Useful Information
Getting to Belize:
Belize is about 2 hours and 15 minutes by air from Miami, Florida and Houston, Texas. U.S. gateway cities to Belize include Miami, Houston and New Orleans, Louisiana. Direct flights are also available from Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C; and from Toronto, Canada. From Mexico, direct flights to Belize are available from Cancun and Chetumal. Most Central American countries offer direct flights to Belize, including Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica.
Some tourists prefer to fly into Cancun as air fares are cheap. Then from Cancun catch the ADO air conditioned buses to Belize - about a 4 hour ride. Some European tourists also prefer to fly into Guatemala City and from there catch the Linia Dorada air conditioned buses to Belize - about a 5 hour ride.
International airlines serving Belize:
- American Airlines: Non-stop flights from Dallas/Ft. Worth, Miami.
- Continental Airlines: Non-stop from Houston.
- Taca (El Salvador): Non-stop flights from Houston, Miami.
- US Air: Non-stop flights from Charlotte.
- Delta Airways: Non-stop flights from Atlanta.
- Delta Airways: Non-stop flights from LAX (only Saturdays).
Getting Around by Air in Belize: International travelers fly into the newly renovated and expanded Philip Goldson International Airport in Belize City. From there, connections can be made to various destinations within Belize, including: Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, Caye Chapel, Corozal, Dangriga, Big Creek, Placencia and Punta Gorda; as well as to Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, etc. Travelers already in Belize City should utilize the smaller Municipal Airport for in-country flights, as costs are much lower.
Belizean Airlines Offering In-Country Service: Tropic Air: Belize International, Belize Municipal, Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, Caye Chapel, Corozal, Placencia, Punta Gorda, Flores (Guatemala) Maya Island Air: Belize International, Belize Municipal, Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, Corozal.
Private Aircraft: Private aircraft must enter Philip Goldson International Airport in Belize City.
Ports of Entry By Sea: Boats may clear customs and entry at Belize City, Dangriga, Big Creek, Punta Gorda and San Pedro, on Ambergris Caye. There is no customs officer in San Pedro; boats wishing to enter must pay the cost of round trip transportation for the customs officer to San Pedro from Belize City.
Bus services: National Transport and others depart out of Belize City for most of the major towns (Corozal, Orange Walk, San Ignacio, Belmopan, Dangriga, Punta Gorda) and border towns in Mexico and Guatemala.
Departure Tax: A tax of $15.00 US is charged when leaving Belize; this must be paid in cash or travelers' checks (credit cards not accepted for departure tax.)
Entry Requirements: A passport and return ticket is required to enter Belize. No visas are required for citizens of the U.S., British Commonwealth nations or European Union countries.
Firearms: It is illegal to take firearms and ammunition in or out of Belize, or to own or possess firearms with out a permit.
Animals: A permit from the Department of Agriculture must be obtained in order to bring animals into Belize, and the animals must be accompanied by a certificate of freedom from infection/contagious disease by a veterinarian following examination not more than 48 hours prior to shipment; animals must also be certified as having been vaccinated against rabies not less than one month nor more than six months prior to departure; and must be free of open wounds. Dogs must have a valid certification of vaccination against distemper, parvovirus, infectious canine hepatitis and leptospirosis. Animals may be required to be re-vaccinated against rabies on arrival if certifications are deemed unsatisfactory.
Currency: Local currency is the Belize Dollar, but U.S. dollars are accepted everywhere in Belize at the exchange rate of $2BZ to $1US, and may be exchanged directly in purchasing goods and services. Banks will charge a fee (currently is at .0125) to exchange U.S. to Belize dollars.
Credit Cards/Travelers' Checks: Nearly all hotels, restaurants and shops in the major towns and tourist areas take all major credit cards. Street vendors and smaller establishments in remote areas may accept only cash or travelers' checks. It's important to keep travelers' checks in a waterproof pouch, as they are considered void if they get wet. Representatives of VISA, Master Card and American Express can be contacted at the four commercial banks in Belize City (Atlantic Bank Ltd., Bank of Nova Scotia, Barclays Bank, and the Belize Bank. Banks are generally open Monday-Friday from 8 AM-1 PM and Saturdays, 8 AM-11 AM. American Express also has a representative at Belize Global Travel Services, Inc.
Credit cards with the Interlink, PLUS or STAR logos can access Belize Bank ATMS for cash withdrawal countrywide.
Getting Married: Foreign visitors who wish to marry in Belize can now apply for a marriage license after being in the country only three days, plus give one day's notice. Blood tests are not required, but you must provide proof of citizenship, a certified copy of your birth certificate and certified copy of divorce certificate or death certificate, if applicable.
Telecommunications: All telecommunications services (direct dial phones, fax, telex, cable) are available; but calls from Belize are much higher than an equivalent call to Belize. The country code for Belize is (501) and there are currently 17 area codes within Belize. Remote jungle lodges usually have short wave radio communications linked to cellular service. If you are business visitor planning to spend some time in Belize and want a temporary internet account, you can make arrangements by contacting Belize Telecommunications, Inc. ("BTL"), Belize's sole internet access provider (email them at: sales@btl.net).
Postal Rates: Rates to the US are: BZ $.60 for letters, $.30 for postcards. Rates to Europe are: BZ $.75 for letters, $.40 for postcards. First class mail between Belize and the US averages 8-10 days to delivery. International Express mail from the US to Belize usually arrives in 3 business days; cost is $14.00.
Sales Taxes: Belize's Gross Receipts Tax (really a Value Added Tax) is set at 10%, is applied to all goods and services except hotel accommodations. There is a 7% hotel tax. Some hotels also add a 10-15% "service charge" to the bill; inquire about this when checking hotel prices.
