Belize City: a first-timer's guide to the gateway

Why stop in Belize City

Belize City is not a polished tourist town, and it does not try to be. It is a working Caribbean port of painted wooden houses on stilts, canals, street vendors and Creole voices. For diaspora visitors it is often home, and for first-timers it is the easiest place to taste everyday Belizean life, eat stew chicken with rice and beans and understand the country's history before heading to the reef or the jungle.

The areas, explained

• **The Fort George area** on the north side, near the seafront, is the calmest and most visited part of town, with the lighthouse, the Baron Bliss memorial, hotels, the cruise terminal and the Museum of Belize nearby.
• **Downtown around the Swing Bridge** is where Haulover Creek meets the sea. The bridge is said to be one of the last manually operated swing bridges still working, and the streets around it hold markets, shops and the water taxi terminal.
• **The south side** has St John's Cathedral, the oldest Anglican cathedral in Central America, and the Government House museum, but parts of it have high crime, so visit the sights by taxi in daylight.
• **Northern Highway suburbs** near the airport have some newer hotels and are convenient for early flights.

What to do

The Museum of Belize, in the old colonial jail, gives a clear introduction to Maya, colonial and modern Belizean history. The Image Factory shows contemporary Belizean art, and St John's Cathedral and the House of Culture show the city's colonial past. Walk the seafront at Fort George and watch the boats come in.

The best things to do are often just outside the city. The Belize Zoo, about forty minutes west, is a small, much-loved home for rescued native animals, including jaguars, tapirs and harpy eagles. The Community Baboon Sanctuary at Bermudian Landing protects black howler monkeys with the help of local landowners. Altun Ha, a Maya site about an hour north, has the Temple of the Masonry Altars, whose outline appears on Belikin beer labels. Lamanai, reached by a boat ride up the New River from Orange Walk, is one of the most atmospheric ruins in the country.

What and where to eat

Belize City is the home of Creole cooking. Try stew chicken with rice and beans, which is a different dish from beans and rice, fry jacks for breakfast, conch fritters, hudut from Garifuna cooks and fresh-squeezed seaweed shake, a sweet milky drink. Look for small local diners and street stalls selling garnaches, salbutes and panades, and finish with a Belikin or a fresh juice. Nerie's and Celebrity Restaurant are long-standing local favourites.

Where to stay

The Fort George area is the best choice for most visitors, with a handful of colonial-style hotels near the sea. If you have an early flight, a hotel on the Northern Highway near the airport saves time. Many travellers skip the city altogether and head straight to the water taxi or a domestic flight.

Getting around

From the airport, use the official taxis at the arrivals area, which are licensed and have green plates. In town, walk short distances by day and take registered taxis after dark or into unfamiliar areas. Water taxis to Caye Caulker and San Pedro leave from terminals near the Swing Bridge, and domestic flights go from both the international airport and the smaller municipal airstrip by the sea.

Staying safe

Belize City has the highest crime rates in the country, mostly concentrated in specific south side neighbourhoods that visitors have no reason to enter. Keep to busy areas by day, use taxis at night, avoid walking alone after dark, do not wear flashy jewellery and keep your phone out of sight on the street. Read your government's latest travel advice before you go.