Visiting Belize on a Budget

Of all the places in the world a person could vacation, there is nothing like visiting Belize on a budget. Belize is considered the “Hidden Jewel” of the Caribbean. Belize is a Central American country which compares in size to the state of New Hampshire in the U.S. Unlike that state’s population of 1.3 million people, Belize barely tops 300,000. It is located near the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula of the Gulf of Mexico. People who are budget minded are thrilled about the cheap vacations Belize has to offer. This summer travel guide highlights the exhilarant adventures and exciting excursions for a person to take part in upon the beautiful tropical landscape or in the deep aqua waters of the Caribbean Sea.

The lush rain forest offers herbal trails, ancient pyramids, subterranean caves, Mayan ruins, bird sanctuaries, botanical gardens, and wildlife reserves full of extraordinary animals like the Coatimundi, Tayra, Brocket Deer, Puma, Otter Jaguarundi, Peccary, Ocelot, Margay, and Paca. Summer travel guide vacation packages often include round trip transportation from Belize International Airport (Philip S. Goldson Airport) to and from the lodge, accommodations, meals, and one or more tours. In addition to the land journeys, a travel guide Belize most often promotes, includes trips to the Blue Hole. This deep dark ocean anomaly is clearly visible from the plane; on your way to Belizean accommodations. Full of sea life and coral reefs, the ocean summons you to snorkel, kayak, deep sea fish, canoe, wind surf, sail, and scuba dive to your hearts content. As a matter of fact, the 2nd largest living coral reef in the world lives along the coast of Belize.

Pricing for travel to Belize is most often quoted in American dollars. The average price range for a seven day stay is between $350 and $500 double occupancy. A 7 night stay can be as low as $250. You can buy a tour package or if you would prefer to set up your own adventures, there are numerous tours that start as low as $20 per person. Eating and souvenirs can be as cheap as $1 BZ (Belize Dollars). If you have the opportunity, be sure to try bollos (boy-yōs); a Belizean tamale of sorts. It is usually wrapped in a banana leaf. With a texture somewhat like jello, and it has a tiny piece of meat and sauce in the center. Truly scrumptious. Don’t confuse it with the yellow corn tamales, though. That’s a totally different taste experience. Belizeans eat tea, dinner, tea; instead of breakfast, lunch and dinner. The biggest meal is served from 11:30 a.m. until about 1:30 p.m. Finding cooked food outside of these times may prove difficult; unless you are in a touristy spot. All in all, unless you go to a fancy restaurant, food is not expensive.

The biggest expense will be getting there. There are basically three ways to get to Belize; by air, by land, and by sea. By air a person has the option of commercial airlines (Delta, Continental, U.S. Airways, Grupo Taca, and American Airlines) to Belize International Airport or by private plane to one of the many airstrips in every District of the country. A person can also enter the country by car or bus. By flying into Cancun, Mexico and taking a deluxe bus to Corozal for approximately $15 U.S. Starting at the Cancun airport, go to Playa del Carmen. In Playa del Carmen you can get a bus to Chetumal, Mexico. Then, in Chetumal transfer to a bus to Corozal, Belize.

Traveling to Belize by car will take several days from the U.S. Depending upon your starting point, you would make your way to the south U.S. border town of Brownsville, Texas, then take Highway 101 south until you hit Highway 180. Then you continue on Highway 180 until you come to Villa Hermosa, Mexico. Transfer to Highway 186 and continue until you see signs toward Chetumal, Mexico. Or you can take a bus from Brownsville to Chetumal, Mexico (which is the city that borders Belize) it takes about 36 hours, and costs about $100 U.S., then you transfer to another bus, which is to Corozal, Belize. There are a number of cruise lines that stop in Belize, but they are not likely to be listed in the summer travel guide for Belize on a budget.

Reference:

• ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/parkcockscomb.html
• www.adventuresinbelize.com/
• www.birdinginbelize.com/