Belize is beautiful. We must understand; we simply returned from a two-week journey. The mainland is covered in a thick, tropical jungle, while offshore, it has the Belize Barrier Reef– a well-known area to scuba dive and snorkel. As if that wasn’t enough, you have actually likewise got the history of Mayan ruins to experience at websites like Altun Ha. Essentially, we completely comprehend why you wish to go to. Belize remains in a league of its own.
Sadly, you will require to take some additional security preventative measures, however. Remaining safe in Belize needs you to exceed the typical “check basic travel recommendations and book fundamental travel insurance coverage.” The nation has many circumstances of criminal activity, gang violence, and drugs, which can leakage into traveler locations.
In this guide, we’ll prepare you for remaining safe in Belize. We simply returned from a see to Cay Caulker, Ambergris Cay, and San Ignacio and felt truly safe. If you take the ideal preventative measures you can enjoy this nation carefree like we did. So, do not eliminate diving and sightseeing Mayan ruins right now; here’s what you require to understand.
Is Belize Safe? A Quick Summary
We understand that not everyone has the high-end of time. If you remain in a rush, have a look at these primary bullet points for a fast summary of security in Belize.
Belize experiences a significantly high criminal activity rate for violent criminal activity, consisting of murder, sexual attack, and heist.
Belize has a great deal of gang violence, which periodically leads to shootings in public locations.
The border locations, Caracol, and Belize City (especially the urban area of Southside Belize City) all experience a high criminal activity density.
Belize has a great deal of natural catastrophes like typhoons, so visitors must take care when taking a trip throughout cyclone season.
Roadway requirements in Belize are thought about bad by global requirements.
There have actually been events with water activities arising from bad security treatments and procedures.
Travel Advisories: Formally Speaking, Is Belize Safe?
Formally speaking, Belize is possible to go to and not disallowed as a “red list nation” or “do not take a trip” location by the U.S.A., Canada or the UK. Rather, it’s commonly recommended to take increased care if you go to Belize.
The United States Travel Advisories for Belize recommend that you work out increased care throughout the nation, intensifying its issues particularly for Belize City. It recommends that you “reevaluate travel”, marking the city as a Level 3 zone in spite of the rest of Belize protecting a milder Level 2 caution.
The United States advisory acknowledges that gang violence in Belize City tends to happen listed below the Haulover Creek River and hardly ever crosses into traveler locations. Nevertheless, as an entire, it recommends that threats are high, specifically offered the historic criminal activity in the city.
The advisory stresses that violent criminal offenses like sexual attack and heist can– and do– happen in daytime, even in public locations. It’s smart to take severe security preventative measures when taking a trip throughout Belize.
The Canada Travel Advisories for Belize are rather comparable to the United States advisories. Belize in basic has a Workout a high degree of care caution due to high levels of violent criminal activity throughout the nation. There is likewise an alerting to Prevent non-essential travel to Southside Belize City, south of the Haulover Creek River, due to gang and drug-related violence, consisting of murders and shootings.
Travelers must not even endeavor to this part of Belize city. Gang warfare is truly widespread here, and it is simple to be captured in the crossfire.
The UK travel advisories for Belize echo a nearly similar belief. They recommend that Belize has “among the greatest murder rates worldwide” and mean insufficient policing, stating that “authorities capability is restricted and lots of criminal offenses stay unsolved.” Like the United States and Canada advisory, they especially stress the unsafe nature of travel around Belize City, specifically the Southside.
The UK advisory likewise cautions of muggings throughout Belize, consisting of San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Placencia, and San Ignacio. It highlights the increasing threat of sexual attack and rape, too, alerting versus solo travel and venturing down peaceful streets.
Violent Criminal Offense in Belize
As you now understand, Belize has a quite nasty mix of criminal activity spread throughout the nation, especially in Belize City, which is vulnerable to gang-related violence. It has a total criminal activity index of 53.15, especially greater than the United States at 49.34 and the UK at 47.61. A lot of worrying is the truth that this criminal activity score has actually increased over the previous 3 years. Criminal offense in Belize prevails, and regrettably, it looks like it’s going to remain.
The most typical criminal offenses in Belize are:
Dealing of drugs.
Theft from residential or commercial property, that includes hotels and traveler lodging.
Sexual attack.
Murder and severe physical damage.
Spoken or physical abuse.
Muggings and heist.
Furthermore, there are issues over policing, too:
Corruption and bribery.
Absence of inadequacy of authorities action.
We’ll talk about authorities efficiency in a 2nd, however lots of criminal offenses go unsolved. Corruption might be associated with your authorities interactions, although you can still call 911 for support from regional authorities in an emergency situation.
Belize City experiences an out of proportion quantity of gang-related violence and criminal activity, so visitors must work out a high degree of care. While gang members generally run out of traveler locations, impacted locations are close adequate to the town hall that unwary travelers might roam into difficulty, or dispute might overflow.
The rest of Belize still needs you to work out care, with high levels of break-in and opportunistic criminal activity, a few of which are violent.
Authorities in Belize
Onto the authorities in Belize, as assured. Well, you currently understand that the basic agreement with the Belizean authorities is that they’re typically underfunded and do not have the capability to really penalize or respond to lots of criminal cases.
Regional authorities and outlets are overrun. Your finest approach of security from minor criminal activity is outstanding travel insurance coverage.
On a somewhat various note, you must make certain that you are adhering to the ideal side of regional laws, like holding an IDP if you lease an automobile and preventing any controlled substances.
Natural Catastrophes in Belize
Belize has a bad associate when it pertains to natural catastrophe threat. The nation has a shoreline that opens onto the Caribbean Sea, so you must work out care throughout cyclone season, in between June and November, especially from August to October.
These months are laden with typhoons and extreme storms. As a ripple effect, Belize typically experiences flooding and water level increases. There is the hazard of tsunamis, however there has actually never ever been one in current history, simply some cautions a couple of years back.
We advise attempting not to take a trip throughout these months or a minimum of sign up for weather alerting informs. Typically, the nation experiences 7 typhoons a year, so it pays to prevent the season totally.
How To Stay Safe in Belize in Case of Natural Catastrophe
If you choose to go to Belize throughout this high-risk duration, we ‘d recommend checking out pre-armed with a list of methods to remain safe in case of natural catastrophes. Here are a couple of ideas you can utilize to protect in the face of catastrophes like flooding and typhoons:
1. Have an Evacuation and Shelter In Location Strategy
It’s smart to have a strategy to leave (this might be travel insurance coverage to get settlement if you need to reserve an early flight home or a “go-bag” to leave to a various area in Belize). You must likewise have a shelter strategy, inspecting ahead of time with your lodging to see what assistance they provide.
2. Know The Location
Do some fundamental research study on the location you’re remaining in ahead of time. You must understand where the closest police headquarters, healthcare facilities, and useful locations like the greatest ground (in case of flash floods) are. Understanding this design will assist you in case of emergency situation when every minute matters.
3. Sign Up For Alerts
Sign up for informs from the United States Embassy in Belize, regional media, and disaster-related informs from business like the National Cyclone Center Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration.
Weather Condition in Belize
Obviously, the very best method to comprehend the threat of seasonal natural catastrophes is to comprehend the weather condition in Belize. Understanding the nation’s weather condition breakdown by season can truly assist reduce the threats of travel.
In General, you must understand that Belize has a subtropical environment, primarily divided into a dry and rainy season. The rainy season lasts from June till November, accompanying its hurricane-prone season. The dry season ranges from February till May. Temperature levels sit in between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the year.
We’ll take a more detailed look, however.
Spring: March to May
March to May in Belize is primarily dry, with temperature levels in between 75 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. May is the hottest option, while late March to early April is the busiest time with all the spring break crowds.
Summertime: June to September
This is Belize’s main damp season. In spite of temperature levels sitting at their greatest in between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, seaside locations might discover a drop with all the winds. This is when Belize has its greatest threats of typhoons and floods. We ‘d advise offering it a swerve.
Fall: October to November
Fall is still a little undecided, with regular rain in spite of the drop in the threat of typhoons. Temperature levels hover at around 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, however you must still anticipate a small chill in the blustery seaside areas. Just a few travelers trouble checking out at this time of year, as the rain can trigger flooding and, in basic, does not produce an enjoyable stay.
Winter Seasons: December to February
Winter season marks the start of the dry season– hooray! December is constantly a sluggish start, with the rain dragging its feet a little before vanishing. Nevertheless, January and February are infamously dry and are the months when tourist gets once again.
Temperature levels are moderate, in between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, however the a little cool, drier weather condition is perfect for sightseeing. A win is a win, right?
5 Tips For Remaining Safe in Belize
As pointed out, travel insurance coverage alone will not suffice when checking out Belize. A fantastic method to remain safe is to tick all the fundamentals (travel insurance coverage will be more handy than sounding 911 if an electronic camera gets swiped). Nevertheless, as a basic guideline, you need to construct on the fundamentals with more customized techniques to remain safe in Belize.
1. An Extra Wallet is Your Friend
When checking out Belize, bring an extra wallet with old (or lesser-used) cards and loose money is a fantastic concept. This is primarily for if you are taking a trip in the bigger cities. Robbing can get everybody. There’s no warranty you will not fall nasty of this unfortunate criminal activity, so why not be prepared?
You must never ever withstand a thug. So, rather, provide an option that does not truly affect you.
2. Do Not Cut Corners on Transport
There are a lot of nations where you can cut expenses by taking public transportation. Belize isn’t among them. Avoid low-priced transport and constantly select the more safe choices. We chose personal transfers which were much safer and quicker. This is non-negotiable in Belize, specifically when it pertains to things like night buses.
3. Leave Your High-end Style Sense In Your Home
Fancy precious jewelry and even especially captivating attire may look fantastic, however we ‘d recommend leaving them in your home. You wish to prevent accentuating yourself with anything designer or expensive-looking. Rather, gown down and make your objective to mix, not capture eyes.
4. If In Doubt, Avoid Belize City
Belize City is without a doubt the riskiest location in the nation. If you are uncertain whether you feel great taking active precaution, simply avoid it. There are much easier locations to remain safe in Belize, like Caye Caulker. It’s simple enough to cut it out of your travel plan.
5. Do Your Season Research Study
Lastly, do your season research study. As you found out in the area above, Belize’s environment modifications on a regular monthly basis in spite of its total dry versus damp season. It’s finest to prevent the peak cyclone threat months.
You must likewise remember that rainier and off-season months draw in less travelers. This indicates less crowds and more separated traveler locations, which can really put you at more threat of opportunistic criminal activity. It’s a little a dilemma when heavy crowds lure pickpocketing. Still, in basic, peak months are much better to prevent being separated for more violent criminal offenses.
Belize Emergency Situation Numbers
Authorities (Countrywide): 90/911.
Fire and ambulance (Belize City just): 90.
Authorities (Belpoman): 822-2222.
Is Belize Safe for Households?
We ‘d state that locations like Caye Caulker and Ambergris Cay are safe for households with travel-savvy moms and dads. If you are a knowledgeable tourist and are investing the cash to remain in extra-secure, beautifully-located lodgings with credible trips and transfers, Belize is safe for households. Simply remember that it might be a much better vacation to take with older kids who you can describe fundamental security preventative measures to.
For households without that pre-existing travel experience, we advise selecting a various location to go to. Conserve Belize for a little later after you have actually had a couple of practice runs.
Tips:
Take lodging seriously when taking a trip as a household, and avoid cutting corners on security or place..
Select your location in Belize thoroughly, choosing typically “safe” locations like Caye Caulker.
Is Belize Safe for Solo Travelers?
Belize is a little an obstacle for those checking out solo, however similarly extremely fulfilling. If you have actually had lots of solo travel experience, you’ll discover it workable, and there’s a fantastic hostel scene for making brand-new buddies. Skilled solo tourists are typically much more mindful of security preventative measures than those in a group, so Belize can really be much better matched to solo travel because sense.
Still, as a basic guideline, Belize is finest experienced in a group to restrict the threat of muggings and more ominous criminal offenses like sexual attack. You can reserve things like group trips and assisted excursion to assist you remain safe while taking a trip to Belize alone. If checking out solo, prevent non-essential travel during the night, make sure in backwoods, and do not enjoy extreme alcohol intake.
Tips:
Take group trips where possible and prevent strolling alone during the night.
Select well-located hotels or hostels.
Is Belize Safe to Take Mass Transit?
Mass transit is fairly safe in Belize, however be gotten ready for an extreme experience. So-called chicken buses are brilliantly painted public buses running in rural and metropolitan locations. They are generally jam-packed however a low-cost method to navigate. Be a little conscious of pickpocketing, run-ins, and bag snatching, however otherwise, this approach of public transport is safe.
During the night, toss all that out the window. You must prevent public transport during the night at all expenses, as it develops a much greater threat for violent criminal activity. Get a signed up taxi rather, or prevent unneeded night travel.
The most safe method to navigate Belize is by signed up taxis, which you can acknowledge from green license plates. Uber does not exist here, so green license plates will certainly become your next finest pal. You certainly desire a signed up cabby, as it uses an additional security layer. It is a great concept to have a look at the Federal government Of Canada’s suggestion on public transportation.
You can likewise lease an automobile and drive around Belize in personal cars fairly quickly. Nevertheless, you must work out a high degree of care during the night, preferably preventing all excessive travel after dark. You must likewise be gotten ready for routine authorities checkpoints, where you need to show a type of ID and your International Driving License. Bear in mind just ever utilizing main border crossings and understand the threat of heists at locations like traffic control in metropolitan locations or opportunistic criminal activity on remote roadways.
Are Medical Facilities Safe in Belize?
Medical centers in Belize are combined. There are 2 kinds of centers: public and personal healthcare facilities. Personal healthcare facilities are typically a much better choice as they’re much better moneyed, so they have much better medical products and more to purchase effectively trained experts. Nevertheless, access to either can be seriously restricted, specifically if you’re remaining in backwoods.
We ‘d recommend inspecting where your nearby healthcare facilities are before checking out. Guarantee you are updated with all your vaccinations and regular medical examination before departure. And make certain you have great travel insurance coverage if it ends up being a much better concept to fly home. This is especially the case if the health center does not have a particular, specific niche kind of medication or treatment readily available on instant need. Belize’s finest healthcare facilities are terrific for small injuries, however if you have a more major issue, it might be suggested to look for treatment somewhere else.
Is Belize Safe? Leading Frequently Asked Questions
We’ll leave that concern as much as you– do you feel great utilizing all the details above to prepare a safe journey? Belize gets almost a million visitors each year, the large bulk of whom take a trip the nation without any problems. It is everything about selecting locations where you feel comfy taking obligation for your security, and all of us understand some nations make this more tough than others. Belize is tough however possible. We like it.
Here are a couple of typical Frequently asked questions to assist clear the concern of “must you, should not you” up.
Is Mexico or Belize much safer?
Mexico and Belize are approximately on a par. Mexico has some Level 4 locations (significant as “do not take a trip”) however has a clearer location for safe tourist in Cancun and along the Mayan Riviera shoreline. Belize has just one Level 3 location (” significant as reevaluate travel”) however less plainly significant locations for safe tourist. It depends upon where you prepare to take a trip.
Is Belize or Costa Rica much safer?
Costa Rica is partially much safer, as it is just significant as Level 2 by the United States Travel Advisory. On the other hand, Belize City is marked as a Level 3. Nevertheless, both Belize and Costa Rica are flagged for violent criminal offenses, consisting of sexual attack. It’s finest to approach both nations with increased care.
When not to go to Belize?
August and October are the worst times to go to Belize. These are the months when you can experience the most storms and typhoons, which can be unsafe. It is smack in the middle of cyclone season.
What is the most safe part of Belize?
Caye Caulker and San Pedro are the beloveds of Belize, 2 locations understood for being relatively “safe” throughout the nation.
So, Is Belize Safe To Travel In?
No, Belize isn’t a typically safe location to go to. Nevertheless, there are levels to the threats you take; are you preparing a journey to Southside Belize City or Caye Caulker? Are you checking out on a trip? Or are you going solo? Just how much travel experience do you have? What are the existing updates, and what season are you going?
For those ready to take water-tight security preventative measures, Belize greatly rewards your additional efforts. There’s no rejecting the nation is gorgeous. We have a best one-week travel plan here if you ‘d like some motivation.
Stay safe and delight in. The very best security preventative measure is understanding, and we hope you have a great time.