Belize Sightseeing - The best highlights and excursions

The highlights and sights in Belize are truly special. It’s not a country with skyscrapers, shopping malls, or enormous buildings. Belize is a country with breathtaking nature and diverse wildlife. It may be a small country, but it’s brimming with diversity and adventure. Belize is diverse, multifaceted, and incredibly colorful. What’s more, Belize is easy to travel with a backpack! We’ll tell you what you can see, do, and experience in Belize. Sit back and browse the following Belize sights, highlights, and insider tips.

What you should also know:

What else you should know:
1. Go slow on Caye Caulker
2. Off to the Mayan ruins
3. Caving, tubing and action
4. The Belize Barrier Reef
5. Off to the Great Blue Hole
6. Diving and snorkeling in Belize
7. Chilling and sunbathing in Placencia
8. Belize sights – Hopkins
9. Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
10. Howler Monkey Sanctuary
11. Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
12. Belize Sights – Belize Zoo
13. Discover Waterfalls
14. Experience Garifuna Culture
15. Excursions to Guatemala, Mexico, and Honduras

1. Go slow on Caye Caulker

The plane lands in Belize City, so from there you should definitely take a detour to Caye Caulker. Some people find it too touristy, while others find the island perfect. We had a fantastic time on this small, colorful reggae island. We love being totally isolated, but also enjoy a bit of company and action around us.

In our opinion, Caye Caulker is a really cool place. From here, you can start great snorkeling trips and diving. We went to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and saw nurse sharks, turtles, dolphins, and rays. It was truly magnificent!

Belize Sights Caye Caulker Hammock

2. Off to the Mayan Ruins

Lamanai, Altun Ha, Caracol, and Xunantunic! You’re wondering what these are? Behind these names lie Mayan ruins from times long past. Marco and I visited the Lamanai Ruins in Orange Walk Town. This tour (Lamanai Native Tours) was one of the highlights of our entire Belize trip. A small boat took us about 1.5 hours to the ruins. Along the way, we saw iguanas, crocodiles, and giant pelicans. The journey to the ruins alone was incredibly exciting.

The Lamanai temple complex is located in the middle of the rainforest. We definitely recommend bringing mosquito repellent. When it’s warm and humid, the mosquitoes will bite you like crazy! It’s said that around 20,000 Mayans lived in Lamanai around 3,000 years ago. Crazy, right? We were truly speechless at the remains of the ruins. The Mayan ruins of Xunantunich are located about 13 kilometers southwest of San Ignacio. The ruined city of Altun Ha is about 45 kilometers from Belize City. Caracol is one of the largest Mayan sites in the west of the country. The focal point here is the over 40-meter-high pyramid, which was originally built for worship purposes. We haven’t been there ourselves, so we can’t give you any personal recommendations. Here, however, you’ll find everything about our trip to the Lamani ruins. 3. Caving, Tubing, and Action. Belize has many adventures to offer. We went to San Ignacio during our tour of Belize. This place is, so to speak, the starting point for many outdoor adventures. We actually wanted to do the legendary ATM tour, but this cave was closed due to heavy rain. The ATM (Actun Tunichil Muknal) is supposed to be incredibly exciting, but unfortunately, the weather gods weren’t on our side.

The ATM Cave is one of the most beautiful and popular limestone caves in the world. Since tours fill up very quickly, we recommend booking in advance. You can book the tour through Get Your Guide, for example. But be careful, you definitely won’t stay dry on this tour! We opted for the Crystal Cave Tour. We went deep into a cave with three other participants.

If you are claustrophobic, you should definitely not do this tour. You repeatedly have to squeeze through rocks, crevices, and holes. You MUST also wear sturdy shoes (you can also rent shoes). Mosquito spray is also a must. The mosquitoes in the rainforest are really aggressive. Our guide told us a lot about Mayan culture during the 5-hour tour. Very, very cool!

There’s also the Barton Creek Cave Tour, cave tubing, hiking, tours of the Mayan ruins, birdwatching, horseback riding, ziplining, and much more. You’ll have to shell out a fair bit of money for these tours. We paid a whopping €77 for our Crystal Cave Tour. Generally, such tours are very expensive compared to other countries, but in the end, every euro is usually worth it. Not far from Belmopan, the capital of Belize, is St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park. This park is home to a beautiful natural pool, which is part of a cave system. It’s supposed to be really cool there, too.

4. The Belize Barrier Reef

The Belize Barrier Reef is the second largest reef system in the world after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. This reef stretches from the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico down to the eastern end of Honduras’ northern coast. Many beautiful islands dot the 256 km of reef, offering a variety of water activities.

Along this reef are the small islands in Belize, the so-called cays (there are probably 450 islands in total). The most famous islands are definitely Ambergris Caye (the largest island in Belize), St. George’s Caye, Tabacco Caye, Caye Caulker, Half Moon Caye, Blackadore Caye (a private island), and Long Caye.

Some islands are protected as national parks or marine reserves. Belize boasts three of the four Caribbean atolls. These include Lighthouse Reef Atoll, Turneffe Atoll, and Glovers Reef Atoll. You can probably already imagine how wonderful the underwater world in Belize is. Whether you’re in Placencia, Dangriga, or Caye Caulker, the snorkeling and diving excursions are absolutely amazing!

5. Off to the Great Blue Hole

Most photos of Belize feature the Great Blue Hole. It’s definitely one of the country’s most popular highlights. You can book boat tours and go snorkeling or diving at the Blue Hole. You can set off from Caye Caulker, San Pedro, Belize City, and many other locations in Belize.

There are also vacationers who have the necessary cash and simply fly over the hole in a helicopter. The view from up there must be simply gigantic. We preferred to invest the money in food and drink. The Great Blue Hole is a subterranean depression near the Caribbean Lighthouse Reef and Turneffe Atoll.

6. Diving and Snorkeling in Belize

Belize is an absolute dream for all snorkeling and diving enthusiasts. The Barrier Reef and the various atolls offer an incredible number of spots with a colorful and breathtaking underwater world. As mentioned above, the Blue Hole is one of the most popular destinations in Belize. We visited the Hol Chan Marine Reserve (departing from Caye Caulker), where we saw turtles, rays, nurse sharks, colorful fish, and corals. It was definitely a beautiful snorkeling area. We paid only €66 per person for our wonderful full-day sailing trip (more information in our Caye Caulker Guide). Tours to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve include the following spots: Coral Garden, Hol Chan Channel, and Shark Ray Alley.

Outside the Belize Barrier Reef, the water becomes even clearer; here you’ll find Turneffe Atoll, Glover’s Atoll, and Lighthouse Reef Atoll. You can expect world-class dive sites here. The area around Half Moon Caye is highly recommended for diving and snorkeling. This island is located at the southwestern end of Lighthouse Reef Atoll. Many tour operators offer excursions to this island. The water is crystal clear and shines in the most beautiful shades of blue.

There are an incredible number of colorful corals and fish to marvel at. Of course, you can also discover rays and other sea creatures here. The beaches of Half Moon Caye are also said to be very beautiful. Other snorkeling and diving spots in Belize are located around Laughing Bird Caye and South Water Caye (off Hopkins). We went from Placencia to Silk Cayes. That was by far one of the best days of our lives. The underwater world left us speechless.

7. Chilling and Sunbathing in Placencia

If you’re looking for peace and quiet after all your adventures, then you should head to Placencia Village. Here you can eat well, spend relaxing days on the beach, and take great excursions in the surrounding area. Placencia isn’t particularly big, but it’s not tiny either. A good mix of tourists, locals, and a holiday feeling.

Many snorkeling and diving tours depart from Placencia. This is where we took our aforementioned trip to the stunning Silk Cayes. You can also rent a golf caddy on site and explore the island on four wheels. It’s a lot of fun and only costs 25 to 30 USD for 4 hours (space for 4 people).

8. Belize Sights – Hopkins

And if you’re truly seeking total peace and quiet, then you should visit the small village of Hopkins. The place itself isn’t particularly pretty (with a few exceptions), but Hopkins has a certain charm. The village is still very authentic and not very touristy. By that, we mean that there are hardly any hotels and no huge markets, shops, or restaurants.

Everything is still very local, and that’s a good thing. Our accommodation was truly a highlight. A hammock hung in front of our room, and it was only 20 steps to the water (our accommodation in Hopkins). This allowed us to truly relax and unwind over the last few days. You’ll find a handful of restaurants and cafés where you can enjoy truly delicious food.

Hopkins also offers cool tours into the interior. Since Hopkins was our last stop, we didn’t do any tours. However, the same excursions are offered everywhere: motorbike tours, adventure tours (ziplining, tubing, etc.), diving safaris, horseback riding, cultural tours (cooking, chocolate, wellness, Garifuna), Mayan ruins, and much more.

9. Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

This national park is located about 32 km west of Dangriga. The almost 200 square kilometer park is one of the largest and most famous in Belize. It is also known as Jaguar National Park. The area was the first in the world to be established to protect the jaguar.

The area stretches to an altitude of over 1100 meters, so there are some beautiful viewpoints. You’ll find around 50 jaguars here. Okay, you probably won’t see them, but they live there. Other big cats, tapirs, rare snakes, howler monkeys, and around 300 bird species also live in this region.

10. Howler Monkey Sanctuary

You can see howler monkeys not only in the wild, for example, at the Lamanai Ruins, but also in the Howler Monkey Sanctuary. This protected area is located about 40 km west of Belize City and encompasses seven villages (Belize River Valley). Black howler monkeys are protected here, along with many other animal and plant species.

Howler monkeys are found exclusively in the rainforests of South and Central America. They are known for their loud screams, which sound absolutely crazy. According to our research, the nature walk in the Howler Monkey Sanctuary costs 7 USD, the river tour 28 USD, and the night hike 15 USD. The museum and visitor center are open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (more information here).

11. Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

This sanctuary is located west of Belize City. You can take public buses directly from Belize City to “Crooked Tree.” The name “Crooked Tree” is derived from the cashew tree. In this swamp landscape, you can see around 300 different bird species. The dry season is probably the best time to observe a variety of birds.

In the reserve, you can go hiking through the picturesque surroundings or even go on your own canoe trips. There are even bike tours and rice excursions offered locally. We haven’t been there ourselves, but we’ve often heard that it’s worth a visit.

12. Belize Sights – Belize Zoo

A local told us that a visit to the Belize Zoo is really worthwhile. It’s home to mainly native animal species. For example, you can see the beautiful, colorful rainbow toucan there. There are more than 500 species of birds in Belize. The zoo itself is home to more than 170 animals from around 45 native species. Here you can take a tour of the zoo, take guided hikes in the surrounding area, go canoeing, or even go on night hikes through the zoo. You can also stay overnight at “The Belize Zoo Jungle Lodge.”

13. Discover Waterfalls

In addition to rainforests, caves, dream islands, and Mayan ruins, waterfalls are among the top attractions in Belize. You’ll also find some truly beautiful waterfalls in the country’s forests. According to a brochure from Belize, a popular destination is the “Rio on Pools.” These are located about 44 km from San Ignacio and are situated in the heart of the Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve.

These cascades are surrounded by fir trees and granite rocks. The Thousand Foot Falls are also located in this region. There are viewpoints here from which you can admire the waterfall. The Big Rock Falls and the Five Sister Falls in Belize are also located in the dense forest of the Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve. The Rio Blanco Falls are located in the south of the country in the Rio Blanco Waterfall Park.

Note: We did not visit any waterfalls, but please give us feedback on this point if you have.

14. Experience the Garifuna Culture

Punta Gorda is the southernmost city in Belize. It has a population of just 5,300, located on the border with Guatemala. This city was once founded by the Garifuna, an ethnic group with over 100,000 members in Belize. They work primarily as fishermen on the coast and as banana workers. The Garifuna culture is being increasingly discovered by the tourism industry every year.

In Punta Gorda, you can experience many of them firsthand. According to a local, they also live in Hopkins, Dangriga, Seine Bright, and Barranco. A variety of tours are offered, each with a different theme: cooking, playing the drums, building your own drum, making music, dancing, museum tours, and much more. We didn’t take a tour ourselves, nor were we there. But it’s supposed to be pretty cool.

15. Excursion to Guatemala, Mexico, and Honduras

Belize is surrounded by other great countries like Guatemala, Mexico, and Honduras. If you’re planning a longer trip, you might want to consider making a detour to one of these countries. Many people combine their Belize trip with a trip to Mexico. With your German passport, you can easily cross the border and back again.

There are countless bus connections to Mexico, as well as to Honduras and Guatemala. Boats also depart from Belize to Honduras. Furthermore, it’s only 220 km from Belize City to Flores in Guatemala. Flights from Belize are unfortunately very, very expensive. Therefore, you should purchase a boat or bus ticket.

Bus from Belize to Honduras: Transportes Manabre Bus from Belize City
Boat from Belize (Belize City or Punta Gorda) to Honduras: D-Express & Starla Ferry
Bus from Belize to Guatemala: Fuente del Norte and Linea Dorada between Belize City and Flores, Marlin Espadas Ltd. from Chetumal to Flores, public buses (takes a very long time)
Bus from Belize City to Mexico: Take the bus to Chetumal or Corozal and continue to and through Mexico