Belize
Phone Code
+501
Capital
Belmopan
Population
400,000
Native Name
Belize
Region
Americas
Central America
Timezone
Central Standard Time (North America)
UTC-06:00
On This Page
Belize is a Central American country known for the Great Blue Hole, Mayan ruins, Caribbean coastline, and barrier reef (second largest in the world). English is the official language, making it unique in the region. Visitors are drawn to diving and snorkeling, ancient Mayan sites like Caracol and Xunantunich, rainforest wildlife, cave tubing, and the laid-back island culture of Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker. Belize offers visa-free entry for many Western visitors and serves as a gateway to Central American adventures.
Visa Requirements for Belize
Belize offers visa-free entry to citizens of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, EU countries, and many other nations for stays of up to 30 days. Visitors must have a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond entry date, proof of return or onward travel, and sufficient funds for their stay. The initial 30-day stay can be extended for up to 6 months total through monthly extensions obtained from immigration offices in Belize City, Belmopan, or San Pedro. Extensions cost BZ$100 per month and require proof of accommodation and financial means. Nationals from countries requiring visas should apply through Belizean embassies or consulates, providing application forms, photographs, travel itinerary, proof of accommodation, and financial documents.
Common Visa Types
Visa-Free Entry
For tourism, business, or visiting for citizens of US, UK, Canada, EU, Australia, and other eligible nationalities.
Tourist Visa
For nationals from countries not eligible for visa-free entry who wish to visit Belize for tourism purposes.
Visitor's Extension
For extending visa-free stays or tourist visas beyond the initial 30-day period.
Work Permit
For foreign nationals employed in Belize by a Belizean employer or establishing a business.
Important Travel Information
Travel Guide
Belize is Central America's English-speaking outlier — a sliver of Caribbean coast, barrier reef, rainforest and Maya ruins wedged between Mexico and Guatemala, smaller than Wales but packed with a density of natural spectacle that rivals countries many times its size. The Belize Barrier Reef (UNESCO) is the second-largest coral reef system on earth, and its centrepiece is the Great Blue Hole — a perfectly circular marine sinkhole three hundred metres across and 125 metres deep, visible from space and one of the most iconic dive sites in the world. Ambergris Caye is the largest island, with San Pedro's waterfront restaurants, dive shops and easy access to Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley. Caye Caulker, smaller and scruffier, runs on the motto 'Go Slow' — reggae bars, lobster grills, backpackers splitting the cost of a snorkel trip, and no cars. Inland, the Maya sites are extraordinary: Caracol, hidden deep in the Chiquibul forest, was once larger than modern Belize City and its Caana pyramid remains the tallest structure in the country at 43 metres. Xunantunich commands a hilltop above the Mopan River with views across the jungle canopy to Guatemala. Cave tubing — floating on inner tubes through underground river systems inside caves that the ancient Maya considered portals to the underworld — is an experience found nowhere else. The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is the world's only designated jaguar reserve. The Garifuna communities along the southern coast around Dangriga and Hopkins preserve a UNESCO-recognised culture of punta drumming, coconut-based cuisine and Afro-indigenous heritage. And because the official language is English and the currency is pegged 2:1 to the US dollar, Belize is the most accessible Central American country for anglophone travellers.
Ways to Experience This Destination
The Belize Barrier Reef (UNESCO) stretches nearly 300 kilometres along the coast and supports an extraordinary diversity of marine life. The Great Blue Hole — a marine sinkhole 300 metres across and 125 metres deep, formed as a limestone cave that collapsed when sea levels rose — is one of the world's most famous dives (advanced certification recommended). Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley off Ambergris Caye offer snorkelling with nurse sharks and rays in chest-deep water. Half Moon Caye has pristine reefs and a red-footed booby colony. Turneffe Atoll and Glover's Reef deliver remote wall diving. Whale sharks gather at Gladden Spit from March to June. Water 26-29 degrees year-round.
Belize has over 900 recorded Maya sites. Caracol, deep in the Chiquibul Rainforest near the Guatemalan border, was a city-state that defeated Tikal in battle — its Caana pyramid (43 metres) is still the tallest building in Belize. Xunantunich sits on a hilltop above the Mopan River, reached by hand-cranked ferry, with panoramic views from the Castillo. Lamanai on the New River Lagoon is approached by boat through howler-monkey territory. Cave tubing at Nohoch Che'en — floating on inner tubes through underground river caves decorated with stalactites that the Maya used as ceremonial sites and portals to Xibalba (the underworld) — is unique to Belize.
Caye Caulker is the backpacker heart of Belizean tourism — a small, car-free island where the Split (a narrow channel dividing the island) serves as the social swimming spot, reggae leaks from every bar, lobster is grilled on the street, and the pace of life is governed by the 'Go Slow' motto painted on every other wall. Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) is larger and more developed, with restaurants, bars and resort-standard accommodation alongside easy reef access. Tobacco Caye and the atolls (Turneffe, Lighthouse Reef, Glover's) offer remote island stays for divers and solitude-seekers.
The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is the world's only designated jaguar reserve — 400 square kilometres of tropical forest with trails, waterfalls and a genuine chance (though no guarantee) of encountering a jaguar. Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve has the Thousand Foot Falls (the tallest waterfall in Central America), natural swimming pools at Rio On Pools, and the Rio Frio cave. The Community Baboon Sanctuary protects black howler monkeys through a community-based conservation model. Crocodiles, tapirs, toucans and keel-billed motmots round out the wildlife roster.
The Garifuna communities of Dangriga, Hopkins and Punta Gorda on the southern coast preserve a culture descended from West African and Island Carib peoples — UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Punta drumming and dance, hudut (fish simmered in coconut milk with mashed plantain), cassava bread, and the Garifuna Settlement Day celebrations on 19 November are the cultural highlights. Hopkins has developed as a small beach-and-culture destination with guesthouses, drumming workshops and direct access to the reef, combining Garifuna heritage with Caribbean coast relaxation.
Money & Currency
Belize Dollar (BZD)
Currency code: BZD
Practical Money Tips
Belize Dollar Pegged at Exactly 2:1 to USD — Both Currencies Used Everywhere
The Belize Dollar (BZD, BZ$) is pegged at a fixed rate of exactly 2 BZD = 1 USD. Both currencies circulate freely and are interchangeable across the country — prices are commonly listed in both. USD is widely accepted at the 2:1 rate in shops, restaurants, hotels, and tourist services. No exchange is required if you have USD. Change may be given in either BZD or USD. Canadian dollars, British pounds, and Euros are not widely accepted and should be exchanged at banks or ATMs.
ATMs Available in Belize City and Main Towns — Limited in Remote Areas
Belize Bank, Atlantic Bank, and Scotiabank have ATMs in Belize City, San Ignacio, Dangriga, and Placencia. Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) and Caye Caulker have ATMs. International Visa and Mastercard work reliably. ATMs dispense BZD or USD depending on the machine. Remote jungle lodges, Toledo District villages, and small cayes have no ATMs — carry sufficient cash before venturing off the beaten path.
Cards Accepted at Tourism Businesses — Cash for Local Markets and Villages
Visa and Mastercard are accepted at most hotels, tour operators, dive shops, and mid-range+ restaurants in tourist areas (Ambergris Caye, Placencia, San Ignacio, Belize City). Local market stalls, village comedors, chicken buses, and small guesthouses are typically cash-only. Apple Pay and Google Pay are not widely supported. Carry BZD or USD cash for day-to-day local spending.
Affordable Central American Destination — Cayes Slightly Pricier
Belize is affordable by Caribbean standards, though more expensive than neighbouring Guatemala or Mexico. Mainland guesthouse: BZ$40–100/night ($20–50 USD). Local stewed chicken and rice: BZ$8–14 ($4–7 USD). Ambergris Caye resort: $100–300+ USD/night. Budget BZ$80–150/day on the mainland, BZ$150–300/day on the cayes. Carry small BZD bills for local buses, pupusas, and market fruit.
Note: Always check current exchange rates before traveling. Currency exchange is available at airports, banks, and authorized money changers.
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