Belize's December: Adventure And Sun

Belize is a great place to visit in December, with long, sunny days and warm temperatures. It's the perfect time for snorkelling, swimming, sailing, and hiking. The dry season has arrived, so all the mainland highlights, like wildlife sanctuaries and Maya ruins, are easily accessible. There are also tours around the hundreds of islands across Belize's Barrier Reef.

December is a popular time to visit Belize, with many tourists from North America and Europe looking to escape the cold. It's also a great time to experience Christmas traditions, like the Jankunu dance from the Garifuna culture, and sample traditional foods like fruit cake and rum popo.

With non-stop flights from major cities in Canada and the United States, it's now easier and more affordable than ever to get to Belize. So, if you're looking for an adventure, a family vacation, or a romantic getaway, Belize in December is the perfect destination.

Snorkel the Belize Barrier Reef

Belize is home to the world's second-largest barrier reef, which stretches from Bacalar Chico to the Bay of Honduras. The Belize Barrier Reef is a snorkeller's paradise, with hundreds of small islands (cayes) and an abundance of spectacular corals and marine life. The dry season, from November to May, is the best time to visit and snorkel the reef, and December is no exception. Here's everything you need to know about snorkelling the Belize Barrier Reef in December.

Where to Snorkel

The Belize Barrier Reef offers numerous snorkelling spots, ranging from well-known sites to hidden gems. Here are some of the best places to snorkel:

• Ambergris Caye: This is the most popular caye for snorkelling, with easy reef access and excellent accommodations. Spots like Shark Ray Alley, Hol Chan Cut, and Tres Cocos offer a variety of marine life and coral formations.
• Mexico Rocks: Located between the Belize Barrier Reef and Ambergris Caye, Mexico Rocks is known for its large brain corals and elkhorn coral. It is accessible by a short boat ride from San Pedro and is suitable for both beginners and experienced snorkellers.
• Lighthouse Reef Atoll: This atoll is the farthest offshore and is surrounded by coral reefs. It features the famous Blue Hole, a perfectly circular sinkhole that is a bucket list dive site for many. Lighthouse Reef Atoll also includes Half Moon Caye, which offers excellent snorkelling for all levels.
• Glover's Reef Atoll: Part of the Belize Barrier Reef, Glover's Reef Atoll is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It features clear waters, a sheltered lagoon, and over 700 patch reefs to explore.
• South Water Caye Marine Reserve: This reserve includes Tobacco Caye, a beautiful 5-acre island with world-class snorkelling just off the beach. Billy Hawk Caye, another spot within the reserve, offers outstanding reef snorkelling among mangroves and palm-fringed islets.
• Hol Chan Marine Reserve: Easily accessible from San Pedro, this reserve includes Shark Ray Alley, where you can get up close with southern stingrays and nurse sharks.

What to Wear

For snorkelling in Belize, it is recommended to wear a lightweight wetsuit or a spandex/lycra dive suit to stay warm and protect yourself from sunburn. Another option is to wear polypropylene or capilene long underwear, which also reduces the need for full-body sunscreen application, as sunscreen residues can harm corals.

Marine Life to Spot

Belize is home to a diverse range of marine life, including:

• Manatees: These gentle giants can be spotted at the Village of Gale's Point near Dangriga and the Swallow Caye Marine Reserve.
• Rays: Keep an eye out for southern stingrays, spotted eagle rays, and manta rays.
• Sea Turtles: Belize is home to three species of sea turtles: green turtles, hawksbills, and loggerhead turtles.
• Whale Sharks: During the spring months, whale sharks gather in Belize, and Gladden Spit near Placencia is a great spot to swim alongside these gentle giants.

With its warm temperatures, calm seas, and abundant marine life, December is an excellent month to snorkel the Belize Barrier Reef and explore the underwater wonders of this tropical paradise.

Explore ancient Maya sites

Belize was once the heartland of the ancient Maya Empire. After the collapse of the Maya civilization 500 years ago, their temples and pyramids were abandoned and became one with the jungle. Today, visitors can explore these ancient ruins.

Caracol

Caracol is the historically most important site. It was the centre of one of the largest Maya kingdoms and contains the remains of thousands of structures. It is located in western Belize, near the border with Guatemala, within the Chiquibul Forest Reserve. The site features majestic temples that modern visitors can climb to enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding forest. Caracol is an active archaeological site, and while it has revealed many treasures, much work is still needed to uncover all of its secrets.

Xunantunich

Xunantunich was the first Maya ruin to be opened for visitors in 1950. It was once a prosperous city state and the home to 200,000 people. The site's name means "maiden of the rock" or "stone woman" in Maya. It can be reached by taking a ferry across the Mopan River. Xunantunich is one of the most visited sites, with six major plazas, more than 25 temples and palaces, and a new museum.

Altun Ha

Altun Ha is a major ceremonial and vital trade centre during the Classic Period. It is located 31 miles north of Belize City on the Old Northern Highway. The area is rich in wildlife, with two hundred species of birds recorded and large crocodiles inhabiting the Maya-made water reservoir. The most significant find at Altun Ha is the Maya Jade Head, which represents the Mayan Sun God and is the largest object carved from jade in the Maya civilization.

Cahal Pech

Cahal Pech means "place of ticks" in modern-day Maya. It was settled around 1000 BC and abandoned by 800 AD. 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. Cahal Pech is located in the eco-tourism capital of San Ignacio Town.

Lamanai

Lamanai is located on the banks of the New River in the Orange Walk District and is known for being the longest continually occupied site in Mesoamerica. There are three Mayan temples in the Lamanai archaeological reserve: Mask Temple, High Temple, and Temple of the Jaguar, along with ball courts. Lamanai is one of the only sites retaining its original name and is among the largest Maya ceremonial centres.

Cerros

The site of Cerros, located on Corozal Bay in northern Belize, is notable as one of the earliest Maya sites. It reached its peak during the Late Preclassic and features an E-Group, a unique structural complex found in Maya architecture.

Go birdwatching in the jungle

Belize is home to over 590 bird species, 80% of which are local, with the remaining 20% being migratory species that fly down from North America during winter. The country's warm weather means that its native birds can be spotted all year round. However, from December to April, local resident birds are joined by migratory birds escaping the North American winter, so it's a great time to see both Central and North American birds.

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Located in Crooked Tree Village, the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the best bird-watching locations in Belize. It was declared a Ramsar site in 1998 based on the wetland's international significance for many migratory and non-migratory wetland bird species. Large numbers of wading birds, such as herons, muscovy ducks, and the jabiru stork, flock to the lagoons during the dry season (February to May) when food is scarce elsewhere.

Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve

Bird watching is a popular activity within the reserve, with species including the rufous-capped warbler, crossbill, pine siskin, stygian owl, and eastern bluebird. If you visit between autumn and spring, you may also spot the hepatic tanager and chipping sparrow. The reserve is also the most likely place in Belize to see the rare Orange-breasted Falcon.

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is known as the world's only Jaguar Preserve. While jaguar sightings are rare, the sanctuary's many ecosystems support a rich variety of bird species, including forest species, pine woodland and savanna species, riverine area species, and birds associated with higher elevations.

Caracol Archaeological Reserve

Located in Mountain Pine Ridge, the Caracol Mayan Ruins is one of the last outposts of the Keel-billed Motmot, a globally vulnerable species. Other birds found at Caracol include the Ocellated Turkey, the Crested Guan, the Great Curassow, toucans, and trogons.

Aguacaliente Wildlife Sanctuary

The Aguacaliente Wildlife Sanctuary is a nature reserve in the Toledo District in Southern Belize. It protects important breeding colonies for many birds, including cormorants, wood storks, great blue herons, little blue herons, tricoloured herons, great egrets, whistling ducks, sandpipers, stilts, swallows, and flycatchers.

Mayflower Bocawina National Park

Adjacent to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, the Mayflower Bocawina National Park has over 7,000 acres of pristine lowland and highland rainforest. The park offers excellent bird-watching opportunities, as well as mountains, waterfalls, walking trails, swimming holes, and Maya archeological remains.

Experience Christmas traditions

Christmas in Belize is a month-long celebration, with the Christmas season officially kicking off after the Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony. The lighting of the tree takes place at Mule Park in Belize City, where the Mayor lights up a tall Christmas tree. This event is followed by an annual parade of boats adorned in Christmas lights that sail around Ambergris Caye.

Belize is known for its multicultural demographic, and its diversity is reflected in its Christmas traditions. While many Belizeans celebrate Christmas with typical Western traditions, such as decorating a tree and waiting for Santa Claus, there are also many unique local traditions.

One such tradition is the Christmas Bram, which originates from the Belize Kriol culture. The Bram is similar to caroling, with people singing, dancing, and playing Brukdong music as they make their way through the streets. This tradition is particularly popular in villages like Gales Point Manatee.

Another unique Christmas tradition in Belize is the Garifuna Jankunu Dance, which takes place in Dangriga on Christmas afternoon. The dancers wear white shirts and pants with shells tied around their knees and pink masks bearing European features, imitating the slave masters. This dance celebrates freedom from slavery and is followed by a Jankunu competition in the days after Christmas.

On December 16th, Belize also celebrates Las Posadas, a nine-day event rooted in Spanish culture. This celebration includes prayers, music, songs, dances, and food. A procession is held, where statues of Mary and Joseph are taken through the town, re-enacting the Biblical search for room at the inn.

Traditional Christmas foods are also an important part of the celebrations in Belize. Local dishes such as rice and beans, potato salad, black fruitcake, white relleno (a soup with pork-stuffed chicken and raisins), and pebre (roasted pork and gravy) are enjoyed during the festive season.

With a majority of Belizeans identifying as Christians, midnight mass is also an integral part of the Christmas celebrations. People dress in their finest outfits and head to their churches to celebrate the birth of Jesus with singing and prayers.

Visit Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Belize is a great destination to visit in December, with warm temperatures and plenty of sunshine. It's the perfect time to visit Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, a protected area in Belize that's recognised as a Wetland of International Importance. Here are some reasons why you should visit Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary in December:

Birdwatching

The sanctuary is home to over 300 species of migratory, resident, terrestrial, and aquatic birds, including the famous Jabiru stork, which arrives in November to nest in the lowland pine savannas. Other bird species you may spot include jacanas, herons, egrets, kites, and roseate spoonbills. The best way to explore the sanctuary and spot these birds is by taking a birding boat tour.

Wildlife

In addition to the abundant bird species, the sanctuary is also home to crocodiles, howler monkeys, iguanas, and several other wildlife species exclusive to tropical regions. The sanctuary protects globally endangered species, including the Central American river turtle (locally known as hicatee), the Mexican black howler monkey, and the yellow-headed parrot.

Cultural Experience

Crooked Tree Village, located on an island at the centre of the sanctuary, is one of the oldest Creole communities in Belize, providing a unique cultural experience. The village offers eco-tours, outdoor activities, accommodations, meals, and transportation. You can also explore the ancient Maya civilisation by visiting nearby sites like Cahal Pech, Caracol, and Xunantunich.

Accessibility

The Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary is easily accessible, located just an hour north of Belize City. Bus services are available (Monday to Saturday) from Belize City to Crooked Tree Village. The dry season in December makes it an ideal time to visit, as all the mainland highlights, like wildlife sanctuaries and Maya ruins, are easily accessible.

Frequently asked questions