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<\/p>\nIf Belize was any more laid-back, it would be asleep. Like a Caribbean island bolted on to Central America, this miniature country hugs the coast between Mexico and Guatemala \u2014 but the region\u2019s only English-speaking nation has a chilled-out vibe all of its own. Backpackers have flocked to the glassy water, white sand and chilled vibe of Caye Caulker for years, but they\u2019re only starting to wake up to what the rest of the country has to offer \u2014 pristine forest, haunting Maya ruins, lavish food and drink, world-class coral reef and exotic wildlife on land and beneath the waves. From cays and caves to lobster and Lazy Lizard juice, this is everything you need to know about backpacking Belize.<\/p>\n
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Belize weather is rainy. Really, really rainy. So rainy, in fact, that the six-odd feet of feet of precipitation that dumps down on Belize City every year is more than the annual rainfall of London, Paris and Berlin combined. So it\u2019s no surprise that the brief three-month dry spell between February and April \u2014 combined with the Christmas and New Year\u2019s crowds that roll in over December and January \u2014 form Belize\u2019s high season, while the wettest months (September and October) are the quietest for travellers.<\/p>\n
The other side of all this tropical Belize weather? The heat. Temperatures hover between the mid 20s to low 30s year round across the country. It\u2019s warmest in soggy June and coolest in relatively dry January, and the mercury rarely dips below 20 anywhere at any time of year. Belize is so small that you\u2019ll hardly notice any difference in climate as you travel around \u2014 hot and humid is the weather forecast wherever, whenever.<\/p>\n
Even during the rainy season, you\u2019ll see heaps of blue sky poking through the clouds. Belize\u2019s greyest month is September, where you can still expect as many sunshine hours \u2014 about 180 in total \u2014 as Edinburgh enjoys in the middle of summer. That\u2019s why the country is so lush and green \u2014 especially in the interior, where there\u2019s a slightly higher chance of rain year-round.<\/p>\n
When the Christmas decorations go up in December, so do the hostel room rates. Belize\u2019s high season stretches from the beginning of December to the end of April, when the rain rolls in and the crowds roll out. The price of your hostel bed can leap by as much as 50% between mid-December and mid-January \u2014 like most places, Belize\u2019s travel hotspots are busiest over Christmas and New Year\u2019s \u2014 then spike again over Easter. You\u2019ll need a reservation (and a healthy bank account) over these periods, but the rest of the dry season is arguably the best time to visit Belize.<\/p>\n
January\u2019s dry weather signals the start of prime bird-watching season, and the calmer conditions also make it easier to spot marine life, too \u2014 the glassy waters during dry season supply the top snorkelling and scuba diving opportunities. This is also the time of year when whale sharks come to feed off the coast of southern Belize, particularly around the Gladden Spit Marine Reserve near Placencia over the full moons of March, April, May and June.<\/p>\n
February means Fiesta de Carnaval in San Pedro, and Semana Santa celebrations grip Belize over Easter. One of the few downsides to visiting Belize late in high season is that there won\u2019t be much lobster on the menu \u2014 February 15 begins crustaceans\u2019 spawning season, and the fishing nets are put away until June, so you\u2019ll go hungry if you were saving your appetite for dirt-cheap, ocean-fresh lobster.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re not afraid to get wet, budget travellers can save bucketloads while the rain buckets down. The showers start in June and July before persistent rainfall sets in during August, September and October, when the threat of a hurricane lingers. Savvy backpackers can sniff out bargain tours and accommodation but many places are closed, particularly around September, as rain plays havoc with the roads in remote rural areas.<\/p>\n
Lobster season kicks off with a string of food festivals up and down the coast, particularly Caye Caulker, Placencia and San Pedro, as well as Hopkins\u2019 mango fest. The fiesta continues into the Costa Maya Festival in San Pedro in late July, which brings Central America to Ambergris Caye to celebrate the region\u2019s shared heritage.<\/p>\n
September celebrations rumble from the Battle of St George’s Caye Day on September 10 until Independence Day on September 21, as every town across Belize throws their own patriotic parades, processions and parties. That\u2019s pretty much the only reason to visit during the height of hurricane season, when many hostels close, unpaved roads are muddy, cave tubing is too dangerous and choppy waters ruin the diving.<\/p>\n
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<\/u><\/p>\n
\ud83d\udcf7\u00a0<\/span>@michielton<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n May and November are perhaps the two best months to visit Belize. Like Goldilocks would say if she was backpacking through Central America, it\u2019s not too rainy, not too crowded, and just right. High season winds down after Easter but the rain doesn\u2019t really arrive until June, leaving a neat little window in May. Then the storms ease up in November but the tourists don\u2019t really return until North America starts to freeze around Thanksgiving, making November a great time to visit too.<\/p>\n Need a sweetener? Punta Gorda hosts a chocolate festival in May to celebrate all things Maya, while on November 19, the beaches of the south coast are awash with rum and drums to toast Garifuna Settlement Day. Los Finados \u2014 Belize\u2019s answer to Mexico\u2019s D\u00eda de Muertos, with similarly colourful tributes to the dead \u2014 is another important date on the calendar on the first two days of November.<\/p>\n For most travellers, no visa is required<\/strong> to enter Belize. If you\u2019re from the EU, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Japan, South Korea, Israel<\/strong>, most of Latin America<\/strong>, or several other countries listed on the Belize Immigration website<\/a>, you can enter visa-free for up to 30 days<\/strong>.<\/p>\n You\u2019re also exempt if you hold a multiple-entry visa or permanent residency for the US, Canada, or the Schengen Area<\/strong>. If your country isn\u2019t on the visa-free list, check the immigration website for application details.<\/p>\n Entering Belize is simple whether you arrive by air, land, or sea<\/strong>. You\u2019ll need:<\/p>\n A valid passport<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Possibly proof of funds or onward travel<\/strong> (rarely asked)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n You\u2019ll receive a 30-day entry stamp<\/strong>, which you can extend monthly for up to six months<\/strong> at any immigration office across Belize\u2019s six districts.<\/p>\n While most travellers don\u2019t need a visa<\/strong>, everyone pays a departure tax<\/strong>:<\/p>\n By air<\/strong>: US$55.50 (usually included in flight prices)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n By land or sea<\/strong>: BZ$40 or US$20 (cash only)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Via Placencia water taxi<\/strong>: BZ$7.50 (US$3.75), which covers the PACT fee<\/strong> supporting Belize\u2019s protected areas<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Water taxis to Mexico<\/strong>, like the popular route from Caye Caulker to Chetumal<\/strong>, are busy with backpackers heading to Tulum, Playa del Carmen, or Canc\u00fan<\/strong>. Be prepared for strict customs checks<\/strong> \u2014 including sniffer dogs \u2014 due to regional drug trafficking.<\/p>\n You can also cross into Guatemala<\/strong> via San Ignacio to Flores<\/strong>, the only land border between the two countries. Despite a long-running territorial dispute between Belize and Guatemala<\/strong>, this route is safe and open for travellers<\/strong>. Just note the dotted-line border on maps \u2014 it\u2019s symbolic, not an actual issue for visitors.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf7\u00a0@maher<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Belize has two domestic airlines \u2014 Maya Island Air<\/a> and Tropic Air<\/a> \u2014 that run quick, convenient flights on small prop planes. The planes are tiny (some with fewer than 10 seats), and the routes are short but pricey. For example, Belize City to Caye Caulker takes just 10 minutes but costs around US$64<\/strong>, while a half-hour flight to San Ignacio starts from US$130<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Tropic and Maya both connect major destinations like Caye Caulker<\/strong>, San Pedro<\/strong>, Placencia<\/strong>, Punta Gorda<\/strong>, and Dangriga<\/strong>, with Tropic also flying internationally to Canc\u00fan<\/strong>, Flores<\/strong>, and Roat\u00e1n<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Both airlines offer scenic flights over the Great Blue Hole and the reef \u2014 a splurge at around US$200+<\/strong>, but unforgettable.<\/p>\n Belize City has two airports<\/strong>: Philip Goldson International Airport (BZE)<\/strong>, 16km from downtown, handles all international flights; Belize City Municipal (TZA)<\/strong> is closer and used for domestic routes. Always double-check which airport you\u2019re flying from.<\/p>\n Most backpackers skip flying in and out of Belize due to the high cost of international flights. Luckily, there are easy land and sea connections to Mexico<\/strong>, Guatemala<\/strong>, and Honduras<\/strong>, making flights unnecessary for budget travellers exploring Central America.<\/p>\n A fleet of ferries putter between the mainland and the islands, particularly the well trodden route from Belize City to Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye. How to get from Belize City to San Pedro and Caye Caulker isn\u2019t difficult to figure out \u2014 Ocean Ferry Belize<\/a> (five daily departures) and Belize Water Taxi<\/a> (nine daily departures) are the two main operators, setting off from the Belize City ferry terminal near the Swing Bridge. On Ocean Ferry, the 45 minutes to Caye Caulker costs US$15 one-way and US$25 return, while the one hour and 15 minutes to San Pedro is US$23 one-way and US$35 return.<\/p>\n Belize Water Taxi is a little more expensive, but they\u2019re also your ticket into Mexico. The daily boat to Chetumal in Mexico \u2014 your gateway to the Yucat\u00e1n Peninsula, including Tulum, Playa del Carmen and Canc\u00fan \u2014 leaves Caye Caulker at 7am (US$55 one-way) then San Pedro at 8.30am (US$50 one-way).<\/p>\n The Thunderbolt boat also makes a daily run from Corozal \u2014 an untouristy town just south of the Mexican border \u2014 to San Pedro and back (BZ$50 one-way, BZ$90 return). Down the coast, the superbly named Hokey Pokey Water Taxi links Placencia with the mainland seven times a day, plus a series of charters between Placencia, Dangriga and Punta Gorda and ports in Honduras and Guatemala. Between the cays, water taxis are everywhere, and some river boats also chug around inland, such as the Lamanai Maya complex.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf7\u00a0@___yugen___<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n To list every bus company in Belize would keep us here all week, and to transcribe their hand-scribbled timetables would take even more time. Long story short, there are loads of buses tackling three main routes out of Belize City, with most long-distance ones departing from the old Novelo\u2019s terminal on West Collet Canal Street. One is the journey north to Corozal, en route to Mexico. The second goes west to San Ignacio, then onwards to Flores and the rest of Guatemala. Number three heads south, stopping in Dangriga, Independence (where you can hop on a water taxi to Placencia), and Punta Gorda.<\/p>\n All that competition means prices are consistently low. The bus from Belize City to San Ignacio, for example, takes a tick over two hours and costs around BZ$10, while the six-hour trip all the way down to Punta Gorda shouldn\u2019t set you back any more than BZ$30. International buses are a little more pricey \u2014 you’ll pay more than BZ$100 for the twice-daily, 10-hour, air-conditioned ADO service from Belize City to Canc\u00fan via Tulum and Playa del Carmen. Express services are also often worth the extra couple of bucks, because they\u2019re quicker and less crowded.<\/p>\n Although most buses in Belize are converted school buses shipped in from the United States, they\u2019re not really like those sweaty, overcrowded chicken buses you see bumping through Latin America on TV shows. Sure, they\u2019re hardly luxurious. But for a cheap way to cover the short distances between inland destinations, they\u2019re perfectly fine.<\/p>\n Renting a car can be a smart way to explore Belize on your own terms. Expect compact cars from around US$70\u201380 per day<\/strong>, with SUVs or high-clearance 4WDs<\/strong> around US$90\u2013100 daily<\/strong><\/span>. If you split the cost with dorm mates, driving chapters like San Ignacio, Caracol<\/strong>, or Cockscomb Basin<\/strong> becomes much more affordable than booking repeated tours.<\/span><\/p>\n Three main paved highways connect the country:<\/span><\/p>\n Philip Goldson Highway<\/strong> to the north (toward Corozal)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n George Price Highway<\/strong> out west (to San Ignacio)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Southern Highway<\/strong> heading south (to Placencia and Punta Gorda)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Secondary roads can be rough or impassable in the rainy season. A vehicle with higher clearance\u2014ideally a 4WD\u2014is recommended for rural journeys<\/span>. Fuel runs about US$1.20 per litre<\/strong>, and distances are short\u2014two hours to Corozal or San Ignacio, about four to Placencia or Punta Gorda.<\/span><\/p>\n Most rentals require drivers aged 21 to 75<\/strong>, though the legal driving age in Belize is 18<\/strong>, and some locals may rent to younger drivers with a larger deposit.<\/span>\u00a0You\u2019ll need a valid driver\u2019s license (US licenses are accepted), a credit card, and proof of age.<\/span><\/p>\n Major rental brands like Avis, Budget, Hertz, Enterprise<\/strong>, and local operators such as AQ and Crystal<\/strong> operate from both the Philip Goldson International Airport (BZE) and downtown Belize City.<\/span><\/p>\n Belizeans drive on the right side. Speed limits are typically 55\u202fmph on highways<\/strong>, and 25\u201340\u202fmph through towns<\/strong>. Seat belts are required in the front seat. Cell phone use while driving is illegal unless hands-free, and Belize has strict drunk driving laws<\/strong> (0\u202f.08% BAC)<\/span>.<\/p>\n Avoid night driving, as potholes and unmarked speed bumps are hard to see in the dark. Road conditions vary and checkpoints are common\u2014officers may inspect your license and registration.<\/span><\/p>\n Golf carts, renting for similar daily rates, are popular in tourist towns like San Pedro and Placencia. Backpackers rarely use them but they\u2019re a nice option if you don\u2019t want to walk short distances around town.<\/p>\n Hitchhiking occurs in more remote areas too. It\u2019s normal here, though bus prices are so low\u2014generally under US$10\u2014that it usually isn\u2019t worth the risk for main routes.<\/p>\n Most taxi rides within Belizean towns cost a flat BZ$10<\/strong>, and airport transfers in Belize City typically cost BZ$50<\/strong> for up to two passengers. Taxis are easy to avoid if you have a rental or use public buses.<\/p>\n Hostels in Belize<\/a> are as laid-back as the locals \u2014 you can look forward to free rum punch, beachfront bars and hammocks hanging from every available hook. In the past, accommodation in Belize was difficult to book online \u2014 the backpackers of yesteryear just had to rock up on Caye Caulker and knock on doors to find a spare bunk \u2014 but the best properties are now listed so you can plan precisely where you\u2019re sleeping.<\/p>\n Prices are seasonal \u2014 expect to pay around BZ$35-50 for a dorm and BZ$70-80 for a two-person private, but a bit more in high season, when you\u2019ll need to make a reservation in advance if you\u2019re travelling around Christmas, New Year\u2019s and Easter. And there\u2019s a couple of things to note with the price. Firstly, you\u2019ll have to pay a 9% tourist tax<\/strong> on top of the rate listed. Secondly, a lot of places only take payment in cash. It will be noted in the hostel listing if so, but cash is king in South America<\/a> so you should always be prepared, especially in rural areas.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf7\u00a0@lowerdoverbelize<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Not surprisingly, Belize\u2019s backpacker hub is home to the best selection of budget accommodation in Belize. Dirty McNasty\u2019s<\/a> is the stuff of legend. Up and down Central America, backpackers ask each other \u2018Did you stay at Dirty McNasty\u2019s in Caye Caulker?\u2019 \u2014 and being the biggest hostel in Belize<\/a>, the answer is usually yes. The rooms are nothing fancy, but the atmosphere certainly is. This party hostel<\/a> par excellence dishes up free breakfast every morning then scoops out free rum punch every evening, as well as offering free canoe rentals to paddle around the island.<\/p>\n Travellers Palm<\/a> is another one of the top-rated hostels in Caye Caulker. Only 50 metres from the water, Travellers Palm boasts its own private dock and free-to-use kayaks, as well as a third-floor rooftop terrace slash kitchen with ocean views from the hammocks and lounges. Every room \u2014 both the clean, colourful dorms and the en-suite double-bed privates \u2014 has a fridge and a freezer, plus free tea, coffee and purified drinking water.<\/p>\n See more hostels in Caye Caulker<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Many backpackers skip Ambergris Caye altogether and head straight to Caye Caulker, so there aren\u2019t many hostels in San Pedro<\/a> for budget travellers<\/a> who do choose to spend the night on this touristy atoll.<\/p>\n Sandbar<\/a> is the go-to budget option, occupying a prime seaside location that would normally cost a fortune. Only a few blocks from the ferry terminal in the Boca Del Rio part of the island, Sandbar\u2019s beachfront watering hole is kitted out with a small pool, plenty of hammocks and direct access to fluffy white sand that expensive resorts could only dream of. The aqua-hued 12-bed dorms and four-bed privates are equipped with privacy curtains, lockers and personal power points \u2014 and even though BZ$30+ is more than you\u2019ll pay in other parts of Belize, it still represents great value for money in pricey San Pedro.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf7 Sandbar<\/em><\/p>\n See more hostels in San Pedro<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n The country\u2019s biggest metropolis is little more than a bus station to many backpackers, so you\u2019re not exactly spoilt for choice when it comes to hostels in Belize City.<\/p>\n The Red Hut Inn<\/a> is one dependable choice though, with four and eight bed dorms from BZ$30 and tidy privates from BZ$70. Although it\u2019s about five kilometres (i.e. a BZ$10 cab ride) from downtown, the waterfront residential neighbourhood is a lot quieter than the city centre, especially on the roomy sun deck. The Red Hut Inn is also a good place to plan the rest of your Belize itinerary \u2014 the property organises car rental, private tours to Xunantunich and Altun Ha, plus electric bike rental to pedal around Belize City itself.<\/p>\n See more hostels in Belize City<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Behind Caye Caulker, this town near the Guatemalan border is Belize\u2019s second busiest backpacker destination<\/a> \u2014 and that\u2019s reflected in the excellent range of hostels in San Ignacio.<\/p>\n Bella\u2019s<\/a> is a good old-fashioned bohemian backpackers, from its fairy-lit rooftop full of new friends to the excellent kitchen and barbecue facilities. A family-run guesthouse close to the bars and restaurants of downtown San Ignacio, Bella\u2019s also organises cave tubing trips and Maya ruin tours for guests of its cosy five and eleven-bed dorms and double-bed privates.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf7 Bella’s Backpackers<\/em><\/p>\n A few blocks away on the banks of the Macal River, the Old House Hostel<\/a> fills a stately British colonial home with a warm backpacker atmosphere throughout the sturdy timber dorms and one private room. You\u2019ll often find owners Aldo and Davina chatting to guests on the balcony couches in the evening, if they\u2019re not hosting live music in the creative art space slash Soul Project bar downstairs. The hostel also hosts a free walking tour plus trips to the ATM cave, Maya temples, waterfalls and all the other adventures that surround San Ignacio.<\/p>\n See more hostels in San Ignacio<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Placencia is another place where baby boomers outnumber backpackers, meaning hotels outnumber hostels too.<\/p>\n Anda Di Hows Hostel<\/a> \u2014 that\u2019s \u2018under the house\u2019, if you don\u2019t read Kriol \u2014 became the first real backpacker\u2019s in the village when owner Pandora opened a single 10-bed dorm beneath the stilts that prop up her own home. A night in that room costs BZ$25, which is a bargain for this spectacular beachfront location at the southern end of the peninsula, especially when each bed comes with its own individual fan and locker, plus access to the kitchen, veranda, hammocks, barbecue, kayaks and snorkel gear. Quirky touches like the glass wall made of bottles in the bathroom and a curvy bar to mix your own drinks in the kitchen infuse plenty of character, and since Pandora lives upstairs, reception is pretty much open 24 hours.<\/p>\n See other hostels in Placencia<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Sitting in the middle of this serene Garifuna village, The Funky Dodo<\/a> is Hopkins summed up in a hostel, with a vibe as relaxing as the town itself. This property is spacious, from the 14-bed dorm and the twin and double privates to the alfresco kitchen and the hammock-laden common areas, shaded by dangling palm trees just a stroll from the beach. Owners Roy and Anna can also organise a range of tours from just US$30, which is great value if you haven\u2019t got a car \u2014 cave tubing, zip lining, snorkelling, plus expeditions out to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, Mayflower Bocawina National Park and a night-time crocodile spotting adventure are all possible here.<\/p>\nShoulder season (May and November)<\/h3>\n
Do You Need a Visa to Visit Belize?<\/h2>\n
Entry Requirements for Belize<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Belize Departure Tax<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Crossing Borders from Belize<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"backpacking](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Backpacking-Belize-@maher.jpg\")
<\/p>\nTravelling around Belize<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Flying into Belize<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Belize water taxi<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"backpacking](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Backpacking-Belize-@___yugen___.jpg\")
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Buses in Belize<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Driving in Belize<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Road Network & Driving Conditions<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Requirements & Rental Options<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Safety Tips & Road Rules<\/strong><\/h4>\n
![\"Tropical](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/dreamstime_m_66807602-1024x681.jpg\")
<\/p>\nOther Transport Modes<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Taxis Within Towns<\/strong><\/h4>\n
![\"backpacking](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Backpacking-Belize-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAccommodation in Belize<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"backpacking](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Backpacking-Belize-@lowerdoverbelize-875x875.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHostels in Caye Caulker<\/h3>\n
Hostels in San Pedro<\/h3>\n
![\"backpacking](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Best-hostels-in-San-Pefro.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHostels in Belize City<\/h3>\n
Hostels in San Ignacio<\/h3>\n
![\"backpacking](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Best-hostels-in-San-Ignacio.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHostels in Placencia<\/h3>\n
Hostels in Hopkins<\/h3>\n
![\"backpacking](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Best-hostels-in-Hopkins-Belize.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n