For a tiny country, smaller than the state of Massachusetts, Belize has an impressive amount of incredible experiences to offer visitors. A young and developing nation, only gaining its independence from Great Britain in 1981, Belize has the lowest population density in Central America and over a quarter of its land and sea is designated protected areas. With so few people, the whole country feels like a small town and the unspoiled natural beauty is unrivalled. Visitors return to this wild and enigmatic land again and again to make new discoveries; like peeling layers from an onion, just when you think you know Belize… there’s more. Geographically small but big on adventure and rich in history and culture, here are just 4 of the many things you MUST do on your Belize vacation.
The Snorkeling or Scuba Diving
The World’s second largest barrier reef lies just off the country’s coast and is dotted with hundreds of cayes; from white-sand islands to hard coral atolls and sheltering drowned mangroves, Belize has 185 miles of coastline. With year-round tepid water and bucket-list sites like the famous Blue Hole, we are a diver’s dream!
Everyone must get a glimpse of this marvelous marine world, whether you’re a dive master or a hesitant first-timer: seeing the reef from beneath is a can’t miss. Even if you think snorkeling ‘isn’t your thing,’ think again. Give it a try in Belize’s blue, calm waters and you’ll be a convert. Named an UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Belize Barrier Reef if truly a spectacular ecosystem rich in sea life and biodiversity. In addition to the many types of corals and sponges, you may also spot stingrays, friendly nurse sharks, and sea turtles.
The Food
Belize’s cuisine is as diverse as its people and its landscapes. Influenced from Maya, Garifuna, British, Indian, Chinese and neighboring Latin American countries, the food in Belize certainly isn’t boring. Hand-ground corn tamales steamed in banana leaf, rich casava pudding, slowly stewed chicken served along side coconut rice, tangy and bright ceviche, small batch handcrafted chocolate processed from bean to bar. Hyper-localized and healthy fare is the standard. Belize boasts a bounty of tropical fruits and veggies: papaya and pineapple, starfruit and jicama, citrus, sugar cane, and bananas are just the tip of the iceberg. As you can imagine, our seafood is fresh and plentiful.
You won’t find a McDonalds or Trader Joes here, and we like it that way. Food comes as fast as a fresh tortilla can be thrown and a burrito assembled. Homes and restaurants don’t provision themselves at big-box-stores, they talk to their local farmers, fishermen, and butchers. Our meals aren’t always fancy but they’re always fresh and flavorful—roadside pork tacos that melt in your mouth or crispy lobster garnaches at a shack on the beach, everything tastes wonderful with a cold local beer and a healthy dash of our world-famous Marie Sharps hot sauce.
The Fishing
Quickly gaining global recognition as a top destination for anglers, Belize’s fishing opportunities are hot. Reef, river, deep sea, fly, or spear fishing- Belize has it all. The robust and varied marine life makes for interesting and intense casting conditions. Blue Reef Island is ideally situated for fishermen to enjoy all the Belize Barrier Reef has to offer an angler. Snapper, Barracuda, and Jack can all by hooked directly from the dock. Tarpon ranging in size from 10 to 100 pounds stalk the nearby flats and Marlin, Wahoo, and Sailfish cruise the outer reef.
Belize offers some of the best fishing in the world. Don’t skip the chance to reel in a colossal catch. Whether you catch and release a brawny bonefish or snag a snook for your dinner plate, the fun is in the fight. Under the expert tutelage of any of the wonderful local tour guides, even a complete novice has a reel good chance of landing a catch.
An Inland Tour
As beautiful as Belize’s reef and cayes are, you would be remis not to take at least one excursion to the interior. Walk in the footsteps of ancient Maya by touring temples or sacred ceremonial caves, harvest cacao pods and process the beans by hand to make your own chocolate, hike through broadleaf tropical forest to hidden waterfalls, join a Garifuna drumming circle or make a hundred new fluttering friends at a butterfly farm. Belize has so many unique adventures to offer. Adrenaline junkies will appreciate zip lining, rappelling, or cave tubing while foodies will flip for the agrotourism experiences. Culturally rich and engaging educational tours abound. The mainland of Belize has loads of different things for visitors to do that are just as enjoyable as the diving or fishing.
You’ll be wowed by Belize’s natural beauty and shocked by how quickly you can go from white-sand-beach to lush rainforest and tropical farmland. Los Porticos’ position on the Placencia Peninsula has been described as a Goldilocks location, a centrally located launching point for dozens of great excursions under an hour or two away. The ideal mix of accessibility and peaceful seclusion, Los Porticos is the perfect pick for your Belize vacation and a great gateway to these and other must-do activities.
If it’s your first time to Belize or your fifteenth, you’ll discover something new to love on your Blue Reef Island vacation. Belize is a destination to relax but also to excite! Slow down and unwind in the secluded luxury of a private island but also do all the things that make this tiny country totally unique and really special.
