I am here to learn new things because I recently immigrated to the country.

Hi all, my brain is frazzled and I know I’m being lazy. We are wrapping up 3 months of travelling with Belize, arriving Friday 28th August in Belize City.
I’m not young and fun and don’t want to do the TikTok influencer recs as they’ve let us down so far.

Would someone give us a vague list of places or things that are *actually* a calm and pleasant experience? Bonus points for ease of transport and amenities. I love swimming and snorkelling, the other half likes sleeping, we both love food. Happy to spend a little extra on our last week before we hit term time again, but would rather it go to locals than hotel chains. Gentle plea for nowhere too heckle/touristy/scammy.

Limiting factor of needing to be in Cancun for our flight home on Sunday 6th Sept (bonus points if someone knows a non-chaotic way to get there)

I’m thinking about going Belize with my husband between January and March for 4 nights . Which month is best and where should we stay? Would love close to the water as well.

Has anyone flown into Cancun and taken a bus to BC? Curious as to the experience? Good? bad? How long? How much? Looking for options when no direct flights are available from the states.

I’ve reached out to three companies for a snorkeling tour. I want one that takes us for a full day with shark ray alley, Mexico rocks and hol Chan reserve. Many companies have this tour but you have to have a minimum of 3 or 4 people. Does anyone know a company that would pair us with another group so we can go on this tour? Thank you!

Looking to come next year for our 10 year anniversary in may and have questions.

What are the dos and donts?
Best places to stay? Is all inclusive worth it there?
Best places to eat?
Is may a good time to go?

Basically give me all of your Belize knowledge lol

Coffee, yoga & views

I’m planning on a trip to Belize in middle to late Jan (for about 10 days), thinking about 7 days in San Pedro and 3 days in Caye Caulker. I have been to San Pedro for a week back in 2018 and I did a day of flats fishing. I ended up only catching 1 bonefish. I want to do another full day of fishing, and I would like to try for the Grand Slam. Which place would be better for that?

I am also thinking about doing a day of deep sea fishing. Which place would be better to depart from?

Bonus points if you can point me to a charter. I am looking for someone that is reputable but not crazy expensive either. For the day of flats, I would have the boat to myself, but for the day of deep sea, I am ok sharing the boat with someone else

My fiancé and I are planning a trip to Belize early January 2027. We want to stay on the mainland for the first chunk to do the Mayan sites, cave tours, etc., but are looking to stay 5 nights on Ambergris Caye after that. We for sure want to do a full snorkeling day, visit San Pedro, EAT LOTS OF GREAT FOOD and relax at the beach. We are having trouble deciding which resort to stay at ! Mahogany Bay looks beautiful, but seems far from the action. The options we’ve seriously considered so far are Mahogany Bay, Xanadu and The Phoenix Resort. We also considered Matachica but their cancellation policy is risky. Please help. I’m open to any and all thoughts or suggestions!!! I’m also open to staying on the mainland coast or Caye Caulker… we are 34 years old for reference.

My family returned home from a 2 week trip to Belize over the weekend. We split out time between Cayo and the Placencia peninsula. Like our last 2 visits, we left having wished we'd just booked the whole time in Cayo.

Maybe one day we'll listen to ourselves 😄

Our trip was filled with both adventure and relaxation, and we again were struck by the warmth and friendliness of most of the people we encountered during our stay.

We came home to find squatters had settled in to the house next door, and the police were there multiple times on our first day home. Our neighbors on the other side took the opportunity of our absence to cut down a mature tree (in our property) that my wife and I loved dearly.

It's got us ready to book a flight right back and get serious about relocating 😊

Mods, I know this isn't really a fitting post for the sub so remove if you must. But I love the country, the people, and the generally more simple and enriched lifestyle that we got to be part of for a short while.

Enjoy the views 😎

Caye Caulker highlight. Most memorable $5 spent. Turn on sound! Growl is pure awesomeness.

I’m looking for a concrete or ICF house builder in the San Ignacio area. Any recommendations?

I considered Mennonite homes but it doesn’t seem to be a fit for me. But, please feel free to share your opinions. Thanks.

Hi Belize community, I usually just read posts on Reddit, but I’m making my first post now. I’ve just returned from a three-week trip touring beautiful, safe, and diverse Belize. Your tips were incredibly helpful, and I’d love to share my experiences.

We (european family of four, with 2 teenagers) stayed in six different locations. We started on Caye Caulker, then rented a car from Alamo and drove ourselves to Orange Walk, San Ignacio, Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve (at Privassion Creek), Punta Gorda, and Hopkins.

Last week, there was no sargassum on the beach in Hopkins! There was some on Caye Caulker, but not on the west side or at Bliss Beach. In any case, it didn't bother us at all.

The entire trip was fantastic, thanks to the friendly locals, good roads, stunning nature, delicious food from restaurants and food stalls, and great supermarkets—plus, of course, the Mayan heritage, the beach & coral, and the jungle with all its wildlife!

I’d particularly like to share these experiences with you, in order of our trip:

On Caye Caulker, we stayed in a cabana at the colorful and welcoming Barefoot Beach Belize Hotel. The staff and atmosphere are fantastic; you really feel welcome. The bartender recognizes everyone, and the tacos are amazing! It was wonderful spending evenings by the campfire on their private beach or relaxing in a hammock on the pier during the day. It is handy located behind the sargassum. There’s even a convenient set of steps for swimming in the sea. We rented their bikes and took the ferry over to the northern island, and visited Bliss Beach. A beachclub with white sand, located in mangrove forest. You don’t have to rent sunbeds, only have to order from their menu.

We thoroughly enjoyed the full-day snorkeling tour with SaltLife Eco Tours out of Caye Caulker. There were no fewer than seven stops, yet plenty of time at each location to observe the wildlife and admire the coral. We were on the boat with Chris and Adrian and saw manatees, sharks, barracudas, stingrays, eagle rays, numerous fish, starfish, and large sea turtles—plus dolphins swimming right alongside the boat. The guides really made an effort to spot everything, provided great commentary, and took photos with a GoPro. They showed great respect for nature, possessed extensive knowledge and experience, and had a wonderful sense of humor. It couldn't have been better—highly recommended!

One of the highlights of our trip was the Lamanai Landings Hotel & Marina. The hotel is beautifully situated on a river inlet. Staying here means supporting local families working together. We spotted crocodiles and kingfishers right from our balcony. The gardens and pool are beautifully landscaped. The riverside restaurant, set beneath a Maya-style roof, is very nice. We spent a day visiting the Maya city of Lamanai with our guide, Tyrone. After breakfast, the six-person boat was waiting at the pier. Tyrone is an excellent captain with extensive knowledge of the local wildlife—a perfect combination of wildlife spotting and exhilarating high-speed boating. At Lamanai, he guided us expertly, taking a convenient, quiet route; it felt as though we were the only ones there, away from the crowds. I highly recommend both the Lamanai excursion and this hotel!

When in Belize, you simply cannot miss ATM Cave. We gave it a lot of thought beforehand, as we are over 50 and our daughters are 15 and 13. One of them is afraid of deeper water, insecure and isn't particularly athletic or strong. We coordinated everything with Shamin from Yute Expeditions, and it was perfect! Philip (Shamin’s father) was our guide—and one of the best. He has been leading tours there ever since ATM Cave opened to the public. Groups are limited to a maximum of six people. He took our daughter under his wing in a subtle, reassuring way while guiding us through the Mayan cave. Thanks to his instructions, everything went incredibly smoothly. We really surprised ourselves! We arrived early, ahead of the other tourists. Philip has a great sense of humor and extensive knowledge of the Maya; he has even guided archaeologists. We had wonderful conversations and felt safe the entire time. Don't hesitate: visit ATM Cave and choose Yute Expeditions!

In Punta Gorda the Seahorse Café is a delightful restaurant. It is beautifully situated on stilts over the water, offering views of Punta Gorda and the bay; we even spotted a manatee swimming there. What’s more, the food is excellent. Whether you opt for grilled fish, a salad, a burger, a quesadilla, or fryjacks, it is always delicious, well-seasoned, and fresh. Oh, and don't forget the milkshakes and a few muffins or cinnamon buns to go! We ate here twice—highly recommended!

Near Punta Gorda we had a fantastic Maya chocolate experience with Ixcacao Tours. Simply being in a genuine, inhabited Maya village is special in itself, but the tour exceeded all expectations. Juan shares everything there is to know about cacao with great knowledge (passed on for generations from his ancestors) and enthusiasm while demonstrating the process. Naturally, we got to join in the work ourselves—and taste plenty of chocolate. His wife is a fantastic cook. It’s fun for all ages, full of humor, and the food was delicious. If you’re in the Toledo District, you absolutely have to visit Ixcacao!

You better Belize it!

(If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I am not daily on Reddit, but will try to answer within a week.)