From the airport to the city centre Belize

On arrival at Belize City airport, you must present a passport valid for at least three months and a return ticket, but you do not need a visa for a stay of less than 30 days. You can then obtain an extension on the spot from the local immigration authorities. Proof of vaccination is required if you are coming from a country where there is a risk of yellow fever transmission. If you are a parent accompanied by your child under 18, you must have a letter from the other parent attesting to his or her agreement to the trip.

12 airlines, including 5 American, 1 Mexican, 1 Colombian and 2 Belizean, serve this international airport. There are no direct flights from France, so you'll need to make a stopover in the USA, Panama or Mexico (Mexico City or Cancún) before arriving in Belize (don't forget to fill in the ESTA form and pay the US$21 fee on the https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov website to be able to transit via the USA!) The two Belizean airlines (Maya Island Air and Tropic Air) serve the country's various districts and islands. Regional flight schedules are based on international arrivals, which is very practical.

There is no public bus service to the airport: if you really want to save some precious money, you can walk three kilometers under the blazing sun to the main road, where you'll find buses to the city center.

Numerous cabs are waiting at the airport entrance, offering to take you to Belize City, where the city center and ferries to the islands are 20/30 min away. The cab fare to the city center for 2 people is BZ$ 50-60. If you're traveling solo, you can try to find another traveler to share the cab and the fare (do this before you get to the cab rank, as drivers are very picky about groups of travelers who don't know each other; ask to be dropped off in one place).

Around 15 car rental companies, half of them American, have premises outside the airport, so you can go there directly from the plane to get a vehicle, although it's always best to book in advance on the Internet. Depending on your hotel, you can also book a private transfer. This service is generally expensive and should be booked in advance.

Shuttles and transfers : some very comfortable minivan companies also organize your transfer from the airport to more distant tourist destinations (San Ignacio, Hopkins, Placencia). It's much quicker, but not necessarily more expensive if the minivan is fully booked: from US$35 to reach San Ignacio on arrival, for example.

Luggage. If you're coming from France and have a stopover in the USA, you'll need to collect your luggage on American soil on both the outward and return journeys, and check it back in at the same time. This can sometimes take a long time. So make sure you choose a ticket with a stopover of at least 1.5 hours to ensure that you'll be able to leave with your luggage!

Exit tax. When you buy your plane ticket, be sure to check whether the exit tax is included in the final price (this is generally the case with North American airlines). If you're traveling with Aeromexico, for example, you'll need to pay a BZ$75 (US$37.50) tax in cash before boarding your return flight to leave Belize.

Arrival by boat Belize

If you're arriving in Belize on your own ship, you'll need to do the entry paperwork in Belize City or Punta Gorda, unless you can arrange for a customs officer to come to you at your own expense.

If, on the other hand, you have chosen to arrive by boat from Guatemala, customs formalities will be completed before departure on both sides of the border.

For Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, you can take a boat from Belize City, Corozal or even Sarteneja.

For the islands in the middle of the barrier, such as Tobacco Caye, the fast boat leaves from Dangriga.

For the southern islands, such as Ray Caye, Placencia is the ideal port of call.

If you'd like to take a boat to Mexico, you can do so from Chetumal, but you'll need to find out in advance, as sometimes the only way to cross the border is by road.

Divers can enjoy beautiful cruises on the coral reef from Belize City or Placencia.

Public transport Belize

In Belize, buses run on major roads and stop at the request of bus passengers or those waiting on the side of the road. Bus stops are well-marked and often preceded and followed by speed bumps, but drivers are often willing to stop outside the official stops to make life easier for passengers. Buses are often crowded and uncomfortable, but they are also the most affordable means of transport and the one that offers the most interesting encounters. Expect to pay between BZ$10 and BZ$20 to get from one city to another.

Always bring change or small bills to pay for your journey, so you don't end up paying more if the driver doesn't have change to give you.

As timetables are generally respected, and many companies operate on major routes, it's easy to leave from a destination early in the morning, stop en route, then take a bus on the flight to reach your final destination in the evening (for example, if you want to go from Belize City to San Ignacio, you can stop en route at the Belize Zoo ; or, if we're going from San Ignacio to Dandriga or Placencia, there's nothing to stop us spending the day halfway through in the Blue Hole National Park).

Two up-to-date, well-informed websites provide detailed timetables and routes: Belmopan online (www.belmopanonline.com/belize-bus-schedules - [email protected]) and Belize Bus (https://belizebus.wordpress.com).

Bike, scooters & co Belize

On Ambergris caye (San Pedro) and Caye Caulker, you'll find a plethora of rental vehicles. From bicycles to golf carts and quads, the choice is vast and the rental companies numerous. They all offer the same service and prices don't vary much from one to the next - they all know each other!

In San Pedro, avoid the school entrance and exit times, or you risk getting stuck in a real traffic jam of golf carts, unique in its kind, but a daily occurrence for the locals.

In smaller Caye Caulker, bicycles are the preferred option, as most hotels offer them to their guests.

With a driver Belize

Shuttles. One of the most popular ways for travelers to get around Belize without renting a car is to use one of the many scheduled shuttle services that link the major cities to each other, to the airports and to the most popular tourist sites. The cost of these shuttles is somewhere between a rental car and a bus. Expect to pay around BZ$60 per person to reach San Ignacio from the international airport by this means of transport.

Here are a few reliable companies: Belize ground shuttle (https://belizegroundshuttle.com - Airport, San Ignacio, Placencia, Hopkins), Julian transfers and tours (www.belizegroundtransfers.com - Airport, Hopkins, Placencia, Dangriga, Punta Gorda), Rons Belize Private Shuttle (https://ronsbelizeprivateshuttle.business.site - Airport, Placencia, Orange Walk).

In town. Once downtown, it's often convenient to take a local cab. Expect to pay around BZ$4 per kilometer. Note that at the airport, a cordial agreement between cab drivers leads to a single fare to the city center, and each additional passenger is charged. The drivers take a very dim view of tourists who group together to contract their services and save a few dollars.

By car Belize

Car rental. If you wish to rent a car in Belize, you must be over 25 years of age. With your rental car, you can't leave the country, so you'll have to make do with a stay in Belize, which is important to know if you're planning to visit neighboring Guatemala or Mexico. Car rental in Belize is very expensive. A minimum of BZ$140 per day is required from Belize City. You'll also need to take out insurance, which will cost an additional BZ$30 per day. Many rental companies also offer small extras such as a cell phone, cool box, child seat, etc.

Road conditions and safety. Once you've signed your rental contract, ask your dealer for advice on the roads to be used. There are no freeways as such in the country, just two-lane roads linking the major towns, where local buses travel at breakneck speed. A few road signs indicate the next towns on your route and the speed limits to be respected (in miles/hour, 1 mile = 1.6 km). However, there's no radar, and hardly any police on the road. Very few people respect speed limits. So be very careful. Road accidents are one of the country's leading causes of death. In addition to almost non-existent road signs, the roads have no lighting whatsoever. It is therefore preferable to drive during the day. Taking hitchhikers on the road is not recommended either. The highway leading from Belize City to Orange Walk Town (the Old Northern Highway) is reputed to be the most dangerous in the country. It is therefore not recommended. To get from Belize City to Orange Walk Town, it's best to take the Northern Highway, also known as the Philip Goldson Highway. For secondary destinations (such as the archaeological site of Caracol, accessible from San Ignacio), a 4x4 is sometimes essential, as the tracks can be in such poor condition, both in the rainy season (sometimes impassable due to flooding) and in the dry season (for the ruts left by the rainy season).

Accessibility Belize

As in much of Central America, planning a vacation for a disabled person is difficult in Belize. Easily accessible activities for disabled adults are limited. Hotels often have steps, although today they are often doubled with a slope, and elevators are rare throughout the country. Wheelchair-accessible transport is hard to find, and public transport facilities are almost non-existent. When it comes to accessibility in travel and tourism, Belize still has a long way to go.

Thegood news is that if you stay on one of the many cays, particularly San Pedro or Caye Caulker, you won't need a car and can get around just as easily in a wheelchair, scooter or by hiring one of the many golf carts to suit your needs. Staying on the mainland can be slightly more challenging, but several tour operators offer wheelchair-accessible tours of Belize's jungle. Travelers are strongly advised to arrange all tours in advance of their trip and confirm directly with the travel agent that a bus, van or other wheelchair-accessible transportation will be provided. Don't rely on what you read on a third-party booking site.

Tourist traps Belize

Uponarrival at Belize City InternationalAirport, travelers will easily find a cab to take them downtown, but beware: if you plan to save money by grouping your trip with other travelers, the driver will charge a fare for each person not in the same group... This may seem shocking, but it's the rule here, and it's very much respected. Drivers take a very dim view of passengers who group together to share a ride to the center. If this is your intention, make an agreement with your accomplices before leaving the terminal, otherwise you'll pay double.

Rental car insurance. Car rental companies usually try to impose insurance cover for the duration of the rental, but it's often better to take out insurance directly with specialist insurers such as rentalcover.com.