“Belize wasn’t as cheap as I expected!”
I’m always bemused when I see posts online not quite complaining about the cost of travel to and within Belize. It usually goes something like this:
“We flew to San Pedro and stayed at <insert expensive resort or villa> and rented a golf cart! We ate at the resort but LOVED taking the cart to <insert three pricey tourist eateries>. We really enjoyed our time <insert two expensive tours involving water> and then went all the way across the entire country to visit these really cool <insert two expensive tours involving caves and ziplines>. It was wonderful but much more expensive than I thought it would be!”
To be fair, they usually pick a kick-ass selection of stuff to do, food to eat, and a fantastic resort, but in doing so guarantee an expensive trip based on those choices- especially location. If you choose the most heavily touristed areas of any location it will always cost more. That said, there are some amazing experiences to be had in Belize for a fraction of the cost most people spend, and with a little planning and research, you can have a wonderful adventure on a relatively low budget. Note I said relatively. Things still have value and people still need to be fairly compensated for their time and other expenses, but this itinerary is designed to maximize your value in Belize by spending that money in the most intelligent way possible.
Location is key (not caye)
The most important decision you make when planning any trip is your home base. Belize has so much to offer, yet many visitors try to cram as much into a single week as they can and end up checking things off of a list. While it’s not my style, there’s nothing wrong with that- in fact, some people prefer the whirlwind tour aspect of travel and staying as busy as possible. Travel guru Rick Steves is known for running through enormous museums in a few hours before hopping onto public transit and going to another town. That isn’t this itinerary though, which is for slowing down and experiencing a part of the world, that in some places, feels like time simply forgot. It’s for saving money and taking advantage of natural beauty and abundant local culture. It’s for giving you the most bang for your buck without sacrificing any quality of experience. To do that we stay in one place and we stay inland.
I am normally a huge proponent of hiring a driver to make travel easy, but in this case, to maximize bang for the buck, we’re renting a car. Gas is expensive in Belize, but the added flexibility to visit some amazing low-cost but somewhat remote adventures is worth it. It costs even less to take the bus, but in reality, you have limited time, so we’ll focus on efficiency. We’re also renting a cabana with a kitchen like Lost Compass Cabanas, so we can go grocery shopping and make some meals ourselves to save even more. Get some coffee, milk, eggs, snacks, pasta, sauce, and other stuff to make food you can pack and bring with you on day trips. Don’t forget a roll of foil, but don’t get plastic bags- the stores use plenty of them when you buy stuff. Also, don’t ever buy any bread, fruit, or veggies at a store; get it all from the San Ignacio market. You’ll have better prices, selection, and freshness. There’s also a spot called The New French Bakery right across from the market, which is not new and is not French, but is a fantastic bakery with lots of bread and pastry options to choose from.
Our scale to approximate expenses:
- $ = low cost, less than $30 USD
- $$ = mid cost, $30 to $75 USD
- $$$ = high cost, $75 to $150 USD
- $$$$ = I’ve made a terrible error, $150+ USD
Day One – Travel Day
- Arrive at PGIA in Belize City (BZE) – $$$$
- Pick up your rental car -$$$$
- Drive to San Ignacio and visit a Grocery Store – $$
- Check into accommodations in San Ignacio -$$$$
- Dinner at home -$
Pro Tip: bring a pen with you on the plane so you can fill out your customs forms before you land, and then once you’re in the actual Customs area, walk around all the people who are struggling to write with their forms in their lap, on luggage, or on the wall, having only just been giving a pen by customs staff. The line actually begins around the corner past the people still filling out their forms, so walk until you see people waiting patiently for the customs officer to call them. Once you exit Customs and Immigration, you’ll pick up your car directly across the parking lot from the airport. PGIA has free wifi, so before you go too far, download an offline Google Map of Belize. Then head west for about two hours- watch out for speed bumps and checkpoints. Both are simple once you experience the first one and know what to expect. Then grab some groceries, and head to home base.
Day Two – San Ignacio & The Maya
- Breakfast at Ko-ox Han-nah -$
- San Ignacio Market -$
- Cahal Pech Mayan Site -$
- Xunantunich Mayan Site w/ Guide -$$
- Dinner at home -$
Start your day early at Ko-ox Han-nah, or as locals call it, Hannah’s. Get the Belizean Breakfast with fry jacks. It will set you back less than $10.00 USD. Then you’re off! The best part about Day Two (besides the fry jacks) is that each Mayan ruin costs $5.00 USD per person. (NICH is doubling these prices in November!) The San Ignacio Market is free, but you will likely spend a little bit extra on some fruit and veggies for the next few days. You’ll likely spend a little bit more at The New French Bakery. Load up, head home, and pack lunch.
Visit Cahal Pech first, and get there as close to 8am or 9am as you can. There will be only a few people at the ruin besides the groundskeeping staff. It has a lovely, small museum and restrooms, and is a gorgeous, relaxing atmosphere. You’ll see agoutis, maybe some toucans, and all sorts of beautifully preserved ruins to walk in, on, and through. It’s probably my favorite, simply because it’s always calm, peaceful, and in the morning lacks a major tourism presence found at its more famous neighbor, Xunantunich. Once you’ve had enough of exploring on your own, hop back in the car and head west on the highway towards Xunantunich, one of the largest well-preserved archeology sites in Belize. You’ll be able to hire a guide at the entrance to the site. At present, a guide is about $10.00 USD per guest, and absolutely worth it. Guides are a sought-after position within the community, and to become certified they go through a full year of training about the sites as well as tourism and hospitality. Expect the tour to last between two and three hours- on the longer side if you ask lots of questions. You’ll have a chance to climb El Castillo, the central structure, and take ample photographs as well. It’s a great trip for all ages and offers a really nice view of the surrounding countryside, including portions of neighboring Guatemala. Depending on your timing, this is a great place to have a snack or even that lunch you packed. There are covered pavilions with tables for you to enjoy your meal. By this point you should be ready for either a nap or a dip in the pool, so it’s back into the car for a quick drive back to San Ignacio for a rest as the heat of the day sets in. You have the afternoon to enjoy. You can always drive back down and park by the Market and wander around Burns Avenue if you feel like being active, but for me at least, the simplicity of enjoying the property and taking some pictures while relaxing with a beer or three is a great way to cap off an active day. Soak it up!
Day Three – Geologic Wonders – $
- Breakfast at home -$
- Rio Frio Cave -$
- Rio On Pools -$
- Lunch At Rio On Pools -$
- Big Rock Falls -$
- Cook Dinner at home -$
I shouldn’t have to say it, but recent events show I must: Don’t visit water features during a flood or after recent heavy rains. You are risking your life and the lives of your rescuers. One difference between Belize and North America is total access to locations like Rio on Pools. There are no guard rails, warning signs, or help nearby if you do something stupid. Climbing around Rio on Pools is at your own risk.
We’re starting with breakfast at home base, and also packing up some food to take with us. We have some decent driving time ahead for Day Three, and it’s going to be an adventurous day. We’re headed to Mountain Pine Ridge, which is a beautiful part of the country about 45 minutes outside of San Ignacio. There’s limited cell service and hardly any other services up there unless you happen to be near a fancy resort, so pack in everything you want to have for the day including all food and beverages. Stop number one is Rio Frio Cave. It’s MASSIVE. Like, fit your house and all your neighbor’s houses inside it, massive. It’s also a pretty easy hike which makes it perfect for all skill and fitness levels, and even a good choice for people that feel claustrophobic. It’s actually a tunnel you can see right through (bring a flashlight anyway), so you won’t have any issues at all if you don’t like tight spaces or feeling confined. It’s really beautiful. After that, we’re headed to Rio on Pools, which, with the above disclaimer noted, is a majestic site. The pools, rivulets, falls, and cascades are unlike anything you’ve seen or heard. It’s a mesmerizing place that has a special energy that emanates from it. You can see why some of the top resorts in the country choose the ledges above as their location. It’s a great place to have your lunch and there’s a pavilion with a changing room and tremendous vantage point for capturing some epic photographs. Best of all, it looks different at various times of day depending on how the light strikes it.
Once you’ve had your fill, head to Big Rock Falls. The approach to the falls involves a poorly maintained set of crappy stairs that definitely requires your complete attention, but it costs nothing and the falls are worth every one of those steps. Luckily, there’s a better way: The San Miguel Campgrounds on the other side. Just drive over there and pay the $15.00bzd per person and then hike down much more easily. It’s a heck of a steep hill to walk down, and especially back up again- but they just finished a new parking lot and path down so you can get even closer in a car. Besides, with the Rickety Stairs of Doom as your other choice, this is the best bet. You get a totally different vantage point of all the formations that most people don’t ever see. Enjoy a great swim and refresh yourself in the cool water, marveling at the simple beauty of the world surrounding you. This day is designed to break you away from your devices and your creature comforts, forcing you to slow down and feel the world around you. Once you’ve thoroughly relaxed, it’s back up those damn stairs (or that damn hill) and back to civilization.
Day Four – Butterflies and Beers
- Breakfast at home -$
- Green Hills Butterfly Sanctuary -$$
- Relaxation at Trin’s -$
- Dinner at Home -$
Eat a decent breakfast and pack a lunch for today, because we’re going on a hike! Be sure to refill your water bottle, grab some bug spray, and then drive to Green Hills Butterfly Sanctuary for some amazing hummingbirds and the most epic butterfly enclosure in Belize. This is an incredible place to visit about 9:00 am- that’s roughly when the sun begins to shine on the butterfly enclosure- but before it gets too hot- perfect for butterfly activity that has to be seen to be believed. It costs more than some of our other activities at $20.00 USD per guest, but the price includes a fantastic and informative tour as well as access to the butterfly house with literally hundreds of butterflies. It also allows you to hike their amazing Jungle Trail. The trail is about an hour or so in each direction, and is worth the extra effort; most only spend a little bit of time with the butterflies and hummingbirds. And when I say hummingbirds, I mean more damn hummingbirds than you’ve ever seen in your life. Green Hills boasts 15 species that call the area home, and it’s common to see at least six of them in a single visit. And not just a few of each variety- you will see dozens of them over a few minutes! I call it Top Gun because of the way the birds are in constant motion, dogfighting each other and zooming across the sky back and forth to flowers and feeders. Some get so close they’ll brush you with a wing when they zip past, or even bounce off of you! It’s a sight and sound to behold, and if you’ve got kids with you it is a guaranteed favorite. Once you’ve taken in the butterflies and birds, go for as long of a hike as you want. The folks at Green Hills are stewards of hundreds of acres of pristine forest filled with abundant wildlife, including jaguars, ocelots, tapirs, monkies, and hundreds of varieties of birds. It’s impossible to not be impressed. Expect all that hiking to work up an appetite and to have your packed lunch when you get back. You could also wait until you return to home base- but I’m guessing you’ll want at least a little more time on-location watching more sensational aerial acrobatics!
Then it’s off to home base for a shower before we head out for an afternoon at Trin’s, a quintessential Belizean cool spot. They have a basic bar menu (lunch and dinner only, not all afternoon) with the things you’d expect like chicken wings, but the real standout here is ice-cold beer and the vibe. Perched on a corner overlooking a major intersection and also near the Police Station- this is one of the best locations for people-watching in San Ignacio. You might think the people are chill because there’s a police station up the street, but really, it’s because the family that owns it are wonderful people and have known everybody around town for multiple generations- you’ll enjoy every second that you’re there. This is real Belize– unpretentious, laid-back, and as local as it gets. Get to know whoever is behind the bar laughing and smiling with the other locals (probably Sherry if it is a weekday) and don’t be afraid to get their attention when you want your next beer- they might be deep in conversation with a regular (possibly me), or busy dishing out buckets of Belikin like they’re going out of style. Some days Trin’s is low-key and some days, especially on a Friday afternoon, the place fills up quickly and the few tables become a real commodity. This is my absolute favorite place in the country to grab a couple beers, and meet some new friends- you’re gonna love it. Good people, good vibes, good times.
Day Five – Splurge Day
- Breakfast at home -$
- ATM Cave tour –$$$
- Dinner: The Guava Limb -$$
First, let me acknowledge the obvious– this day can be accomplished for much less money by doing just about any other activity in the area. (There are exceptions.) That said if you’re in Belize and this close already, ATM Cave is a true bucket list experience, and worth the splurge! This particular tour is made even more spectacular because we’re going with Belize Caves and Limpkin Tours, owned and operated by the world-famous ATM Cave expert, Patrick Bradley and his wife, archeologist Lucy Bradley. Patrick is not only the foremost ATM tour guide in the entire country of Belize- he’s also one of the top tourism personalities in the entire world. Put another way, Patrick is the go-to guy for the Discovery Channel and National Geographic. You’re in great hands; no matter who leads your tour from their team of experienced and established professionals, it will be your trip’s absolute highlight, and worth every penny you spend. Keep in mind that ATM Cave is a full day of activity and prepare yourself accordingly. Get a decent rest the night before, and don’t overdo it at Trin’s! You’ll certainly want to pack a full change of clothes and a towel for use following this adventure- there’s a hike, rivers to cross, and a short swim to be done entering the cave, which you then traverse in socks- no shoes are allowed within the cave itself to preserve the natural environment. Last but not least- there’s a no-cameras or phones rule that is strictly enforced. As the story goes, a tourist dropped a camera on some of the ancient bones within the cave years ago, unfortunately breaking them- and thus ruining the chance for others to photograph or video to this day. It’s also a sacred space and should be respected as such, so adherence to the rules is not only to protect the site but also just a decent thing to do. No matter though- because from beginning to end this experience is totally epic, and will be etched into your memory forever!
Now, we feast. Having expended all our energy at ATM, it’s time for a fantastic meal at the best restaurant in town, The Guava Limb Cafe. Known for its wonderful ambiance, friendly service, and truly excellent food and drinks, this is a perfect way to end Splurge Day. With infused water to keep you hydrated, daily cocktail specials to keep you happy, and a delicious international menu to keep you full, Guava Limb lets you unwind and enjoy its beautiful environment of lush tropical plantings at your own pace. Nobody is rushing you- unless you show up without a reservation. Then you might need to hustle- these folks serve a lot of plates on a busy weekend night! Literally everything on the menu is a great choice; I frequently find it hard to choose. One clear standout is their wood-fired pizza. The pear, bacon, and gorgonzola pizza is a wonderful entree, but the margarita pizza to split as an appetizer is just as good. Steaks, chicken, chops, seafood, vegetarian plates- if you want it Guava Limb has it. They’re also known for their incredible dessert selection, so if you can’t manage it at the time, plan on taking something with you!
Day Six – Belize Botanic Garden
- Breakfast at home -$
- Belize Botanic Garden -$
- Dinner: Street Food Downtown -$
Belize Botanic Garden is a storied property dear to my heart. Originally combined with the adjacent Sweet Songs Resort, it was known as duPlooy’s Jungle Lodge. I was fortunate to spend a fair amount of time with the owner, Judy before she passed away at the age of 80. What a woman. The Botanic Garden stands as a testament to her forward vision about Belize, forestry, tourism, and leaving the world a more beautiful place than you found it. From a patch of jungle, Judy and her late husband Ken transformed the land into a remarkable development that educates and enthralls visitors and locals alike. With nearly 50 acres to explore, trails galore, countless flowers and birds, a small beach near the river, and even a watch tower with commanding views, Belize Botanic Garden is a show-stopper. You can feel the energy of the family that created this place- Judy and Ken raised five girls there, and over time all have left their mark. You’ll hopefully meet Rudy, who carries on the torch of Belize Botanic Garden now that Judy is gone. His passion for plants, education, and sustainability is evident in the way he speaks with reverence about this place. The country of Belize owes Judy, her family, and Rudy a debt of gratitude. Judy’s memory will live on forever in this place- her passion project, her life’s work, and now her shrine.
Pack up some snacks or your lunch and bring plenty of water- you can easily sink an entire day into exploring the Belize Botanic Garden, especially if you have any affinity for going slow and enjoying their self-guided tours. Part of the adventure is getting there. After a 15-minute drive west of San Ignacio on the highway, you drive another 15 or 20 minutes up and down some winding and bumpy roads deep into the jungle- just follow the signs- until you reach Belize Botanic Gardens and Sweet Songs Jungle Lodge. The property is usually somewhat empty of people, and as a result, totally full of wildlife and flowers of all shapes and sizes. The ample trails are reasonably well maintained, and as long as you have some bug spray there’s nothing to stop you from wandering about the entire grounds at your leisure, just like Judy envisioned. She would highly suggest you climb to the top of the watch tower to enjoy the view, or perhaps have your lunch up there weather permitting; it’s such a sight to behold that you can’t help but exclaim out loud when you see it. She loved it up there and you will too. There’s so much to see and so many little nooks that have been created for you to enjoy. Bird hides, small areas with plantings, a beautifully constructed deck, a stone and wood pergola that, depending on season, can be festooned with flowering vines- this is paradise. Take in as much of it as you can, and if you love it like so many others love it, please consider leaving a small donation to help them continue their mission of conservation and education now and into the future.
Once you’ve had a chance to recuperate from your botanic adventures, it’s time to sample some local cuisine. Head towards Burns Avenue or the Market downtown for some street food- this is the type of street food you see Anthony Bourdain talking about on TV. San Ignacio has some true master chefs cooking up tacos, empanadas, pupusas, and other savory treats that are so damn good you’ll want to ask for a recipe (which they will not give you, and you couldn’t make anyway). If you’re seeking your street food fix earlier in the day, stop inside the market itself and visit Doña Blanca’s. Originally from El Salvador, Doña Blanca offers some of the best pupusas on the planet, and piles of tacos, tostadas, and just about anything else you could possibly want. You have to get there early, but it’s worth the effort and caps any visit to the market with a tasty, affordable, and undeniably local meal.
Day Seven – Travel Day
- Final Breakfast at Ko-ox Hannah -$
- Drive to Belize Zoo -$$
- Return Rental Car – $$$
- Jet’s Bar -$
- Fly home -$
We’re starting once again with breakfast at Hannah’s, but today we’re having banana pancakes, with an order of fry jacks to go! To keep things fun and more than just a travel day, we’re stopping along our way at the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center, home to rescue animals from around the country. A small but incredibly diverse exhibit, the Belize Zoo allows you to see up close mythical animals most people -including locals – go their entire lives without seeing. Jaguars, Scarlet Macaws, and dozens of other creatures call this place home. Some are rehabilitated and released, and others stay within the zoo for their own protection. Enjoy these animals, many of them endangered, while contributing to the conservation of their species in the wild. You can tour the entire facility in about two hours. There’s a small gift shop and cafe if you get hungry. You can feel comfortable leaving your bags in the car here without concern. Then it’s back to PGIA where you’ll drop your car off, go through security, and await your departure. Head down by Duty Free and enjoy Jet’s Bar, a tiny and ridiculous place, whose walls are covered in patches and stickers, and whose stools are full of travelers going to destinations all over the world. They sell cheap hot dogs, good cheer, and what will probably be your last chance to have a Belikin until you come back!
You can have a wonderful experience in Belize very affordably if you take the time to plan and consider the actual purpose of your trip. Even with so many options available to you in this awe-inspiring and diverse country, it’s better to slow down and take a more measured pace, allowing yourself to engage at a greater depth with your surroundings. Make the most of the pristine nature you’re immersed within during your limited time here. After all you’re going on vacation to escape the hustle of your regular life, not extend that hustle to your vacation as well. Your heart rate and your bank account will thank you for it. Your inbox? Not so much 🌴
Enter Belize 
Leave a comment