Top Things to Do In Belize: Activities and Adventures You Can’t Miss

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Belize has something for everyone. When traveling through this Central American country, you can relax and snorkel off the coast of tiny, picturesque Caribbean islands like Caye Caulker and Caye Ambergris, adventure for hours through dramatic caves in San Ignacio, or climb towering ancient Mayan ruins surrounded by vibrant jungles.

Planning a trip to Belize and not sure what to put on your short list of must-do activities? I took a small group tour earlier this year of Belize (and Guatemala) and experienced some of the best this country has to offer from ancient Mayan archeological ruins to flying over the famous Great Blue Hole.

Here are my recommendations for the top things to do when visiting this un-Belize-able country.

1. Snorkel and Dive in the Belize Barrier Reef

Loving my snorkeling adventure to the Belize Barrier Reef with all kinds of diverse marine life.

The Belize Barrier Reef is the second largest reef in the world and is a great place to snorkel and dive with diverse marine life, colorful coral reefs, and crystal clear aquamarine waters. You can take boat tours from Belize’s Caribbean islands like Caye Caulker and Caye Ambergris (San Pedro).

Make sure your tour goes to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, which includes Shark Ray Alley, where you’ll likely encounter (friendly) nurse sharks, stingrays, eels, turtles, and more. I enjoyed my snorkeling tour with Ragga Sailing Adventures, which operates out of Caye Caulker.

2. Chill Out on a Caribbean Island

On the small island of Caye Caulker, the motto is “go slow.” It’s a great place to have a laidback tropical vacation.

Head to Caye Caulker or Caye Ambergris (San Pedro) off the coast of Belize to experience the slow island life. Located a breezy 45 to 90 minutes by water taxi from Belize City, these Caribbean islands not only offer close proximity to the Belize Barrier Reef but also have watersports from sailing to kayaking, yoga classes and spas, and plenty of bars if you’re looking to party (or grab a beer by the ocean).

One thing to set expectations – Caye Caulker doesn’t really have any sand beaches and San Pedro has pretty limited swimmable beach options. You can read my full guide to visiting the lovely tropical island of Caye Caulker here.

3. Adventure Through Caves Around San Ignacio

If you’re looking for a cave adventure, head to the town of San Ignacio, located near the Guatemalan border.

I’d highly recommend a tour of the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) cave, which was an incredibly unique, “Indiana-Jones-style” experience. During this full day tour, you hike through the jungle for 45 minutes and then wade and scramble your way through an aquatic cave for a few hours. Along the way, you’ll encounter thousand-year-old Mayan artifacts and sacrificial human remains.

If you’re looking for a more low key cave adventure, cave tubing near San Ignacio is also a relaxing, fun, and popular way to spend half a day.

Pro tip: After all that exploring, get arepas at the San Ignacio market for lunch or head to the Ko-Ox Han Nah restaurant for an amazing meal.

4. Marvel at Ancient Mayan Ruins

    • Belize was likely at the center of the Mayan empire at one point in history and has a number of ancient Mayan archeological sites. Many of these sites are still in the process of being uncovered by archeologists but still offer a fascinating glimpse into pre-Columbian civilization. Virtually all of these are surrounded by jungles and you might catch a glimpse of monkeys, toucans, iguanas, and other creatures on your visit.

    Some of the most popular ruins to visit include:

    • Caracol: As the largest Mayan archaeological site among the ruins in Belize, Caracol was once a powerful city and its uncovered temples and pyramids include Caana (Sky Palace), a towering pyramid at 140 foot/44 m with stunning vistas. It feels a bit more off-the-beaten path as it’s surrounded by jungle and requires a bumpy (at least) two hour car ride from San Ignacio to get there.
    • Xunantunich: Impressive ruins near San Ignacio that include  “El Castillo,” a 130 foot/40 m pyramid with lovely carved friezes and incredible panoramic views of the jungle and surrounding area (including nearby Guatemala). It’s a ~20 minute drive from San Ignacio, including a very short river crossing using a hand cranked ferry.
    • Lamanai: Easiest to reach by boat given its location on the banks of the New River, this former major Mayan city requires a bit of an adventure just to visit its ruins in the jungle. Lamanai has some cool structures including the Mask, Jaguar, and High Temples (with many more structures that archeologists have yet to uncover). Located in northern Belize, it’s about an hour driving from Belize City and then another hour by river boat to get there. You can also drive all the way there, but the roads are supposed to be incredibly bumpy (most people prefer the boat).
    • Altun Ha: Given these ruins’ proximity to Belize City (and its cruise port), you’ll likely encounter more tourists at this former Mayan trading and agricultural city than the other sites on this list. Still, Altun Ha has some really well-maintained Mayan temples (including the lovely Temple of the Masonry Altars). These ruins are located an hour’s drive north of Belize City and are easily accessible by car.
    • Tikal: Although these ruins are in Guatemala, this expansive and stunning archeological site is a couple hours from the Belize border and worth a mention. Tikal was a former Mayan capital and ceremonial center that now has magnificent crumbling ruins spread out across dense rainforests (with plenty of wildlife including coatis, monkeys, and toucans). A tour requires a fair amount of walking (and cardio if you want to climb up some of the towers). I’d recommend staying overnight in the cute, touristy town of Flores, Guatemala to make the most of a day here.

    5. Plan a Visit to the Great Blue Hole

    A stunning view of the Great Blue Hole from my small charter plane’s window.

    One of the most famous natural wonders of Belize, the Great Blue Hole is a giant blue sinkhole off the Caribbean coast and part of the Belize Barrier Reef. It’s a famous diving location for more advanced divers, but you can also fly over and see it from above in a small charter plane.

    The hour-long flight isn’t cheap and the Great Blue Hole was a little smaller than I expected from up in the air (although it’s massive at 1000 ft / 300 m wide), but the views are breathtaking with every shade of blue you can imagine. If you’ve got the budget for it, I say go for it. Be sure to book your flight in advance with either Tropic Air or Maya Island Air and try to get the seat next to the pilot.

    Whether you’re looking for adventurous excursions replete with cave explorations and ancient ruins or are seeking a more laidback tropical Caribbean vacation, Belize has got you covered. I hope this post has helped you figure out what to put on your Belize bucket list.

    Looking to plan the Caribbean island portion of your Belize trip and not sure where to start? Check out my complete guide to planning your trip to Caye Caulker here.

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