Barts Best of Belize: the Central American country in five parts, a tour
Ah, Belize, the Central American country may not immediately come to mind when you're making your vacation plans, but it's a great idea to change that right now! Belize, one of the smallest countries in Central America, is also one of the most surprising, special and versatile countries in Central America. It borders southern Mexico and eastern Guatemala. The first, the southern border with Mexico, means that you will probably not be surprised when we present you with pictures of pearly white beaches, bowls full of nachos and colorful cocktails, nor when we tell you that it is a paradise for divers and snorkelers. Quelle surprise indeed. But then we come to that second part: Belize has extensive jungles, mountain areas, an impressive cultural heritage, beautiful nature reserves and numerous waterfalls. O! And exotic animals! So we just saw, no joke, a jaguar in the wild (safely in our , which we rented through Booking.com: everything in one go, very handy).
We also found that car indispensable: we learned that Belize is ideal for a (very cool!) tour. This way you can clearly see how versatile Belize is and you won't miss (almost) anything. How? For example: Barts Best of Belize: the Central American country in five parts, a tour.
Anyone who goes to Belize will logically fly away Belize City. You can of course spend a night here, but it must be said: the best of the country will not be found in the capital. Renting a car is easy as the airport is small and well-organized, and even the domestic flights (you fly with a very small plane; exciting and not really sustainable of course) are well organised.
Then you might want to know when is the best time to go and how to get there. We got you: December to April is the best time to travel to Belize. There is not (yet) a direct flight from the Netherlands, but via Atlanta (note: make sure you have arranged your ESTA forms, otherwise you will not be allowed to travel via America) or via Panama (tip: make it a long transfer of about three days - Panama is fun!) there are very good connections.
But when we are in Belize City, what do we do? In that case, be sure to visit the museums. Belize is the melting pot of Central America: there are 12 ethnic groups, including many Mayans, large immigrant communities from Guatemala and the Garifuna, or black Belizeans. Belize is the heart of the Mayan civilization, which is home to a range of traditional cultures. Museums can be found in Belize City and Liberta, a city in Northern Belize, near the Mexican border.
Local dishes? Casave. Everything casava. Cassava bread, casava chips (nachos-esk), cassava wine and, okay, plantain puree with coconut milk. A tip in the city? Martha's Café is a good example of a local restaurant with a more European standard. We already think so The Biltmore Bistro (in a Best Western hotel) also a very nice tip: a carefree and good open-air restaurant in the hotel.
From Belize City you take the boat (this can be done by car; very simple and self-explanatory) to one of the islands of Belize. Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye are the best known, of which the last, Ambergris, is often simply San Pedro is called, which is actually the capital of the island. Do you know that again (it took us a while before we realized that this is the same). Ambergris Caye is known for its youthful backpackers and surfing culture. Totally fun of course!
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We skipped Ambergris Caye and opted for the smaller Caye Caulker: crazy! The beautiful island is wonderful for a few days and anyone who loves shrimp/langoustines will probably dream for years about the fresh catch that he/she ate straight from the barbecue. Promise. On the island you will stay in one of the simple ones cabins on the beach: you really can't go wrong, although in this article we give... the best hotels in Belize some great tips. Even better: most of these hotels have Booking.com's Sustainable Travel badge, a very good and smart tool when choosing your hotel(s). With the introduction of the unique badge, Booking.com makes it easier for everyone to make more sustainable travel choices. On the accommodation page you can see what steps the accommodation has taken towards a more sustainable stay. And further? Furthermore, diving, snorkeling, lounging on the beach and enjoying the sun and sea are key here: in short, the ultimate holiday.
Follow the smell of the barbecue! Once up Caye Caulker that's really all that matters. The shrimp are prepared fresh from the sea on the beach and it doesn't get any tastier. If you do one thing, do this.
From Caye Caulker you can easily reach the next island, Ambergris Caye. Far away from the hustle and bustle of San Pedro, it should be Mambo Restaurant, part of the Matachica resort, one of the most relaxing places on Ambergris Caye. Glistening sea, white beach and 25 thatched cottages (plus a two-bedroom villa) in Matisse colours. The beach casitas are the best: there's nothing like going straight from bed to private patio to beach and stepping into the turquoise shallows. But that's not what we came for: we came for the scallops, lobster and a delicious local snapper with salsa fresca.
From Belize City it is about a two-hour drive to the main city (what we would rather call a village; it is not very big) of the Cayo district: San Ignacio, Belize. Nature lover Slash adventurer? Not going is not an option. The environment here is impressive, to say the least, from the vast jungle (which you cannot enter on your own: you can only do so with guidance/a tour) via the ancient Mayan ruins to the beautiful hotels in the middle of the greenery (good luck with choosing: we list below a few of our favorites in this corner of Belize).
Just a 10-minute drive away you will find the enormous Xunantunich: a Mayan ruin that you can visit yourself (on your own). It is a beautiful Mayan complex in the woods where you can wander around – tip: go in the morning before the crowds. Just the road there is fun: you cross a narrow river with a simple, hand-operated ferry.
Most tours are organized from San Ignacio to explore the area (your hotel can arrange this) and that's a party! This way you can go from here to the Actun Tunichil Muknal: a cave where you can swim and clamber and where the guide will tell you quite surprising stories about (human) sacrifices and more.
There are also several nature parks, bird and butterfly gardens zoos in the area – very nice for those with kids is! The daily market (except on Sundays) is also a nice outing, as is a visit to the adjacent village of San Antonio.
We started with the delicious Ka'Ana resort just outside San Ignacio, Belize, highly recommended! You can read how and what here.
We spent an afternoon with it Blancaneaux Lodge, from the same owners (and not just any owners: Francis Coppela & co run three hotels with great enthusiasm (1 of which self catering private island) as The Turtle Inn (more about The Turtle Inn). More about Blancaneaux Lodge you read here.
We spontaneously walked in Table Rock Lodge. Out of curiosity, we spontaneously decided to stay one night: what a place! We were lucky that there was one room left: a house with two bedrooms connected by a bathroom and in the middle of the jungle. What an experience! You walk through the resort via winding paths, stairs and bridges, and you arrive at a fabulous infinity swimming pool and at the river where you can raft down in a tube.
On the way to Placencia, which we thought was the most wonderful (seaside) town of all (thanks in no small part to the beautiful addresses where we stayed), we made a pit stop in Hopkins Village – a good tip we received! This authentic coastal town is a good place to experience more of traditional Garifuna culture. On the beach (mainly) women prepare cassava bread. That takes two days to prepare!
For a very nice and delicious lunch, go to Ella's Cool Spot: here it is the Caribbean at its best, in combination with delicious, traditional dishes.
The Placencia Peninsula – 'pleasant place' the Spanish called it – is a tangle of beaches, mangroves and lagoons (just over the horizon is the second largest living coral reef in the world) and lively boulevards and is the most colorful we have ever seen. saws. En O boy, how did we love (love love love) Placencia, Belize. We stayed in a handful of dream hotels (as far as we are concerned, always the recipe for a wonderful time, enthusiasts that we are), we cruised across the entire peninsula by bike, overtaken by Americans in golf carts driving one condo (and apparently can't ride a bike) and stared at the unparalleled sunsets and dawns. Because that's what you do at Plancencia: be. Be carefree. Just like the locals. We thought it was a bit like 'the new Tulum', but from years (and years and years and years) ago. Hip without realizing it. Delicious without being complicated. Averse to FOMO (because everything is nice and clear).
Until we meet again, Belize, because we have not yet completed our tour.
Have you seen the film Casablanca by any chance? Then you have to Rick's Café have stayed with you, an almost mythical place where idealists, romantics and wanderers joined. And now just leave Rick's Café in Placencia Village, Belize. Ha! you can eat a very tasty quesadilla there. Recommended.
Two doors down from Miramar Suites De'Tatch you don't want to miss this breakfast spot on the beach. At least we did, but according to many, you haven't been to Belize if you haven't eaten some of the best Belizean seafood in the area in the thatched cabana on Placencia beach.
We were not very impressed with the food Tipsy Tuna, We thought it was one of the nicest places to sit - also worth something!
We were very impressed with the food The Turtle Inn and Itz'Ana. Both hotels have a restaurant where you can have a wonderful evening even without an overnight stay. You can read more here: the best hotels in Belize.
Okay, another bonus, number 6. We haven't been here ourselves, but little birdies everywhere, and we also got the Toledo district as a tip (if only we had the time…). Even further south than Placencia you will find two crazy jungles here lodges amid Mayan ruins, spectacular cave systems, coffee plantations and the Punta Gorda market where Mennonites (we saw many white, strictly church families in Belize) in sober clothing negotiate with Caribbean moms in tropical skirts. The beach is only a few kilometers away. The rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the rainforest and birds. The Belcampo Lodge is highly recommended here, just like the Copal Tree Lodge (photos). The latter has its own tea and coffee roasting facility and is immediately listed on the wishlist for a next visit to Belize (which is also on the wishlist stands).
