The Best Things to Do in Belize This Winter

September 29, 2024
by denidimchev@webohub.com +

The planet managed to rotate on its normal axis despite two+ years of Covid-related sequestration and if you’re like most folks, the itch to travel has never been stronger. Because you likely have more money saved due to staying put for a couple of winters, treating yourself to a sunny winter excursion that requires you to focus more on sunscreen than snow isn’t just a good idea. It’s a great one.

What to do when you arrive in Belize? Your call. But if getting out and about is your #1 mission, these suggestions will fill your winter calendar pages with delights that are so compelling, you won’t want to leave.

1. Expect to fall for Christmas in Belize. Whether you love a good holiday party, never miss a Christmas Eve church service or you want to find out how it feels to spend the day on a pristine beach, you won’t miss a thing about the holiday because everywhere you turn, Christmas is in the air.

2. ’Tis the season to show up at some of the liveliest merrymaking opportunities in Central America. Check out the San Pedro Lighted Boat Parade on Ambergris Caye where the party never ends. No worries about bringing a trunk full of outfits. Shorts, sandals, and sundresses are perfect since tourists come to relax and rejuvenate rather than worrying about how they look.

3. Take part in Belize’s liveliest ethnic celebration on Christmas Day. The ‘Jankunu” Dance originated by indigenous Garifuna is held in towns like Dangriga and Hopkins, both epicenters of Garifuna culture. The urge to jump in and bust some moves may be inviting, but you don’t want to miss the costumes, masks, and performances that turn the day into a festival of excitement.

4. Get ruined! This invitation has nothing to do with downing your share of rum, Beliken beers, and other libations unique to Belize. We’re referring to the 900 ancient Maya ruins dotting the nation, the most enticing of all include Altun Ha (founded circa 250 BC), Cahal Pech, occupied circa 1000 B.C. to 800 B.C. where temples, altars, residences, and a sweathouse await or prioritize Caracol, Belize’s largest Maya city at 15 square miles. Keep going if you can’t get enough Maya architecture.

5. Go wild. Everywhere you turn, you’ll spot wildlife – especially Howler monkeys and big cats roaming the Cockscomb Basin Jaguar sanctuary like they owned it! They do, of course, and while the weather stays mild and comfortable, you could encounter ocelots, tapirs plus so many exotic bird species wintering in Belize, you may not believe your eyes. Offshore, countless fish, amphibians and mammals enjoy warm water temperatures, too.

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6. Get wet and stay wet. You can do that throughout the winter by bringing extra swimsuits and booking every waterborne activity you can fit into your time schedule. Swim, dive, snorkel, sail, island-hop by canoe or kayak, and jump into cascading waterfalls that are travel publication-worthy. See as many landmarks as you desire. From the Belize Barrier Reef to the Blue Hole, explore legendary marine sports sites like The Hol Chan Marine Reserve’s Shark Ray Alley where jacks, grouper, angelfish, snapper, barracudas, eels, crab, lobster, and sharks frolic.

7. Take a risk or just chill with the friendliest people in the Western Hemisphere. For adventurous spirits, zip line over jungle canopies, float into caves perched on tubes, or repel down into underground sanctuaries where secret rituals performed by Maya priests took place. If risk-taking isn’t your thing, roam Hopkins, Dangriga, San Pedro, Punta Gorda, Benque Viejo, Corozal and/or Orange Walk Towns. Each is unique, charming, fun to visit, and home to pubs, eateries, shops, and cultural attractions galore.

Stay home and freeze when all of this can be yours? You know the answer to that question. There’s a new world waiting to be explored in Belize and nothing is stopping you from exploring it — especially if you’d rather do everything on this list rather than snow blowing and shoveling!