Practical basics

Emergencies

Dial 911 or 90 for police, fire and ambulance, from any phone. In a medical emergency, call 911 and ask for an ambulance. For hurricanes and other disasters, follow the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO); see Land and weather.

Money and banks

The Belize dollar (BZ$) is fixed at BZ$2 to US$1, and has been since 1976. The Central Bank buys US dollars at 2.00 and sells at 2.0175. If a price is not marked BZ$ or US$, ask which it is before you agree to it: the difference is double.

Use ATMs in well-lit places, or inside a bank or shop, and keep cash and cards out of sight. General Sales Tax is 12.5% on most goods and services. More on the currency and taxes on the Economy page.

Phones and internet

The country code is +501. There are two mobile networks: Digi, run by Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL), which is majority state-owned and also provides landlines and home internet, and SMART, run by Speednet Communications.

Time-sensitive: in August 2026 BTL’s board approved a BZ$80 million purchase of Speednet, the company behind SMART. Business groups, unions and civil society have raised concerns about competition and prices. Whether and when the deal completes, and what it means for customers, was not settled when we checked.

Health care

In San Pedro, the public Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II has offered 24-hour service since February 2015, including emergency trauma care and child delivery.

The UK government’s advice sums up the national picture plainly: medical facilities in Belize are limited, prescription medicine is not always available, and serious cases are usually evacuated to the United States at the patient’s expense. Travel and health insurance that covers medical evacuation is worth having. The health risks the UK advice lists for Belize include mosquito-borne illnesses: Zika, chikungunya, dengue and malaria.

Staying safe

Belize has one of the highest murder rates per head in the world, and serious gang violence happens most often in parts of Belize City; tourists are not normally the targets. On the island the everyday risk is theft: cash, cards, phones. The UK government names San Pedro among the tourist spots where theft happens. Sensible habits: keep valuables out of sight, avoid dark alleys, use well-lit ATMs, and book trips with established operators.

In the water, the risks are real too. There have been injuries and deaths on snorkelling and diving trips, mostly from poor safety practices and bad weather. Use registered, licensed operators, and check the weather and forecast before you go out.

Getting around

Water taxis and small planes connect Ambergris Caye with Caye Caulker, Belize City and the rest of the country, and golf carts are the island’s everyday transport. Our Getting around page has the next departures, the golf-cart rules and the bridge toll.

In Belize, traffic drives on the right. Taxis should have green licence plates; agree the fare before you get in. Visitors with a UK photocard licence can drive for up to three months; for longer stays you need a Belize driving permit from the Department of Transport in your district. Other nationalities should check. Roads can be narrow, unlit and potholed, and some flood in heavy rain.

Staying longer

Citizens of the United States, Canada, the UK and many other countries don’t need a visa to visit, and are usually given 30 days on arrival. You can extend at any Immigration office for BZ$200 for each further 30 days, and the Immigration Department sets no limit on the number of extensions. One catch: Immigration’s visa table says US citizens need a visa once their stay passes 180 days (no such limit is listed for Canadians or Britons). In practice, many long-stayers keep renewing month by month; ask at the Immigration office before you reach six months. Leaving by land, or by water to Guatemala or Mexico, costs a BZ$40 (US$20) departure tax at the border.

Laws visitors trip over

Drugs

Possession of illegal drugs can lead to a fine and prison. Since November 2017 adults can possess up to 10 grams of cannabis without being charged, but the law intends it to be used on private premises. Smoking in public is not covered, and growing or selling cannabis remains a serious offence.

The reef and the fishing rules

The reef is protected by law, and the rules are enforced. The main ones, from the Fisheries Department:

• Coral: it is illegal to take, buy, sell or possess any coral. The only exception is black coral, and only under a licence. Do not take coral home as a souvenir.
• Turtles: all sea turtles are protected. Do not touch a nest; do not buy anything made of turtle shell.
• Parrotfish and tangs may not be taken, bought or sold.
• Bonefish, tarpon and permit are catch-and-release only. It is illegal to keep one.
• Whale sharks and nurse sharks may not be taken or killed.
• Lobster: closed season 1 March to 30 June. Minimum sizes are a 3-inch carapace and a 4-ounce tail, and berried (egg-carrying) females and soft-shell lobsters are always off limits. Possession of lobster during the closed season is an offence.
• Conch: closed season 1 July to 30 September, or earlier when the national catch quota is reached.
• Nassau grouper: closed season 1 December to 31 March, and only fish between 20 and 30 inches may be kept.
• Sport fishing is licensed by the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute (CZMAI), which sells licences directly and through sport fishing agents.

In the marine reserves, extra rules apply. At Hol Chan, boats must register with the ranger on duty and every visitor needs a valid pass, dive boats must show the divers-down flag, and no fishing of any kind is allowed in Zone A, the Hol Chan channel. Bacalar Chico, at the north end of the island, is also a marine reserve.

Other things worth knowing

Same-sex relations between consenting adults are legal. The UK government notes that tourist areas, including San Pedro, are relatively open and welcoming, and that elsewhere same-sex couples, especially men, tend to avoid showing affection in public because verbal and physical abuse has been reported.