Locations

Jul-17-2009 By Liz


    Belize City     is the largest city in Belize.  Situated on the eastern edge of the tiny country, it sits just north of the nations beltline.  The city sits on the Caribbean Sea and is the hub of air and sea travel in and around the nation. Two airports service the area, Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (BZE), located in Ladyville, about 30 miles north of Belize City, and Belize City Municipal Airport (TZA). BZE services flights from all over Europe, the Caribbean, South America and the United States, internationally, as well as to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, Dangriga, Placencia and Punta Gorda, locally. TZA provides daily services to and from Caye Caulker, Dangriga, Placencia and Punta Gorda. Tropic Air is the country’s official airline and will be happy to send you all over the country and its islands. Warning: the flights aren’t too cheap.  If you’re patient and would actually like to spend some time outside during your visit, opt for a water taxi instead. Water taxis will ferry you to Caye Caulker and to Ambergris Caye for a much smaller fee. Belize City is large enough to offer hotel accommodations, dining and shopping options, but it has few tourist features to speak of.  It can, however serve as a launch pad for one’s travel adventure.  But if you want a true Caribbean adventure, you’ll want to quickly get out of the metropolis and into a beachierenvironment.  Hop a flight or take the water taxi to one of the Cayes before you forget you’ve just flown half a day to get away.
  • Belmopan became the nation’s capital in 1971. After Belize City was devastated by Hurricane Hattie in 1961, Belizean authorities sought a less vulnerable location to ensure stability in the event of another natural disaster.  The city is located in the center of Belize on high ground safe from tidal waves.  This city with a small town feel is home to over 7,000 people of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Most citizens of Belmopan are government workers. The city is a common transportation hub and is often called the “springboard to adventure”. The main tourist attractions are government buildings and historical records.
  • Palencia- The ideal Belizean location for the adventurous traveler is Placencia.  It is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the country and also offers a plethora of adventure activities.  Whether it’s hiking through the rain forest, going to see Mayan ruins, or kayaking the jungle rivers, Placencia is never dull.  If you’re not quite the adventurer, there are many hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants to choose from, or you can just slip into a hammock on one of its pristine beaches, relax, and enjoy the view!

    • Punta Gorda-Punta Gorda, or P.G. as the locals call it, is the English speaking capital of the Toledo District of Belize. This seaport and fishing town was once a small fishing village, but now boasts a population of roughly 6,000. Punta Gorda serves as the hub of transportation for the Toledo District. It offers a small airport with domestic flights from Maya Island Air and Tropic Air. Also, James Bus Lines shuttles passengers to other towns such as Independence, Dangriga, Belmopan, and Belize City. You can even take a boat to Puerto Barrios, Guatemala. If you decide to stay in Punta Gorda, there are many nice hotels as well as several esteemed jungle accomodation, though be prepared for rain. This is the wettest part of Belize. Saturdays are the busiest day in Punta Gorda, because merchants from local villages bring their wares to trade. Every May the town hosts the Toledo Cacao Festival, which celebrates the history and production of chocolate in the Toledo District.

  • San Pedro- The small town of San Pedro started as a humble fishing village, but has since become the hub of tourism for the island of Ambergris Caye. It has the largest concentration of visotor accomodations in Belize, though no home, hotel, or guesthouse is taller than three stories. The town is perhaps most famous for its scuba diving. Despite its small population, the island boasts a hyperbaric decompression chamber because of the number of visiting divers. Some of the best outfitters for fishing and diving trips are found here, along with plenty of charter boats.San Pedro is rumored to be the inspiration for the song La Isla Bonita by the pop singer Madonna. The song’s title has become the island’s and town’s favorite nickname
  • Toledans often refer to their home as “the forgotten land” because it is the least visited destination in Belize. Toledo is not for the casual tourist.  It does not boast many hotels or restaurants, and it is not nearly as developed as other spots in Belize.  However, if you are feeling adventurous, Toledo has some of the most pristine rain forests in the country, as well as caves, sinkholes, waterfalls, and jungle-covered ruins. There are plenty of nature activities to do, like snorkeling, swimming, kayaking, diving, and fly fishing. Five major protected areas have been declared wild life reserves.
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Posted in: Belize
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