Before You Go
- Confirm passport validity and entry requirements.
- Check whether a tourist visa is required.
- Keep digital copies of important documents.
- Consider purchasing travel insurance.
Belmopan
Belize Dollar (BZD)
English
Nov–Apr
CST (UTC−6)
Welcome to Belize, a small Central American gem where turquoise Caribbean waters meet dense, wildlife-rich jungle. Home to the second-largest barrier reef in the world, Belize offers some of the best snorkeling and diving on the planet, including the famous Great Blue Hole. Ancient Maya ruins like Caracol and Xunantunich rise from the jungle, offering a powerful glimpse into a civilization that once flourished here. Belize City serves as a gateway to the country's islands, known as cayes, where laid-back beach life and world-class fishing await. Inland, the lush rainforests of the Cayo District are home to jaguars, howler monkeys, and countless bird species. Cave tubing and jungle ziplining offer adventurous ways to explore Belize's dramatic natural terrain. English is the official language, making Belize uniquely accessible while still deeply rooted in Caribbean and Central American culture. Belize welcomes travelers to experience an extraordinary mix of reef, ruins, and rainforest all in one small country.
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Helpful information to consider before and during your visit.
Discover some of Belize's most popular flavors, traditional dishes and memorable local treats during your visit.
Chicken is slowly cooked in a richly seasoned gravy and served with coconut rice and beans, salad and fried plantains.
Pieces of dough are fried until puffed and golden, then served at breakfast with eggs, beans, cheese or jam.
Mashed plantains are served with a coconut-milk fish stew in this traditional Garifuna dish.
Also called black dinner, this dark soup combines chicken, eggs, vegetables and roasted spice paste.
Small fried corn tortillas are topped with shredded chicken, cabbage, onions, tomatoes and hot sauce.
Corn dough is filled with seasoned meat or vegetables, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.
Fresh Caribbean lobster is grilled with butter, citrus and spices and served during the annual lobster season.
Seafood is marinated in lime juice and mixed with onions, tomatoes, peppers and herbs for a refreshing coastal dish.
Grated cassava is baked with coconut milk, sugar and spices into a dense, lightly chewy dessert.
Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official language, a legacy of its years as the British colony of British Honduras. Yet everyday conversations often blend English with Belizean Creole, Spanish, Garifuna, and several Maya languages. Offshore lies the Belize Barrier Reef, part of the second-largest barrier reef system in the world. Its most famous feature is the Great Blue Hole, a nearly circular marine sinkhole formed when an ancient limestone cave collapsed and was later flooded as sea levels rose.
More than half of Belize remains covered by forest, and a large portion of the country is protected through national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and private reserves. These habitats support jaguars, tapirs, howler monkeys, manatees, and hundreds of bird species. Belize is also home to remarkable Maya cities such as Caracol, Xunantunich, and Lamanai. At its height, Caracol may have supported a population larger than Belize City has today, demonstrating how densely settled the region was centuries ago.
One especially unusual community is the Garifuna, whose culture combines African, Indigenous Caribbean, and Central American traditions. Their language, music, and dance are internationally recognized, and the energetic drumming style known as punta remains central to celebrations. Belize’s small population, multicultural society, rainforest interior, and vast marine environment make it one of the most ecologically and culturally diverse countries of its size.
Another little-known fact is that Albanians have a unique cultural tradition called "Besa," meaning "to keep one's promise." This centuries-old code of honor became internationally recognized during World War II when Albania was one of the few European countries where the Jewish population actually increased because local families risked their lives to shelter refugees. Albania also boasts the stunning Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër), a natural spring with crystal-clear turquoise water whose exact depth remains unknown despite multiple explorations.
Finally, Albania enjoys more than 300 sunny days each year, rivaling many Mediterranean destinations. The country is also famous for its "sworn virgins"—a centuries-old tradition in remote mountain villages where women could legally assume male social roles by taking a lifelong vow of celibacy, preserving family inheritance and leadership in the absence of male heirs.
