Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
development and resource management in partnership with local
organizations.
Manatee and Primate Rehabilitation Centre
T
650 6578,
W
wildtracksbelize.org (see p.81). Centre in Sarteneja, in northern
Belize, that focuses on rehabilitation strategies, including habitat
protection, raising public awareness and rehabilitating orphaned, injured
or confiscated wildlife.
The Peace Corps
US
T
855 855 1961,
W
peacecorps.gov. Since
1962, the Peace Corps has been sending American volunteers to Belize to
teach in rural areas, work in agricultural and environmental education and
assist with women's groups, youth and community outreach and health
awareness programmes.
Trekforce Worldwide
UK
T
02073 843 028,
W
trekforce.org.uk.
Trekforce runs projects ranging from leadership training and surveys of
Maya sites to jungle treks and diving and watersports.
World Challenge Expeditions
UK
T
01494 427 600,
W
world-challenge.co.uk. A youth development organization, with the
motto “education through exploration”, that leads adventurous trips
through Belize and Mexico.
preceded by the symbol Bz$) and, when relevant
(with accommodation and, often, for tours), in US$.
The Belize dollar is divided into 100 cents.
Banknotes come in denominations of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50
and 100 dollars; coins come in denominations of 1,
5, 10, 25, 50 cents and 1 dollar, although 10 and 50
cent pieces are less commonly seen. All notes and
coins carry the British imperial legacy in the form of
a portrait of Queen Elizabeth - and quarters are
sometimes called “shillings”.
The
Guatemalan
unit of currency is the quetzal;
note that costs in Guatemala are generally consid-
erably cheaper than in Belize.
Currency exchange
Currency exchange is a seamless process. When
you pay in US$ (accepted everywhere), you'll
receive change in Belize dollars, making this the
easiest mode of exchange. Additionally, there are
ATMs throughout the country, including at the
airport. You can use most credit and debit cards at
ATMs
of all the major banks, including Belize Bank,
Atlantic Bank, Alliance Bank and First Caribbean
Bank (formerly Barclays), to get cash in Belize dollars
at decent rates. Other banks will process cash
advances on cards at the counter, though usually at
less favourable rates than an ATM. Visa is the most
useful card in Belize (and throughout Central
America), but MasterCard is also accepted fairly
widely. You can also, of course, exchange notes
(bills) inside the bank; most don't charge for the
exchange, but make sure to ask. Every town has at
least one bank (generally open Mon-Fri
8am-2/3pm, some also Sat 8am-noon). It's a good
idea to carry smaller bills of US currency ($20
instead of $100, for example), especially towards
the end of your trip. Since change is given in Belize
dollars, you don't want to be stuck with too much
Belize money before you go, as it's useless outside
the country.
Mail
Belize has a reliable internal postal system, but its
international service
can sometimes be patchy;
standard cost for postcards starts at Bz$0.40, and for
letters at Bz$0.75. An “express” service, considerably
pricier than the cheap standard rates, has a better
track record and is worthwhile when it comes to
important parcels. Fedex and Global Express services
are available in main towns and tourist centres.
Post o
ces
are generally open from Monday to
Friday 8am to 4pm; post o
ces in small villages -
sometimes operated by a local out of their home -
are often short on stamps and packing materials, so
do any major mailing from a large town.
Money
Prices and exchange rates are stable, with the
national currency, the
Belize dollar
, very conveni-
ently fixed at the rate of two to the US dollar
(
Bz$2=US$1
). US dollars (cash and travellers'
cheques) are also accepted everywhere - and in
some places even preferred - as currency. This
apparently simple dual currency system can be
problematic, however, as you'll constantly need to
ask which dollar is being referred to; it's all too easy
to assume the price of your hotel room or trip is in
Belize dollars, only to discover on payment that the
price referred to was in US dollars - a common
cause of misunderstanding. In San Pedro and other
high-end destinations around the country, many
businesses quote prices in US dollars. Prices in the
Guide are usually quoted in Belize dollars (always
Opening hours and public
holidays
It's di
cult to be specific about
opening hours
in
Belize, since many family-run spots have very loose
opening schedules, tied to personal holidays and
the like. But in general most shops are open from
8am to noon and from 1 or 2pm to 7pm. Some
shops and businesses work a half-day on Saturday,
and everything is liable to close early on Friday.
Archeological sites
, though, are generally 8am to
4pm daily. On
public holidays
, virtually everything
will be closed - though some public transport
