1. Belize Blogs
  2. Travel Tips

Summer in Belize: What To Do and Where To Go

By 3/30/2020 11 minutes


Belize's peak tourist season comes in the winter when American, Canadian and European travelers pour in to escape the snow in this subtropical paradise. The coronavirus pandemic may have changed that in 2020. All indications are that we could be back to some level of normal by summer 2020. If you don't take the opportunity to visit Belize in the summer, you're missing out. This is a country that enjoys pleasant weather all year long and visiting in the summer season means avoiding the crowds of tourists and instead getting the opportunity to genuinely immerse yourselves in the lives of native Belizeans. Just because the tourists are away doesn't mean that life stops in Belize. The summer months are packed with local festivals and events, and the bird watching is superb. And if that's not enough to convince you, you'll also be able to save money on everything from plane tickets to lodgings.

A Lively Destination 365 Days a Year

There's a reason why people on the north half of the globe travel south for the winter. The magic of the equator means that countries south of the line are warm in the winter months and vice versa, but Belize's close proximity to the equatorial line creates something uniquely special. Belize doesn't experience a "summer" and a "winter", at least not how we understand it. Instead, the country enjoys a temperate climate all year long. In the place of a cold and hot season, we have a “rainy" and "dry" season. Our summer is the rainy season for the country, but that doesn't mean you have to worry about rainy days interrupting your entire stay. Instead, rainfall tends to be brief, and it actually provides a pleasant respite from the warm weather of the country. Rainfall varies according to districts, so a particularly concerned traveler can plan their trip accordingly. But you needn't worry too much. Rainfall typically happens at night with brief but short terms on intermittent days. While hurricanes strike the country with relatively low frequency, summer travelers don't need to worry. The majority of hurricanes in the region arrive between August and October.

Travel Belize for Summer - Mountain Pine Ridge
Travel Belize for Summer - Caye Caulker
In fact, traveling to Belize in the summer may be preferable to traveling in the winter. If you have concerns that popular attractions or resorts will be closed down during your visit, don't be. All of the landmarks you'd want to see should be available to you, and resorts, hotels, and tour companies are actually eager for travelers. Economical travelers can get a lot of mileage out of these circumstances since rates at hotels typically plummet on May 1 and stay bottomed out until the beginning of November.

Summer 2020

The coronavirus pandemic brought all tourism activity to a standstill. Most local tour companies and hotels are taking this as an opportunity to reset and improve in anticipation of an eventual return to normalcy. It remains to be seen whether the heat will suppress the spread of the virus, but you can be sure to find that it will be quite toasty in Belize starting in May and through the summer months. Summer 2020 could be the perfect time to visit Belize and de-stress from the chaos of the coronavirus.

Crowds

Part of Belize's appeal is that it doesn't get the huge crowds of tourists like some other destinations in the area such as Cancun. Throughout the entire year, we only see about 500,000 overnight visitors. The majority of these visitors visit San Pedro in Ambergris Caye. By most standards, the crowds in San Pedro will be minimal. If you want to continue practicing social distancing, mainland Belize is the perfect destination for you. Even during peak tourist season, you can wake up on the beach in Hopkins or Placencia and have the entire beach to yourself. 

Top Places to Visit in the Summer

The most popular destinations in Belize are worth visiting in both the summer and the winter, but you won't have to worry about being stuck in long lines or jostled around by crowds when you visit during the green season. Here are some of the must-see destinations.

San Ignacio Town

The second largest town in the country occupies what was once multiple villages. As a result, it's one of the most diverse cultural centers in Belize. It's also in close proximity to local highlights like the ATM Cave and Maya ruins like Cahal Pech and Xunantunich. It's a great place to set up camp for further adventures, but San Ignacio is well worth visiting in its own right.

Find Tours Near San Ignacio

Placencia

If you're looking for something more sedate, Placencia is a great choice. Wherever you are on this thin, southern peninsula, you're almost never more than a few miles from the turquoise Caribbean Sea. Placencia Village is the largest hub in the area and the main launching point for beach excursions and barrier reef tours, but there are plenty of smaller villages in the vicinity worth exploration as well.

Find Tours Near Placencia

Travel Belize for Summer - San Ignacio Market
Travel Belize for Summer - Placencia

Hopkins Village

Located in the east of Belize, this coastal village is home to the indigenous Garifuna people. Their culture is truly unique, blending together a number of local and colonial influences into a lifestyle that's its own thing entirely. Despite their pastoral nature, the people of Hopkins Village are eminently welcoming, and the beach is readily accessible from the village property.

Find Tours Near Hopkins

Caye Caulker

Belize is a verdant paradise, but Caye Caulker's remote stretch of marine and forest reserve is a step above. This petite island is home to only one small village and is a great destination to experience island life in Belize. Whether you're interested in scuba diving, snorkeling or fishing, Caye Caulker is the ideal place to visit in the summer and experience life at its most natural.

Find Tours Near Caye Caulker

Travel Belize for Summer - Hopkins
Travel Belize for Summer - Caye Caulker

Ambergris Caye

Another island destination, Ambergris Caye is also a great launching point for snorkeling and diving, sailing and fishing. But if you're looking for a little more civilization, it's also home to San Pedro. This bustling town has a laidback atmosphere and is the perfect place to kick back and relax between adventures on the barrier reef.

Find Tours Near Ambergris Caye

Other Offshore Islands

Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye are just two of the most popular islands off the Belizean coast. If you consider yourself an adventurer (or you're just looking for a little more privacy), there are countless offshore islands where you can lay back and sunbathe or set out on explorations of the surrounding barrier reef.

Find Marine Tours in Belize

Travel Belize for Summer - Secret Beach, Ambergris Caye
Travel Belize for Summer - Private Island Getaway

Top Things to Do in the Summer

There are a wide variety of activities to undertake in Belize, and while many of them are available all year round, there are some moments that you'll completely miss out on if you don't visit during the summer season.

Lobsterfest

The people of Belize have always subsisted on the bounty of the ocean, and the months of June and July constitute a celebration of one of the most prevalent seafood options. Caye Caulker, Ambergris Caye, and Placencia all host their own Lobsterfest activities - massive parties that combine music, dancing, and art with a wide variety of cuisine centered around the popular crustacean.

Snorkeling or Scuba Diving with Whale Sharks

The barrier reef off the coast of Belize is the second largest in the world, and it's home to a vibrant ecosystem, but one of the most stunning inhabitants is the massive and gentle whale shark. You can get up close and personal when you go snorkeling or scuba diving. Just keep in mind that you'll want to get here in June before the sharks migrate.

Travel Belize for Summer - Lobster Fest Caye Caulker
Travel Belize for Summer - Snorkeling

Exploring Maya Ruins and Caves

Belize was once the hub of the Maya Empire, and the remains are remarkably well preserved. Maya cities like Xunantunich and Cahal Pech are popular destinations, but you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not visiting ATM Cave. It was once a site of ritual human sacrifice and is regarded as the best sacred cave in the world.

Birding

In a country with such a rich and diverse ecosystem, the presence of birds in Belize still stand out from the rest. The Cayo District, in particular, is home to a plethora of bird species, and there are countless places in the country to go birding.

Travel Belize for Summer - Caving at Actun Chapat
Travel Belize for Summer - Birding at Black Rock Lodge

Visiting Nature Reserves in Belize

Belize may be well known for how well it finds the harmony between modern life and nature, but two sites stand out from the rest. Cockscomb Basin and Monkey River are two of the most beautiful nature reserves in the country. The former is home to the world's first jaguar reserve, while the latter gets its name from its healthy population of howler monkeys.

Diving the Blue Hole

The Great Blue Hole is a stunning sight: a perfectly round patch of otherworldly blue water in the midst of the great barrier reef. Over 400 feet deep, it's a legendary location for scuba divers from all over the world.

Travel Belize for Summer - Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve
Travel Belizen for Summer - The Great Blue Hole

Experiencing the Belizean Cultures

The rush of crowds in the winter months can make it hard to authentically immerse yourself in Belizean culture, but there's plenty to enjoy here. The presence of indigenous groups and multiple colonial influences have created a unique culture in the form of the Garifuna as well as more prevalent groups like the Creole and the Mestizo peoples.

Exploring the Belize Barrier Reef

Even if you miss the presence of the whale sharks, there's plenty to do in Belize's Great Barrier Reef. Snorkeling and scuba diving are popular all year long, and you shouldn't have to worry about rainy weather getting in the way. Sailing and fishing are also popular excursions, and the waters tend to be less crowded in the off season.

Travel Belize for Summer - Garifuna Culture
Travel Belize for Summer - Belize Barrier Reef

Attending the Costa Maya Festival

August, in the tail end of Summer, harkens one of the most vibrant events in the country. The Costa Maya Festival held in Ambergris Caye draws in musicians, models, and artists from all around the region. Creatives from Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, and El Salvador all gather in San Pedro for a week of festivities.

Attending the Benque Viejo Festival

If you're in Belize a little earlier than Costa Maya, you'll absolutely want to check out the Benque Viejo Festival in the Cayo District. Beginning July 1, the event starts with religious celebrations. But over the course of 15 days, this festival opens up to include amusement park rides, parades, musical events, and a fireworks show on July 16 that sends the event off in style.

What Are You Waiting For?

Belize is waiting, and there's no better time to visit than during the summer. Just because the rates are reduced doesn't mean the fun is. Book your flight today to experience everything this gorgeous country has to offer.

Travel Belize for Summer - Top Things To Do
Travel Belize for Summer - Top Things To Do



Learn More
Tours/Activities
$
465
/ Person
Departs From:
San Pedro (Ambergris Caye)
The Blue Hole, located in the center of Lighthouse Reef Atoll is a 1000-foot circular coral reef that drops over 400 feet into an incredible cavern. It is filled with stalactites and ... moreawe-inspiring natural formations. Half Moon Caye and the Aquarium/Eagle Ray are teaming with marine life and numerous varieties of colorful corals like sponges, fans, and gorgonians.

The day starts off as early as 6:00 am, departing from our dive center and returning later in the evening at 5:30 pm. We make sure everything is in place; gear, breakfast, lunch, and refreshments. We want you to have the time of a lifetime on our full-day dive package, which is why we make sure you have a safe and successful day. We prioritize our customers and make sure they are satisfied to the max in every way possible.
$
150
/ Person
$
800
/ Group
Departs From:
San Pedro (Ambergris Caye)
Provider:
Depart Blue Tang Inn on the Sirena Azul Sailboat at 8:30 am. Sail, relax, and enjoy the aqua-blue Caribbean for about 45 minutes to Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Here, a guide will lead ... moreyou along the reef, pointing out the many interesting fish and coral formations. This beautiful, small channel contains many different schools of fish. Turtles, stingrays, groupers, horse-eyed jacks, snappers, and sergeant majors will escort you through this very scenic tour around the channel. The next stop is Shark Ray Alley, where you can snorkel with friendly Nurse sharks & southern stingrays next to the boat. Once back on board you can rinse off with fresh water and settle in for the sail to Caye Caulker. When you reach Caye Caulker you will have time to have lunch on your own & explore our quaint sister island. After lunch, enjoy a leisurely sail back to San Pedro to return by 5pm. Includes Beer, soda, rum punch, bottled water and fresh fruit. Bring a towell, sunscreen, hat and a light sweater along. Snorkel gear is available at the Blue Tang Inn office.
$
125
/ Person
Departs From:
San Pedro (Ambergris Caye)
Provider:
AMAZING SAILING AND SNORKELING ADVENTURES Our day begins sailing north to Tres Cocos for our first snorkel. Then we sail on to Mexico Rocks for our second snorkel stop where you will ... moreencounter larger coral heads & smaller fish.

After snorkeling, you can rinse off with fresh water & sit back to enjoy the sail to Habaneros. Our guides will then prepare a delicious BBQ.
$
55
/ Person
Departs From:
Hopkins
 (16)
Top Hopkins Area Tour *seasonal tour* (Mid December to May) Head out on the 5-minute boat ride to Anderson Lagoon on the Sittee River. The night sky is UNBELIEVABLE. ... more

Thick with stars all the way down to the tree line. Using high-powered flashlights to spot the eyeshine of crocodiles, kinkajou, coatimundi, raccoons, birds, resting iguanas, and much more!

Go through the tiny cut to the lagoon and you are surrounded by the giant mangroves and then shoot out into the lagoon which boasts bioluminescent plankton that lights up with any disturbance in the water.

It’s pitch black, the guide’s flashlight beam cutting across the lagoon is the only light and when he turns it off, the boat picks up speed and the wake glows to blue light. As the boat picks up more speed, the tiny algae, which settle in the lagoon during the dry season, get agitated and glow. It’s absolutely unbelievable.

Our guide will stop the boat and you just stare into the water. Schools of fish or any marine life swimming through the lagoon create a phosphorescent trail that can look like a glowing cloud in the water. Hundreds of jellyfish pulsating in the water. They feed on the algae – it’s all along their edges and inside them.

Just moving your hand around in the water is miraculous. You leave aqua blue glowing blue bubbles.

A swim in these waters is almost irresistible so we recommend you wear your swimwear and bring along a towel.
$
120
/ Person
Departs From:
Placencia
Provider:
Stretching from the eastern slopes of the Maya Mountains down to wetlands and then the Caribbean Coast of southeastern Belize, the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the ... morecountry’s most beautiful, unspoiled areas.

Measuring more than 150 square miles (400 square km) in size, the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary has no roads, automobile traffic, or residences, making it the perfect place to see Belize’s nature at its finest.

Located approximately 30 minutes from Placencia and 15 minutes from Hopkins Village, the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including approximately 200 jaguars. The reserve is home to the world’s only dedicated scientific and conservation program to help preserve these rare animals in their natural habitat. Indeed, the IUCN and World Wildlife Fund have declared that the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is performing vital work in protecting jaguars as well as four other big cat species indigenous to Belize.

Other attractions in the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary include colorful insects, hundreds of species of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. The diverse landscape includes verdant hills, lush wetlands, and thick rainforests, making it an excellent place to see and explore nature.

The tour includes a brief orientation upon arrival, followed by a scenic hike along a well-marked trail. Participants will get to see fragrant flowers, exotic plants, colorful birds, and several different animal species, including potentially black howler monkeys, tapirs, gibnuts, and peccaries.

This tour also includes a stop at one of the amazingly beautiful waterfalls inside the reserve as well as the chance to enjoy a refreshing swim or a fun slide down one of the natural waterslides created by the falls. The tour can also include an inner tube trip down a section of the pristine South Stann Creek River and a delicious packed lunch.
New
In this episode we speak with Dorian Rivero, owner of Private Belize Adventure and tour guide of over 20 years, to discuss what activities are available to visitors in and around Belize ... moreCity. Take a virtual walk-through of cave tubing destination Nohoch Che’en as well as the Mayan ruins of Altun Ha.
Guest Name:
Dorian Rivero

Belizing Staff

0 reviews   0 comments
Overall
How useful was this blog post?