Essential Things To Know Before Traveling To Belize, Including San Ignacio & Caye Ambergris

Belize is a beautiful and diverse country with many unique experiences to offer travelers. However, there are some important things to keep in mind before embarking on your trip. Here are some tips and advice for a smooth and enjoyable trip to Belize.

Hands up, who’s heard of Belize? Be honest! I knew very little about Belize before I started researching for our 3-month vacation in Central America. Maybe it’s complete ignorance on my part, or maybe I was distracted in Geography class that day. I couldn’t picture what Belize looked like. Or what the people looked like, what language they spoke, and where in the bloody world it was located.

But, boy, am I glad we visited. I’ll be honest, my husband was very hesitant to visit Belize because it’s considered one of the more expensive destinations in Central America. I was very keen after seeing photos of the gorgeous Caye Caulker and reading about the super unique ATM Caves there. And thankfully, I got my way, as we both now consider Belize to be one of our favorite ever vacation spots.

All in, we spent around 2 weeks traveling through Belize, and below are all the tips we wish we’d known before traveling to Belize. We hope it helps you out!

Where is Belize?

Belize is a nation in Central America, off the coast of both Mexico and Guatemala. Belize is the only English-speaking country in Central America.

Oh, and it’s insanely beautiful, like a honeymoon brochure pretty; Google it seriously; I nearly passed out when I Google-imaged Belize the first time. It’s so gorgeous!

Even though Belize is located in Central America, it definitely has more of a Caribbean vibe. The locals even admit they identify more with Caribbean culture than Latin (Central American culture). They speak Creole and love a good barbecue.

Honestly, walk down the beach in Placencia, and food stall vendors will be shouting, “baby back ribs, get your ribs here”. Belizeans were the biggest characters from our travels: loud, passionate, and full of love and life.

What is there to do in Belize?

Even though Belize has picture-perfect beaches, you don’t want to spend your whole trip lying on the white sand drinking rum or a Belikin (the local beer). We didn’t mind the beer, but a local man once told us it tasted like “rusty water,” and he recommended a Dominican beer instead.

The best beach, in my opinion, is Placencia, but during the rainy season, there’s lots of seaweed on the shore. So, if you want to avoid the black stuff, be sure to visit from May to October.

For the adventure nut – Belize is heaven. There’s lots to do, from diving at the famous Great Blue Hole to swimming with whale sharks. We were meant to dive into the Blue Hole, but heard lots of horror stories from fellow travelers.

One Norwegian girl we met (who was a dive pro, might I add, and had completed something like 100 dives) passed out down there and had to be quickly brought to the surface. To make a long story short, she essentially died and had to be brought back to life. Eeek!

After hearing that and countless others’ feedback, we decided against doing it. Mainly, because it’s really expensive and we were backpackers on a budget. Also, I’ve never dived before (my ears hurt too badly down there). Plus, there are hammerhead sharks in the hole. Sharks are my greatest fear, by the way.

Unfortunately, it was off-season for us to swim with the Whale Sharks – this is something I want to go back and do. However, two once-in-a-lifetime things we completed whilst in Belize were exploring the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) caves and diving the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Read more about these amazing activities below.

Our favorite things to do in Belize

1. ATM Caves

The ATM Caves (aka Actun Tunichil Muknal Caves) is a 7 km cave system that was used as a Mayan burial site, so there are lots of skulls and skeletons inside. The caves are uber-important to the local people, so you can’t just rock up at the cave and go in yourself; you have to book a tour with a registered tour guide (there are only 15 guides who can do this tour, so be sure to book ahead).

We got lucky because the owner of the campsite we were staying at was friends with one of the guides, and so we booked his tour quite easily. Otherwise, you can book the tour at any travel agency in San Ignacio (the nearest town to the caves).

Most of the cave system is filled with water, really deep water like a swimming pool, and you must hike 2km through the jungle to get to the entrance of the cave. So being fit is highly recommended. The caves are really dark, so you have to wear a headlamp at all times.

Once inside the cave, it’s surreal, as if you’re in an Indiana Jones movie or something. There are different chambers inside with skulls and bones and old Mayan artifacts scattered everywhere. Everything is left exactly how it was when the first explorers found it.

You also aren’t allowed to bring cameras into the cave (which is why we don’t have any photos of the inside). Because once upon a time, a tourist dropped his camera on one of the really important skulls and made a massive indentation. Damn tourists. Honestly, ATM caves have to be seen to be believed.

My tour suggestion for the ATM Caves:

This full-day tour from San Ignacio has over 130 5-star rating reviews, and it’s very similar to the one we did. It costs from $145 USD per person. It includes round-trip transport, a local guide, and a riverside lunch.

2. Diving the Hol Chan Marine Reserve

The Hol Chan Marine Reserve is like the Great Barrier Reef but better. I’ve dived at Australia’s Great Barrier Reef three times, and this dive in Belize trumps it massively. Sorry Australia! The best way to do the tour is from the island of Caye Caulker. I highly recommend staying a couple of days on the island; it’s backpacker-central but looks like your own slice of paradise. There are also lots of yummy food places here.

Anyway, we completed our dive with Carlos Tours, who doesn’t have a website, unfortunately. But I’m sure your accommodation will be able to arrange a tour with Carlos for you.

My tour suggestion for Hol Chan:

This Hol Chan snorkeling tour visits one of the most famous spots in the reserve – Shark Ray Alley, which, yep, you guessed, is home to dozens of reef sharks and stingrays. This well-rated tour is 5 hours long and includes snacks, a guide, and transport to the boat from Belize City. It costs from $90 USD per person, which is a great value for money.

3. Belize Zoo Night Tour

We also stayed the night at Belize Zoo, actually staying at the zoo in a wooden cabin. It was such a unique experience, and we could hear the animals growling, etc, throughout the night. We did a night tour while there, which started around 6 pm. This is the best time to do a tour at the Zoo as most of the animals here are nocturnal, meaning they come to life at night.

Belize Zoo is not like a normal zoo because most of the animals here have been rescued from crazy Belizean owners who decided one day they wanted a pet Jaguar, for example, and then didn’t know what the hell to do with it, so they gave it to the zoo.

You’ll find jaguars, tapirs, coatamundis, crocodiles, and more here!

Belize Zoo’s motto is the best little zoo in the world, and I have to agree.

4. Visit the Xunantunich Ruins

The Xunantunich ruins are one of the most famous Mayan ruins in Belize – at its peak, this “city” was home to around 200,000 people. The Castillo is the shining star of these ruins; it’s the tallest structure here, and you can climb to the top of it and take in the views.

Xunantunich means “stone woman,” and the ruins are aptly named because the ghost of a woman is said to haunt the Castillo! These ruins were first discovered in 1890, and surprisingly, excavations still continue to this day!

➡️ They are notoriously hard to reach and are located around 70 miles from Belize City, so your best way to get here is to book a guided tour. We did this guided tour to Xunantunich Ruins, which leaves from San Ignacio and is 3 – 4 hours long. It costs from $85 USD per person.

5. Relax at Placencia Beach

Located on the Southern Coast, Placencia Beach is one of the most popular (and most beautiful) beaches in Belize. We spent 4 nights here, just chilling out on the white sand beach, going for lazy strolls through the small town and harbor area, and eating good food.

It’s a famous spot to go swimming with whale sharks as the waters surrounding Placencia are teeming with these majestic creatures between March and June. From here, you can also go hiking in nearby Bocawina National Park or go on a boat tour along the Monkey River, where you can spy howler monkeys.

A great, but splurge-worthy restaurant here is the one at the Turtle Inn (which is owned by Francis Ford Coppola).

6. Chill out on Caye Caulker

One of the main reasons we came to Belize was to spend some time on Caye Caulker, a laid-back island that’s known for its epic diving, colorful wooden buildings, and stunning beaches. The motto here is “Go Slow” and that perfectly encapsulates the pace of life here.

We spent our days here wandering the town’s sandy streets, stopping along our walk for a coffee (we really liked Ice & Beans Cafe). It’s really easy to walk around Caye Caulker as there are no cars (just golf carts and the odd small delivery truck to watch out for) and it’s really small – just 5 miles by one mile.

Our favorite restaurants on the island included Wish Willy Bar & Grill (they have awesome BBQ food) and Meldy’s (famous for her fried chicken).

While you’re here, you also HAVE to try fryjacks (deep-fried pieces of dough) – they are a traditional Belizean breakfast dish. One of the best spots on Caye Caulker to try there is Errolyn’s House Of Fryjacks – it’s tiny but super-popular!

7. Explore Ambergris Caye

From Caye Caulker, we decided to get the ferry over to Ambergris Caye, which has a very luxurious vibe. It’s the most developed of Belize’s islands and attracts a wealthy clientele. It’s a great place to shop as there are several boutique stores here. And Secret Beach, a popular beach, is a great place to spend a lazy afternoon.

P.S. History fans will want to check out the Marco Gonzalez Maya Site for a peek into the island’s past.

8. Experience a different side of Belize in San Ignacio

San Ignacio is a naturally stunning town nestled in the Cayo District. It’s from here that you can explore the famous ATM Caves or visit the mighty Xunantunich Mayan Ruins. The Macal River runs through the town, and this is a popular swim spot for locals and you can also go kayaking on it. We spent many an afternoon, sitting on the river’s stony shore, admiring the scenery and watching out for birds like Green Kingfishers and Mangrove Swallows.

There’s also a great little market that’s held along the banks of the Macal River – Saturday is the best day to visit as this is when there’s the most stalls. Artists and farmers come from all over Belize to sell their goods here!

As for where to dine out in San Ignacio – we loved the Guava Limb, which is considered to be one of the best restaurants in Belize.

9. Spend a day in Belize City

Belize City is the biggest city on the island. It was once Belize’s capital. But, after a hurricane in 1961 destroyed Belize City officials made the decision to make Belmopan the capital.

It’s the most populated city in Belize (with around 65,000 people calling the city home). So, it’s a great place to see if you’re keen to see how the locals really live. I’ll be honest, we only stayed the night in Belize City as we had a boat to catch to Caye Caulker the next morning. But we did spend a few hours in the afternoon, admiring the colonial architecture in the downtown area. Two must-see buildings here include St. John’s Cathedral and the Museum of Belize.

For dinner, we really liked our meal at Bird’s Isle restaurant on Albert Street. It has a lovely outdoor seating area.

Best Places to Stay in Belize

In Placencia:

We stayed at Lydia’s Guesthouse, a two-storey hostel that’s situated right on the beachfront. It’s on the quiet part of the beach, so you’ll often find you have it to yourself. And to walk into Placencia town will take around 10 minutes along the sandy boardwalk. There are six private rooms here (which we stayed in) and six dorm rooms. The bathrooms are shared, but there’s one on each floor.

In Belize City:

We stayed at the Golden Bay Belize Hotel, a lovely small hotel with sea views. Our room here was spacious. And they have a rooftop bar, where we had a drink before heading out for dinner.

On Caye Caulker:

We spent 4 nights at Caye Caulker Plaza Hotel, a 3-star hotel that’s just 200 meters from the beach. Our room came with a balcony, which was nice to sit out on in the evening and watch the sunset. They also have dorm rooms available here, if you’re on a budget.

In San Ignacio:

We stayed at Mana Kai Camping & Cabins, which is just on the outskirts of town, close to the river. It was a really peaceful place to stay, and our room was a small wooden cabin. From the little balcony of our cabin, we were able to watch hummingbirds, green parrots, woodpeckers, and toucans.

A special mention goes to Yellow Belly Backpackers. Which is regarded by many as one of the best hostels in Central America! They have both private and dorm rooms with AC. And overall, it’s a really social place to stay.

Getting to Belize

We came from Guatemala to Belize via a tiny speedboat. The boat leaves from Puerto Barrios in Guatemala and arrives at Punta Gorda in Belize. The journey is around an hour, and it cost us around $50 USD one-way.

Please note that you will need to clear Guatemalan Immigration before being allowed on the boat. The Immigration building is one block from the Municipal Pier. Here, you must pay an exit fee of $10 USD.

But you can fly from London Heathrow to Belize City – there are indirect options only available. Stops in LAX and Atlanta airports are common stopovers on this route. Most major airports in the U.S. fly direct to Belize City.

It’s also worth noting that on entry to Belize, you are required to show where you are staying for your first night. So, you will need to have at least your first night’s accommodation booked in advance and have that ready to show to Belizean immigration.

Thanks for Reading!

Hope you enjoyed this detailed list of things to know before traveling to Belize. It’s a long piece, I know, so if you stuck with it, thanks a bunch.

Before you go, you may also enjoy reading some of my most popular blog posts, like –

Why Travel to Cuba – 11 of our Favorite Reasons

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El Salvador Travel Guide – Everything You Need to Know

10 Reasons to Visit El Salvador

Last Updated on December 9, 2025 by snaphappytravel