Things to Do in Belize

Belize is an up-and-coming hotspot, which means it’s still not overloaded with tourists. It also means you might not have a wealth of knowledge on the destination and might not know about things to do in Belize. Not to worry, I’m here to share with you what I did and what I recommend doing if you’re lucky enough to travel to Belize soon.

Snorkeling the Barrier Reef

Did you know #Belize has the 2nd biggest barrier reef in the world and the largest in the northern hemisphere?! Click To Tweet

Everyone makes such a big deal about the Great Barrier Reef that Belize’s beautiful barrier reef gets overlooked. If you’re a snorkeler, ocean-lover, or just looking for some action and adventure, snorkeling the barrier reef is a must.

There is so much plant life and wildlife in the Belize Barrier Reef!

I used Hicaco Tours in Caye Caulker to go snorkeling. No matter where you go in Belize, island or mainland, there will be a plethora of companies trying to get your business to take you out to the reef. If you are on the islands, it’s a little cheaper because you’re much closer. I was convinced I could scout out the best company with the best price that offered the most unique tour. Turns out, they all offer the exact same tour, and you will see all the tours out there.

Hicaco Tours is right by the pier — Hicaco Tours is right on the right, just around the corner from the pier

There’s not much difference between tour companies, but I found Hicaco Tours to be perfect for snorkeling the Belize barrier reef. They took us out first to shark and ray alley, prepped us that we would be able to stand there, baited the sharks and sting rays so we could get some great pictures, and threw out ropes and life jackets when we realized that the current was extra strong and swimming exerted a lot of energy. I got an amazing video swimming with the sharks!

Swimming with sharks at shark and ray alley

Next, they took us to see a moray eel. Apparently moray eels are attracted to sound, so they lured the eel out so we could see it in real life. It was pretty incredible to see an eel in its natural habitat!

A moray eel in the Belize barrier reef — Can you see the moray eel swimming in the Belize barrier reef

Finally, they took us to another beautiful part of the reef where we spent our time on our own, exploring the beautiful marine life. The reef is really incredible, and having time to go off on our own was the best.

Some of the beautiful marine life in the Belize Barrier Reef

When we all had our fill, we rejoined at the boat and the guides gave us a huge plate full of fruit to get our energy back. Snorkeling takes a lot of energy out of you! Then they answered all our questions on the boat ride back to Caye Caulker. Overall, Hicaco Tours was a great experience!

The Hicaco Tours boat to the Belize Barrier Reef

One quick thing to note about snorkeling the Belize barrier reef is that there are half day tours and full day tours available. They are not just shorter or longer versions of the same tour! The half day tour is the one I did, which takes you to 3 parts of the reef close to Caye Caulker. The full day tour takes you out to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve near Ambergris Caye. Here, you’ll see a lot more marine life and some pretty impressive sights. However, I found the half day tour of the closer part of the reef to be wonderful – it’s all about what you’re looking for!

Cave Tubing

Why is cave tubing so popular in Belize? One interesting story goes back to the Mayans. Belize was a home to the Mayan civilization. The Mayans believed that caves were the homes of the gods of the Underworld. While I’m a sucker for mythology, I also need to know the scientific facts behind why there are caves in Belize. The caves in Belize have been carved out of limestone from thousands of years of erosion. The caves are not sinkholes, like in Mexico. They are at ground level, and you can tube through the streams that flow through these massive caves!

There are different ways to go cave tubing in Belize. First, you can drive to Nohoch Che’en Caves Branch Archaeological Reserve, about halfway down the Western Highway between Belize City and San Ignacio, near Belmopan. At the Archaeological Reserve turn-off, you will see lots of guides sitting at something that looks like a bus stop. Pull in and ask for a guide to take you tubing. This is the cheapest way to go cave tubing in Belize.

Map of Nohoch Che'en Caves Branch Archaeological Reserve in Belize

Another way is to hire a tour company from your resort town. Obviously no tourist in Belize is staying in the middle of the country; tour companies are a dime a dozen in the resort areas by the coast or big cities. Even on an island like Caye Caulker, any tour company has a contact on the mainland they can hook you up with to take you cave tubing. It will include all transportation, including a water taxi if needed and a van or SUV to the Archaeological Reserve. This is a little bit more of an expensive option, but you can also combine it with a second tour to make the trek worth it. We combined ours with zip lining across the Mayan jungle, which was just incredible and right next door to the cave tubing!

We used Smugglers Cove Tours from Caye Caulker. We booked it the day before, set our time to catch the water taxi, and met up with Edward in Belize City. He was informative the entire trip, telling us the history of Belize, the present state of affairs, and little tidbits that only a local would know. He was a pleasure as a guide! He coordinated everything, from a river guide to zip lining guides. I highly recommend Smugglers Cove Tours and Edward Allen for excursions in Belize! In fact, Smugglers Cove is rated #2 best tour operator in Caye Caulker by TripAdvisor! Edward can be reached on his Belizean cell phone at 601-1982.

After you emerge from the caves, you float along in a lazy river back to the Nohoch Che'en Caves Branch Archaeological Reserve — After you emerge from the caves, you float along in a lazy river back to the Nohoch Che’en Caves Branch Archaeological Reserve

Finally, if you want a full-day cave tubing experience, consider the seven-mile “River of Caves” cave tubing float with Ian Anderson Hotel. It’s Belize’s longest and most spectacular way to disappear into the underworld, with only a headlamp lighting your way. This is a full day tour, but you will see more than any other tour has to offer!

Something to note about cave tubing: you start and end at the same place. This means that you walk up the river so you can float back down to the starting point. You will be carrying your tube the whole way (about a mile), so make sure you are prepared for that. If you have your own water shoes or crocs, you will want to wear them. Also, consider bringing a short-sleeve rash guard to protect your skin from rubbing against the life jacket. Remember to bring bug spray since you are hiking and tubing through the rainforest. You’ll also want to remember a water bottle, change of clothes, and sun tan lotion. Lastly, if you have a GoPro helmet mount, bring that for some great GoPro footage!

Standing in the super clear water, about to start tubing through the caves of Belize! — Inside the caves it is too dark to video. But a good portion of the tour is outside where you can get some great GoPro video or picture footage! Unfortunately, my GoPro memory was full by the time we emerged from the caves.

Visit the Ruins

A thousand years before Europeans arrived on the shores of Belize, a million Maya lived in the country. It’s estimated that the Maya inhabited Belize as far back as 1500 BC, peaking between 300 and 900 AD.

#Belize has the highest concentration of #Maya sites in Central America. Click To Tweet

There is no lack of ruins to visit for those interested in history! Some of the most famous Maya ruin sites in Belize are Caracol, Xunantunich, Altun Ha, La Milpa, and Lamanai. Each is unique and reveals another aspect into the mystical civilization.

The High Temple at Lamanai. Climb it for a panoramic view of the Belizean jungle! — The. High Temple at Lamanai. Image via Flickr by aaron wolpert

Caracol (The Snail): Located in Belize’s Cayo District. The largest pyramid is “Caana” (Sky Place), which rises 140 feet, making it the tallest man-made structure in Belize.
Xunantunich (Maiden of the Rock): Xunantunich sits on the Mopal River, just next to the Guatemala border. It consists of six major plazas with over 25 temples and palaces. You can climb El Castillo (The Castle) almost to the top, which is 135 feet above the ground.
Altun Ha (Water of the Rock): Altun Ha was once a coastal trade center, located just north of Belize City. It consists of two plazas and 13 temples and residential structures. The Jade Head, representing the Sun God, was found here. It’s the largest carved jade object in the Maya area (six inches tall, weighing 10 pounds), and the national symbol of Belize.
La Milpa (The Cultivated Field): Located in the Rio Bravo Conservation Area in northwestern Belize. La Milpa is the third largest site in Belize. It’s a ceremonial site with 24 courtyards and 85 structures. The Great Plaza in La Milpa was one of the largest public spaces in the Maya world.
Lamanai (Submerged Crocodile): Located on the New River Lagoon in the Orange District in northern Belize. As the name would suggest, Lamanai is home to many crocodiles. There are more than 700 structures, many of which are still buried. However, you can see two Christian churches, a sugar mill, and black howler monkeys peering down at you as you explore Lamanai. Take the river boat ride excursion to see Lamanai from a new perspective. You can climb the High Temple at Lamanai, 108 feet tall, for a beautiful view of the jungle below.

Some of the ruins can take quite a while to walk through, although they can be paired with other excursions nearby, like cave tubing or zip lining. Remember when visiting the ruins to bring bug spray, suntan lotion, and possibly a hat!

Great Blue Hole

The Great Blue Hole is one of Belize’s most famous sights, named one of the top 10 most amazing places on earth by the Discovery Channel. It’s a giant circular sinkhole 318 meters (1,043 feet) across and 124 meters (406 feet) deep. It’s popular with scuba divers, snorkelers, fishermen, photographers, and sky divers.

#DiscoveryChannel named #Belize's #BlueHole one of the top 10 most amazing places on earth! Click To Tweet

The Great Blue Hole is a deep blue color surrounded by reef. It's clearly a different piece of ocean from the surrounding shallower waters. — Image via Flickr by 2ilorg

The Blue Hole was formed during the various ice ages and it’s lined with stalagmites and stalactites from when the water was much lower. The water is crystal clear. Sharks, butterfly fish, angel fish, midnight parrotfish, grouper, and turtles, are just a few of the marine life you will find in the Great Blue Hole.

You can take a boat from the cayes or from the mainland; it’s about 70 km (43.5 miles) from mainland Belize and takes about 2 hours by boat. You can also charter a small prop plane to helicopter to fly over the Blue Hole for some incredible aerial photos. The aerial tours make a few circles so you can get a photo from every angle a few times. It takes about an hour from start to finish.

If you’re more adventure, try sky diving into the Blue Hole! It’s an extremely rare jump that not many people do, and you land in the water. If you’re looking for a bucket list sky dive, this is the one. Don’t forget to bring your snorkel and mask! Watch this video for a full 8 minutes of skydiving into the Blue Hole.

Chasing Waterfalls

Belize is full of waterfalls! They kind of get overshadowed by all the other exciting things to do in Belize. If you have the time and spend some of that time on the mainland, check out these waterfalls!

Visitors hanging out in the cool, refreshing waters delivered by Big Rock Falls, the 150-foot waterfall in Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, Belize — Image via Flickr by Saucy Salad

Big Rock Falls: 150-foot waterfall on the Privassion River in Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve of the Cayo District. You can lounge in the natural pool, swim in the clear blue waters, or rock jump over the waterfall!
Rio On Pools and Rio Frio Cave: Also in Mountain Pine Ridge is one of the prettiest swimming holes in the world. Rio On Pools is about 15 miles off the Western Highway. Once you get off the road, it’ll take some time to get there, but you’ll enjoy the scenic drive to get there. With the cooler temperatures from the pine trees, you’ll feel like you were transported to another country! The Rio Frio Cave is a short hop away from the Pools. It’s one of the more striking caverns in Belize with the widest entrance of any Belizean cave. Take a dip in the refreshing water of the cave!
1000 Foot Falls: This waterfall is a natural monument in Cayo, Belize, surrounded by the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. It’s thought to be the highest waterfall in Central America. And despite its name, the waterfall is actually 1,600 feet high!
Waterfall Cave: Waterfall Cave has you rock climbing up a waterfall…underground! It’s extremely intense. After a 30 minute hike through the forest and 45 minute hike through a cave, you climb up six waterfalls. Then, you end by jumping off them into the pools at the bottom! And finally hike 3 km back through the jungle. This is a very active waterfall excursion for the most physically fit of adventurers.
Elijio Panti National Park: This national park encompasses 20 square miles of mountains, waterfalls, and natural pools. The most famous waterfall in the park is Sakt’aj Waterfall. Like the others, the national park is located in the Cayo District.
Davis Falls: Davis Falls is one of the most iconic waterfalls in Belize. It’s 500 feet (120 meters) high, second only to 1000 Foot Falls. Davis Falls is in Stann Creek Valley, near Dangriga in southeastern Belize. The best way to get there is by ATV!

Zip Lining

Do you want to fly above the Belizean jungle? There are a few different places in Belize to zip line. Most tours will include a combo option, so you can combine ziplining with another activity. If you’re looking to zipline on your own in Belize, check out the following.

Calico Jack’s has a total of nine runs, 15 platforms, a jungle lift, and 2,700 feet of ziplining.
Jaguar Paw zig-zags across the rainforest on seven runs. One of the runs even crosses over a river.
El Progresso has four 500-foot zip lines, for a total of 2,000 feet flying above the jungle. It also includes a jungle lift.
Bocawina Adventures Zipline has the longest zipline course in Central America, approximately 2.5 miles. The longest run is over 2,300 feet! They offer day and night ziplining; try it during a full moon to hear the noises of local animals that only come out at night!
Caves Branch Outpost is right near the cave tubing entrance. The zipline has seven runs through the rainforests of Belize, with 100-750 feet between platforms.

Remember to bring your GoPro helmet mount for some great videos! Also, remember you’re in the jungle, so bring some bug spray.

Belize Zoo

The Belize Zoo (La Democracia) is home to over 175 wildlife species and about 48 plant species, all native to Belize. You’ll see animals like Baird’s tapir, jaguars, cougars, ocelots, and margays. The Belize Zoo is right off the Western Highway, very easy to find. Entrance fees are US $15 per person (BZ $30 per person). The zoo gets about 86,000 visitors each year, both local and international! Most tour companies will add this to a cave tubing or zip lining experience since you pass right by the zoo to get to the other excursions.

Belikin Brewery Tour

The Belikin brewery is right next to the airport in Belize City. You can see it from the runway! During the brewery tour, you’ll learn about the history of Belikin, the process of brewing Belikin, and visit the famous Taproom Tavern on the third floor, in the style of an English pub. Here, you’ll try a flight of five different Belikin beers with a selection fo snacks while you listen to relaxing Caribbean music. There’s also a gift shop to purchase a souvenir or two. This is a great idea to try if you’re on a cruise with limited time in Belize City, or on your way to or from the airport!

Belikken is the beer of Belize. The sign at the airport welcomes you, saying "No working during drinking hours"!

Have you been to Belize? If so, what did you do while you were there? Let me know if I missed any fun excursions! If you haven’t been to Belize, which excursion would you do if you were to go? Tell me in the comments below!

Like this post? Pin it!