Belize District
“Life is an accumulation. You are a library of your experiences and a diverse array of unique discoveries awaits you in the Belize District. Belize City is home to the country’s commercial center and the largest concentration of Belizeans. A bustling port city, with the only hand-cranked Bridge in Central America, Belize City features the country’s largest hotels and conference facilities, professional services, a cruise-passenger terminal, as well as restaurants, bars, nightlife and numerous historical sites. Inland waterways, once busy thoroughfare for colonial mahogany cutters, cross much of the District, creating habitats for an abundance of wildlife. Offshore islands offer idyllic day tours for snorkeling, diving and relaxing.”
Winding elegantly through the low-lying plains of the Belize District are the steady currents of the mighty Belize River, whispering the secrets of the ancient Maya and early settlers who once lived, farmed and traded along this majestic waterway. Discover a rewarding start to a Belize vacation, whether you have planned an exciting family trip, a luxurious beach vacation or a wildly adventurous honeymoon. Prepare your senses: arrival here marks the beginning of an adventure like no other in the world.
Inland waterways, once busy thoroughfares for colonial mahogany cutters, cross much of the lush district creating habitats for myriad wildlife. Scattered on or near its banks and lagoon networks are old Creole villages such as Double Head Cabbage, Bermudian Landing and Crooked Tree. Here cashew trees, tilapia farms and indigenous water birds are plentiful and enticing to you and others seeking natural and unique things to do in Belize. Also home to Belize City, formerly the nation’s capital, the Belize District is a blend of the old world and offers many modern conveniences.
Embrace a scene perfectly set for the adventure traveler, the family or anyone searching for out-of-the-ordinary places with exciting things to do. Abundant culture awaits, including: the Maya temples of Altun Ha, where Belize’s famous Jade Head was found by archaeologists; the magnificent jabiru storks at Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary; black howler monkeys at The Community Baboon Sanctuary and, the historical islands offshore Belize City. St George’s Caye is the site of the 1798 battle where the British defeated the Spaniards to lay claim to Belize’s territory.
All major international flights land in the Belize District at the Belize International Airport, a few miles from Belize City. You are picked up by hotel transports, can rent vehicles or catch the extensive network of scheduled local flights to all parts of the country. This is where the journey starts, whether for romantic beach vacations, exciting adventure honeymoons or low-impact eco-travel.
Belize City
Belize City features a harmonious melting pot of ethnicities and is best known as the cultural and business epicenter of Belize, as well as a doorway for cruise passengers to the country’s endless offering of unique adventures. A tourist destination in itself, Belize City offers a colorful variety of cultural and historical centers, colonial architecture and great excursions. Enjoy eclectic shopping and dining, or mysterious archaeological tours and jungle river adventures in the rainforest.
As a bustling port city, Belize City is the commercial center of the country. The largest hotels are found here with conference facilities and professional services, as well as restaurants, bars, nightlife, Belize’s only cruise passenger terminal, the Museum of Belize and numerous historical sites. Quick connections – either by short flight or water taxi – to offshore islands create idyllic day tours for snorkeling, diving and relaxing.