Travel to Belize

Flying to Belize

American Airlines (www.aa.com) flies from Miami and Dallas to Belize City. United (www.united.com) flies from Houston. Belize has only two national airlines, the biggest of which is Tropic Air (www.tropicair.com). There are no direct flights to Belize from the UK; passengers can fly non-stop to various US destinations and join a connecting flight. Flights are cheaper during the rainy season (mid-May to November) and slightly more expensive over major holidays.

Notes

Hurricane season (June to November) in Belize can disrupt flights in and out of the country.

Airport Guides

Flight times

From London - at least 20 hours (including an overnight stop in the USA); Miami - 2 hours 15 minutes; Dallas - 2 hours 50 minutes; Houston - 2 hours 30 minutes.

Air passes

There are no air passes covering Belize.

Departure tax

US$39.50 when leaving by air, payable in US Dollars, though sometimes this is included in the airfare.

Travelling to Belize by Rail

There are currently no trains in Belize.

Driving to Belize

Travellers entering Belize by car from Mexico or Guatemala must obtain a temporary importation permit at the border, valid for one month; drivers need to show all travel documents, insurance papers and proof of car ownership or rental documents.

There are some small bus companies that run into Belize from neighbouring countries. Linea Dorada (tel: +502 7924 8534, in Guatemala; www.lineadorada.com.gt) runs buses from Flores, Guatemala to Belize City. Mexican operator ADO (tel: +52 1 800 369 4652; www.ado.com.mx) runs overnight buses from Mérida, Mexico to Belize City.

When crossing borders by bus, you must alight and walk through with your luggage, and get back on at the other side. The border procedures are generally straightforward. It's also simple to get a bus to the border and find another on the other side.

Driving note

Departure tax for travellers staying more than 24 hours in Belize and leaving by land is US$18.75/BZ$37.50.

Getting to Belize by boat

Main ports: Belize City, Corozal, Dangriga, Punta Gorda and San Pedro (www.portauthority.bz).

Cruise ships

Belize City is the primary port of call for most cruise ship lines. Regular scheduled boats carry passengers ashore to taste a bit of Belize at the Fort Street Tourism Village.

Ferry operators

Requena’s Charter Services (tel: +501 722 2070; www.belizenet.com/requena) runs a daily service from Puerto Barrios in Guatemala to Punta Gorda. There's also a twice-weekly ferry from Livingston to Punta Gorda.

D-Express (tel: +504 2665 0726, in Honduras) runs a weekly water taxi service from Placencia and Big Creek to Puerto Cortes, Honduras. You also need to pay the land departure tax if leaving by sea.

River Routes

There are no river routes into Belize.