According to thedresswizard, Belize is a country in the Caribbean Sea of North America bordering Mexico and Guatemala. Belize is the smallest country in Central America and also a member of the British Commonwealth. Belize also has a large number of islands. The largest islands are: Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker and the Turneffe Islands. The capital of Belize is Belmopan. A number of major cities in Belize are: Belize City, San Ignacio, Orange Walk and Dangriga.
The coasts of Belize are known for extensive coral reefs that are ideal for diving and snorkeling. There are beautiful white beaches, clear blue sea water and palm trees. In Belize there are also jungles, mountain areas, waterfalls and beautiful nature reserves with exotic animals. Belize also has a number of special Mayan temples. See vaoltedwatches for Caribbean literature in Spanish and Dutch.
Where is Belize located?
Travel information of Belize
Official name: Belize
Continent: North America
Area: 22,966 km²
Capital: Belmopan
Country code: BZ, BLZ
Population: 399,598 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Parliamentary monarchy
Highest point: 1,124 m (Doyle’s Delight)
Distance (Amsterdam – Belmopan): 8,753 km
Flight time: approximately 12 hours
Travel advice
Current status: Attention, safety risks.
Current color code: Yellow.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), (temporary) measures may apply in Belize that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of Belize, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Belize. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Belize?
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay in Belize at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Weather and climate
Belize has a subtropical climate. The temperature on the north coast can rise to 35 degrees in the summer and a minimum of ten degrees in the winter. The average temperature on the coast is 20 degrees. The interior is hotter with temperatures reaching 40 degrees.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Belize can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Belize can be found at Climate info.
Best time
February, March and April are the best months to travel to Belize. Even though prices are the highest in these months, you avoid the prolonged rainy season with the risk of hurricanes.
Language
English is the official language in Belize. In addition, a lot of Spanish and Creole are spoken.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is still valid when you leave Belize.
A visa is not necessary if you stay in Belize for less than 1 month.
You must pay a departure tax of approximately USD 40 per person upon departure from Belize.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Mexico (also for Belize): netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch consulate in Belize: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of Belize in Belgium (also for the Netherlands): rijksoverheid.nl.
Consulate of Belize in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Before visiting Belize it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Malaria
Malaria occurs in Belize (with the exception of Belmopan). Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by malaria mosquitoes. This infectious disease can lead to death if not treated in time and/or incorrectly.
For prevention and control of malaria, please visit our malaria page.
Money and Currency
In Belize, people pay with the Belize dollar (BZD).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Belize can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Belize are much lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -22% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (59% cheaper), food (11% cheaper), imported beer in catering (18% cheaper), cigarettes (43% cheaper) and public transport (18% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Belize it is customary to tip. If no service costs have been calculated yet, a tip of approximately 10% is given.
Time difference
During our summer time it is 8 hours earlier in Belize.
During our winter time it is 7 hours earlier in Belize.
Belize has no difference in winter time and summer time.
The local time, date and time zone of Belize can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Belize you have to drive on the right.
To drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Belize you must have an international driver’s license. The international driver’s license is available at an ANWB shop.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Belize.
Electricity
In Belize you need a travel plug. In addition, in some cases you need an inverter.
More information about common plugs and sockets in Belize can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 911 or 90
– Fire: 911
– Ambulance: 911
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Belize can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Belize can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Belize end in.bz.
Official websites of Belize: belize.gov.bz and travelbelize.org.
Telephony
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Belize is 00501 or +501.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Belize? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Company information can be found in the Belize Yellow Pages.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos of Belize.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Belize.
Holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Belize can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Belize, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Belize?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Belize. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and World Heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Belize can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Belize can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Belize? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, money and perfume, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. In addition, on this website you will find the laws and regulations regarding the importation of pets and a list of everything that may not be imported and/or exported from Belize.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant laws and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Belize.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.8.
– Tobacco: Buying and/or smoking at all ages.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Not allowed. Prison sentence more than 10 years.
Did you know that…
…Belize was named ‘British Honduras’ as a British colony in 1840?
…Belize used to be inhabited by the Mayans?
…Belize is the only Central American country with English as its official language?
…The tallest building in Belize is a Mayan temple?
… There is not a single fast food restaurant in Belize?
…42% of Belize consists of protected natural areas?
