Wondering what to do during your time in Belize? With lush rainforest and pristine sandy shorelines, it can be hard to determine the top things to do in Belize. While Belize’s mainland is perfect for anyone looking for jungle exploration or cultural attractions, Belize’s islands are great for laying out on the beach or exploring the vast Caribbean Sea.

Belize might be one of the smallest countries in Central America, but it offers a surprisingly rich variety of experiences for visitors, no matter if you are looking for a family vacation in Belize or a Belize honeymoon package.

From exploring the first jaguar preserve in the world to stepping back in time at some of the most significant ancient Maya ruins, stick around to learn about the top things to do in Belize on your next vacation.

Top Things To Do In Belize

1. Ambergris Caye

Ambergris Caye, Belize’s largest island, hovers in a vacation sweet spot: it has just enough amenities to make it exciting but is not so overdeveloped that you’re tripping over flip-flopped tourists. A mangrove swamp is the eye of this white beach island and golf carts are the main form of transportation along the sandy roads.

With its plentiful outdoor activities, this 25-mile-long island off the coast of northern Belize was originally inhabited by the Mayans to serve as a far-extending trade route, spanning from present-day Mexico to as far south as Honduras. Today, Ambergris Caye welcomes thousands of visitors seeking easy access to the barrier reef that surrounds the island. Snorkelers and intrepid divers alike will also want to explore Hol Chan Marine Reserve. 

When you’re not underwater, explore San Pedro, Ambergris’ main town. Here you will find beachside restaurants, lounges, shops and luxury hotels.

You can reach Ambergris Caye by boat or plane from Belize City.

2. Caye Caulker

As Ambergris Caye’s smaller, less-visited sister island, Caye Caulker has a lot more to offer than what meets the eye. Caye Caulker is a perfect stop as one of the top Belize attractions for those looking to experience the laidback Belizean lifestyle.

Located just a few miles off the coast of Belize City, Caye Caulker is a popular budget-friendly stop. Only five miles long, the primary mode of transportation on this island is by golf cart, bicycle, and by foot. Although Caye Caulker is small, the island offers a variety of things to do; from watersports and fishing to touring ancient ruins and zip lining.

If you are looking for a relaxing day of doing nothing, head over to Caye Caulker’s “Split”, named after a channel that divides this small island in two. After a day exploring what Caye Caulker has to offer, check out some of the island’s tasty restaurants or street stalls. Everything from fresh seafood to barbeque cuisine is readily available for hungry tourists to try.

3. The Blue Hole

As one of the top 10 best diving spots on the planet, the Belize Blue Hole is one of the best things to explore during your time in Belize. Once exclusively navigated by the local fishermen, the Belize Blue Hole earned an international audience in 1971 when the French oceanographer and marine expert Jacques Cousteau visited the area and deemed it excellent for diving.

Since then, thousands of eager divers and tourists have visited and discovered what lies beneath the turquoise waters at this beautiful natural wonder. As a nearly perfect circular hole measuring nearly 1000 feet across, the Belize Blue Hole features a series of caverns that were filled with the rising ocean at the end of the last great Ice Age. The 400-feet deep circle of limestone teems with angelfish, elkhorn coral, cleaner shrimp, and stalactites.

Plenty of tour operators and private boating trips will bring you up and close to this top Belize attraction. Whether you plan on scuba-diving into the depths or observing the miraculous formation from the boat, you will be in awe of the sheer beauty of the Blue Hole.

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TOP THINGS TO DO IN BELIZE

4. Mayflower Bocawina National Park

As a perfect destination for outdoor enthusiasts, the Mayflower Bocawina National Park offers plenty of unique jungle adventures for adrenalin-seeking travelers. This spectacular park is one of the top things to do in Belize and is home to the longest zip-line course in Central America.

With three cascading waterfalls to rappel down, it is no wonder why Bocawina National Park features some of the most exhilarating experiences in the country.

Located in southern Belize in Stann Creek (about 17 miles from Dangriga and 12 from Hopkins), this park consists of over 7000 acres of pristine lowland forests, refreshing waterfalls, and plenty of remains of an ancient Mayan city. Over 200 species of birds have been discovered within the park, making Bocawina a perfect spot for birding. Plenty of other wildlife species have also been spotted, including pumas, tapirs, spider monkeys, jaguars, ocelots, and armadillos.

However you decide to spend your time in the Mayflower Bocawina National Park, you will be able to take in all of Belize’s natural beauty.

5. Placencia Peninsula

Once a sleepy fishing village, Placencia has emerged as an increasingly popular eco-destination in the Caribbean. Boasting 16 miles of golden sands in the southeastern region of Belize, it is no wonder why the Placencia Peninsula is one of the top must-see Belize attractions. Rapidly becoming the eco-tourism capital of Belize, Placencia is notorious for golf carts and bicycles zipping through the rustic streets.

The eastern side of the peninsula meets the gorgeous Caribbean Sea where you can lay out and take in the beautifully warm sun or dive into the crystal blue waters. Head over to the western side of Placencia for a vastly different coastline, featuring a mangrove-lined lagoon filled with fish and other local wildlife.

For those who enjoy outdoor adventure, the Stann Creek region offers a host of activities: hiking through mountainous rain forests, kayaking, deep-sea fishing, diving, and exploring Mayan ruins. Tour guides and dive centers offer a variety of excursions, with boat rides to the outer cayes an ongoing favorite. Also popular are guided land tours to Mayan Ruins or trekking the jungle trails of Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, where the first Jaguar Reserve in the world was established.

Whether you are heading to Placencia as a passageway to the popular destinations of the Belize Barrier Reef or simply looking for a relaxing spot to layout, the Placencia Peninsula is definitely a top vacation spot in Belize.

6. Cockscomb Basin Forest Reserve & Wildlife Sanctuary

The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is a nature reserve in the Stann Creek District of south-central Belize.

Starting at the foothills of the Maya Mountains, Cockscomb Basin Wildlife stretches down the Caribbean coastline encompassing over 150 square miles of trackless wilderness. Rising to fame as the first jaguar sanctuary in the world, Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the must-see Belize attractions for any vacation.

The park area is rich in beauty, wildlife, and Maya culture – containing a minor Mayan ceremonial site known as Chucil Baluum. You can also find the highest mountain in Belize, Victoria Peak, towering at 3,675 feet. To discover the natural beauty Belize has to offer, adding Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary to your top things to do in Belize is a must.

Book a tour and you can embark on a wet and wild jungle adventure. Hike through a protected rain forest habitat that’s home to jaguars, other large cats, and exotic birds, rewarding your efforts with a relaxing float down a tropical river in an inner tube. A swim in a hidden waterfall pool caps off this trek through pristine Belizean wilderness.

 7. Caracol Natural Monument Reservation

To explore the rich history of Belize, make sure to stop by Caracol to discover the beautifully preserved ancient Mayan ruins. Caracol, meaning snail shell in Spanish, refers to the winding circular road that approaches the area, as the original Mayan name has been lost throughout time.

As one of the largest Mayan city-states built during the civilization’s reign, Caracol spans some 65 square miles with hidden ruins and gems sprinkled throughout the Belizean landscape. The main pyramid found in the center of Caracol is known as Canaa, or the Sky Palace. This structure remains the tallest building in Belize, standing at 143 feet tall.

You can easily spend a full day exploring what Caracol has to offer – from strolling through the surrounding forest to meandering around the ancient buildings and pathways. Make sure to stop by this large ancient Maya archaeological site during your adventurous vacation in Belize.

8. Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve

Originally created to protect Belize’s native pine forest, the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve is easily one of the top Belize attractions to explore during your vacation. Whether hiking, swimming, or birding, you will not be disappointed by what this nature park has to offer with low crowd levels and pristine natural beauty.

Located in the highlands of the southern zone of western Belize, the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve offers cool temperatures and reveals splendid natural monuments. Within its 300,000 acres of protected pine forests, you will find sites including Thousand Foot Falls, the largest fall of Belize and the Central American region, as well as the cave Rio Frio, a quarter-mile cave, to name a few.

Popularly known as the spot where the Belize river spills over large granite ledges and rocks, the Rio on Pools is one of the top attractions in Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. This beautiful natural wonder offers plenty of small waterfalls and cool round pools for swimmers to enjoy.

There are also numerous caves to discover throughout Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, making this Belize destination a top outdoor spot to spend one of your vacation days.

Expeditions can be carried out by mountain bike, on foot, or on horseback (horses for hire on-site). Venture among the pines to examine the colorful vegetation, various bird species, and other animal life such as tapir, cougar, jaguar orr ocelot. The Pine Ridge is the region par excellence to reconnect with nature, so enjoy!

9. Actun Tunichil Muknal – ATM Cave

As an impressive, artifact-rich Mayan ceremonial cave, Actun Tunichil Muknal is one of the top Belize attractions you should add to your vacation itinerary.

Actun Tunichil Muknal, also known locally as ATM, is located near San Ignacio, Cayo District, and is notable as a Maya archaeological site that includes skeletons, ceramics, and stoneware. There are several areas with skeletal remains in the main chamber.

By crossing rivers, swimming across a pool, wading up streams, squeezing through passageways, and climbing up a ladder, you will reach the beautiful site that so many dream of visiting. Plan on being submerged in water 90% of the time wearing a light-equipped helmet as you explore this breathtaking destination.

Actun Tunichil Muknal has earned its reputation as one of the most stunning natural and anthropological sites around. National Geographic ranked Actun Tunichil Muknal as the number one sacred cave in the world, placing it above breathtaking spiritual caves throughout India, Greece, and China.

As one of the top things to do in Belize, touring Actun Tunichil Muknal is a great way to spend one of your days in this beautiful country.

10. Lamanai Archaological Reserve

As the only large Mayan city-state that maintains its original Mayan name, Lamanai has consistently been occupied over the course of 3,000 years. It is one of the top Belize attractions, Lamanai is located in the northern region of Belize in the Orange Walk District.

Lamanai is one of the most beautiful preserved Mayan ruins and holds a wide array of ancient artifacts and buildings for you to discover and explore. From ancient buildings and pyramids to game courts and sugar mills, Lamanai could easily take up a full day of your Belize itinerary. It is one of the most interesting tours from Belize City:

After an hour’s drive on the northern highway, you board a riverboat at Tower Hill. Along the New River leading into swamps, little creeks, and lagoons, it is easy to encounter hawks, kites, and falcons. After an hour and a half on the river, you arrive at Lamanai (Maya for Submerged Crocodile). Huge masks depicting dead rulers and gods seem to materialize out of the rainforest, amid the chatter of birdlife and the haunting call of the howler monkeys.

As one of the largest Maya ceremonial sites in Belize (boasting over 950 acres), Lamanai offers a unique layout compared to other ancient Maya destinations. Make sure to seek out to Temple of the Mask, the Temple of the Jaguar Masks, and the High Temple during your time exploring Lamanai on your vacation to Belize.

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 Conclusion:

Belize might be one of the smallest countries in Central America, but it offers a surprisingly rich variety of experiences for visitors.

If you are looking for a place to explore AND relax, then Belize is a perfect choice for you. The country has great natural beauty and a mix of modern culture, exotic wildlife, and colorful culture.

Get in touch with us today to plan your family vacation, romantic getaway, or honeymoon, to Belize. Let us work on a unique itinerary that combines many of the best things to do in Belize, some of the available adventure activities, with some of the beautiful lodges Belize has to offer.

We’d love to organize a unique and once-in-a-lifetime vacation for you. Ask us for a free quote and you could be on your way very soon.

Have you been to Belize? How was your experience? What were your favorite things to do?

Let us know in the comments.

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