Belize Major Highways

The Hummingbird Highway is one of the most beautiful and scenic routes in the country. Named for the abundance of hummingbirds found in the country, the Hummingbird Highway connects central Belize to the southeastern coast.

First paved in 1994, the highway is 53.7 miles (86.4 km) long and connects the George Price Highway (often referred to as the Western Highway) outside of Belmopan in central Belize to the Southern Highway just outside of the town of Dangriga in the Stann Creek District of southeastern Belize.

Despite its name, the Hummingbird Highway is not a highway in the traditional sense of the word as used in the United States or Canada. Instead, it is a paved, two-lane road more akin to a county road (USA) or provincial road (Canada). The highway passes over several bridges along its route, many of which are one-lane only.

Because it is paved and well-maintained, it is the fastest way to travel from northern and western points in the country to the southeastern coast. From Belize City, the route to the southeast follows the Western Highway to Belmopan in the center of the country and then the Hummingbird Highway heads southeast until it reaches the outskirts of Dangriga on the coast.

Many visitors to Belize love the Hummingbird Highway because it is one of the prettiest and most scenic routes in the country. The Hummingbird Highway passes through many villages as well as large orchards along its length. It takes approximately two hours to drive the entire Hummingbird Highway and the road skirts the edge of the Maya Mountains and several top tourist destinations along the way.

The majority of the highway follows the old right of way for the now-defunct Stann Creek railroad. Technically speaking, only the first 32 miles from Belmopan towards Dangriga is officially the Hummingbird Highway while the remaining 23-mile portion is the Stann Creek District Highway, but locals almost always refer to the entire route simply as the Hummingbird Highway.

Starting in Belmopan, attractions along the way include:

• St. Herman’s Cave – Mile 12.2
• The Inland Blue Hole – Mile 13.1
• Bridge over the Sibun River – Mile 18.6
• St. Margaret’s Village/Five Blues Lake – Mile 23
• Hummingbird Gap – Mile 26
• Bridge over the Mullins River – Mile 34.7
• Junction with Southern Highway – Mile 48.2
• Havana Street in Dangriga – Mile 53.7

The Belize Coastal Highway

In Belize, there are no official definitions of what constitutes a highway, so the current Coastal Highway is something of a misnomer. Measuring 36 miles long, the Coastal Highway connects the village of La Democracia to Stann Creek Valley Road. Also known as the Manatee Highway, the Coastal Highway is, at least technically, a shortcut from points north to the Placencia Peninsula.

Currently, the entire length of the Coastal Highway is unpaved. This gravel roadway is deeply rutted, difficult to traverse with four-wheel drive vehicles in even the best weather, and, despite its relatively short length, takes just as long to drive as the much longer Southern Highway located several miles to the west.

The good news is that the government of Belize has committed to paving the Coastal Highway in order for the roadway to better live up to its name. At the end of 2017, the government of Belize signed a contract with an Italian engineering firm. According to statements from Rene Montero, the Minister of Works, the government has allocated 80 million dollars to pave and upgrade the entire length of the Coastal Highway.

Currently, a feasibility study and analysis is being conducted, with construction expected to begin at the end of 2018 or early 2019.

The Belize George Price Highway

The George Price Highway is one of Belize’s three major thoroughfares. Beginning in Belize City, it runs to points west, including the capital, Belmopan, the town of San Ignacio, the village of San Jose Succotz, and the border with Guatemala at the town of Benque Viejo del Carmen. The George Price Highway is completely paved along its length and is a two-lane roadway.

The George Price Highway was first constructed in the 1930s and was known as the Western Highway. Renamed in 2012 on the one-year anniversary of the death of George Price, many locals continue to refer to it as the Western Highway. The road is named for George Cadle Price, the last head of state during the colonial era and the first prime minister of Belize after the country gained independence from Great Britain in 1981.

Starting in Belize City, the main attractions along the George Price Highway include the exit to the village of Burrell Boom (mile marker 14,3), the access road to Hattieville (mile marker 15.9), the intersection with the Hummingbird Highway and the entrance to Belmopan (mile marker 47.2), the town of San Ignacio (mile marker 68.5), and the border crossing into Guatemala (mile marker 77.2).

The Belize Philip Goldson Highway

The Philip Goldson Highway is one of the three major thoroughfares in Belize. Connecting Belize City to points north, including Orange Walk  District and Orange Walk Town all the way to the Mexican border, the Philip Goldson Highway is 95 miles (153) kilometers long. The Philip Goldson Highway is completely paved and is a two-lane roadway for most of its length.

Formerly known as the Northern Highway, the roadway was renamed in 2012, although many locals continue to refer to it by its old name. The highway is named after Philip Stanley Wilberforce Goldson, a Belizean newspaper editor, politician, and activist. Belize City’s international airport is also named for Philip Goldson, and the Philip Goldson Highway passes by the airport.

Starting in Belize City, key points along the Philip Goldson Highway include the exit for the village of Burrell Boom (mile marker 12.4), the access road to the ancient Maya site of Altun Ha (mile marker 17.5), the village of Crooked Tree (mile marker 29.7), Orange Walk Town (mile marker 52), the access road to Corozal Town (mile marker 78.8), the bridge over the Hondo River (mile marker 87), ending at the border crossing into the Mexican town of Chetumal City in Quintana Roo State.

The Belize Southern Highway

Running from Dangriga in Stann Creek District to Punta Gorda and beyond in Toledo District, the Southern Highway is one of the major thoroughfares in Belize. Entirely paved along its length, the Southern Highway measures 97 miles (156 kilometers) long and continues all the way to Belize’s border with Guatemala.

A two-lane roadway, the Southern Highway was completely paved in 2011 and serves as an important transportation corridor in the southern part of the country. The Southern Highway crosses through some particular rugged terrain as it approaches the Guatemalan border, and its completion makes it far easier for travelers to access ancient Maya sites and traditional villages such as Mafredi, San Antonio, Santa Cruz, Santa Elena, and Pueblo Viejo.

In addition to being completely paved, the Southern Highway was also upgraded with culverts and an advanced drainage system to allow for safe and comfortable use even during and after periods of heavy rainfall. Guardrails are installed at key sections and the entire length of the Southern Highway has lane markings. All bridges along the length of the highway have been upgraded to modern, concrete structures.

The government of Belize and its foreign aid partners spent more than $47 million to pave and upgrade this highway as it is part of a long-term plan to boost development in Toledo District.