Why Belize needs to be the next country on your bucket list
Attention travellers: Belize is about to become the next destination on everyone's bucket list... so now's the time to start saving for your trip, before it becomes a mainstream must-stay. No, seriously – this beautiful Central American country, which is sandwiched between Mexico and Guatemala and has a population of just 400,000 people, offers everything from incredible wildlife (its famous for jaguars), to cultural experiences (think: ancient Aztec ruins) to island hopping around secluded sandy spots. So, it's only a matter of time before you start seeing it all over your Instagram feed.
As well as having a rich history of blended cultures (English is still the national language though, making communication a breeze), Belize is as renowned for its cocoa farms as it is its green outlook, which is true in every sense of the word. Not only is more than half of the country made up of subtropical jungle or rainforest, but it's also a carbon negative country – the Belizean people really care about nature and protecting their beautiful environment, and it shows.
Is Belize a good place to visit?
It absolutely is. I've been so fortunate to visit many incredible places around the world, largely thanks to my career, and Belize has secured a place in my heart and quickly became a firm favourite. It's a truly special place, filled with truly special people (who have such a broad range of backgrounds: there are Maya communities, Garifuna people who've descended from an Afro-indigenous population via St Vincent, Mestizos who are a mix of Spanish and Native Americans, and Mennonites, who are generally seen as more progressive Amish-types, and more).
Although Belize isn't an island, it certainly has that laid back feel to it and access to plenty of white sandy beaches too (known as 'cays') if that's what you're after, as well as a plethora of wildlife (there are over 500 species of bird for starters, including the giant harpy eagle which has a wingspan of up to 7 foot), and great food (especially if you're a fish fan). Oh, and plenty of local rum.
Where to stay in Belize
Umaya Resort & Adventures
We started our trip off by staying at the Umaya Resort, situated a short drive from an area of Belize called Placencia, which has a great strip of bars and shops. Thanks to being in a gorgeous beachfront room, the days at Umaya Resort started off by watching the sunrise, before taking a moment of calm to listen to the waves with a coffee, then heading to the hotel's main restaurant for a delicious breakfast (featuring the local delicacy of fry jacks, which are like mini puff pastries waiting to be filled) – I literally felt my highly-strung shoulders melt away from my ears within the first few hours of checking in.
If you're not in the mood for enjoying one of Umaya's pools, free paddle boards are also available at the resort's private beach, as are kayaks and bikes. You can borrow books from reception too, if you forget to pack one yourself. Warning: the beds are so comfy they left me in a near-coma.
Prices start from £149 per room based on two people sharing a one bedroom lagoon bay room, book at Umaya Belize
Falling Leaves Lodge
For the second half of our stay in Belize, we drove across the country to San Ignacio (it's only 180 miles long in total, so took just a few hours) to stay at the Falling Leaves Lodge, which is a popular site for honeymooners and history buffs alike, given it's just a short walk from the Xunantunich Archaeological Site (more on that below).
The hotel is in the heart of a rainforest, and on the one night we did experience heavy rain (I now get why it's called a rainforest), the room became even cosier and the wet weather simply provided the perfect soundtrack to drift off to. The staff at Falling Leaves Lodge are all ultra friendly and nothing was too much trouble. Breakfasts and evening drinks came with a stunning treetop view too; it's not unheard of to spot a toucan whilst tucking into your freshly-made chocolate pancakes of a morning.
Standard rooms start from £117 per room and regular cabana rooms start from £189 per room (both prices based on two adults sharing), book at Falling Leaves Lodge
What to do in Belize
Charter a plane over the Great Blue Hole
A once in a lifetime opportunity, Tropical Air offer eager passengers the chance to charter a mini plane and fly over Belize's famous Great Blue Hole – believed to be a former cave that became submerged as the ocean levels rose – and the second largest barrier reef system in the world. It's one of the most amazing things I've ever seen with my own two eyes (those colours!), and had even the chattiest members of our group slack-jawed, peering out the window, and lost for words. Although it's not the cheapest activity to do, it's definitely a once in a lifetime thing that'll stay with you forever.
Aerial flyovers with Tropic Air cost around £208
Swim with turtles and sunbathe on a tropical island
Picture a quintessential paradise isle (white sands surrounded by turquoise) and that's what many of the off-shore cays (islands) of Belize are like – and thanks to Go Sea Tours, you can visit them, whilst also stopping off to snorkel with turtles (!) along the way. Honestly, we got so close the majestic sea creatures, some of which are huge, that at one point it was borderline scary (I mean, I'm sure turtles are super chill but I reckon the big daddy one could've easily taken me out?). Seriously impressive stuff.
A snorkelling day tour with Go Sea Belize, including drinks and lunch, starts at £76 per person
Visit the San Antonio Women's Cooperative
This is the chance for another truly unique experience. We spent an afternoon with local Yucatec Maya women learning how to cook traditional (and delicious) dishes from scratch, including corn tortillas (served simply with salt and coconut oil) – you can even have a go at grinding the corn on an ancient granite board.
There's also the opportunity to try your hand at pottery making after lunch too, before dropping into the gift shop stocking handmade trinkets ranging from beaded key chains (I love my jazzy little red and orange sunshine one) to scrunchies (also a firm favourite of mine now... and it certainly beats a tacky fridge magnet). The cooperative is also working hard to preserve the Yucatec Mayan language, that has been slowly fading out of use. It was beautiful to learn more about the Maya people from such passionate teachers.
A visit to the San Antonio Women's Cooperative, including lunch, costs from £30 via Nine Belize Eco-Cultural Tours
Seek out ancient ruins
Belize is a country with a rich and complex past, with estimates saying it was once home to 8 million people (and now just 400,00). Evidence of its Aztec beginnings can be seen in multiple sites housing temples and pyramid-type monuments; we visited Xunantunich, which in Mayan translates to 'stone woman', which felt like wandering around a movie set. So much of these historic sites are still a mystery, so you can often spot archaeologists hard at work and continuing to dig.
A visit to Xunantunich costs around £21 via Nine Belize Eco-Cultural Tours
Where to eat and drink in Belize
Rumfish y Vino
When I tell you I'll be thinking about the pineapple and plantain tostones from Rumfish y Vino for the rest of my life, I really do mean that I'll be thinking about the pineapple and plantain tostones from Rumfish y Vino for the rest of my life. This fairylight-adorned eatery is loved by locals and tourists alike, for its small plates and great wine imports, and is right around the corner from Placencia's 'Tipsy Strip' featuring multiple bars (see below for my favourite) too. The perfect place to have a memorable meal before drinks and a dance.
Check out the Rumfish y Vino menu here
Barefoot
This beachside bar in Placencia was one of our favourites, not only thanks to the live music and extensive drinks menu, but because of the utter sass its origin involves: legend goes that it was set up by sisters, after one of them was fired from another local bar right around the corner. Barefoot's motto is "stiff drinks, tasty food, good times" – and we can attest that all three are very much on offer.
Tugacina Gloria
Whether you sign up for an authentic Garifuna cookery lesson with the legendary Chef Gloria, or just want to sample her wares minus any sous cheffing yourself, her spot - Tugacina Gloria - is a must visit. If you are up for the challenge, Gloria will teach you how to turn plantain into dumplings for a coconut broth soup (called hadut), as well as split and grate coconuts from her own garden, that are then paired with fish caught by her family earlier that same day. A totally new way of cooking, and an experience you're sure to remember.
A cooking class and meal with Chef Gloria costs around £60, book direct here
Embark on a foodie tour
One of the biggest exports from Belize is cocoa, meaning it produces some mighty fine chocolate. Spend an afternoon with Taste Belize, a small tour operator made up of four staff members (one of whom has a PHD in food), who will take you to Che'il Mayan Chocolate Factory (that the Prince and Princess of Wales dropped into on their tour of Belize).
It comprises not only a cacao farm, where you can see the fruit in its raw form before coming a delicious chunk of dark chocolate, but also a factory just across the way. There, you can learn about the traditional way to make everyone's favourite sweet treat, grab the most mind-blowing ice cream from their produce store and then, to cool down, Taste Belize will drive you to a waterfall around the corner to swim, sunbathe and learn more about the jungle surroundings. Heavenly!
A chocolate farm to factory tour, complete with waterfall stop off, costs £49 via Taste Belize
How to get to Belize
Okay, so here's the one drawback of planning a trip to Belize - it's a bit of a faff to get there, although I promise it's well worth it. Right now, there are no direct flights from the UK to Belize (something the tourist board is hoping will change in future) and the best route is flying via Houston, stopping overnight (don't forget you'll need to complete an American ESTA form for this) and then travelling on to Belize the following day.
Lead-in prices for flights start from £626pp with flights with United flying via Houston. An overnight stay is required in the US along with a valid ESTA. You can also fly via Miami, if you wanted to extend the stopover.
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