Belize is the second smallest nation in Central America, but it still packs a punch for visitors. Archeology, diving, great beaches, shopping, culture, and more await visitors in the aptly named Belize City.
However, tourists will want to book tours and excursions and stick to the more touristy parts of town for safety, and most of the attractions are 10 to 85 miles from the city.
Port Overview
Ships moor about twenty miles from Belize and passengers are tendered to the tourist area by a boat ride. It’s a choppy trip, but after a twenty-minute ride, you’ll arrive in the Fort Street Tourism Village, where you will see some familiar shops and restaurants for cruise ship guests.
You can still experience a lot of Belizian culture just in the port. Restaurants and coffee shops offer local specialties, like Moho Chocolate Factory. You can take a short tour to see how chocolate is made, then buy some Belizian chocolate to savor.
Sightseeing and Activities
One of the biggest draws to Belize is the sheer number of Mayan ruins available to tour. Altun Ha, Lamanai, and Xunantunich are all available as day tours or excursions into the city, and there are plenty of other ruins to discover if you’re not on a time limit.
If you prefer wildlife over archeology, you’re spoiled for choice. You can head to the Belize Zoo or visit one of the city’s many nature sanctuaries. The Community Baboon Sanctuary, Little Guana Caye Bird Sanctuary, and Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary are all within an hour of the town.
Shopping and Food
You won’t have to break out the binoculars to find some authentic Belizian food like ceviche or stew chicken. But if you’re looking for something that may be more familiar, you still have plenty of options. Bars like the Wet Lizard in the tourism village and The Lazy Lizard in Caye Caulker have you covered.
Head down to The Smoky Mermaid on Cork Street for some genuinely incredible seafood, and remember to try the lobster no matter where you go. It’s plentiful in Belize, and they have so many delicious lobster dishes you might get sick of the stuff.
If you’re craving a little retail therapy, you should take the water taxi to Ambergris Caye, just a short ride from the port. They have more variety for shopping than the tourism village, and you can hit the beach while you’re there.
Nearby Beaches to Check Out
Unlike most cruise ports, you aren’t immediately surrounded by beaches when you step off the boat. You must hop on a water taxi to either Ambergris Caye or Caye Caulker to find the best beaches in Belize.
Caye Caulker is the less visited of the two islands and has a laid-back, relaxing vibe that will let you know you’re in the Caribbean. It’s the cheaper of the two options and more friendly to budget limits than Ambergris while providing some quality beaches with fewer crowds.
Ambergris Caye, on the other hand, is the largest of the 200 cayes that dot the shoreline of Belize, is home to several luxury beach resorts, and is less than a mile away from the Belize Barrier Reef, meaning snorkeling and scuba diving should be at the top of your bucket list when you arrive.
Other Things To Do
If none of the above activities speak to your inner daredevil, try an excursion that tubes you into a cave and ziplines you over the jungle. If you’re looking for a truly unique Belize experience, you won’t find anything quite like Jaguar Paw, plus you’ll learn about how the caves were sacred to the Mayans.
If you prefer soaring through the air in a vehicle, opt for an airplane tour over the city and the famous Blue Hole, where the ocean seems to drop out and stretch on for an eternity. Or you could snorkel or dive it instead. You simply can go wrong with this one-of-a-kind giant hole in the ocean.
Currency
The primary currency of Belize is the Belizean dollar, but the US dollar is widely accepted. Many places will give your change back in Belizean, which is useless outside of Belize, so ask for American dollars when getting change.
The exchange is about two Belizean dollars to one American dollar, and there’s no place to exchange your currency in the port.
How To Get To Belize City from the Belize Cruise Port
The port lets out into Fort Street Tourism Village, just a five-minute walk from Marine Terminal, the central downtown district of Belize. You can also get to St. John’s Cathedral, Baron Bliss Lighthouse, and the Museum of Belize on foot, but you should probably take a taxi.
Once you hail a taxi, you can negotiate a fare from anywhere near the touristy areas. You can also hop on a water taxi and ferries that run between the port and the cayes to get to some other attractions.
Cruise Lines That Sail Here
Several cruises stop in Belize to let their guests explore the unique country, as well as offer excursions for many of the activities listed above, including:
Several major cruise lines stop in Belize, and rumor has many more are planning to do so in the future. Some cruises even have private cayes for guests to enjoy the Belizean culture and beach stress-free.
In Summary
Belize makes a fantastic stopover with many opportunities you shouldn’t miss, from exploring Mayan ruins to diving into a gaping hole in the ocean. But whether you choose to spend time at the beach or in a museum, Belize is sure not to disappoint.
Belize is full of friendly locals, delicious food, and a history rooted in Mayan culture, with ten percent of the population still speaking the Mayan language. Just keep your wits about you while walking the city, and you’ll make some of the best memories of your cruise.
