For many Belize remains a mystery, a piece of land in Central America that goes unnoticed. As small as captivating, Belize is a country full of contrasts that are grouped in a very interesting way. The traveler is trapped with Belize.
From Mexico, where I live, the feeling is “why travel to Belize? it is very poor and dangerous… ». Those of us who have crossed the border know that those opinions sometimes come from people who were not. Belize He falls in love with most travelers, a jewel of destiny.
Belize It is small, but full of contrasts and with an enviable nature. It is the country of Central America with more caverns, in fact Belize is like a gruyere cheese, where you can recreate yourself in the depths of the planet. Its just 300 kilometers from north to south and the 120 kilometers from the Caribbean to Guatemala, make it comfortable to travel. Its infrastructure is scarce, but the few roads that cross the country are enough, in addition to passing through beautiful landscapes.
It is the only country in Central America with only one coast, the Caribbean, which is part of the Mesoamerican reef, the second largest on the planet. A spectacular coastline where manatees, whale sharks, manta rays live ... spectacular reefs, dreamy keys and marine fauna to hallucinate. The majority of Creoles and Garífunas reside on the coast and in the keys, the black culture that marks the quiet passage of the Belizean coast.
This original land of maya, where you will discover ancient impressive cities, has been nourished by ethnic groups from different worlds: Maya (mopanes, quechí and yucatecos), the mestizos (descendants of Europeans and Amerindians), criollos o dark (descendants of Europeans and Africans form the largest group of an 30%), garifunas (descendants of Amerindians and Africans), Hindus y Chinese (mostly Taiwanese), belonging to British colonies who came to work for the British Honduras Company (former lobbyists), the menonists that they settled in different American countries fleeing Europe in the 17th century, in addition to expat from other places like the United States or Europe. They all form the attractive ethnic map of Belize, with a healthy coexistence without much contact between the groups. If you ask the general population who is believed to be the most original of Belize and something higher then the rest ... they will say Garífuna and Creoles, these groups are what mark the character of the country. All of them form the map of the 350.000 Belizeans, the least populated country in Central America.
The ethnic group that most attracts the attention of the traveler, despite being only the 4% of the population, are the Mennonites, Difficult to distinguish from the Amish, of less presence. They live under special conditions in Belize, with their churches, hospitals and schools, free of military service and pay taxes. They work as farmers and farmers, supplying the country with the 60% of basic products. They live in isolated communities, but you come across them on many occasions: suddenly you will pass a horse drawn cart with people in the style of the nineteenth century. Fascinating where beliefs take us.
In a country of so much cultural diversity, It is comforting to see how religions as disparate as Mennonite, Rastafarian, Mayan beliefs, Catholicism, Hinduism ... Belize It is very peculiar, with many details to be discovered in a very interesting trip on a cultural level. Belize is that, a range of cultures, languages, customs, religions and foods. What traveler would not like this attractive dish?
The majority of visitors to Belize are from the United States and Canada. Many arrive in organized groups and on cruises. Among backpackers it is becoming increasingly popular. The picture of Belize is the famous Blue Hole, inviting cover letter to want to know much more about this little stranger.
Belize it acceded to independence, and belongs to the Commonwealth, since September 1981. A young country that has been growing at a Caribbean pace. With a nature that makes this country a great playground for those who like adventure sports, hiking, wildlife, culture, diversity, fantastic beaches ... a small playground where I would not tire of playing, fantastic Belize !
Good way,
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what a nice article !! I would love to go to Belize
Thanks Virginia, the day you go if I can help you with information, count on it.
Hello good day we are planning to go in May we are Mexicans we fly from cdmx to Chetumal and we want to rent a car to go to Belize / Bacalar / Mahahual / Muyil / Calakmul we would like to spend 4 days in Belize recommending us places to go and if rent the car in Mexico for the whole week and enter with the Belize or rent in Belize greetings and I am aware of your kind response that you have excellent day
Hello Jorge,
Several friends have crossed over 4 days and have chosen to go to Cayo Caulker from Chetumal. From Cayo Caulker you have interesting sea excursions to see manatee, manta ray and dolphins. The bad thing is that from Cayo Caulker, if you want to go to know Lamanai, Altun Ha or some other place on the mainland, the tours are expensive. I do not know prices, but Belize on excursion is expensive. For 4 days I would choose a little between living in some key paying some excursion to the interior, or by car to the interior, because you are leaving the hours in frontiers and transports. From the interior, San Ignacio is a very interesting area, and on the way there you have several options for stops along the way. There are places on the coast, such as Dandriga, Hopkins or Plasencia, where you can experience the Garifuna environment of Belize, the blackest part of the country. The interior areas have a more Mennonite and Guatemalan atmosphere.
About the rental of cars in Belize I do not know prices and where to rent. I leave the link of the border that can give you some idea: https://www.elcaminomascorto.es/frontera-mexico-belice/
When you are going to outline your trip we are solving doubts if you want.
Very good trip, greetings travelers!
Hello! Thank you very much for all the posts from Belize. This summer I will visit the country crossing from Guatemala. I would like to know how to get around Belize. Do you recommend renting a car or using public transport?
All the best
Hello Raquel, sorry for the delay in answering, the web was blocked.
Public transport can help you move between the most important places, it is somewhat precarious. Once in the places, you should take tours to the tourist attractions. I cannot give you information about renting a car in Belize, I have always driven my own car and I do not have that information. I feel bad that I can't help you more.
Greetings travelers,
I am sending you more information from a friend who is just in Belize right now:
Let's talk about local transport ???? in Belize.
In Belize NO❌you can reserve the trucks online. There is no such option (yet).
⭕You can go to the terminal and buy them or get on the truck directly and then a person will come to collect (I recommend the second option more).
Buying them at the window does not guarantee you a place, the tickets do not come with a number of seats.
✅I consider that transportation is not expensive, Belize in general is an expensive country (for example, food is) but transportation is not.
☝️ You always pay in cash and local currency.
➡️From Chetumal in the new market the trucks leave to Belize (to various cities).
????These trucks take you to the border so that you can go to stamp your passport and "wait for you" then they continue on the road, and I put it in quotes because once I was there I saw that they don't wait for you haha especially foreigners, the Belizeans already know that they must go down super fast to form in the ranks and one who is a first-timer is half lost haha
The point is that the truck left us ???? (why the driver couldn't wait that long????) but he took us to the border for free because they hadn't charged yet ????
From the border small vans leave you in Corozal and from there you can take another truck.
I detail transportation expenses, to convert to Mexican pesos it is enough to add a zero at the end.
????Chetumal to Belize City 25 BZ pp (the bus that left us and we didn't pay????????)
Customs to Corozal 3 BZ pp
Corozal to Belize City 12 BZ pp
Belize City – San Ignacio 11 BZ pp
San Ignacio to Belmopan 4 BZ pp
Belmopan to Belize City 8 BZ pp
Belize City to Corozal 12 BZ pp