and do in this country.

The Islands

Islands in Belize are known as cayes (pronounced “keys”). The most popular tourist destination in the country is Ambergris Caye. Its capital of San Pedro is the best place to enjoy seafood as well as head to the reef for activities like snorkeling, windsurfing, fishing, sailing, scuba diving, and sea kayaking.

Caye Caulker is much smaller, but it’s just a few miles off the coast from Belize City. With crystal clear waters, Caye Caulker is a great place for scuba diving and snorkeling. It’s also near some of the best diving, fishing, and snorkeling areas of the reef.

Inland

San Ignacio is Belize’s second-largest town and is the gateway to the western Cayo District. About a 90-minute drive from Belize City, San Ignacio is a bustling market town. It’s also really close to a lot of ancient Maya ruins, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Tikal just over the border in Guatemala.

Inland Belize is where you can enjoy great outdoor activities like horseback riding, bird watching, zip lining, and cave tubing (floating down subterranean rivers while aboard an inner tube).

The Coast

Probably the top spot on the coast is the Placencia Peninsula in southeastern Belize. About a four-hour drive from Belize City, Placencia has some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. It’s also located close to many of the top national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in Belize.

Other places like Dangriga and Hopkins are great places to learn more about the culture of Belize. Both Dangriga and Hopkins are home to the Garifuna people, a unique Afro-Caribbean culture famous for its music, drumming, and dance.

Food

Many people aren’t sure what to expect when it comes to food in Belize. But you better “Belize-it” that nobody ever goes home hungry! Belize is famous for its street food, which you can find in every town and village.

Staples in Belize include fresh-caught seafood, fresh produce, and Caribbean favorites like beans and rice. And for breakfast, be sure to try out fry jacks, Belize’s version of pancakes.

Drinks

On a hot day, many people enjoy a refreshing Belikin beer, made right in Belize. Other popular beverages include rum, rum cocktails, and a medley of fresh-squeezed juices. Oh, and be sure to try out Belize’s famous seaweed milkshake!

If you’d like to enjoy a wonderful vacation in Belize, book your stay at Black Orchid Resort today. Located just 30 minutes from the international airport, Black Orchid Resort has gorgeously appointed suites and villas and is located close to all of the top attractions in the country.