Where is Belize?

Belize aka The Jewel of Central America

Belize is located just under the Mexican Yucatan, and right above Guatemala. It is considered to be one of the six (6) countries that make up Central America. One of the biggest attractions to Belize, is that it is English speaking, and is the only country in Central America where English is the official language spoken. This allows many US & Canadian citizens the ability to travel fairly easily to Central America, and be able to navigate around freely in restaurants and transportation services. Belize is a little over a two (2) hour flight from either Houston or Miami.

Belize is a crown jewel carefully carved out by the British over three centuries, located on the Caribbean coast of northern Central America at (17°15′) north of the equator and (88°45′) west of the Prime Meridian on the Yucatán Peninsula. Central America is the isthmus that connects North America with South America together. The country borders on the NORTH with the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, to the WEST & SOUTH with Guatemala. It's either a two hour flight from Florida & Texas, or a two-day non-stop drive from the Texas border to Chetumal City at the Belize/Mexican border.

From Central America, Belize is a one day drive from Guatemala City, or a half hour boat ride from the Izabal Department in Guatemala that features the beautiful tourist city of Puerto Barrios. Belize is also located next door to Honduras, where you can take a two hour boat ride from Punta Gorda to Puerto Cortez, Honduras. Commuter flights connect Belize to Chetumal City, Cancun and Merida in Mexico, Flores City (near Tikal) in Guatemala, and San Pedro Sula in Honduras. To the EAST of Belize is the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic ocean; the largest living barrier reef in the world as of 2019.

Getting to Belize

Given our proximity to North and South America, as well as the Caribbean, getting to Belize is easy. Less than two hours by air from any major US southern gateway (Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, and Miami), Belize currently hosts five major airlines, that serve Belize from the United States and neighboring Central American countries. These carriers are: American, Continental, Delta, Grupo TACA, and US Air. These major airlines have daily direct flights from US and Central American gateways, all coordinated with European connections.

There is no direct flight from Mexico, but there are flights to Cancun with a 6 hour bus trip to the Belize Northern Border, down to the town of Corozal, then you can catch a commuter plane (Tropic Air) to the island.

The Philip Goldson International Airport (BZ) is the main port of entry into Belize. From Belize City, you have one of two choices to get from the Belize mainland to the island of Ambergris Caye. Most visitors reach the island by either taking a boat or an airplane across lower Chetumal Bay from Belize City. Locals refer to passenger boats as "skiffs" and their smaller canoe-like vessels are "dories". The crossing takes about 1-1/4 hours by skiff (or) about 15 minutes by a 15-passenger commuter aircraft.

Belize aka The Jewel of Central America

Getting to Belize

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