Belize In January: Adventure And Sun

Belize is a great place to visit in January, with fantastic weather and a host of activities to enjoy. The country offers a mix of natural wonders, cultural experiences, and outdoor adventures that cater to a variety of interests.

With clear skies and pleasant temperatures, January is the perfect time to explore Belize's tropical rainforests, cruise along jungle rivers, or relax on its sugar sand beaches. For those seeking more thrill, there's cave tubing, zip-lining, and snorkelling at the Belize Barrier Reef, home to the world's second-largest coral reef.

Belize also boasts several wildlife reserves, archaeological sites, and eco-tourism opportunities. Visitors can explore ancient Maya ruins, such as Caracol, Lamanai, and Xunantunich, or interact with native wildlife at the Belize Zoo and the Cockscomb Wildlife Sanctuary.

January is also an ideal time for cultural immersion, with New Year's celebrations, the Krem New Year's Cycling Classic, and the honouring of Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy.

So, whether you're a nature enthusiast, an adventure seeker, or a cultural explorer, Belize in January has something for everyone!

Wildlife spotting

Belize is a nature lover's paradise, with its tropical rainforests, caves, coral reefs, and mangroves. The country is home to several wildlife reserves, archaeological sites, and natural wonders, making it an ideal destination for various travellers. Here is a guide to wildlife spotting in Belize in January:

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Belize's first government-designated wildlife reserve is a vast wetland area packed with thrilling birdlife. The Jabiru Stork, with a wingspan of up to 12 feet, is the most famous resident. This bird is the largest flying bird in Central and South America.

Whale Sharks – Gladden Spit Marine Reserve

Growing up to 60 feet long and weighing 50,000 pounds, whale sharks are an impressive sight. Migrating in pursuit of Belize's spawning aggregation of snapper, you can swim alongside these gentle giants during March and June.

Scarlet Macaws – Red Bank Village

From November to March, in the modest Maya Village of Red Bank, you can scan blooming treetops for Belize's rare and raucous feathered kaleidoscope: The Scarlet Macaw. Their electric crimson plumage contrasts with yellow and blue tail feathers, making them an unmissable sight in the wild.

Nurse Sharks and Sting Rays – Shark Ray Alley

For an encounter with toothy predators, head to Shark Ray Alley in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Here, you can snorkel with inquisitive nurse sharks and southern stingrays.

Antillean Manatees – Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary

Just seven miles from Belize City, you can admire these gentle giants grazing on meadows of seagrass in the shallow waters of Swallow Caye. While it's illegal to interfere with manatees, watching them frolic and playfully surface for a breath is a memorable experience.

Jaguars, Pumas and More – Rio Bravo Conservation Area

Belize's elusive wildcats, including the jaguar and puma, can be spotted in the Rio Bravo Conservation Area. This huge protected area encompasses 100,000 hectares of tropical rainforest and is also home to curious deer and iridescent ocellated turkeys.

Howler Monkeys – Community Baboon Sanctuary

The Community Baboon Sanctuary outside Belize City protects over 2,000 Black Howler Monkeys. These vocal primates are charming and much louder than their size, making this a unique urban wildlife-spotting experience.

Green Iguanas – San Ignacio Resort Hotel

The Green Iguana Conservation Project at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel offers a highly interactive, on-site experience. Here, you can learn about the life cycle and conservation efforts of this endangered species and even feed and release these timid lizards into the wild.

Red-Footed Booby Birds – Half Moon Caye Natural Monument

Half Moon Caye is home to the only thriving nesting colony of the rare white-phase Red-Footed Booby in the Caribbean. Visitors can admire the stark white body and red webbed feet of these birds, set against an aqua-hued face.

Explore caves

Belize is known for its caves, many of which were used by the ancient Maya for religious ceremonies and contain ancient Maya artefacts, including sacrificial remains. Here are some of the top caves to explore in Belize:

Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave

Located in the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve, a short drive from San Ignacio, this cave is considered one of Central America's most spectacular cave systems. After a 45-minute hike through the nature reserve, visitors can take a short swim into the cave and explore further through a guided hike. Inside, you'll find ancient Maya artefacts, including ceramics, stoneware, and skeletons, as well as impressive stalactites and stalagmites. The most famous attraction within the cave is the Crystal Maiden, a young adult who was ritually sacrificed.

Barton Creek Cave

This cave is hidden in the small Mennonite community of Barton Creek in the Cayo District. It is unique in that it has a river running approximately 4.5 miles underground through its length. Like the ATM Cave, it was used by the ancient Maya for religious ceremonies, including human sacrifices, bloodletting, and fertility rites. Visitors can canoe through the cave, guided by headlamps, and observe ceremonial centres, pottery, and burial spots.

Nohoch Che'en Caves Branch

Formed by the Caves Branch River, which dips in and out of the caves, this cave system offers a unique tubing experience. As you float through the caves, you'll encounter filtered light from the jungle foliage above, as well as ancient artefacts such as fertility gods, 1,000-year-old pottery shards, and embedded human footprints.

Rio Frio Cave

Located in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, this cave is a great option for first-time cavers. It features a striking 65-foot arch at its entrance, and from there, visitors can see the entire cave and the stream that runs through it.

Che Chem Ha Cave

This cave is located 16 miles from San Ignacio and offers a guided tour after a 45-minute uphill hike through farmland and forest. It is known for its extensive collection of ancient Maya jars that once held food and offerings for the gods.

St. Herman's Cave

Located within the St. Herman's Blue Hole National Park, just 12 miles southeast of Belmopan, this cave is one of the most accessible in the country. It holds cultural and archaeological significance as it was used by the Maya during the Classic Period, as evidenced by the pottery vessels they left behind.

Snorkelling

Belize is a great place to visit in January, with warm sunny skies and balmy nights. With clear waters and perfect temperatures, it is an ideal time to go snorkelling.

The Belize Barrier Reef is the biggest coral reef in the Western Hemisphere and the second-largest in the world. It is home to thousands of colourful fish, sharks, and other marine life. January is a great time to visit, as it falls within Belize's dry season, meaning you can expect sunny skies and very little rain.

The warm waters of the Caribbean Sea are perfect for snorkelling. The reef is easily accessible from the coast, and there are plenty of tour operators offering snorkelling trips. You can also snorkel at the Great Blue Hole, an incredible natural wonder located close to the reef. The Blue Hole is almost perfectly circular, over 300 metres across and around 125 metres deep. It is a unique underwater limestone cave, with an array of marine life and impressive stalactites.

If you're looking for an adventure, you can also combine snorkelling with other activities such as zip-lining through tropical rainforests, exploring ancient Maya ruins, or tubing down the Caves Branch River.

Visit Mayan temples

Belize is considered the epicentre of the ancient Maya world, and the country is dotted with sacred temples, pyramids, palaces, and other impressive structures. The ancient Maya civilisation spanned several millennia and, at its height, the Maya Empire covered modern-day Belize and northern Guatemala.

Today, visitors to Belize can explore numerous Maya ruins, including:

Caracol

Located in western Belize, near the border with Guatemala, Caracol is the historically most important Maya site in the country. The city was once the centre of one of the largest Maya kingdoms and is known for defeating and subjugating Tikal, another powerful city-state. Caracol contains the remains of thousands of structures, including majestic temples that offer spectacular views of the surrounding Chiquibul Forest Reserve. The site is still being excavated, and the journey to reach it is considered one of the most scenic drives in Belize.

Lamanai

Lamanai is located on the New River in the 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 period, and it remained occupied up to and through the Spanish colonisation of the area. The site includes the extant remains of a Roman Catholic church established by Spanish conquistadores before they were driven away by a revolt of the native Maya. Lamanai is the largest grouping of Mayan ruins and is considered a must-visit site.

Altun Ha

Altun Ha is located 31 miles north of Belize City and is a major ceremonial and trade centre during the Classic Period. The site is rich in wildlife, and the surrounding area is home to armadillos, bats, squirrels, agouti, paca, foxes, raccoons, coati, tyra, tapir, and white-tailed deer. The most significant find at Altun Ha is the Maya Jade Head, which is the largest object carved from jade in the Maya civilisation.

Xunantunich

Xunantunich is a Classic Period ceremonial centre located on the Western Highway across the river from the village of San Jose Succotz. The site is less than a mile from the rapids of the Mopan River and provides impressive views of the river valley. Xunantunich is one of the most visited sites in Belize, featuring well-preserved sun god masks, six major plazas, more than 25 temples and palaces, and a new museum.

Cahal Pech

Cahal Pech is located in the Cayo District on a hill overlooking the twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena. The name means "Place of Ticks" in the Yucatecan Maya language and was coined in the 1950s when the surrounding area was used as pastureland. The site includes 34 structures, including temple pyramids, two ball courts, an altar, and five plain stelae. Cahal Pech is known for its well-preserved examples of the Maya Corbel or False Arch, also known as the Maya Vault.

Explore the cayes

The cayes (small islands surrounded by coral reefs) are Belize at its best. With a tranquil and beautiful setting, they offer a laid-back Caribbean feel and are the perfect place to come to enjoy fishing, snorkelling, diving or simply relaxing.

Most cayes are uninhabited or home only to local fishermen, but the largest, Ambergris Caye, is the most developed with some lovely beachfront properties. From the mainland, you fly to the town of San Pedro, where you can travel by motorboat or car to your accommodation. While the town itself is great for shopping for local gifts, nightlife and delicious seafood restaurants, most people prefer to stay in the more secluded parts of the island.

The main attraction is snorkelling and scuba diving on the stunning reefs among the soft and hard corals, abundant with sea life. Excursions are widely available, such as a boat trip out to meet the manatees as they rummage through the mangroves.

For more experienced divers, full-day trips out to Lighthouse Reef, Half Moon Caye and the Turneffe Islands can be arranged locally. From these cayes, you can dive famous sites such as the spectacular Blue Hole.

Hol Chan Marine Reserve is another beautiful nature reserve in an area world-famous for its excellent diving. You'll find warm and gracious locals on this five-mile-long island, where the primary mode of transport is by bicycle or golf cart. Join a snorkelling tour to discover the fantastic marine life, including manatees, stingrays, sharks and turtles. For those interested in fishing, you can have your catch cooked at one of the restaurants.

If you're looking for somewhere more secluded, Secret Beach is a lovely place with incredible beaches. You can see lots of colourful birds in the swamps nearby and there's lots of nature in the surroundings.

For art lovers, the Red Flower Gallery has a beautiful selection of paintings by artist Paulette Salo, who is well known for her classical murals in the US. All of the paintings here are scenes of Caye Caulker.

If you're an experienced snorkeller, you might also consider a trip to Turneffe Island.

Frequently asked questions