Who AM i
My name is Mia Kanabar and I am lucky enough to have been born and raised in the beautiful country Belize. My main goal of this website is to give you basic information about the best way to visit and enjoy Belize. This is the perfect guide to a perfect holiday on the island of Ambergris Caye. Here you can find everything you need from restaurant recommendations to cultural facts and so much more!
Getting to Belize
The best way to get into the country is by flying into the Goldson international airport that is located 30 minutes outside of Belize City. This airport offers direct flights from various US cities such as Miami, Houston and Los Angeles. You can also fly to Southern Mexico or Guatemala and drive into Belize. In order to get to San Pedro you can either go on the ferry boat that is approximately a 1.5 hour ride or a small plane that takes around 20 minutes. Once you’re in Belize if you’re staying in San Pedro I would recommend renting a golf cart so that you can get around without having to call taxis.
Where to Stay
As far as accommodations go, you have different options depending on your budget. If you are looking for luxury hotels I would highly recommend the Phoenix Resort, which was listed as the 1 hotel in the world a few years ago, Victoria House and Matachica. Other good options in the mid range price include Ramon’s Village, Sunbreeze, and Alaia. For more budget friendly options there is Sandbar, Holiday Hotel, and Caribbean Villas. From a local’s point of view the best area to stay in would be in town as that way you are within a walking distance of everything. You can also stay at an Airbnb but I would recommend staying at a hotel as they can give you recommendations and help make reservations.
Attractions
Although Belize is a rather small island, it has lots to offer, from everything from fishing and snorkeling to ziplining and hiking.
If you are looking for adventure Belize is the perfect place for you! You can take a day trip to the mainland and make a quick stop at the Belize Zoo which is not like other zoos. It is very open and takes in rescued animals like monkeys, jaguars and crocodiles. After that you continue deeper into the jungle and choose between a variety of activities like cave tubing, ziplaining, quad bikes and horseback riding. I personally recommend the zip lining because it gives the perfect amount of thrill as you fly over the rich jungle from mountain to mountain.
On the other hand if you are looking for more of a relaxed vacation a boat day in the cayes is the ideal plan. You can charter a boat in San Pedro where they take you to swimming spots, then fishing and then they cook a beach barbeque for you. This is the perfect day of sun and swim and you get to enjoy typical Belizean foods. If you want to explore San Pedro’s neighboring island, Caye Caulker is also a great spot. You can either charter a private boat or take a 30 minute ferry to get there. There is a fantastic swimming spot with crystal clear water and there are many different options for food. Another fun plan is a sunset cruise along the water. At around 5 pm you can hop onto a boat and enjoy some drinks while watching the sunset and if you’re lucky you might see some dolphins!
Finally, if you’re looking for a mix of ocean and adventure, Belize really is the ultimate spot for you as we are known for having the second largest Coral Reef in the world. You can enjoy a day of snorkeling at Hol Chan where you can see all kings of Coral and different sea creatures like fish, sharks, manatees, starfish etc and then a 20 minute boat ride later you can swim with the friendly nurse sharks. If you are feeling a bit braver you can try scuba diving and visit one of my favorite places, The Big Blue Hole. It is a giant hole that is very deep and you slowly make your way into it and see so many things. Then you do several other dives and eat lunch at Lighthouse Caye, a small beautiful island with clear waters and lots of nature.
Food
Since Belize is such a diverse country, the food is a mix of many different cultures and has latin, african, caribbean and asian influences that can be seen in the food. Some of the best foods that you have to try are fry jacks for breakfast, rice and beans with stew chicken, lobster (if it’s in season) and ceviche. In San Pedro if you have a high budget and are looking for a spectacular dinner there are several options including : Red ginger, Hidden Treasure and Elvi’s kitchen. If you want something in the middle I would highly recommend Estel’s, Sandbar and Caliente’s. If you’re looking to save money I would recommend Waraguma, Celi’s Deli, and Norma’s Deli. Another fun option is Truckstop where there are several different food trucks and is a perfect place to take your family.
Culture
Belize is made up of different ethnicities including the Garifuna in South Eastern Belize, the Mayans in Western Belize and Northern Belize is mostly made up of Mestizo. Since Belize was an English colony, the official language is English, however Spanish is a very strong second language and almost everyone speaks the Belizean dialect which is Creole. A little known fact is that Belize has the biggest Mayan Temple in the world known as Caracol but I recommend visiting Cahal Pech. Belize is a very peaceful and relaxed country as there is no army. Belizeans love to dance! Punta and Soca music are the most common genres you will hear throughout your trip. Also, given that we come from a Mayan culture, chocolate plays an important role as the cacao plants are native to Belize you can find many bean to bar chocolates and even attend a chocolate class.