Belize is a bit of a strange case. It was a British settlement in the middle of Central America, which is mostly Spanish, and it’s a Caribbean country to boot. After becoming independent in 1961, the country stopped being known as British Honduras and changed its name to Belize in 1964.
Since then, it has become a more popular place for tourists to visit. The main reason for this is its beautiful shoreline, which has many beautiful beaches. The Belize Barrier Reef, which is the second biggest in the world after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, is the most beautiful thing in Belize.
There are a lot of different kinds of fish, coral, and other sea creatures living in the reef. In the spring, you can see whale sharks in the waves off of Belize and even swim with them.
There are many cultural treasures to be found in Belize. The country is full of the ruins of Mayan cities and temples, and it has national parks with cave networks and rainforests that can be hiked through. Also, Belizean culture, which is made up of Europeans, Creoles, Asians, and the native Garifuna and Mayan people, is a treasure in and of itself.
It’s possible to stay in a village, a town, a tropical island, or the mountains in Belize. You can choose to stay in any of them and then discover a beautiful and culturally rich country.
List of Best Places to Stay in Belize
Caye Caulker
The tiny island of Caye Caulker is a dream vacation spot because it has so many nice amenities for people who want to come. In just five square miles, there are more than 50 hotels, as well as many restaurants and bars.
Backpackers and tourists who come here will find a piece of heaven, as well as lots of fun things to do and places to eat and drink. Luckily, a lot of those places are cheap to moderate, so almost anyone can afford to visit this lovely place.
The island is split in half by a waterway that people call “the Split.” There is a nice bar and a pretty white-sand beach on the north side of this channel. Since this island is on the Belize Barrier Reef, you can use a snorkel to see lots of sea life in the shallow water. You can also visit mangrove areas in the north.
San Ignacio
San Ignacio is Belize’s second-largest town. It is in the central-western part of the country, in the western part of the Cayo District, which borders Guatemala. It’s a small place, but it has a lot of cultural things to offer. Nearby are the beautiful ruins of Xunantunich, which was abandoned by its people around 750 AD, and the mysterious remains of Cahal Pech, which was abandoned in the 9th century AD.
Both of these historical sites, as well as many others, are interesting places to walk around and look at the buildings that are thousands of years old. Besides that, people like to hike, cave and do other outdoor things in this area.
When you get back to town, San Ignacio has a lively local vibe, and Burns Avenue, the town’s main street, is a great place to start exploring the nearby streets with its bars and restaurants. Some cheap and mid-range hotels in town are also some 4 and 5-star hotels that are more out of the way and more like retreats.
Ambergris Caye
The town of San Pedro is located on the southern side of Ambergris Caye, which is Belize’s largest island. It is an interesting place to visit in this former British settlement. Most of the people who live there are from Mexico and came to San Pedro more than a hundred years ago to escape violence in their home country. Because of this, the language and customs are Hispanic. Another interesting fact about it is that Madonna got the idea for her song “La Isla Bonita” from it.
Since San Pedro is on an island, it is best known for its places to dive and swim. The reefs at Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley are two examples. Shark Ray Alley is named after the string rays and nurse sharks that live there. When you get back to town, you can walk along the sandy streets, eat tasty fish, and drink at bars by the beach. When it comes to places to stay, most are along the coast, but there are a few choices inland. They range from cheap to high-end.
Placencia
Placencia is in the Stann Creek District in the southeast of Belize. It is on the southern tip of the Placencia Peninsula. Another dream vacation spot that looks like heaven, this place is known for its culture, wide beaches lined with palm trees, and great marine life. You can take a boat out to the Belize Barrier Reef and find many places to dive.
Maya Beach is a great beach with white sand that does feel like a piece of tropical heaven. In the north, you can see more cultural sights, such as traditional drumming and dances. In Placencia Lagoon, you can even see saltwater crocodiles and manatees!
Placencia is mostly a quiet fishing village when it’s not a busy tourist spot (even Puritans came here from Nova Scotia in the 1700s). Most of the places to stay are cheap and easy to find, but there are a few nicer ones for those who want to splash out.
Belize City
Belize City is the biggest city in the country. It used to be the capital of Belize when the country was called British Honduras. Because of this, it’s a lively spot to stay while you’re in Belize.
Many things from its British past can still be seen. Some of these are the House of Culture Museum, which used to be the government building, the Museum of Belize, which is in a former prison, the brick-built St. John’s Cathedral, and the Swing Bridge, which is the oldest bridge of its kind in Central America and one of only a few still in use around the world.
These days, Belize City is known for more than just its buildings and past. Its Caribbean culture is lively and easygoing. But because it’s a big city, it’s also known for being poor and dangerous. Surprisingly few hotels are in town since it’s not a big tourist spot. Most of the hotels are in the middle price range and are near the coast in the eastern part of the city.
Hopkins
A Belizean magazine recently named Hopkins “The Friendliest Village in Belize.” Hopkins is also thought to be the center of the country’s Garifuna population, who are an Amerindian group that makes up a small part of Belize’s ethnic landscape. Hopkins is a lovely beach town on a long strip of land on the coast in the Stann Creek District. It also has an interesting cultural side.
There is a Hopkins Day and a Garifuna Independence Day in the town every year. There is drumming and dancing that goes late into the night!
You can take a boat from Hopkins to the Belize Barrier Reef in just 30 minutes and swim with many kinds of sea creatures, including sharks. For nature lovers, the Maya Mountains, which are about 20 minutes inland, are a great place to go on adventures and you might even find the remains of a Mayan civilization there. You could also just relax on the beach, do some stand-up paddleboarding, and do nothing. Hopkins has a surprising number of hotels, most of which are cheap or moderately priced.
