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Belize City Basics

Belize is a New Hampshire-sized country with a proud Mayan heritage. It's the only country in Central America where English is the official language, as it was once controlled by the British. (Until 1981, it was a British colony known as British Honduras.) With a population of just over 300,000, Belize boasts some of the most beautiful and accessible wilderness in the Western Hemisphere.

Tourism is by far the biggest industry in Belize. Eco-tourists flock to Belize to dive, swim, snorkel, fish, kayak and sail in the 150 mile long Belize Barrier Reef--the second longest reef formation in the world. They also come to admire the hundreds of species of birds, see the Mayan ruins, go caving, enjoy river trips and camp in the wild.

Belize enjoys a sub-tropical climate, with an mean annual temperature of 80° F (27° C). Trade winds blow along the coast and on the cayes most of the year, typically keeping temperatures pleasant even in the hottest months.

First Impressions

For travelers to Belize, your first stop is Belize City. Belize City is home to over a quarter of the country's population, and is the country's commercial capital. Belize City used to be the country's capital, but a hurricane in 1931 wreaked havoc on the city, and the capital was moved inland to Belmopan. While Belize City may possess some colonial charm, it's more often than not a place where you'll catch a bus or boat to transit to your day's destination.

Cruise ships will drop anchor a few miles outside of Belize City's harbor (it's too shallow for the draft of the cruise ships) and be taken ashore by speedy ship's tenders run by the Belize port authority. It'll take about 20 minutes to go from your ship to the Tourist Village docks in Belize City. All excursions to the interior and the offshore islands will begin at the Tourist Village.

There are basically three things to do on your visit to Belize. Scuba diving, snorkeling and swimming in the offshore reefs are what brings most folks to Belize, as these reefs are some of the most beautiful in the world. You can also check out the Mayan ruins that exist inland at Altun Ha, Lamanai, Cahal Pech and Xunantunich. And lastly, you can participate in some of the eco-tours, including cave tubing and river rafting, that make Belize a great place to visit.

If you decide to spend some time in Belize City, just be vigilant about your surroundings and what you're doing. The cruise ship personnel will tell you that the city isn't a safe place to visit. For the more intrepid traveler, Belize City can be an interesting experience. Many of the shops, restaurants and sights of touristic interest are located in the downtown Fort George area, situated within a few blocks of the Belize City Tourism Village.

Time Zone

Belize is on Central Time, six hours earlier than Greenwich Mean Time during Standard Time. Daylight Savings Time is not observed.

Language

English is the official language of Belize and is widely spoken. Many locals also speak English-based Creole (Kriol). Other languages spoken include Spanish (widely spoken in the west of Belize), Maya, Garifuna and Mandarin.

Currency

The Belize Dollar is Belize's official currency, and uses the "$" sign to denote the local dollar amount. The exchange rate is fixed at 2 Belize Dollars per US dollar.

Banks and ATMs

Banks with ATM machines are to be found in downtown Belize City. All ATM transactions have you taking a cash advance against your Visa card (most widely accepted) or MasterCard. ATM machines in the city can be found at the following locations:

Tourist Village: You'll find ATM machines conveniently located in the Tourist Village, where your ship's tender docks in Belize City.

Belize Bank: 10 North Front Street; 60 Market Square; and 21 Regent Street, in Belize City. Belize Bank's ATMs accept international credit cards, including Visa, Master Cards, Cirrus, Plus and Visa Electron.

Atlantic Bank: At the corner of Cleghorn St. and Freetown Road, in Belize City. Atlantic Bank's ATMs accept international credit cards, including Visa, Master Card, Cirrus, Plus and Visa Electron.

To see the locations of Belize City's ATMs, see our Belize City ATM map.

Using US Dollars in Belize

Since US dollars are widely accepted in Belize, you don't have to change your US dollars into Belize dollars. If you're using US dollars alone, make sure to bring smaller denominations to pay for incidentals and taxi rides. And if you're using US Dollars, your change more than likely will be made in Belize currency.

Weather

Belize enjoys a sub-tropical climate, with an mean annual temperature of 80° F (27° C). Trade winds blow along the coast and on the cayes most of the year, typically keeping temperatures pleasant even in the hottest months.

There are two seasons in Belize: dry season and rainy season. The dry season lasts from mid-November through through May, while the rainy season runs from June to November. Annual rainfall averages ranges from 60 inches in the north to 160 inches in the south. Most of the rainfall takes place during the rainy season.

Hurricanes occasionally blow in from the Caribbean, occurring most often in August and September.

The water temperatures are pretty consistent throughout the year, averaging between 79° and 83° F.

Belize City Average Temperatures
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg High - F	80	80	83	85	87	87	86	86	86	84	82	80
Avg High - C	27	27	28	29	31	31	30	30	30	29	28	27
Avg Low - F	70	71	74	76	79	79	79	78	77	75	73	71
Avg Low - C	21	22	23	24	26	26	26	26	25	24	23	22

Belize City Average Precipitation
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg, Inches	4.8	2.7	2.0	1.8	3.7	8.4	8.1	7.1	9.7	10.1	7.6	6.6
Avg, mm	122	60	51	46	94	213	206	180	246	257	193	168

Belize City Weather Forecast, Belize

Keeping In Touch

Internet Cafes

You can find several internet cafes in downtown Belize City; their rates are very reasonable. Here is a few suggestions for cyber cafes in Belize City:

Click & Sip is an internet cafe that can be found at the Tourist Village, where your ship's tender docks in Belize City.

Rico's Cyber Net, located at the Great House Hotel, 13 Cork Street (two blocks from the Tourist Village), is an alternative spot. Rico's charges BZ$ 7.50 per half hour. Open Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Phone: (501) 2-33997

To see the locations of Belize City's Internet Cafes, see our Map of Belize City Internet Cafes.

Cellular Phone & Data Services

Travelers with American cell phones and wireless devices should be aware that their carriers will add a variety of international roaming charges when their phones or data devices are used in Belize. Check with your carrier for the precise details. Roaming charges for calls back home and data are really expensive in Belize.

	Cell service: Verizon users must use a quad-band GSM phone when calling from Belize City. Data services: Through its partner, Verizon offers 3G coverage in Belize City when using a UMTS-capable device with an active SIM card and global plan. See details on Verizon's cell and data services pricing and coverage maps.
	Cell service: AT&T's GSM service in Belize City is provided by Belize Telemedia. Data services: AT&T offers 2G EDGE service in Belize City through its partner Belize Telemedia. See details on AT&T's cell and data services coverage maps.
	Cell service: Sprint's users must use a quad-band GSM phone when calling from Belize City. Data services: Through its partner Belize Telemedia, Sprint offers 2G GPRS coverage in Belize City when using a UMTS-capable device with an active SIM card and global plan. See details on Sprint's cell and data services coverage maps.
	Cell service: T-Mobile's GSM service in Belize City is provided by Belize Telemedia. Data services: T-Mobile offers 2G service in Belize City through Belize Telemedia. See details on T-Mobile's cell and data services pricing.

Kindle Connectivity

In Belize City, there is no 3-G service available, your best bet is to download your Kindle 3G data at a cyber cafe.

Local Holidays & Festivals

Look for the following local festivals and events taking place in and around Belize City in 2013:

Fiesta de Carnaval (the Belize Carnival), February 9 to 12. An annual event celebrated nationwide, but primarily in Belize City and Ambergris Cay. Groups compete in comparsas (special dances).

Baron Bliss Day, March 11. Celebrates Baron Bliss, an eccentric English-Portuguese adventurer who became Belize's greatest benefactor. Harbor regatta is held in front of the lighthouse, and horse and cycle races are also held.

Good Friday, March 29. On Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, beginning at 3:00 p.m., most villagers participate in the procession carrying the cross through the town.

Labour Day, May 1. Kicked off by an address by the Minister of Labour, followed by parades and rallies held throughout the country. Other activities include a kite contest, cycle races, harbor regatta and horse race.

Crooked Tree Cashew Festival, May 5 and 6. Celebrates the cashew harvest season. Includes live punta music, cashew wine, Caribbean-style dishes, games and folklore stories.

Commonwealth Day, May 27. Celebrated nationwide on Queen Elizabeth's ceremonial birthday. Activities include horse races in Belize City, as well as cycle races between Cayo and Belmopan.

National Day, September 10. Also known as St. George's Caye Day. Commemorates a battle in 1798, in which the Spanish were defeated by slaves, Baymen and British soldiers. Activities include official ceremonies and parades; carnivals, sporting activities and pop concerts are held several days prior to this event.

Independence Day, September 21. Marked by flag-raising ceremonies, parades, music, dance and food festivals held throughout the country.

Columbus Day/Pan American Day, October 14. Celebrated with regatta racing in Belize City.

Garifuna Settlement Day, November 19. Festivals are held, mainly in the southern areas of the country, to mark the first arrival of the Garifuna in 1832 in Dangriga.

Christmas Day, December 25. Public holiday.

Boxing Day, December 26. Activities include parties, dances, horse races, and some Garifuna dances are performed.

Cruise Port Schedules

Belize City is a very popular port on Western Caribbean cruise ship itineraries.

As a general rule, ships arrive at the city's cruise ship pier between 6:00 am and 8:00 am, and depart between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm.

In 2013, Belize City is slated to host 660,000 passengers sailing on 226 ships, up 18% and 7%, respectively, from 2012. For further information, see our Belize City Cruise Ship Schedule - 2013.