Looking for warm water, regular sunshine, and a relaxed place to kick back by the sea after you get married? A Belize Honeymoon can be just the ticket at any time of year. And it won’t take you very long to get there.
As the decades have gone on and American travelers have gotten less timid, the number of honeymoon destinations couples head off to has expanded exponentially. In the mid-1900s you drove somewhere as soon as the reception ended. Niagara Falls perhaps, the Poconos, a lake resort, or maybe Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Then the circle expanded a little to Caribbean Islands, Puerto Vallarta, or maybe even Italy.
Nearly the whole world is connected by flight routes now, however, and in inflation-adjusted terms, most of these flights are cheaper than they have even been. There are still some advantages to going somewhere just a few hours away, however, even if you have been living together for two years already and are not going somewhere to spend 22 hours a day together in bed.
One of the most popular honeymoon destinations for Luxury Latin America readers is Belize. When we ran a Belize Break getaway promotion a few years back, it turned out that the winner was already going to be in Belize anyway—for her wedding. So after the ceremony in Ambergris Caye , she headed south to Placencia on Tropic Air to spend two nights each at Chabil Mar Villas and Ray Caye Resort for a Placencia Honeymoon.
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Located just below the Quintano Roo state of Mexico (that of Cancun/Riviera Maya fame), the small country of Belize has a lot of factors in its favor as a destination for post-wedding romance and relaxation.
1) Easy Belize flight connections from the USA and Canada for Your Honeymoon
United, Delta, American and Southwest all fly to Belize City from multiple cities in the U.S. through their hubs, while you can also get there from some cities on Frontier or Alaska Air. From Canada there are flights on Air Canada and WestJet. Just be advised that there are more frequent flights in the winter than the summer.
Copa Airlines, Avianca, and Tropic Air fly there from several neighboring countries. Check the options from your city here:
You can then reach any of the domestic airports in an hour or less and there’s also a ferry service to Ambergris Caye. Traffic is light if you need to travel in a vehicle and there are boat services out to the smaller islands. It’s easy to get around in Belize.
2) An English Speaking Country in Latin America
You won’t have to worry about communication issues during booking or after arrival for your perfect Belize honeymoon. English is the official language. Everyone speaks it unless you get into the remote jungle areas close to Guatemala.
3) Belize is a Year-round Destination
Belize is a sunny and tropical country that you can visit any month of the year and have a good time. It seldom gets hit by hurricanes, historically, and the extremes in rainfall are not nearly as extreme as they are in wetter Costa Rica.
Sure, Belize has a rainy season in the summer, but it’s a mild one, with rains seldom lasting more than a couple of hours and usually coming in the afternoon or evening. Water temperatures are roughly the same all year too, so if you want to go snorkeling or diving you can do it any month you’d like.
See more here on summer travel in Belize.
4) Plenty to Do Besides Sit on a Beach
Belize has some picture-perfect beaches, especially in Placencia and on some of the private islands, but that’s just one element in the mix here. The world’s second-longest coral reef extends the whole length of the country and has some legendary scuba diving and snorkeling spots.
This is also one of the best places in the Americas for a real “surf and turf” vacation that combines the water with the land for a variety of interesting experiences. If you want adrenaline-pumping adventure activities or jungle hikes you can find plenty, or you can go birdwatching, tubing, or exploring Mayan ruins. Then just an hour or two away you have all the usual water activities you’ll find in a Caribbean Sea escape.
If you stay in Placencia, you’ve got enough excursions available to keep you occupied for a week easily, like the fun Monkey River Tour we took last time we were there, from a dock right across the road. You can also explore Placencia Village, which offers a nice contrast to packed San Pedro on Ambergris Caye.
Did you know that there are Mayan ruins in Belize to see? And rivers to kayak? And jungle areas filled with wildlife? This is not some Caribbean island destination where you’re limited to what’s offered by your resort.
5) Independent Resorts That Don’t Feel Corporate
There are thousands of boring chain hotels you could stay in at honeymoon destinations where your room looks an awful lot like the rooms in the town you just flew away from. There are close to zero international chain hotels in Belize, however, and in many cases the owner is either on site or living nearby.
Both the staffers and the profits are intertwined with the community and have a stake in seeing you enjoy yourself so you’ll recommend the place to others. They’ll make sure you don’t feel like a number during your week of bliss on your Belize honeymoon. Service is casual and friendly, not formal, even if you are staying at the top resorts in the country. You’ll get pampered, but not in a stuffy way.
For more information see our luxury travel in Belize section and consider booking with our long-time partner Chabil Mar Villas, with all-suite accommodations. They’re right on the beach and are a short bike ride from the village center.
Text by Luxury Latin America and all opinions are our own. Photos by Timothy Scott except first photo by Chabil Mar.
Article by Timothy
Timothy Scott is the founder and editor of Luxury Latin America and has been covering the region as a travel journalist since the mid-2000s. He has visited each country we cover multiple times and is based in a UNESCO World Heritage city in central Mexico, where he owns a home. See contact information here.
