Belize
Two places I explored, two routes that actually work, and the practical page. I wish someone had handed me that the first time.
Updated September 2026
What nobody tells you before you land
Belize is the odd one out in Central America: the only English-speaking country in the region, a former British colony where the Caribbean meets the jungle. On the coast it feels like the islands — reggae, seafood and the second-longest barrier reef in the world. Inland it turns to rainforest, rivers and Maya temples still half-buried in the trees.
It's a small country, and that's its gift: you can walk the jungle and snorkel the reef in the same week. The two routes below split it honestly — the west, where I spent most of my time among the Maya ruins around San Ignacio, and the cayes, the laid-back islands off the coast. No altitude, no long overland hauls, and English everywhere.
Fact sheet
Everything practical, on one page
Itineraries
Two routes that actually work
Four days is enough for the jungle and the Maya ruins of the west. Seven adds the cayes and the barrier reef — the whole country, jungle to sea.
Land in Belize City and head straight west to San Ignacio — three days for Xunantunich, the jungle rivers and the caves. The short version, all inland.
The one I'd take. Start with the west and the Maya ruins, then a water taxi out to Caye Caulker to slow right down and snorkel the barrier reef and the Blue Hole.
City guides
Two places, walked one street at a time
San Ignacio
The base for the jungle west — the Maya ruins of Xunantunich, river canoes and cave trips.
3 days · Coming soonCaye Caulker
The laid-back island — 'go slow', snorkeling the barrier reef and diving the Blue Hole.
3 days · Coming soonAsked every week
Questions I get about Belize
How many days do I need?+
Four is enough for the jungle and the Maya ruins of the west around San Ignacio. Seven lets you add the cayes and the barrier reef — the whole small country, jungle to sea, without rushing.
Jungle or reef — which should I pick?+
You don't have to choose. Belize is small enough to do both in a week: the west (Xunantunich, caves, rivers) and then a short water taxi to Caye Caulker for the reef. If you only have a few days, the jungle around San Ignacio is where I spent most of my time.
Is English spoken?+
Yes — Belize is the only officially English-speaking country in Central America, a former British colony. You'll also hear Kriol and plenty of Spanish, but you can get by in English everywhere.
What money do I use?+
The Belize dollar (BZD) is pegged 2:1 to the US dollar, so USD works everywhere — you'll often get change in a mix of both. Carry small bills; cards are fine in towns and resorts, less so on the cayes and in the jungle.
The podcast
I walked this before I wrote it
Every guide starts as an episode. Listen to the Belize introduction — the context, the history and the honest bits — then come back for the routes.