Want to get out and experience another country with your kids without having to travel far? Belize is a great choice!
Why We Chose Belize
We heard good things about Belize from friends and travel websites. Belize had direct flights from Atlanta (only three hours), and the plane tickets were fairly inexpensive. We were sold.
Getting Around
We rented a car on the mainland. The rental company was at the airport and was very accommodating. We were also able to rent a car seat in order to minimize the amount of luggage we brought. Directions were very easy. It took us about two hours to drive to our first hotel, which is located in the jungle, relatively far from the coast. The roads were narrower than we were used to, but adequately maintained. Even so, have medicine on hand if you or anyone you are traveling with are prone to car sickness, as the roads can get bumpy. In addition, some of the more isolated temples and ruins require driving on dirt roads that can be treacherous, especially in the rain.
If you plan to go to one of the several islands in Belize, you can fly or take a boat. We chose the cheaper route, which was a 90-minute boat ride. No one got seasick, even with a car sick prone kid, but the boat was crowded and loud. All the passengers were squished together. It was definitely the more adventurous route. We took the same boat ride back when it was time for us to go to the airport. Then, we took a local taxi to the airport.
What We Did
We spent the first half of our trip on the mainland. We stayed in San Ignacio, which is about two hours from the capitol, Belize City. We spent most of our time visiting the nearby Mayan ruins called Xunantunic. We even ventured out in the jungle on dirt roads to visit Caracol, another of the Mayan temples. When we arrived, we were greeted by the sounds of howler monkeys screeching above our heads. Both of the Mayan ruins we visited were self-guided with optional tours available at set times. We were able to climb to the top of the temples and really explore the site at our pace.
We also visited the Belize Zoo which only has native species from Belize. The animals at the zoo have been rescued and are rehabilitated in their natural habitats while providing a unique educational experience for visitors. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit there.
The second half of our trip we spent on Belize’s beautiful Ambergris Key. We stayed in San Pedro; if that sounds familiar, it is probably because you heard Madonna sing about it in her song “La Isla Bonita.” We rented a golf car to get around the island, which is what most people do. It was so fun zipping around on it. We visited Secret Beach, which is not so secret, where we spent the day swimming in pristine blue tropical Caribbean waters. The restaurants on the beach serve you while you sit at tables in the water. It was quite the experience having our fresh fruit juices delivered to us directly in the ocean. The water was the perfect depth for our kids — deep enough for them to dive under the water, but shallow enough for them to stand.
The highlight by far was snorkeling around Hol Chan Marine reserve. We booked a guided snorkeling tour that took us out to the reserve, which is next to the Belize Barrier Reef (the second largest reef in the world). Our guide provided snorkeling gear and fins. My husband and I took turns hanging out with the baby while the others snorkeled. While snorkeling, we saw lots of coral, tropical fish (large and small), eels, sting rays, eagle rays, sea turtles, and more. The tour also took us to Shark Ray Alley, which is an area where fishermen used to clean their catch and now nurse sharks and stingrays inhabit the area. Our guide put some chum in the waters and nurse sharks came and we jumped in with them! It was really safe. The sharks and rays were not interested in us at all.
For our last full day in Belize, we booked another snorkeling tour that took us to Caye Caulker, the next island over to hopefully snorkel with manatees. We were really lucky and got to snorkel with one which was an experience we will never forget. We also got to feed some giant fish called tarpon and see seahorses and even a puffer fish.
Our kids still talk about this trip a couple years later! Have you visited Belize? I’d love to hear about your experience!
