"2 Weeks in Laid Back Belize" Belize by windsorgirl

Belize Travel Guide: 2,926 reviews and 5,309 photos

Beautiful Belize

Belize is a very small country, it is only slightly larger than Massachusetts and there are only 250,000 people living here.

Many people come to Belize for the beautiful islands and fantastic snorkelling and diving off of the world's second largest reef.
However, Belize also boasts tropical jungles with Mayan ruins hidden within. In the western mountains of Belize you will also find monkeys and birds and over 250 species of orchid.

My two weeks in Belize were split between the jungles near San Ignacio and the beaches of Caye Caulker. I hope if you consider a visit to Belize, that you will plan for time to see both parts of this beautiful country.

What You Need To Know

morpho butterfly in Cayo District

Belize is an english speaking country. It used to be known as British Honduras, until Belize gained independence in 1981 and it took on its new name.

Belize is located on the Yucatan Peninsula directly south from Cancun, Mexico. Many visitors find cheap flights into Cancun then, travel by bus into Belize. Guatemala borders the west and south of Belize.

Although Belize has its own currency, the Belizean dollar, just about everyone will accept American dollars instead. Conversion is an easy $2BZ for $1US. I had been warned that Belize would be expensive compared to Mexico or Guatemala, but I still found it quite cheap. Very nice rooms can be found for $30US/night, and I stayed in clean rooms with private bath for $30BZ/night. I also never paid more than $10US for a good meal incl beverage.

island street scene

Getting around was easy enough and also very cheap, however it was a bit uncomfortable and crowded riding on the dilapidated American school buses that serve as local bus transport. The price of gasoline is quite high in Belize and the majority of the population is quite poor so most people depend on the buses for their daily commute.

Last visit to Belize: Mar 2005
Intro Updated Apr 1, 2005
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Reviews (6)

Visit the Reef Things to Do (6)

Belize is home to the second largest coral reef in the world at 290 miles long. Along the reef are countless cayes, both... more travel advice

Caye Caulker Things to Do (6)

No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem. This is the motto of Caye Caulker and life takes on a much slower pace here. Spending... more travel advice

Visit Mayan Ruins Things to Do (6)

Belize has many Mayan sites of significant importance that you can easily visit either on your own or with a guided... more travel advice

swing bridge over the Mopan River - Belize

Visit San Ignacio in the Cayo District Things to Do (6)

The Cayo District is located west of Belize City along the Guatemalan border. It is the largest district in Belize (a... more travel advice

Travelogues (1)

Written Apr 1, 2005

8 photos

Birds of Belize

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Comments (4)

crewsada Nov 29, 2006 at 4:11 PM Report Abuse

You have some great piccies from Belize makes me lust for a decent camera now
Bwana_Brown Nov 17, 2005 at 8:17 AM Report Abuse

I don't know how I missed this page for so long!! An excellent overview of Belize, and you have me convinced it is worth a visit. My wife are heading down for 2+ weeks in February. Thanks for the great tips!!
tpangelinan Mar 26, 2005 at 11:55 AM Report Abuse

I love the Keel Billed Toucan and the Night Heron! Very nice bird shots!
JetlagCity Mar 25, 2005 at 3:15 PM Report Abuse

An excellent overview of the diverse things to see and do in Belize, and a really gorgeous butterfly shot! Between two trips I've mostly seen Mayan ruins and snorkelled - next time (& there WILL be a next time) I want to focus more on jungle animals!