Belize On A Budget: Exploring The Country's Affordable Shopping Scene

Belize is known for its wide variety of products, from locally made goods to items from further afield. While it's more expensive than other Central American countries, there are still bargains to be found.

Belize is known for its chocolate, coffee, and honey, as well as its arts and crafts. You can pick up everything from local hot sauce and spices to jewellery, clothing, and souvenirs.

Belize City has a downtown shopping area with clothing, cosmetics, and local food. San Pedro Town on Ambergris Caye is also known for its shopping, with tiny street vendors and gift shops, art galleries, clothing stores, and lifestyle boutiques.

Local art and crafts, including wood carvings, jewellery, and textiles

Belize is home to a wide range of local art and crafts, including wood carvings, jewellery, and textiles.

For those interested in wood carvings, the Maya Center Women's Cooperative Crafts Store in the Maya Center Village is a must-visit. Here, you'll find baskets, slate carvings, masks, bowls, and wood carvings made by local Mopan women at reasonable prices. The Garinagu Crafts and Art Gallery on Oak Street is another great option, where you can find handmade Garifuna drums, dolls, wood carvings, and masks.

When it comes to jewellery, Belize has plenty to offer as well. Kaj Expressions Placencia is a woman-owned business known for its beautiful jewellery. You can also find unique Belizean jewellery online at stores like Be Belize Jewelry Company, which offers free shipping to the USA and Canada.

If you're looking for textiles, the Fajina Craft Center on Front Street is a cooperative run by the Ketchi and Mopan women. They sell baskets, slate carvings, textiles, and embroidered items. The Maya Center Women's Cooperative Crafts Store also offers genuine Indian craft made by local Mopan women, including textiles.

Belizean art and crafts are readily available in local markets and galleries, and many pieces are handcrafted and unique to the country's culture and history.

Local food products, including hot sauces, jams, and chocolate

Belizean cuisine is a rich amalgamation of the various ethnicities in the nation of Belize. Local food products include a variety of fruits, vegetables, seafood, and meats.

Belize is known for its hot sauces, with the habanero pepper being a key ingredient in many of them. Marie Sharp's is a popular brand of Belizean hot sauce, offering a range of flavours such as garlic, grapefruit pulp, mango, and smoked habanero. These sauces are crafted with fresh ingredients like carrots, onions, vinegar, and lime juice, carefully balanced to highlight the natural flavours of the fruits and vegetables.

Belize also has a variety of jams and jellies, including the popular Gallon Jug jams, which are commonly served with fry jacks, a type of fried dough commonly eaten for breakfast.

Chocolate is another notable local product, with the Belize Chocolate Company creating craft chocolate from beans sourced from small family farms in Southern Belize. They offer a range of chocolate products, including chocolate bars, brownie mix, and hot chocolate mix, all made with organic Belizean cacao.

Other notable local food products include:

• Cassava-based dishes like "bammy", a small fried cassava cake, and cassava pone, a traditional dessert.
• Kriol fish seré, a dish similar to the Garifuna culture's hudut, which is made with mashed plantains and coconut milk.
• Rice and beans, often stewed with coconut milk, a common staple in Kriol cuisine.
• Stretch me guts, a type of taffy made with coconut water.
• Cahn sham, a type of sweetened parched corn.
• Various types of tamales, panades (fried meat pies), and tortillas.

Alcoholic drinks, including rum, wine, and craft beer

Belize is generally considered to be on the expensive side compared to other Central American countries, as aside from a few local products, everything is imported. This is reflected in the price of alcoholic drinks.

Rum

Belize is famous for its rum, which is distilled from sugarcane molasses or juice. Rum is widely available in Belize, with local rum costing around $2.50 USD for a drink in a bar. There are many local brands, including Kuknat Rum, Traveller's One Barrel, and Big Titty Rum. The latter is one of the most recognisable brands, with its playful name and viral marketing campaigns. Their bottles are recycled, and they use as many Belizean ingredients as possible, from red habanero peppers in their Habanero Rum to organic bananas in their Go Bananas liqueur.

Wine

As grapes do not grow in Belize, wine is imported and therefore relatively expensive. Some Belizeans make their own wine from unique fruits, such as cashew wine, which is one of the most popular wines consumed in the country. It is made from the cashew fruit, not the nut, and can be found at markets, vegetable stands, or even from someone selling it on the side of the road. Other popular wines include ginger, craboo, tamarind, blackberry, and sorrel.

Craft Beer

While there is craft beer in Belize, most Belizeans purchase Belikin beer, which is produced by Bowen & Bowen and previously had a monopoly on the beer industry in Belize. Now, other imported beers are available, such as Heineken, Red Stripe, Guinness, and Presidente, but Bowen & Bowen still handles most of the bottling and distribution. Mexican, American, and Guatemalan beers are illegal to protect Belizean products.

Clothing and accessories, including purses, shoes, and swimwear

Belize is known for its wide variety of products, from clothing to accessories, and its selection of boutiques, gift shops, art galleries, clothing stores, and lifestyle boutiques.

Clothing and Accessories

Zaara's Boutique offers clothing, jewellery, and more at great prices. Their American Hi-Fashion style means that their inventory will be great no matter where you're planning to go.

For those looking for cultural clothing, the Garimaya Gift Shop is the place to go. Here, you can find the finest wine and the best cultural clothing, with many wonderful items that are made in Belize.

Purses

Belize has a range of purses and bags, from inexpensive, handmade options to expensive, luxury items.

Shoes

There is limited information on shoe shopping in Belize. However, given the range of boutiques and gift shops, it is likely that shoes can be purchased in-store.

Swimwear

Swimwear can also be purchased in Belize, with some shops offering a range of beachwear and accessories.

Tobacco products, including cigars

Belize is generally considered to be more expensive than other Central American countries such as Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. This is partly due to its small population, which means that most products are imported. However, there are still ways to find affordable options for travellers on a budget.

For travellers looking to purchase tobacco products, including cigars, it is recommended to visit local markets and shops to compare prices. It is also important to note that, as of 2024, there is a national park fee of $10 BZD ($5 USD) per day or $30 BZD ($15 USD) per week for visitors to Tobacco Caye, an island located off the coast of Belize. This fee may be included in the accommodation rate, but it is always a good idea to confirm with your accommodation provider.

In addition, some resorts and lodges on Tobacco Caye may offer mandatory meal plans, which can range from $40 to $50 USD per person per day. These meal plans typically include three meals a day, served family-style, and may offer a variety of options to cater to different dietary requirements. Drinks are also available at additional costs, with cocktails ranging from $15 to $30 BZD.

Therefore, while Belize may offer cheaper options for travellers on a budget, tobacco products, including cigars, may be more expensive compared to other Central American countries. It is always a good idea to research and plan your purchases in advance to find the best deals and avoid unexpected costs.

Frequently asked questions