Belize In June: A Tropical Escape Amidst The Rainy Season

Belize is a small Central American country, full of natural wonders and epic adventures. June is a great month to visit Belize, especially if you want to avoid the crowds of the tourist season. The weather is warm and sunny, with temperatures in the low to mid-80s Fahrenheit (27-30C). It's the start of the rainy season, but the rainfall tends to be brief showers that fall overnight or in the early morning.

There are plenty of festivals, including those celebrating the beginning of lobster season. The islands of Ambergris Caye and Caulker Caye, and the peninsula of Placencia, each hold their own special lobster festival. It's also a great time to visit if you're looking for more affordable airfare from the United States.

Belize has hundreds of islands and a long coastline on the Caribbean, so there's plenty of fishing culture to explore. It's also a great time for scuba diving and snorkelling, with the opportunity to see whale sharks during their annual migration.

Lobster festivals

Belize is a great place to visit in June, with its sunny weather, gorgeous beaches, and fabulous food. Lobster lovers will be particularly pleased to know that June marks the start of the lobster season in Belize, and there are several lobster festivals held across the country to celebrate this.

Caye Caulker is the birthplace of the Belizean Lobster Festival and puts on a range of entertainment, including the Miss Lobsterfest pageant, where teens showcase their beauty and charm to win the coveted title. San Pedro's Lobster Festival is one of the biggest and most extravagant, with many establishments offering free live music and discounted drinks and lobster. Placencia holds its own Lobster Festival, which is considered by some to be even better than the festivals in Caye Caulker and San Pedro. Placencia's festival features the biggest beach party of all, and the village has the best beaches in Belize.

The lobster festivals in Belize typically feature outdoor food booths serving up a variety of lobster dishes, from grilled lobster to lobster thermidor, lobster ceviche, lobster kebabs, and even lobster chowder. In addition to the food, there are also drinks, reggae and Belizean music concerts, beach parties, street fests, and wacky beauty pageants (with some contestants dressing up as lobsters).

So, if you're looking for a unique and delicious cultural experience in June, the lobster festivals in Belize are definitely worth considering!

Whale shark scuba diving/snorkelling

Belize is a nature lover's paradise, boasting hundreds of islands and a long Caribbean coastline. It's a great destination for scuba diving and snorkelling, with its vast stretches of protected barrier reef forming part of the Northern Hemisphere's largest barrier reef system.

June is a great month to visit Belize. The weather is warm and sunny, with temperatures in the low to mid-80s Fahrenheit (27-30C). There are plenty of breezes to keep things comfortable, and occasional rain showers to wash away the humidity.

If you're interested in whale shark scuba diving or snorkelling, June is one of the best months to spot these majestic creatures. Whale sharks pass through the waters near Gladden Spit as part of their annual migration. The whale shark season in Belize usually begins two days before the full moon and lasts until 10 days after, so in June, you'll have plenty of opportunities to see them. The best sightings normally occur a few days after the full moon.

The Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve is the best place to encounter migrating whale sharks. This 26,000-acre reserve is located about 22 miles (36 km) off the coast of Placencia and other locations in the Stann Creek District. It's one of the few places in the world where snorkelers and divers can encounter whale sharks, as they congregate in large numbers near the surface to feed.

To ensure your safety and the safety of the sharks, whale shark tours to Gladden Spit are led by well-trained guides. These tours normally last a full day, with divers getting two dives and snorkelers getting two snorkel sessions in the whale shark zone. Most of the time on the trip is spent having lunch and snorkelling the patched reefs inside the barrier reef as you wait for your session.

Keep in mind that whale shark tours are recommended for more experienced divers and snorkelers, as they are conducted in the open ocean, where there is no visible bottom. Divers must be Open Water Certified with at least 20 dives under their belt, and snorkelers must be strong swimmers and above the age of 14.

Visiting ATM Cave

The Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) cave tour is one of the best things to do in Belize. The ATM cave is one of the largest caves in Belize and was used for centuries by Maya priests to conduct sacred religious ceremonies. It is a natural museum, providing insight into the ancient Maya world.

The tour is not for the faint of heart, as it involves a challenging physical journey through the rainforest, swims through streams, and a pitch-black cave. The only source of light once inside the cave will be the headlamps fastened to your helmet. The cave is also not recommended for those with claustrophobia, as there are tight spaces to navigate and low ceilings.

The tour begins with a flat, 45-minute jungle hike to the cave entrance, which includes three stream crossings of knee to waist height. At the mouth of the cave, you will swim across a small spring-fed pool into the dark underworld of the cave. Inside, you will find crystalline stalactites and stalagmites, ancient artifacts, and the remains of human sacrifices. The most famous spot in the cave is the ceremonial chamber, which is the resting place of the "Crystal Maiden". Her skeleton is incredibly well-preserved and has calcified, resulting in a sparkling appearance.

The ATM cave tour is a unique and enlightening experience that combines adventure with a deep dive into Mayan history and culture. It is a challenging but rewarding journey that offers a different perspective on the ancient world of the Maya.

Exploring ancient Mayan ruins

Belize is considered the epicentre of the ancient Mayan world. The land that is now Belize was once the heart of the Mayan Empire, and the country is now home to several well-preserved Mayan ruins.

Caracol

Caracol is one of the most impressive Mayan sites in Belize. Located in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve, it is the largest known Mayan centre in the country. The site features majestic temples that visitors can climb to enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding forest. Caracol was the centre of one of the largest Mayan kingdoms and contains the remains of thousands of structures. It is also known for defeating and subjugating Tikal, another Mayan site in neighbouring Guatemala.

Xunantunich

Xunantunich is another popular Mayan ruin in Belize. It is located on the Western Highway across the river from the village of San Jose Succotz and can be reached by ferry. The site features a well-preserved sun god mask, six major plazas, and more than 25 temples and palaces. The highest ruin is 133 feet tall, making it the second-tallest temple in Belize.

Cahal Pech

Cahal Pech is a Mayan site located in San Ignacio Cayo district. The name means "Place of Ticks" in the Yucatecan Maya language and was coined in the 1950s when the area was used for pasture. The site consists of seven plazas and over 30 structures, including temples, residential buildings, ball courts, an altar, and a sweat house, all situated on just 2 acres. A royal burial chamber was found in one of the structures, containing shell and bone ornaments, pottery vessels, obsidian blades, and jade objects.

Altun Ha

Altun Ha is a major ceremonial and trade centre during the Classic Period, located 31 miles north of Belize City. The site is rich in wildlife, including armadillos, bats, squirrels, foxes, and white-tailed deer. Two principal plazas can be found at Altun Ha, and the most significant find is the Maya Jade Head, which represents the Mayan Sun God and is the largest object carved from jade in Mayan civilisation.

Lamanai

Lamanai is located on the New River in Orange Walk District and is known for being the longest continually occupied site in Mesoamerica. The initial settlement of Lamanai occurred during the Early Preclassic, and it was continuously occupied until the colonisation of the area. During the Spanish conquest of Yucatán, the conquistadores established a Roman Catholic church at Lamanai, but a revolt by the native Maya drove them away. The remains of the church still stand today, along with three Mayan temples: Mask Temple, High Temple, and Temple of the Jaguar.

Snorkelling at Hol Chan Marine Reserve

The Hol Chan Marine Reserve is one of the most popular snorkelling and scuba diving sites in Belize. The reserve is part of the Belize Barrier Reef, which is the largest barrier reef in the Northern Hemisphere. It is located around 4 miles (6.4 kilometres) south of the shores of Ambergris Caye and covers about 3 square miles (7.7 square kilometres). The reserve is divided into zones according to marine habitat and is home to a vast array of exotic tropical flora and fauna.

The Hol Chan Channel, meaning "little channel" in Mayan, is home to over 160 species of fish, along with nearly 40 species of corals, 5 sponges, 8 algae, 2 seagrasses, 3 marine mammals, and 3 species of sea turtle. Schools of jacks, groupers, and snappers are common sights, as well as vibrant coral formations that form crevices and overhangs where green eels and lobsters dwell.

Just a 3-minute boat ride from Hol Chan Marine Reserve is Shark Ray Alley, where you can swim with Nurse Sharks and Southern Stingrays. This site offers the excitement of swimming with large numbers of sharks and rays, as well as schools of fish that congregate there to feed.

The Hol Chan Marine Reserve is perfect for inexperienced snorkelers and divers, as it offers all the beauty of the Caribbean in shallow waters, with white sands and up to 100 feet of visibility. Daily tours are available, departing at 9:00 am from the Ambergris Divers pier. The tour includes two snorkel stops, one at Hol Chan and the other at Shark Ray Alley, and usually lasts for about 2.5-3 hours. The cost of the tour is $60 per person, plus a $10 marine park fee and a 12.5% general sales tax.

June is a great month to visit Belize for snorkelling at Hol Chan Marine Reserve, as it is slightly cooler with better breezes than the months of April and May. It is also the beginning of the lobster season, so you can enjoy the many lobster festivals held throughout Belize, including those on the islands of Ambergris Caye and Caulker Caye. Airfare from the United States is also more affordable during this month, with many major airlines offering specials.

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