Brandon Muramatsu

Tips for Traveling to Belize

I’ve visited Belize often enough now for work at MIT that I thought it might be best to post this list of practical tips on my website.

(Last updated March 24, 2023)

General Info

  • Travel Info
    • Take bug repellant.
    • Drink bottled or purified water.
    • U.S. State Department Travel Guidelines: Belize
    • CDC: Belize
    • You don’t need a Visa to visit Belize with a U.S. passport
  • Money
    • U.S. Dollars are accepted everywhere, fixed conversion rate of USD$1 = BZD$2
    • U.S. Credit Cards are accepted, Visa is most prevalent, some accept American Express
  • Tipping
    • Tipping isn’t mandatory, we usually do 10%
  • Language
    • Primary Language is English, though you’ll find Spanish is also prevalent as you go North (towards Mexico) and West (towards Guatemala. Also local languages of Mayan, Garifunan, etc. In Belize City, the tourist locations and major towns you’ll be more than fine with just English.
  • Telephone
    • +501 is the country code, no area codes, just a 7 digit phone number.
    • U.S. mobile phones work in Belize, international rates may apply per your plan.
  • Transportation
    • There is no Uber / Lyft
    • There are taxis at the airport, and available at the Water Taxi, and on call
    • Best Western Biltmore Plaza has a (paid) shuttle, for airport transportation and local transportation in Belize City
    • Hertz and Budget do local car rentals. Both are fine, usually you’ll get a SUV.
  • Hospitals, Pharmacies
    • There are full pharmacies, hospitals and emergency rooms in Belize City—ask us how we know 🤦
  • Hotels the MIT Team has stayed at (all recommended)Best Western Biltmore Plaza, Belize City — more details below
    • Radisson, Belize City
    • Guest House, Belize City
    • San Ignacio Resort Hotel, San Ignacio (West)
    • Pelican Bay Resort, Dangriga (South)
    • Hotel de La Fuente (North)
    • We haven’t stayed on Caye Caulker or San Pedro

Airport

  • Arrival to Philip Goldson International Airport
    • The airport is small! Both the International and Domestic “terminals”
    • Deplaning is done by stairs, most of the time from both the front and back of the airplane.
    • If you have carry-on luggage you’ll need to hand carry your luggage down the stairs!
    • Immigration, baggage claim, and customs are typical and straightforward.
    • After clearing customs and handing your immigration/customs form to the official, proceed through the double doors and turn right immediately to proceed to the curb.
    • Those waiting for arrivals can be found outside. Generally for MIT travel we’ll either be driving and pick you up/depart; we’ll arrange for you to take the hotel shuttle or a taxi / driver.
    • Taxis are much more common now at the airport, we’re not sure of the rates to Belize City.
  • Travel to Belize City
    • It’s a 15 minute or so drive from the International Airport to the Best Western Biltmore Hotel (where the MIT team usually stays). The Biltmore is located on the north side of Belize City.
  • Departure from Philip Goldson International Airport
    • The airport is small!
    • You’ll need to complete check-in at the airport.
    • If you’re flying Delta they have more “security” than American or United. The extra security consists of a passport check before check-in and  potential additional screening for pre-selected passengers before boarding.
    • There are the typical immigration (departures) and security checks.
    • Thus far the MIT team has not experienced long lines (3 years of travel and more than 10 distinct trips). Expect 15 minutes total.
    • There is no pre-check or expedited security. You’ll need to take your shoes off, laptops and major electronics off, etc. There are only metal detectors.
    • Most of the international flights seem to leave at the same time 11am-1pm so it’ll get crowded in the departures area.
    • There are souvenir shops, duty free and fast food restaurants.
    • As with deplaning, you’ll board by stairs.
    • As with deplaning, If you have carry on luggage you’ll need to hand carry your luggage up the stairs!

Best Western Biltmore Plaza

  • The MIT team usually stays at the Best Western Biltmore Plaza
  • We arrange rooms through Shermadine Rowland, who runs a tour business and the gift shop at the hotel.
  • We get better than standard rates at the Biltmore–it’s also worth arranging through Shermadine as she’s our great local contact and can help us resolve all problems.
  • There’s a gift shop that sells drinks, snacks, toiletries and souvenirs.
  • The hotel has a gym, pool, restaurant, bar and laundry.
  • Biltmore uses purified water for the water glasses at the restaurant
  • Biltmore has an elevator that the staff can use (e.g., if you have them help take your luggage to your room, or need to take lots of heavy stuff to the 2nd floor meeting rooms)
  • Most of our room reservations come with breakfast coupons for the buffet.
  • There’s sometimes a lunch buffet, depending on whether there are meetings and enough expected guests, otherwise you can order off the menu for lunch at the hotel.
  • Has a hotel shuttle, that for a fee, will drop off and pick up from Belize City and the airport
  • Brodies Market (a supermarket, basic pharmacy, and Target-like), a LONG block walk from the hotel

Belize City Restaurants

  • Break down into “Belize-city fancy” and local fast food, at least from the MIT team’s experience.
  • Many of the restaurants have basically the same menu.
  • There are no American fast food or chain restaurants in Belize City
  • The MIT team has been to most if not all the “fancier” restaurants; these are more akin to brew pubs or casual restaurants.
  • It’s very common to see birthday parties at restaurants.
  • Recommended restaurants in Belize City:
    • Sahara Grill: Across the highway from the Biltmore; Lebanese-run middle eastern, kebabs, falafel, etc. A favorite of the MIT team. Great prices too and very convenient. Open for lunch and dinner at 6pm (and closed in the late afternoon).
    • Riverside Tavern: Burgers, ribs, salads and originally known for Taco Tuesdays (tacos now served all the time but we like Lucca’s taco’s better for restaurant tacos), best onion rings that we’ve had in Belize City. A reservation is recommended for a bigger group, especially Thursday and Friday night.
    • Lucca: typical Belizean extended menu, most of the time we get burgers or tacos or ceviche here, sometimes ribs. They also have pasta and other dishes. On the water, best views you’ll have in Belize City. Onion rings aren’t as good as Tavern.
    • Smokeeze: Relatively new (in general) restaurant, typical Belizean extended menu same as Luccas. On the water. Has been busier than other places for dinner. Onion rings aren’t as good as Tavern.
    • Milky Way: Taiwanese food, dumplings, traditional dishes. It’s good. Belize has a country connection with Taiwan, and there’s a reasonable Taiwanese population, seemingly more prevalent in the west.
  • Recommended restaurants near the airport:
    • Di Bruwry: Microbrewery, pub food, good, worth the drive, also has good brunch menu on weekends starting at 10am (early enough to catch the early afternoon flights from the airport!)
  • Other restaurants in Belize City:
    • Celebrity: We used to like this especially for fish dishes, hasn’t been as good recently.
    • Midtown: Typical extended Belizean restaurant, pseudo-nightclub feel, the only restaurant we’ve been to with an armed security guard. We like the other restaurants better.
    • Bird’s Isle: typical Belizean menu, very dark around the restaurant and not a great part of town, we’ve gone and been fine, but there are safer and less safe ways to drive there, we’re discouraged from going by some of our Belizean friends
    • Vino Tinto: Asian-inspired dishes, fish pond, top of a tall building so good views at sunset and during the day, it’s basically all dark out
  • Recommended lunch spots in Belize City:
    • Any of the restaurants does lunch.
    • Santo Taco: in the Living Room shopping center. Good tacos.
    • Hole in the wall a couple blocks from the school: Chicken, pork, beef plates. Typical meat, beans and rice dishes. Good.

Other Restaurants Around Belize

  • San Ignacio
    • “Fancier” restaurants
  • Orange Walk
  • Dangriga
  • San Pedro and Caye Caulker: No recommendations

Sightseeing

  • Can be arranged through Shermadine Rowland, Papa Gallo Gift Shop
  • Mayan Ruins
    • Altun Ha (North of Belize City, closest, can be done in 2.5 hours round trip from Belize City)
    • Lamanai and River Tour (North of Belize City)
    • Xunantunich (West of Belize City)
    • Caracol (West of Belize City)
  • Caye Caulker Snorkel Tour

 

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