When I’m planning to travel to a new place, I appreciate browsing recommended itineraries detailing where to go and for how long.
To this end, here is the full 12-day itinerary for our amazing Honeymoon in Belize. As always, click highlighted words to go to the more in-depth articles. Colin and I loved the combination of places and the timing we settled upon, and we think you will, too!
Day 1: Belize City to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye
Fly to Belize City early in the day, then without even leaving the airport, fly directly (we used the exciting little planes of Tropic Air) to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Have the rest of the day to chill out around the hotel and its beach, wander San Pedro, swim, and eat.
We stayed at and loved The Phoenix Resort (click to check availability and rates), and to this day, it is our favorite hotel ever! Just look at this photo from the balcony of our room.
Day 2: Belize Snorkeling in Ambergris Caye
Take a snorkeling day tour! Wear LOTS of sunscreen and re-apply so you don’t get burned like we did, or even wear a shirt and leggings.
Our snorkeling voyage took us on a boat to one section of the reef where we saw tons of fish and a sinister-looking eel, then to “Shark Alley” where we swum with (and hugged!) nurse sharks and stingrays. Colin held a giant ray in the air like a pizza!
Day 3: Scuba Lessons and Belize Food
Take a Scuba lesson (or, if you’re a scaredy-cat like me, explore the town while your husband learns to dive 30 feet underwater).
That evening, wander Ambergris Caye and branch out to some further-flung, highly recommended restaurants. Check out the San Pedro nightlife, or just have a quiet night in with the complimentary DVDs many hotels offer.
Day 4: San Pedro to Caye Caulker, Belize
Take the boat (45 minutes and just a few dollars) from San Pedro to super chilled-out Caye Caulker. We only stayed on that island one night, but it would be fun to stay two.
On Caye Caulker, your brain will become so relaxed, you will probably just happily wander, swim, eat, and swing in hammocks. We did see some people kite-surfing, though, so there are also good adventure opportunities. (Click here to check Caye Caulker hotel availability and rates.)
Day 5: Caye Caulker to San Ignacio, Belize
Take the water taxi from Caye Caulker to Belize City (one hour) and then arrange transport to San Ignacio (2 hours). We were curious about Belize City but were repeatedly recommended not to spend time there as “it’s dangerous” and “there’s not much to do there as a tourist.”
Ways to get to San Ignacio from Belize City include bus (U.S. school buses turned into Belize’s very affordable public transport system), taxi (more expensive), and private shuttle (more expensive but we splurged on it because it was air conditioned, roomy, and enjoyable).
You cannot fly into San Ignacio, but you could fly to Belmopan (Belize’s teeny tiny capital city) and take a 40-minute taxi from there. Once you arrive, settle into your San Ignacio hotel and relax! We adored the nights we spent at Ka’ana Resort (click to check availability and rates)!
Day 6: ATM Cave, Belize for Mayan History
Do a full day swimming-hiking tour of the ATM Mayan Caves. I have traveled all around the world and I can say this ATM tour was one of the best things I’ve done in my life!!!
It’s intense, scary, and arduous, and you need to wear closed-toe sneakers (which you will swim with so they get soaked completely) but the tour is SO WORTH IT. We splurged for a private guide instead of a large group, and it was unbelievable: Just us three alone in the depths of the earth with glittering rock formations all around, and ancient bones of Mayan sacrifices. WOW.
Day 7: Hike Mayan Ruins at Xunantunich!
Hike Mayan ruins! From San Ignacio, you have several options, including Xunantunich (10 minutes by car or 1.5 hours on horseback), famous and sprawling Tikal in Guatemala (2 hours), or Caracol (2 hours). We opted to hike Xunantunich because it was closer and more manageable than Tikal, and we loved it!
Note: Most people would suggest you switch Day 6 and 7 (to do the ruins before the caves) so that your sneakers are dry for the ruins, but I was nervous about the caves and thus wanted to do them first. Xunantunich was small and easy enough to hike with my beloved hiking sandals.
Our plan for the rest of the day was to tour San Igancio’s iguana sanctuary (where you can stick iguanas all over your body) and then take a sunset horse ride, but we were so sun-stroked and exhausted from accidentally walking 2 miles along the highway in the hot sun (read the article to find out why) that we only had energy to eat a nice dinner in San Ignacio, wander the town, then sleep!
Day 8: San Ignacio to Placencia, Belize
In the morning, depart San Ignacio for Placencia (3-4 hours, driving). You can take a cheap local bus (which are not air conditioned and are cramped for 6-footers like us), take a taxi to Belmopan then fly, take a taxi, or splurge (as we did, again, forgive us softie Honeymooners) on a private shuttle.
What we adored about the shuttle (besides the affable conversation with the driver about Belize’s hidden stories) was that we could request stops along the way at no extra charge.
We LOVED swimming in the inland Blue Hole (different from Belize’s OTHER Blue Hole way out in the ocean, this one is an azure-colored cenote kettle hole in the jungle), eating ice-cream made by the Amish-like Mennonites (!), and watching the car be pulled up the “Magnetic Hill.”
We also delighted in the countryside (lush, green, and uncrowded), and in getting our many Belize questions answered by the driver. Once you arrive, settle in, swim, and enjoy your Placencia hotel. We chose Chabil Mar Resort (click to check availability and rates), and it was positively dreamy!
Day 9: Exploring Placencia, Belize
Explore the super-long, beautiful peninsula that Placencia is on. Walk along the beach to Placencia, proper, where you can trot along “the narrowest main street in the world” and browse the shops.
Go out on an ocean kayak as the sun is setting. Consider renting a fishing pole and spending the evening trying to catch dinner!
Day 10: Snorkeling near our Placencia resort
Do a snorkeling day-tour out to an island (we went to Laughing Bird Caye with Splash Belize, which was PARADISE). After the sun sets, check out Placencia’s nightlife, or spend the evening relaxing and watching the sea.
Day 11: Boat tour of Monkey River, near Placencia
Take a day tour of Monkey River, gliding down the water and gaping at the wildlife on the shores, then trekking into the jungle to see howler monkeys (insane!) and countless other flora and fauna.
Make sure to pack long pants and closed-toed shoes for this, along with insect repellant and a swimsuit for swimming in the river after the tour and before the local Belizean lunch. Have a romantic dinner that night by the ocean.
Day 12: Placencia to Belize City for Departure!
Fly directly from Placencia to Belize City on one of the local tiny planes. Flights are safe and frequent, and you can purchase tickets online very close to the departure date. (The drive takes hours and is far less comfortable and fun.)
Connect to your international flight without leaving the airport and head home, full of relaxation, good feelings, and happy memories of your Belize vacation!
There you have our recommended Belize travel itinerary. Got questions or comments? Folks who are Belize experts, what part of this travel plan would you alter or add to?
For all 8 articles from our Honeymoon in Belize, click here!
Still doing your travel booking? Find Belize flight deals here, and more Belize hotel deals at this link. These are affiliates which provide a small commission at no extra cost to you. Happy travels!
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Don Schuldes says
I have made that flight. That is Belize City Municipal Airport to Ambergris Caye.
Lillie Marshall says
Yes!
William says
Hi Lillie,
This not an actual comment but a question. Your posts are great about Belize, just wondering when would you be visiting again.
Thanks,
William
Lillie Marshall says
Thanks! Good question! I need to make it happen!
Tacogirl says
Hey Lillie!!!
Thanks for this informative article on Belize travel itinerary. I was planning a trip, but could not get ideas on how to make it extraordinary. Your honeymoon travel ideas for 12 days in Belize helped me a lot. Thanks to you, the Belize tour with my beloved was a fantastic one and we cherishing moments till now. I hope to read more articles from you about Belize tours. Keep writing!!!
Lillie Marshall says
Thank you! So glad your trip was good!
Anita says
Hi! Just found your blog and enjoyed it a lot. Thank you!
Quick question please, you said you did a private ATM tour. Do you remember who you used and how much it cost?
Lillie says
Glad to help! We booked the ATM tour through our hotel, and my guess is that most hotels will offer that service. It was very convenient because the van left right from our room. More on our hotel: https://www.aroundtheworldl.com/2012/07/30/our-romantic-honeymoon-jungle-resort-in-belize-kaana/
Have a great trip!
ChumChum says
This is one of the best articles….and trust me I have been scouring the web for a great article.
thank you so much, cant wait to plan our honeymoon…
Re the hotels were they well priced? and were there luxury hotels which you would recommend instead? I mean i really like to find beautiful affordable accommodation out a bit but my Fiancee rightly so wants to splurge and get as much luxury since its a one time adventure…any tips?
Lillie says
Your comment came at the perfect time! I just updated this article to include the specific names of the three best hotels we stayed at, and if you click them they will take you right to see the pricing. Those three were all luxury, but have a range of pricing depending on time of year and which room you pick. Let me know if you have more specific questions, and have a wonderful time!
julia says
I loved your Belize Itinerary! My boyfriend and I are hoping to plan a trip. What time of year did you go? Was the ATM tour scary? It has so many great reviews but I am deathly afraid of spiders… Glad it looks like you had such a wonderful trip, I’d love an advice you may have to offer!
Lillian Marshall says
So awesome that you’re going! We went in August. The ATM tour was very scary and intense, but totally worth it. I don’t remember spiders. :) Have a great time!
Stephanie says
Hello! I know I am a few years late, but hopefully you will see this. My fiance and I are currently planning our honeymoon. We are planning to travel June 29-July 9, but I keep reading that it is the wet season for Belize and not the best time for travel!
My questions are: when did you go to Belize? Did you encounter a lot of rain or mostly sun?
Thanks in advance!!!:)
Lillie says
Hi Stephanie,
I’m still responding to all comments — never fear! :)
We traveled to Belize in late July, and the weather was fine. There were chunks of heavy rain during the day, but for the rest of the day, it was sunny and great. It’s fairly typical of tropical areas that the “rainy season” doesn’t mean 100% rain all the time, just patches. Have a wonderful time!
emily says
Hi Stephanie,
We went in late July/early August and encountered little to no rain – mainly sunny skies! I’ve traveled through many other parts of the tropics in various rainy seasons and it’s usually fine…a few showers in the afternoon maybe, but nothing to spoil your vacation. Good luck!
Erin says
Stephanie, I live here 3/4 of the year (on Ambergris Caye) and the weather is constantly different each year around that time. It’s rainy season when you will come, but it may start later this year or it may pour a little while you’re here. Most of the time, barring a hurricane, it rains for a few hours a day on and off at most. Right now is supposed to be our nice dry season and it’s rained some at least four days in the last week or so. With the changes in climate, there is really no way to tell when the wet season really starts, but it seems to be getting progressively later each year. One tip to note though when looking at the forecast here — what may be happening inland in the jungles may be totally different than here on the Cayes. And if you look at any of the weather apps and plug in San Pedro or Caye Caulker, the weather forecast you’re getting is actually for Belize City, which does rain even more frequently. We don’t have a weather station here so those apps default to the mainland.
I used to come in October, smack dab in the middle of hurricane season when I was a tourist and it was never that bad — and I was here for three hurricanes as well. The only issue during a really rainy period is access to activities on the mainland. If we have a big stretch of heavy rain, you may find some Maya sites and cave tubing to be closed because the rivers are flooded. Xunantunich is one of the primary Maya sites that gets closed, along with ATM Cave (which was just closed a few weeks ago due to floods). When you’re nearing your trip, look up the Institute of Archaeology NICH on Facebook – they post all press releases on which sites are closed due to weather, etc.
Christina says
Hello! My finace and are considering Belize for our Honeymoon, and I stumbled upon this itinerary – really appreciate you taking the time to put this together!! Especially as we’d like to go “off the beaten path”, but it’s often hard to know what’s safe or worth it until you get there (we tried going “off the beaten path” in Mexico last year, and I wouldn’t recommend it….). Anyway, if you’re willing to divulge, I was wondering if you would be able to provide some sort of estimate for how much it all cost at the end of the day. My fiance and I will likely be doing a honeymoon registry as we’ve been living together and don’t really need (or have room for) any more stuff! But I’m not really sure how much we should budget for for hotels and transportation, especially as we’d probably opt for the private shuttle as well. I’d love to get your input if you’re willing to share! Thanks!
Lillie says
So glad it’s helpful! Alas, with the passage of time I’ve forgotten budget details, but I will tell you that instead of having a regular registry, we also did a honeymoon registry (funds towards the honeymoon). It was so much more enjoyable than a bunch of new spoons!
Phil Powis says
Hey Lillie –
Thanks so much for putting this all together – extremely helpful for planning a trip in February.
Quick Question – Do you happen to remember what water taxi you used? Your boat looks a lot nicer than some of the pictures ive seen for other providers where it is an open boat. How as it trying to carry luggage?
Best,
Phil
Lillie says
Glad it’s helpful! We loved our time in Belize. Regarding which water taxi we used, I am forgetting the name, but it was the main one that popped up in Google searches and local recommendations. In general, tourist infrastructure in Belize was good, and the boats were fine, as was carrying luggage. Best of luck, and keep us posted on your travels!
Maude says
Hi!
I was wondering what type of camera you had during your trip? I have a Canon T3i (a DSLR) and a smaller point and shoot camera… and I don’t know which one to bring with me! I am afraid that my Canon might get stollen… do you think it is safe to bring it with me in Belize?
Thanks a lot for sharing with us your great experience in Belize!!!
Lillie says
I have a small point-and-shoot camera that is still high quality, and felt perfectly safe with it. (I don’t own a DSLR.) In general, Belize is a very safe country, especially compared to a lot of the other Latin American countries I have traveled through. Plenty of people had giant DSLRs and had zero problems. Either should be fine. Have a great time!!
Kylie @ immaeatthat says
Hi Lillie!! So my fiance and I are planning on spending our honeymoon in Belize in December! We are trying to decide which area of Belize would be best to stay in. We’re looking seriously at Ka’ana Resort but I’m worried it’s too far away from town. The idea of being able to walk to town and eat at local restaurants is HIGH on my list. We don’t really want an all-inclusive resort because we still want to feel like we have freedom to go do whatever (mainly eat wherever we want haha). So I was wondering if you could suggest resort/hotels that are in actual towns so we could go explore (but I still wanna feel safe).
Lillie says
Kylie,
Oooh, exciting! You will have such a great time. There are a number of great places to stay, but I can’t recommend any in particular. I’d suggest using a user rating website such as Tripadvisor to see what the popular opinion is on different places. That usually steers me in the right direction. And make sure to consider doing a tour of the ATM caves for recreation… Very intense and physical, but such an experience!!!
Judy says
I notice you traveled by private shuttle. Do you recall the costs and who did you book your transportation with?
Lillie says
Hi Judy,
We decided to splurge on the private shuttle (we found a few companies by Google searches and assessing the reviews), and it was somewhat pricey, but made the journey a lot easier. Unfortunately, transport around Belize is more expensive than much of the rest of Latin America, but it balances out by how lovely it is. Good luck!
Lindsay says
Where did you stay in San Ignacio? That looks amazing!
Lillie says
T’was! :) In this article, words in blue can be clicked to lead you to an article with extra information, and clicking “San Ignacio hotel” brings you here: https://www.aroundtheworldl.com/2012/07/30/our-romantic-honeymoon-jungle-resort-in-belize-kaana/ . It was wonderful!
Cathy Sweeney says
Oh, you do look like happy honeymooners. These gorgeous pics of Belize show what a romantic place it really is. Great itinerary – would love to follow it sometime.
Lillie says
Do it! :)
Emily says
Hi Lillie!
I’m so happy I found your blog! I’m also a teacher traveler, and as a result am having quite the debacle deciding on my honeymoon location! I think we have decided on Belize (for the same reasons as you – close, tropical, but not just a beach, etc), but I cannot figure out which beach to choose. We’re thinking 10 days, and we don’t want to do a ton of hopping around, probably only two places. We’re definitely going to San Ignacio – but I can’t decide between San Pedro, Placencia, & Caye Caulker for the beach. We are off the beaten path travelers (Koh Phi Phi was way too many drunk college kids and speed boats for us. But being that it’s our honeymoon, and we’ll probably be at the same beach for several days, we want restaurants and beach bars outside of our hotel too. I would love to hear any thoughts or recs you have. Thanks!
Cheers,
Emily
Lillie says
Glad you found me! Sounds like we have a lot of commonalities.
I would recommend picking at least two or three different places to stay for a 10 day Honeymoon. As you can see from our itinerary, we moved around a lot but it didn’t feel rushed because the country is VERY small (the size of Massachusetts). Definitely stay in San Ignacio, and for your beach time, you can’t really go wrong, but I think I would choose either San Pedro or Caye Caulker because they’re easier to get around on foot than Placencia. Read my “which is better” post about Caulker vs. Ambergris here: https://www.aroundtheworldl.com/2012/07/28/caye-caulker-vs-ambergris-caye-belize-which-wins/ . Sort of depends if you want a bit more bustle and amenities versus a suuuuuuper relaxed, tiny island with no cars. Whatever you pick will be amazing, though. Ultimately your Honeymoon is about each other, right? :)
Have a wonderful time, and keep us posted!
Tammy of Edgymix Travel for Fashion says
Ahh…beautiful photos and you are so lucky. When I was in Belize, i got evacuated because of the the hurricane warning! All my travel plan got blown away, excepte diving in the blue holes!…Would love to go back after seeing this post:)
Terry at Overnight New York says
What a lovely honeymoon! Sounds like Belize rolled out the green carpet.
Lillie says
It treated us well indeed. Or was it an azure blue carpet to match the ocean? :)
Jennifer says
Now I want a Gibnut.
What a wonderful honeymoon you two had, it was a pleasure to read about it. :)
Lillie says
Don’t you?! It’s like a massive chipmunk. Thanks for following along on our adventures!
Margyle says
These are some amazing shots… love the itinerary too. I guess the gibnut would be what they are referring to when they say there are rats as big as small dogs!
Lillie says
Right!!! We kept thinking of the Rodents of Unusual Size from “The Princess Bride!”
Callie says
Looks like a honeymoon for the story books – beautiful!
Lillie says
Thanks! T’was!
Erin says
Awesome recap and itinerary! Just to clarify on flying from your flying from Placencia to Belize City portion….there are two airports “in” Belize City. If you fly to Belize Municipal Airstrip (which is cheaper) you will have to take a taxi to the international airport. If you want to connect straight to your international plane, you fly into Belize International Airport. I have seen people accidentally book Muni and then find themselves surprised when they need to catch a taxi.
Lillie says
Hugely important point, Erin. Thanks!
James says
Amazing pictures and a great trip overview, Lillie. What a wonderful honeymoon the both of you had! I can see why Belize is such a destination. I have a friend who’s looking into some post-wedding options and I’ll send a link his way. Enjoy the rest of summer…
Lillie says
James,
Thanks so much! Indeed, my hope is that people will share this article (as you are) with anyone seeking good couples/family travel options. I can’t tell you how many times I Googled “Good Honeymoon places” and was lost and confused amid the sea of options. If your friend needs more convincing, here are 12 reasons we particularly liked Belize: https://www.aroundtheworldl.com/2012/08/05/12-reasons-belize-is-a-best-travel-place-for-honeymoons/
Alexa says
This is awesome! And the pics are gorgeous. I have a couple questions.
1) I hate waves and am afraid of them. How were the boat rides? Not too bumpy? I’m sure it varies according to the time of year and the weather patterns, but thought I’d ask.
2) How did Colin like scuba diving? Safe/reliable and beautiful?
Lillie says
Thanks! Answers:
1) Boat rides were so-so. They were all safe and organized but some were a little bumpy when there was wind. Luckily Belize is so small that none of the boat journeys was longer than an hour! We were glad, however, that our first Belize transportation experience was the small plane to Ambergris Caye rather than the boat there. It was more glamorous and smoother. Taking the boat back to the mainland then was a fun change to sample different types of transport.
2) Colin LOVED Scuba diving and insists that I come with him next time because it was so great. There are lots and lots of highly recommended Scuba courses in Belize and you can easily find ratings online on sites like TripAdvisor.
Keep us posted on your travels!
Alexa says
Great to know! Eric and I got open water scuba certified last December. I’m still a little scared doing it, but it’s really cool. Glad Colin had a good experience. Always like to hear from people first-hand.
sanpedroscoop says
GORGEOUS pictures and looks like a great trip. I really need to get to Placencia…
Lillie says
Thanks so much! Indeed, it was a fabulous trip.