Americas · Central America
Belize
🏛️ Capital
Belmopan
👥 Population
417,634
📐 Area
22,966 km²
💱 Currency
Belize dollar ($)
🗣️ Languages
Belizean Creole, English, Spanish
📞 Calling Code
+501
🕐 Time Zones
UTC-06:00
🌐 Region
Americas / Central America
About Belize
Belize is the kind of destination that effortlessly satisfies multiple types of traveller simultaneously, a small Central American country where the world's second-largest barrier reef lies within swimming distance of shore, ancient Maya cities rise from jungle canopies, and the laid-back Caribbean cultural mix of the coast gives way to Mennonite farming communities in the interior without ever feeling like a contradiction. English is the official language — a rarity in Central America that makes logistics considerably easier — and the country's small population of under half a million means the entire country still operates at a genuinely unhurried pace.
The Belize Barrier Reef, stretching the length of the coastline as a turquoise ribbon of coral, fish, sharks, rays, and sea turtles, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the primary draw for most visitors. The offshore cayes — Caye Caulker with its backpacker-friendly simplicity, Ambergris Caye with its slightly more developed restaurants and dive shops — serve as the base for snorkelling and scuba adventures that consistently rank among the Caribbean's finest. The Great Blue Hole, a perfectly circular marine sinkhole 300 metres across and 125 metres deep, is visible from space and one of the planet's most iconic dive sites.
Inland, the story changes entirely. Caracol, deep in the Chiquibul Forest, is one of the largest Maya cities ever excavated, with temples that still loom over the jungle canopy. The ancient cave network at Actun Tunichil Muknal contains remarkable Maya artefacts and skeletal remains in their original ceremonial context, accessible only by swimming into the mountain. The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary protects the world's first jaguar reserve. Belize crams more extraordinary natural and archaeological experience into its modest geography than almost anywhere on earth, and it remains, for now, wonderfully unhurried.
The Belize Barrier Reef, stretching the length of the coastline as a turquoise ribbon of coral, fish, sharks, rays, and sea turtles, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the primary draw for most visitors. The offshore cayes — Caye Caulker with its backpacker-friendly simplicity, Ambergris Caye with its slightly more developed restaurants and dive shops — serve as the base for snorkelling and scuba adventures that consistently rank among the Caribbean's finest. The Great Blue Hole, a perfectly circular marine sinkhole 300 metres across and 125 metres deep, is visible from space and one of the planet's most iconic dive sites.
Inland, the story changes entirely. Caracol, deep in the Chiquibul Forest, is one of the largest Maya cities ever excavated, with temples that still loom over the jungle canopy. The ancient cave network at Actun Tunichil Muknal contains remarkable Maya artefacts and skeletal remains in their original ceremonial context, accessible only by swimming into the mountain. The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary protects the world's first jaguar reserve. Belize crams more extraordinary natural and archaeological experience into its modest geography than almost anywhere on earth, and it remains, for now, wonderfully unhurried.
History & Background
The territory of Belize was home to thriving Maya civilisations for over two thousand years before European contact. At its peak around 800 CE, the Maya population of present-day Belize numbered in the hundreds of thousands, supporting cities like Caracol, Lamanai, and Xunantunich with sophisticated agriculture, astronomy, writing systems, and trade networks that stretched across Mesoamerica. The mysterious decline of Maya urban centres in the ninth and tenth centuries left the jungle to reclaim the cities, though Maya people never disappeared and their descendants continue to inhabit the same lands today.
Spanish explorers sighted the coast in the sixteenth century but found little to interest their gold-focused ambitions and largely left the territory alone. British buccaneers and logwood cutters began settling the coast from the mid-seventeenth century, establishing the basis for what became British Honduras. The colony's economy was built on timber — first logwood for dye, then mahogany — extracted using enslaved African labour. The Garifuna people arrived from the Bay Islands of Honduras following their deportation from St. Vincent in 1797. British Honduras became independent Belize on September 21st, 1981 — Belizean Independence Day remains the country's most celebrated national holiday, marked by parades, food, and music throughout the country.
Spanish explorers sighted the coast in the sixteenth century but found little to interest their gold-focused ambitions and largely left the territory alone. British buccaneers and logwood cutters began settling the coast from the mid-seventeenth century, establishing the basis for what became British Honduras. The colony's economy was built on timber — first logwood for dye, then mahogany — extracted using enslaved African labour. The Garifuna people arrived from the Bay Islands of Honduras following their deportation from St. Vincent in 1797. British Honduras became independent Belize on September 21st, 1981 — Belizean Independence Day remains the country's most celebrated national holiday, marked by parades, food, and music throughout the country.
Culture & People
Belizean culture is a genuinely unique fusion, a Caribbean-Creole heart in a Central American body, seasoned with Garifuna, Maya, Mestizo, Mennonite, Lebanese, and Chinese influences that somehow coexist without friction. The Belizean Kriol community — descendants of British settlers and enslaved Africans — gave the country its English Creole language, its love of rice and beans, and a musical tradition rooted in brukdown and soca that fills bars along the coast on weekend nights. Garifuna communities, descended from Carib and West African peoples exiled from St. Vincent in 1797, settled the southern coast and contributed the drumming tradition of punta music that is one of the Caribbean's most viscerally exciting.
The Maya communities of the west and south maintain cultural practices, languages (Yucatec, Mopan, Kekchi), and textile traditions that connect directly to the ancient civilisation whose ruins dot the landscape. In Orange Walk and Corozal Districts, Spanish-speaking Mestizo families maintain a culture that looks toward Mexico, while the Mennonite communities of Spanish Lookout provide a jarring and fascinating contrast: bearded men in suspenders driving horse-drawn ploughs alongside pickup trucks, farming the land with quiet efficiency, running the country's most productive dairy and produce operations. Belize absorbs all of these identities with a cheerful pragmatism.
The Maya communities of the west and south maintain cultural practices, languages (Yucatec, Mopan, Kekchi), and textile traditions that connect directly to the ancient civilisation whose ruins dot the landscape. In Orange Walk and Corozal Districts, Spanish-speaking Mestizo families maintain a culture that looks toward Mexico, while the Mennonite communities of Spanish Lookout provide a jarring and fascinating contrast: bearded men in suspenders driving horse-drawn ploughs alongside pickup trucks, farming the land with quiet efficiency, running the country's most productive dairy and produce operations. Belize absorbs all of these identities with a cheerful pragmatism.
Food & Cuisine
Belizean food is straightforward, flavourful, and deeply satisfying once you abandon expectations of culinary complexity. Rice and beans is not just a side dish in Belize — it is the foundation of every meal, cooked together with coconut milk and seasoned with culantro (an intense relative of coriander) until the grains absorb all the savoury, creamy goodness. Stew chicken, simmered dark with recado (achiote paste), garlic, and cumin, is the protein most Belizeans eat most often, and when done properly it is one of Central America's most delicious dishes. Along the coast and cayes, the obvious highlight is fresh seafood: snapper grilled with lime and habanero, shrimp stewed in coconut milk, and lobster — available from June 15 to February 14 when the season is open — simply grilled at beach shacks.
Hudut, the Garifuna national dish of whole coconut-milk fish stew served with mashed plantain (fufu), is worth seeking out in the southern towns of Dangriga and Hopkins. The ceviche culture, using fresh fish or conch marinated in lime juice with tomato, cucumber, and habanero, is addictive in the heat. Belikan beer, brewed domestically, is the only beer most bars stock and pairs perfectly with everything. Marie Sharp's habanero hot sauce, produced in Dangriga, is a Belizean national treasure available in every heat intensity from mild to volcanic, and no meal is complete without a bottle on the table.
Hudut, the Garifuna national dish of whole coconut-milk fish stew served with mashed plantain (fufu), is worth seeking out in the southern towns of Dangriga and Hopkins. The ceviche culture, using fresh fish or conch marinated in lime juice with tomato, cucumber, and habanero, is addictive in the heat. Belikan beer, brewed domestically, is the only beer most bars stock and pairs perfectly with everything. Marie Sharp's habanero hot sauce, produced in Dangriga, is a Belizean national treasure available in every heat intensity from mild to volcanic, and no meal is complete without a bottle on the table.
Top Attractions
- Belize Barrier Reef — A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the second-longest barrier reef on earth, offering snorkelling and diving among whale sharks, manatees, sea turtles, and dazzling coral formations.
- The Great Blue Hole — A circular marine sinkhole 300 metres across visible from space, one of the world's most iconic dive sites famous for its deep-water stalactites and reef shark gatherings.
- Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave — A sacred Maya cave system accessed by swimming, containing skeletal remains and ceramic artefacts in their original ceremonial positions, one of the most otherworldly experiences in Central America.
- Caracol — Belize's largest Maya ruin, deep in the Chiquibul Forest, with pyramids still towering over the jungle canopy and a remarkably un-touristed atmosphere.
- Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary — The world's first jaguar reserve, a vast protected forest with hiking trails, swimming holes, and abundant wildlife including tapir, peccary, and howler monkeys.
- Lamanai Archaeological Reserve — Maya temples rising directly from the edge of a jungle river, accessible by boat through the New River Lagoon with howler monkeys roaring overhead.
Practical Travel Tips
- The US dollar is accepted everywhere alongside the Belizean dollar (fixed at BZ$2 = US$1) — you will automatically receive change in local currency, which is fine as both circulate freely.
- Book your Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) cave tour with a licensed guide well in advance — permits are limited and this is the most extraordinary archaeological experience in the country.
- Caye Caulker is budget-friendly and genuinely relaxing; Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) has more dining and nightlife options but is considerably more expensive.
- Water taxis between Belize City, Caye Caulker, and Ambergris Caye are frequent, affordable, and the standard way to reach the islands.
- Habanero pepper is the default chilli in Belizean cuisine and it is genuinely hot — ask how spicy dishes are before ordering if you have any heat concerns.
- Renting a car for inland exploration (Maya ruins, Cockscomb, Mountain Pine Ridge) gives maximum freedom; roads outside the main highways can be rough, so a 4WD is recommended in wet season.
- Always apply reef-safe sunscreen — Belize takes barrier reef protection seriously, and chemical sunscreens are banned in protected marine areas.
Visa Overview
Citizens of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, European Union countries, Australia, New Zealand, and most Caribbean nations do not require a visa to enter Belize for stays up to 30 days, extendable for a fee at the immigration office. Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your entry date. There is a departure tax included in most airline tickets but verify at time of booking. Nationals of some countries require a visa in advance — consult the Belize Tourism Board or nearest Belizean diplomatic mission for the current list.
Getting Around
Belize has no functioning railway network. The Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport near Belize City is the main entry point, with a secondary airstrip at Dangriga and small airstrips on Ambergris Caye and other cayes served by domestic airlines Maya Island Air and Tropic Air. Buses operated by the National Transport Services Limited (NTSL/Novelo's successors) run the Northern and Western Highways affordably. Water taxis are the primary transport to the northern cayes. Car hire is the most flexible option for the interior; roads vary from good highway to potholed jungle tracks requiring 4WD.
Safety Notes
Belize City has a significant crime problem, including gang activity and occasional violent crime — most travel advisories recommend extreme caution and avoiding unnecessary time there. However, the tourist areas of the cayes, Placencia, Hopkins, and the Cayo District are generally much safer. Exercise standard precautions: do not flash expensive equipment, avoid walking alone at night in unfamiliar areas, and use registered taxis rather than accepting unmarked rides. Water and food safety is generally good in established tourist areas. Swimming in unmonitored sea areas can be risky due to currents.
Live Exchange Rates
Current exchange rates for currencies used in Belize.
Belize dollar (BZD) $
Updated: 2026-10-06
Belize dollar (BZD) $
Updated: 2026-10-06
| Currency Code | Rate |
|---|---|
| 1INCH | 4.703448 |
| AAVE | 0.002736 |
| ADA | 1.845305 |
| AED | 1.826118 |
| AFN | 32.127377 |
| AKT | 0.649755 |
| ALGO | 3.871764 |
| ALL | 40.785824 |
| AMD | 179.890274 |
| AMP | 775.463847 |
| ANG | 0.894148 |
| AOA | 455.479282 |
| APE | 3.103571 |
| APT | 0.605644 |
| AR | 0.110305 |
| ARB | 2.439085 |
| ARS | 755.767674 |
| ATOM | 0.273108 |
| ATS | 6.100998 |
| AUD | 0.713528 |
| AVAX | 0.043794 |
| AWG | 0.890062 |
| AXS | 0.379680 |
| AZM | 4,226.608341 |
| AZN | 0.845322 |
| BAKE | 1,937.252279 |
| BAM | 0.867170 |
| BAT | 4.713956 |
| BBD | 0.994482 |
| BCH | 0.001573 |
| BDT | 61.125860 |
| BEF | 17.885778 |
| BGN | 0.867170 |
| BHD | 0.186963 |
| BIF | 1,493.922388 |
| BMD | 0.497241 |
| BNB | 0.000636 |
| BND | 0.636211 |
| BOB | 5.964849 |
| BRL | 2.485570 |
| BSD | 0.497241 |
| BSV | 0.024901 |
| BSW | 1,208.368422 |
| BTC | 0.000006 |
| BTCB | 7.116693 |
| BTG | 0.753714 |
| BTN | 47.943033 |
| BTT | 1,337,501.882719 |
| BUSD | 0.497157 |
| BWP | 6.843652 |
| BYN | 1.516946 |
| BYR | 9,747.276708 |
| CAD | 0.709493 |
| CAKE | 0.203328 |
| CDF | 1,149.122408 |
| CELO | 4.781218 |
| CFX | 9.061988 |
| CHF | 0.413582 |
| CHZ | 29.725791 |
| CLP | 483.830191 |
| CNH | 3.333018 |
| CNY | 3.334085 |
| COMP | 0.020287 |
| COP | 1,590.495301 |
| CRC | 227.531069 |
| CRO | 7.322326 |
| CRV | 1.348829 |
| CSPR | 194.934986 |
| CUC | 0.497310 |
| CUP | 11.910822 |
| CVE | 48.891165 |
| CVX | 0.224630 |
| CYP | 0.259497 |
| CZK | 10.846759 |
| DAI | 0.497443 |
| DASH | 0.008772 |
| DCR | 0.026964 |
| DEM | 0.867170 |
| DFI | 544.057223 |
| DJF | 88.459696 |
| DKK | 3.313818 |
| DOGE | 5.244171 |
| DOP | 29.800215 |
| DOT | 0.401886 |
| DYDX | 3.403245 |
| DZD | 66.842369 |
| EEK | 6.937358 |
| EGLD | 0.111255 |
| EGP | 26.069400 |
| ENJ | 15.020209 |
| EOS | 4.893048 |
| ERN | 7.458618 |
| ESP | 73.771700 |
| ETB | 80.882206 |
| ETC | 0.056035 |
| ETH | 0.000184 |
| EUR | 0.443377 |
| EURC | 0.443317 |
| FEI | 0.497458 |
| FIL | 0.416565 |
| FIM | 2.636199 |
| FJD | 1.118839 |
| FKP | 0.376300 |
| FLOW | 15.715798 |
| FLR | 68.983633 |
| FRAX | 0.502275 |
| FRF | 2.908361 |
| FTT | 1.924887 |
| GALA | 205.231112 |
| GBP | 0.376300 |
| GEL | 1.290583 |
| GGP | 0.376300 |
| GHC | 58,458.941407 |
| GHS | 5.845894 |
| GIP | 0.376300 |
| GMD | 36.801343 |
| GMX | 0.056633 |
| GNF | 4,371.828694 |
| GNO | 0.004095 |
| GRD | 151.080661 |
| GRT | 17.077196 |
| GT | 0.044418 |
| GTQ | 3.794658 |
| GUSD | 0.498266 |
| GYD | 103.798831 |
| HBAR | 4.939416 |
| HKD | 3.902077 |
| HNL | 13.332943 |
| HNT | 0.958266 |
| HOT | 1,085.775094 |
| HRK | 3.340623 |
| HT | 13.632885 |
| HTG | 64.975495 |
| HUF | 162.875842 |
| ICP | 0.142611 |
| IDR | 8,908.196070 |
| IEP | 0.349188 |
| ILS | 1.520640 |
| IMP | 0.376300 |
| IMX | 2.711805 |
| INJ | 0.065599 |
| INR | 47.943033 |
| IQD | 650.062595 |
| IRR | 894,301.447968 |
| ISK | 60.712179 |
| ITL | 858.497288 |
| JEP | 0.376300 |
| JMD | 78.686194 |
| JOD | 0.352544 |
| JPY | 78.619509 |
| KAS | 11.590442 |
| KAVA | 7.172569 |
| KCS | 0.065500 |
| KDA | 50.930298 |
| KES | 64.546340 |
| KGS | 43.488059 |
| KHR | 2,014.375875 |
| KLAY | 11.939031 |
| KMF | 218.127110 |
| KNC | 3.471454 |
| KPW | 447.579191 |
| KRW | 667.528463 |
| KSM | 0.097056 |
| KWD | 0.153700 |
| KYD | 0.413364 |
| KZT | 226.383422 |
| LAK | 11,157.461883 |
| LBP | 44,842.512353 |
| LDO | 1.085489 |
| LEO | 0.055917 |
| LINK | 0.035951 |
| LKR | 164.006234 |
| LRC | 48.431884 |
| LRD | 84.853669 |
| LSL | 8.278516 |
| LTC | 0.007138 |
| LTL | 1.530892 |
| LUF | 17.885778 |
| LUNA | 9.737249 |
| LUNC | 9,403.949438 |
| LVL | 0.311605 |
| LYD | 3.190354 |
| MAD | 4.962803 |
| MANA | 4.808366 |
| MBX | 16.812496 |
| MDL | 8.911616 |
| MGA | 2,202.004447 |
| MGF | 11,010.022233 |
| MINA | 3.690679 |
| MKD | 27.279436 |
| MKR | 0.000247 |
| MMK | 1,043.796173 |
| MNT | 1,787.669543 |
| MOP | 4.019139 |
| MRO | 199.080240 |
| MRU | 19.908024 |
| MTL | 0.190342 |
| MUR | 23.570342 |
| MVR | 7.687182 |
| MWK | 860.639782 |
| MXN | 8.987754 |
| MXV | 1.021730 |
| MYR | 2.031555 |
| MZM | 31,738.533263 |
| MZN | 31.738533 |
| NAD | 8.278516 |
| NEAR | 0.095155 |
| NEO | 0.196190 |
| NEXO | 0.584728 |
| NFT | 2,083,770.814834 |
| NGN | 657.375138 |
| NIO | 18.280161 |
| NLG | 0.977074 |
| NOK | 4.772451 |
| NPR | 76.744810 |
| NZD | 0.888360 |
| OKB | 0.003813 |
| OMR | 0.191368 |
| ONE | 3.394970 |
| OP | 3.698944 |
| ORDI | 0.109286 |
| PAB | 0.497241 |
| PAXG | 0.000120 |
| PEN | 1.712063 |
| PEPE | 114,973.500810 |
| PGK | 2.240209 |
| PHP | 31.249785 |
| PI | 5.696266 |
| PKR | 137.487338 |
| PLN | 1.942269 |
| POL | 4.547021 |
| PTE | 88.889077 |
| PYG | 2,904.877925 |
| QAR | 1.809958 |
| QNT | 0.001922 |
| QTUM | 0.507261 |
| ROL | 23,700.039750 |
| RON | 2.370004 |
| RPL | 0.260037 |
| RSD | 52.076567 |
| RUB | 42.185867 |
| RUNE | 0.640463 |
| RVN | 202.664288 |
| RWF | 732.919082 |
| SAND | 7.561628 |
| SAR | 1.864655 |
| SBD | 4.012086 |
| SCR | 7.042796 |
| SDD | 29,843.456395 |
| SDG | 298.434564 |
| SEK | 4.994623 |
| SGD | 0.636211 |
| SHIB | 84,943.998719 |
| SHP | 0.376300 |
| SIT | 106.250828 |
| SKK | 13.357171 |
| SLE | 11.463842 |
| SLL | 11,463.841948 |
| SNX | 1.985981 |
| SOL | 0.004145 |
| SOS | 282.906605 |
| SPL | 0.082874 |
| SRD | 18.748887 |
| SRG | 18,748.887362 |
| SSP | 2,847.519440 |
| STD | 10,939.713353 |
| STN | 10.939713 |
| STX | 1.326915 |
| SUI | 0.416637 |
| SVC | 4.350861 |
| SYP | 6,466.025216 |
| SZL | 8.278516 |
| THB | 16.736967 |
| THETA | 2.147380 |
| TJS | 4.576429 |
| TMM | 8,725.036853 |
| TMT | 1.745007 |
| TND | 1.488155 |
| TOP | 1.197579 |
| TRL | 24,452,131.782874 |
| TRX | 1.479729 |
| TRY | 24.452132 |
| TTD | 3.366692 |
| TUSD | 0.497635 |
| TVD | 0.713528 |
| TWD | 15.803247 |
| TWT | 0.871025 |
| TZS | 1,311.914977 |
| UAH | 22.395394 |
| UGX | 1,998.982187 |
| UNI | 0.056126 |
| USD | 0.497241 |
| USDC | 0.497377 |
| USDD | 0.497595 |
| USDP | 0.500198 |
| USDT | 0.497493 |
| UYU | 20.086600 |
| UZS | 5,849.100874 |
| VAL | 858.497288 |
| VEB | 43,296,015,088.2000 |
| VED | 432.960151 |
| VEF | 43,296,015.088200 |
| VES | 432.960151 |
| VET | 56.979947 |
| VND | 12,925.968779 |
| VUV | 59.774393 |
| WAVES | 1.666738 |
| WEMIX | 2.596482 |
| WOO | 36.325824 |
| WST | 1.383918 |
| XAF | 290.836147 |
| XAG | 0.008218 |
| XAU | 0.000121 |
| XAUT | 0.000121 |
| XBT | 0.000006 |
| XCD | 1.345993 |
| XCG | 0.894148 |
| XCH | 0.317729 |
| XDC | 14.796636 |
| XDR | 0.367540 |
| XEC | 62,354.597779 |
| XEM | 792.001213 |
| XLM | 2.303982 |
| XMR | 0.000886 |
| XOF | 290.836147 |
| XPD | 0.000426 |
| XPF | 52.908932 |
| XPT | 0.000291 |
| XRP | 0.330948 |
| XTZ | 1.488244 |
| YER | 117.447241 |
| ZAR | 8.278516 |
| ZEC | 0.000372 |
| ZIL | 136.264559 |
| ZMK | 9,830.633582 |
| ZMW | 9.830634 |
| ZWD | 179.951600 |
| ZWG | 13.311908 |
| ZWL | 33,262.786215 |
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Cities in Belize 22
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Cities in Belize 22
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Visa Requirements
Check what visa a citizen of Belize needs to enter any country.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the capital of Belize?
The capital of Belize is Belmopan.
What currency does Belize use?
Belize uses the Belize dollar ($) as its official currency.
What language is spoken in Belize?
The official language(s) of Belize include Belizean Creole, English, Spanish.
What is the population of Belize?
Belize has a population of approximately 417,634 people.
What region is Belize in?
Belize is located in Americas, specifically in the Central America subregion.
What is the international calling code for Belize?
The international dialing code for Belize is +501.
What time zones does Belize observe?
Belize observes the following time zone(s): UTC-06:00.
What is the current time in Belize?
The local time in Belize is currently --:--. This time applies to the primary time zone.
What is the total area of Belize?
Belize covers a total area of 22,966 km².
How many states or provinces does Belize have?
Belize is divided into 11 states or provinces.
What are the public holidays in Belize in 2026?
You can view the complete list of public holidays for Belize in 2026 on the Holidays 2026 page.
What are the visa requirements for citizens of Belize?
Visa requirements for citizens of Belize vary by destination. Use our Visa Requirements Checker below to look up requirements for any destination country.