Belize City, Belize

I stopped at Belize City on my way to the island of Caye Caulker

There was a hurricane just a few days before I arrived.

Belize City, Belize – August 2016

I landed in Belize City in August 2016, just a few days after a hurricane had come through. I only had a night or two before catching the water taxi to Caye Caulker, but the city left a clear first impression: English on the signs, cleanup crews still working, and people who were already looking after visitors like nothing had happened.

Sunset over a thick layer of clouds through an airplane window on the way to Belize City — Flying into Belize City at sunset, August 2016. The trip was already off to a good start.

What I found when I got there

The seafront still showed the storm. A wooden pier was torn up and stuck out into rough water, and piles of palm fronds and debris were heaped along the fences. What stuck with me more than the damage was how fast people were moving on. Cleanup was underway everywhere, shops were open, and locals were already taking care of tourists like it was any other week.

Choppy seafront in Belize City with a wrecked wooden pier after a hurricane — The seafront a few days after the hurricane. The pier was torn up and the water was still rough, but people were already getting back to work.

Pile of hurricane debris and palm fronds against a white fence in Belize City — Debris and palm fronds piled up along the street. The hurricane had hit Belize City just days before I arrived, and cleanup was still going on everywhere.

English in Central America

Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official language. You’ll still hear plenty of Belizean Creole (Kriol), Spanish, and Mayan languages out on the street. Day to day it feels like a mix of all of them, which made getting around a little easier for me than in the Spanish-only countries next door.

The Airbnb

I stayed in a simple Airbnb a short walk from the water. From the balcony you could look down a narrow city street with parked cars and the occasional bike. Outside it was a white two-story house with a red roof behind a green gate; inside, a clean little bathroom and a bedroom with a fridge and microwave in the corner. Nothing fancy, and exactly what I needed for a night in town.

Looking down a narrow Belize City street from a balcony with a cyclist and parked cars — Morning view from the Airbnb balcony. Belize City in the quiet hours, a few cars and a bike making their way down the street.

White two-story Airbnb house with a red roof behind a green gate on a Belize City street — The Airbnb from the street. A white house with a red roof and a green gate, right in the middle of the city.

Airbnb bedroom in Belize City with a made bed, patterned bedspread, and backpack — My room for the night. Backpack on the bed, fridge and microwave in the corner, ready to settle in.

Small bathroom in a Belize City Airbnb with a toilet, pedestal sink, and mirror — The Airbnb bathroom. Nothing fancy, but clean and it did the job after a long travel day.

Covered outdoor hallway and stairs at a Belize City Airbnb with orange walls — The covered walkway outside my Airbnb room. Orange walls, stairs, and a little shade from the morning sun.

Lunch and a Belikin

Lunch was an open-air spot with a view of the water: a burger, fries, coleslaw, and a cold Belikin on a red checkered tablecloth. That beer shows up everywhere in Belize, and it tasted even better after walking around in the heat.

Open-air restaurant bar in Belize City with a wooden counter and a view of the water — Lunch with a water view. An open-air spot where you can sit at the bar and watch the boats go by.

Burger, fries, chips, coleslaw and a Belikin beer on a red checkered tablecloth — Burger, fries, coleslaw, and a cold Belikin. Exactly what I needed after walking around town.

Haulover Creek and the swing bridge

From the swing bridge you look out over Haulover Creek, with boats, buildings, and that familiar Belikin sign across the water. Nearby, sailboats were tied up along the creek near the harbor — a quiet stretch of water right in the middle of the city. Ships used to be hauled over the sandbar to get into the harbor, which is where the name Haulover Creek comes from, and it’s the reason Belize City exists.

Haulover Creek from the swing bridge in Belize City with buildings and a Belikin sign — Looking down Haulover Creek from the swing bridge. Boats, buildings, and that familiar Belikin sign across the water.

Sailboats tied up along Haulover Creek near the harbor in Belize City — Sailboats lined up along the creek near the harbor. A quiet stretch of water right in the middle of the city.

The BELIZE sign

Down by the water sits the big colorful BELIZE letters. A little touristy, sure, but I still stopped for the photo.

Colorful BELIZE block-letter sign by the water in Belize City — The big BELIZE letters down by the water. A little touristy, sure, but I still stopped for the photo.

On to Caye Caulker

The next morning I checked the water taxi board, had a solid breakfast of bacon, eggs, fry jacks, coffee, and hot chocolate, and headed for the dock. Pulling away from Belize City, the shoreline faded behind a white wake as the boat pointed toward Caye Caulker. That island is the next stop in this trip.

Printed Caye Caulker Water Taxi daily schedule board in Belize City — Checking the water taxi schedule for Caye Caulker. Next stop: the island, a short boat ride from Belize City.

Breakfast plate with bacon, eggs, fry jacks, coffee and hot chocolate in Belize City — Breakfast before the boat to Caye Caulker. Bacon, eggs, fry jacks, coffee, and a cup of hot chocolate to start the day.

Wake behind a water taxi leaving the dock in Belize City for Caye Caulker — Pulling away from Belize City on the water taxi. White wake behind us and the colorful shoreline fading as we headed for Caye Caulker.

Heading to Caye Caulker? Click here.