Belize's Best Party Spots

Belize may not be famous for its nightlife, but that doesn't mean that the people of Belize don't know how to party. The best place to start is San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, where most of the nightlife is situated along the shore. Fido's Restaurant and Bar is a popular late-night spot, offering nightly drink specials and live music. For something more low-key, try Big Daddy's, a beachside barbecue joint. But if you're looking to dance, head to Jaguar's Temple, a multilevel nightclub with two fully-stocked bars.

If you're looking for a more diverse night out, try Placencia Village, Placencia Peninsula. Barefoot Beach offers a casual, beach party vibe, while Tipsy Tuna is a great spot to play pool and watch sports. For something more unique, head to D'Eclipse Entertainment Club to experience traditional Garifuna music and dancing.

Caye Caulker is the place to go if you're a reggae fan. All four of Caye Caulker's top bars feature live reggae music, but each has its own unique atmosphere. For a laid-back evening, try Koko King, with its comfortable hammock seating. For a wilder time, hit the dance floor at I&I Reggae Bar. Art lovers will enjoy the gallery at Herbal Tribe, while beach bums will appreciate the prime location of Lazy Lizard.

San Pedro, Ambergris Caye

San Pedro Town, located in the southern part of the island, is the main settlement and offers a variety of bars and restaurants. It is known for its laid-back attitude and friendly folks. Here are some places to check out for a great night out:

• PUR Boutique Cabanas: This spot offers a taco bar, a swim-up bar, and fantastic food and drinks at reasonable prices.
• Palapa Bar & Grill: With friendly owners and a great location, Palapa prides itself on bringing a little piece of paradise to its patrons. Try their Caribbean Mojito and the barbeque pulled pork sandwich.
• Crazy Canucks: Located in the Exotic Caye Beach Resort, this well-known beach bar offers fun activities every night, including hermit crab races and live band karaoke.
• Sandy Toes Beach Bar and Grill: Located north of town, this spot offers great views, live music, and delicious food, including fried chicken and Belizean rice and beans.
• Stella's Sunset Wine Bar & Restaurant: This classy yet unpretentious establishment offers stunning sunset views, a lovely garden setting, and a rotating menu of Caribbean fare, pizza, and burgers.
• Average Joe's: A popular bar offering live music every night except Tuesdays and 16 different flavors of wings.
• Jaguar's Temple: The most popular nightclub in town, with free entry for women on Fridays.
• The Dive Bar: Located a quarter-mile north of town, this spot offers a unique dining experience and live music most nights.
• Fido's Restaurant and Bar: A long-standing favorite among tourists, Fido's offers one-dollar wing nights on Thursdays and a daily happy hour from 4 to 7 pm.
• Truck Stop: A local favorite located 15 minutes from town, featuring a food park built from shipping containers and a beer garden, along with live music, movies by the pool, and cornhole.

So, whether you're looking for a chill tropical experience or want to dance the night away, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye has something for everyone!

Placencia Village, Placencia Peninsula

Placencia Village, located at the southern tip of the Placencia Peninsula, is a seaside village that was once a quiet Creole fishing village. Now, it is a bustling tourist destination, with luxury beach resorts, world-class restaurants, and lively beach bars. The village has a population of less than 2,000 people and is known for its laid-back, no-shoes, no-shirt ambience. The Main Street in Placencia is just a sidewalk, recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the narrowest main street in the world.

Placencia is divided into two parts: north and south of the airstrip. The busy part of Placencia lies in the south, where you will find a greater concentration of coffee shops, bistros, internet cafes, guest houses, taxi and bus stations, banks, and local restaurants. The northern portion is less densely populated and has more expensive resorts. The beaches along the Placencia Peninsula are dotted with small resorts that can arrange dive and snorkel trips to the reef, which is about 17 miles away.

Placencia is a great place to indulge in water sports and explore the beauty of the Belize Barrier Reef. The peninsula has 16 miles of tranquil beaches and dozens of cayes, offering excellent diving and snorkelling spots. The nearby Gladden Spit Marine Reserve is a popular spot to swim, sea kayak, dive, or snorkel with giant whale sharks. The Placencia Lagoon is also an important breeding area for marine life, including saltwater crocodiles, marine turtles, and manatees.

When it comes to food, Placencia offers a variety of options, from delicious seafood to authentic Italian gelato. For a romantic night out, head to the Turtle Inn, owned by Francis Ford Coppola, where you can enjoy an extensive selection of California wines. For a more lively evening, bar-hop along the peninsula, starting from Riversdale in the north to Placencia in the south.

The Placencia Arts Festival, held annually in February, is a highlight for art lovers, as artists from all over Belize showcase their work along the Placencia Sidewalk. The Placencia Lobster Fest, held in June, is another famous festival that celebrates the region's delicious lobster cuisine.

So, whether you're looking for water sports, culinary delights, or cultural experiences, Placencia Village and the Placencia Peninsula have something for everyone.

Caye Caulker

Getting There and Getting Around:

The primary mode of transportation on the island is by golf cart or bicycle, which can be rented from local vendors. Cars are forbidden due to the narrow dirt streets. To get to Caye Caulker, you can take a domestic flight or a water taxi from Belize City. The flight offers stunning views of the barrier reef and is approximately 15-20 minutes long, while the water taxi is a one-hour ride and departs hourly from 8 am to 5:30 pm.

Things to Do:

For a unique experience, visit the "Split," a channel that divides the island in two. It's the local hangout spot, offering calm, shallow waters and a vibrant atmosphere. The Lazy Lizard, a popular bar and restaurant located at the Split, serves up delicious food and strong drinks, including their famous "lizard juice."

If you're feeling adventurous, sign up for a full-day excursion to see manatees or explore a Mayan temple on the mainland. Cave tubing, zip-lining, and a visit to the Belize Zoo are also exciting options.

Food and Drinks:

Some recommended restaurants include Meldy's Restaurant, Pasta Per Caso Anna & Armando, Chef Kareem's UnBelizeable Lunch, and Wish Willy Bar & Grill.

Accommodation:

When it comes to accommodation, Caye Caulker offers a range of options, from hostels to boutique properties. The island has resisted major commercialisation, so you won't find many luxury resorts here. Instead, lodging options cater to laid-back travellers seeking simplicity and proximity to outdoor activities.

Recommended places to stay include Weezie's Oceanfront Hotel & Garden Cottages and Bella's Backpackers Caye Caulker.

Best Time to Visit:

The peak season in Caye Caulker is from January to April, during Belize's dry season. You can expect sunny days and clear blue skies, but prices tend to be higher during this period. If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option, consider visiting during the offseason, which runs from May to November.

Events:

So, whether you're seeking sun-soaked beaches, thrilling watersports, or a laid-back Caribbean vibe, Caye Caulker has something for everyone. Remember to embrace the island's motto, "Go Slow," and enjoy your tropical paradise!

San Ignacio

Vibrant Nightlife

Cultural Diversity and Delicious Food

Adventure Activities

Eco-Tourism and Conservation

Ideal Base for Day Trips

Night diving spots

Belize is known for its vibrant nightlife, but it also has a lot to offer when it comes to night diving spots. Here are some of the best places to go night diving in Belize:

Hol Chan Marine Reserve

Hol Chan, which means "little channel" in Mayan, is a passage to the outer edge of the Belize Barrier Reef. It is Belize's first and oldest marine reserve, designated in 1987. The reserve has four zones: The Reef, The Mangroves, Shark Ray Alley, and The Seagrass Beds. The Reef is an excellent site for night diving, where you can observe stingrays, spotted lobster, sleeping parrotfish, hermit crabs, and moray eels.

Ambergris Caye

Ambergris Caye is a popular diving hotspot close to San Pedro. It encompasses the northern reefs of Belize and offers a variety of resorts and nightlife options. Ambergris Caye is known for its diverse marine life, including species that are not found elsewhere in Belize. One of the top dive sites here is Shark Ray Alley, where you can dive with different sharks and rays.

Turneffe Atoll

Turneffe Atoll is a large offshore atoll reef with a wide variety of dive sites. It is considered one of the best areas for diving in Belize. Here, you can find white-spotted toadfish, eagle rays, tarpon, green morays, groupers, nurse sharks, jacks, snappers, and reef sharks. The Elbow and the Lighthouse Reef are two of the best dive sites at Turneffe Atoll.

Shark Ray Alley, Ambergris Caye

As the name suggests, Shark Ray Alley is known for its population of nurse sharks and southern stingrays. It is a shallow sand plateau on the inner wall of the Belize Barrier Reef. Dive and snorkel guides attract these creatures by dropping fish scraps, and the animals are so used to tourists that they come quite close. While some people may find this interaction unnerving, nurse sharks are known as harmless "puppies of the ocean."

Half Moon Caye

Half Moon Caye is a small tropical island that is often a stop for lunch after diving the Blue Hole. It is home to many bird species, including the red-footed booby, and has white sandy beaches and warm shallow waters. There is also great snorkelling right near the dock where the boats park. The Half Moon Caye Wall is a popular dive site, with a huge drop-off and the opportunity to see sharks.

The Great Blue Hole

The Great Blue Hole is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a collapsed limestone cavern over 300 metres wide and 125 metres deep. It features fascinating underwater formations like undercuts and stalactites, and a powerful thermocline. While there isn't much marine life in the Blue Hole due to its depth and limited sunlight, some shark species can still be spotted.

Frequently asked questions