Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GETTING AROUND
On foot
Although Belize City is by far the largest urban
area in the country (the capital, Belmopan, is one tenth of
its size), the city centre is compact enough to make walking
the easiest way to get around. You can easily walk between
most of the city's hotels and the city centre; after dark,
though, it's best to travel by taxi (see box below).
By taxi
Taxis, identified by green licence plates, cost
Bz$7-8 for one or more passengers within the city; for
other journeys, agree on the fare in advance. They wait for
passengers at most of the main transport points, including
both airports and the bus and water taxi terminals. Also,
most hotels and restaurants will call a taxi for you.
By bus
The city centre is easily walkable, so city buses
don't cover the centre, but rather are used by locals to
1
commute to outlying residential areas. Since there are no
main sights in the residential areas, these buses are rarely if
ever used by tourists.
Car rental
Highly reputable Crystal (Mile 5 Philip
Goldson Hwy
T
223 1600 or toll-free in Belize
T
0800
777 7777,
W
crystal-belize.com) has some of the best
rental prices in the country, is one of the few outfits that
allows you to take vehicles over the Guatemalan border
and can provide mobile phones for use during your stay.
Additionally, Belize City is the headquarters for most of
the major global car rental agencies. Avis, Budget, Hertz
and Thrifty (see p.52) all have o
ces at the international
airport, as well as satellite o
ces in town; check websites
for details.
INFORMATION AND TOURS
TOURIST INFORMATION
Belize Tourism Board (BTB)
64 Regent St (Mon-Thurs
8am-5pm, Fri 8am-4pm;
T
223 1913,
W
travelbelize
.org). The BTB o
ce has lots of information about the city
- and the rest of the country - including a hotel guide and
city map, information on nature reserves and Maya sites
and more.
Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA)
10 N Park
St (Mon-Fri 8am-noon & 1-5pm;
T
227 1144,
W
btia
.org). This association represents most of the country's
tourism businesses and publishes
Destination Belize
, a
magazine filled with helpful information and hotel
recommendations.
Belize Audubon Society
12 Fort St (Mon-Fri
8am-5pm;
T
223 5004,
W
belizeaudubon.org).
Headquarters of this premier conservation organization,
with lots of information on Belize's natural wonders, plus
a gift shop with topics, maps and posters relating to the
country's wildlife reserves.
Programme for Belize
1 Eyre St (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm;
T
227 5616,
W
pfbelize.org). This long-established
conservation organization manages the Río Bravo
Conservation and Management Area (see p.78); stop by for
information on access and volunteering at Río Bravo.
TOURS
One of the best ways to explore Belize District - and further
inland - is on a tour covering all the main sights, including
Belize Zoo, Community Baboon Sanctuary, Crooked Tree
Wildlife Sanctuary, Maya ruins at Altun Ha or Lamanai and
more. Even though you can visit any of these independently,
taking a tour is often just as competitively priced - and you
SAFETY ON THE STREETS
You'll probably hear of Belize City's reputation long before you step foot in the city. Travellers
and locals alike share stories of the city's abandoned, dangerous streets, crumbling buildings,
prison-like grilles over windows and flourishing drug trade. Yes, this reputation may be
deserved (and very evident) - but only in certain parts of the city. The northern half, in and
around the upscale hotels, the cruise ship terminal and the Fort George area, is perfectly safe,
both day and night, as are the busy central commercial strips of Regent and Albert streets. The
area to avoid is the southside, which is south of Haulover Creek and around the Collett Canal. If
you must pass through, it's advisable to take a taxi at all times.
All that said, no matter where you are in the city, it's always sensible to proceed with caution:
most people are friendly, but quite a few may want to sell you drugs or bum a dollar or two.
The best advice is to stay cool and be civil; don't provoke trouble by arguing too forcefully and
never bring out large wads of cash. The chances of being mugged increase
after dark
anywhere in the city.
The introduction of
tourism police
in 1995 made an immediate impact on the level of
hassle and this, coupled with the legal requirement for all tour guides to be licensed, has
reduced street crime. The tourism police sport green “Tourist Unit” badges on their sleeves,
and will even walk you back to your hotel if it's near their patrol route; their phone number is
T
227 6082.
