The phrase “Easy Belize” didn’t just become popular because it rhymes …. this laid back slice of paradise truly is easy to visit (it’s only 2 hours from Texas and Florida), to enjoy (the national language is English & you can shop with US dollars), and to invest (low taxes with contracts in English)! And that’s just the beginning, Belize only gets better as Laura Diffendal of International Living Postcards describes below in her article about “The Easiest Country on the Caribbean”!
Belize is a country that not many people know much about. It is a young state, only independent since 1981, before which it was British Honduras. The British have had a huge influence on this small Caribbean nation, to the point where the Queen is still on the paper money. It is the only country in the region with English as the official language, and this among many other reasons makes it a comfortable and easy place to visit—or live!
Belize is just south of Quintana Roo; the Yucatán peninsula so popular with visitors to Mexico, as it contains Cancún, Tulum, and Playa Del Carmen. But despite its closeness to Mexico, Belize is a very different country.
Belize has 240 miles of coastline and countless “cayes,” or islands, in the Caribbean Sea off its coast. The country is about the size of New Jersey, with the lowest population density in Central America, which leads to jaw-dropping drives through unspoiled country. You will see sweeping vistas of the Mayan mountains, jungles, and little villages that look like they have been there for centuries.
Some of the biggest draws for Belize are the country’s rich Maya history—found in areas like the unspoiled Cayo region—and world-renowned caving tours. Besides the Maya civilization, Belize also has a rich history of being a melting-pot nation of Creoles, Caribs, Garifuna, and even a huge Mennonite culture; there is an large part of the country devoted to Mennonite-run farms, and much of the food produced is thanks to this population settling there.
Besides the easy English transition, the Belize dollar is set to the U.S. dollar at 2:1—and U.S. dollars are accepted everywhere. Belize looks like a vintage Caribbean postcard, has scenic drives that can rival Hawai’i’s, and is only two hours away from Houston, Miami, or Atlanta by plane. With one international airport in Belize City, you can visit the rest of the country by car, or by using the regional “puddle jumper” airways system that can get you anywhere within minutes. Although Belize City has been a solid stop on the cruise ship circuit for a while, it is really not much more than a gritty port city, and is a tiny, atypical reflection of what the country actually offers.
To see the real Belize, the Belize that attracts tourists in the know and expat residents like me, skip Belize City and the cruise ship circuit. Head to Ambergris Caye to enjoy the party vibe, or get out into the Cayo to soak up the history and natural beauty.
