-
Turn a sharp corner on the jungle trail, and suddenly you're face-to-face with a jaguar, the largest cat in the Western Hemisphere. The big cat growls a deep rumbling threat. You jump back, thankful that a strong but inconspicuous fence separates you and the jaguar. Along with jaguars, the zoo's nearly 50 species of native Belize mammals include the country's four other wild cats: the puma, margay, ocelot, and jaguarundi. The zoo also has a tapir, a relative of the horse and rhino known to locals as the mountain cow; it is Belize's national animal. You'll also see jabiru storks, a harpy eagle, scarlet macaws, howler monkeys, crocodiles, and many snakes, including the fer-de-lance. The zoo has an excellent gift shop. Plan to stay for at least two hours.
Mile 29, George Price Hwy., Belize City, Belize District, Belize
Sight Details
Rate Includes: BZ$30
-
Spanning a 20-mile (32-km) stretch of the Belize River, the "CBS" reserve encompasses land that sprawls over seven communities. The black howler monkey (Alouatta pigra)—an agile bundle of black fur with a disturbing roar—was before then zealously hunted throughout Central America and was facing extinction. (Belizeans refer to the black howler as a "baboon," but baboons are not found in the wild in the Americas.) Today the sanctuary is home to some 2,000 black howler monkeys, as well as numerous species of birds and mammals. Thanks to ongoing conservation efforts countrywide, you can see the howler monkeys in many other areas of Belize and northern Guatemala. Exploring the Community Baboon Sanctuary is easy, thanks to about 3 miles (5 km) of trails that start near a small museum and visitor center. The admission fee includes a 45-minute guided nature tour during which you definitely will see howlers. Some guides may ask you to pay extra to hold or pet the howlers—this isn't appropriate, and don't encourage it. Other theme tours—birding, canoeing, crocodiles—are priced à la carte, although the admission per couple is little more than the per-person rate.
Bermudian Landing Rd., Bermudian Landing, Belize District, Belize
Sight Details
Rate Includes: BZ$14; tours from BZ$24
-
Commercial District
The city's finest colonial structure is said to have a design inspired by the illustrious British architect Sir Christopher Wren. Built in 1814, it was once the residence of the governor-general, the British monarchy's representative in British Honduras. Following Hurricane Hattie in 1961, the decision was made to move the capital inland to Belmopan, and the house became a venue for social functions and a guesthouse for visiting VIPs. (Queen Elizabeth stayed here in 1985, Prince Philip in 1988.) Now it's open to the public. You can peruse its archival records, and art and artifacts from the colonial era, or mingle with the tropical birds that frequent the gardens.
Regent St. at Southern Foreshore, Belize City, Belize District, Belize
Sight Details
Rate Includes: BZ$10, Closed Sun.
-
Fort George
This small but fascinating museum, under the aegis of the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH), was Her (or His) Majesty's Prison from 1857 to 1993. Permanent displays include ancient jade and other Maya artifacts; medicinal, ink, and alcoholic-beverage bottles dating from the 17th century; Belize and British Honduran coins and colorful postage stamps; and an actual prison cell. Temporary exhibitions change periodically.
8 Gabourel La., Belize City, Belize District, Belize
Sight Details
Rate Includes: BZ$10, Closed Sun.
-
Fort George
Your stop for snapping a “Look where I am!” photo to post on Facebook or Instagram could be these large block letters by the shore that spell out BELIZE. Each colorful letter is a painted mural unto itself. Early morning sees the fewest visitors and the best opportunity for you and/or your traveling companions to get the shot you want. (You'll see people stand atop the two Es. We don’t recommend that.)
Fort St., Belize City, Belize District, Belize
-
Recommended Fodor’s Video
-
-
Commercial District
Not the oldest building in the city but arguably the most striking, the 1926 Belize Supreme Court building is patterned after its wooden predecessor, which burned in 1918. The current building, painted white, has filigreed iron stair and balcony rails, similar to what you might see in New Orleans (the construction company came from Louisiana), between two arms of the structure, and above the balcony a four-sided clock. This being Belize, the clock faces all seem to show different times. You can't enter the building, but it's worth admiring from the outside.
Regent St., Belize City, Belize District, Belize
-
Commercial District
On Albert Street's south end is the oldest Anglican church in Central America and the only one outside England where kings were invested. From 1815 to 1845, four kings of the Mosquito Kingdom (a British protectorate along the coast of Honduras and Nicaragua) were crowned here. The cathedral, built of brick brought here to what once was British Honduras as ballast on English ships, is thought to be the oldest surviving building in Belize from the colonial era. Its foundation stone was laid in 1812. Inside, it has whitewashed walls and mahogany pews. The roof is constructed of local sapodilla wood, with mahogany beams. Residents of the city usually refer to the cathedral as simply "St. John's."
You can combine a visit to the cathedral with a visit to the House of Culture, as they are just across the street from each other. The street itself is safe to visit during day; we recommend taking a taxi to and from, no matter what the time of day.
Albert St. at Regent St., Belize City, Belize District, Belize
Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free
-
Fort George
Towering 49 feet (15 m) over the entrance to Belize Harbor, the lighthouse stands guard on the tip of Fort George Point. It was designed and funded by one of the country's greatest benefactors, Baron Henry Edward Ernest Victor Bliss. The English nobleman never actually set foot on the Belizean mainland, though in his yacht he visited the waters offshore. In his will he bequeathed most of his fortune to the people of British Honduras, and the date of his death, March 9, is celebrated as a national holiday, now officially called National Heroes and Benefactors Day. Bliss is buried here, in a small, low mausoleum perched on the seawall, up a short run of limestone steps. The lighthouse and mausoleum are for photo ops only—you can't enter.
Marine Parade, Belize City, Belize District, Belize
222–5665-Belize Port Authority
Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free
-
At Monkey Bay you can canoe on the Sibun River, hike a 16-mile (31-km) nature trail along Indian Creek (only partly within Monkey Bay lands), or go bird-watching—some 250 bird species have been identified in the area. It has a natural history library with some 500 books and other reference materials, which visitors can use. The sanctuary also has educational and internship programs. Overnight accommodations for visitors are available if not occupied by students or interns. The nine private cabins and rooms run from BZ$192 to BZ$238. Dorm-like accommodation with shared bath is available in the field station bunkhouse for BZ$82. Meals are also available at times, if an educational group is in residence. Otherwise you'll have to make your own meals. Monkey Bay accepts short-term volunteers (minimum stay one week). Internships also are available, usually with a minimum stay of one month. Most programs are geared to overnight or multinight visits, but day visitors are welcome, too. Call in advance to see what activities or facilities may be available when you want to come.
Mile 31, George Price Hwy., Belmopan, Cayo, Belize
-
Western Suburbs
Many of the visitors here are on cruise-ship excursions, but you can also visit Old Belize on your own (it's a BZ$30 taxi ride each way from downtown Belize City). A 15-minute train ride takes you through exhibits devoted to the rain forest and the Maya and Garifuna cultures, as well as displays on logging, chicle harvesting, and sugar production. Also at the site are a large marina; a restaurant and bar where you can get a decent hamburger and other American-style dishes; a gift shop; and Kukumba Beach, a small artificial beach with an 80-foot waterslide.
Mile 5, George Price Hwy. (formerly Western Hwy.), Belize City, Belize District, Belize
Sight Details
Rate Includes: BZ$10 for train; BZ$30 for beach and waterslide, Closed Mon.
-
Commercial District
As its name suggests, the bridge spanning Haulover Creek in the middle of Belize City actually swings. When needed to allow a boat through or by special request of visiting dignitaries, four men hand-winch the bridge a quarter-revolution so waiting boats can continue upstream. (When it was the only bridge in town, this snarled traffic for blocks; the opening of three other upstream bridges has eased that pressure.) The bridge, made in England, opened in 1923; it was renovated and upgraded in 1999. Outsiders' recommendations to automate the swing mechanics or—heaven forbid—rebuild the bridge entirely are always immediately rejected. No one wants to eliminate the city’s most unusual landmark. Before the Swing Bridge arrived, cattle were "hauled over" the creek in a barge. The bridge appears in a scene of a little-remembered 1980 movie The Dogs of War, set in a fictitious African country but mostly filmed in Belize.
Queen and Albert Sts., Belize City, Belize District, Belize
-
Northern Suburbs
This museum, often just called the "rum museum," celebrates Belize's love affair with rum and its oldest distillery, Travellers. Although it's small, the museum is fascinating, with displays of old rum bottles and distillery equipment and the history of rum-making in Belize. You can also look through a window and see rum and other potables being made and bottled at the little factory behind the museum. Best of all, you can get samples of the various rums made by Travellers, including its best-selling 1 Barrel, along with samples of more exotic drinks such as cashew wine, Rompope (rum with eggnog) and Craboo Cream liqueur. Initial samplings are free, with a small charge for further tastings.
Mile 2.5, Philip Goldson Hwy. (formerly Northern Hwy.), Belize City, Belize District, Belize
Sight Details
Rate Includes: BZ$2, Closed weekends
-
Across the highway from the Belize Zoo is the 84-acre Tropical Education Center, where you can hike or canoe. There are boardwalk trails through the savanna with wildlife viewing platforms and a deck for bird-watching. Rustic accommodations are available at the Tropical Education Center at the Belize Zoo Jungle Lodge, which include a 30-person dorm and four spartan cabanas. Nighttime tours of the Belize Zoo are offered.
Mile 29, George Price Hwy., Belize City, Belize District, Belize
