Belize City is a coastal town with a long history.
The area was first settled by the Mayans over 3,000 years ago, and the city is located near some amazing beaches and islands.
People are friendly, the official language is English, and some places even accept U.S. dollars.
The city is also known for a high crime rate, though, which can make many travelers think twice about going.
Yes, Belize City has had problems, and many zones still do.
The country of Belize has a Level 2 travel advisory from the U.S. Department of State, but Belize City has a Level 3, meaning you need to reconsider whether you want to go there.
The good news is that the elevated level has more to do with a particular section of town and the area’s history.
Tourist areas can still have problems like theft, but there are more police, and the tourist industry is huge.
You need to be cautious if you visit Belize City.
But if you decide you want to go, you can take steps to reduce the chances of something happening.
Warnings & Dangers in Belize City
OVERALL RISK: HIGH
People do travel to Belize and enjoy it immensely, but they're cautious, and you need to be cautious, too. This is a country with both a thriving tourist economy and a relatively high crime rate, so you need to watch out, just as you would when traveling to a large U.S. city with a high crime rate, for example. And heed the warning of the U.S. State Department: Stay away from the Southside (south of Haulover Creek Canal especially).
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM
Avoid "taxis" that don't have green license plates, and always agree on a final price before you start off on your journey. If you take a water taxi to an island, avoid ones that look like they're at or near full capacity. They may not have enough safety equipment like life vests for an overcrowded passenger compartment. Don't drive at night, if you're renting a car. In any transportation with doors, lock them.
PICKPOCKETS RISK: HIGH
Petty theft, bag snatching, and pickpocketing are all common, including in tourist areas. Be careful when handling money, and secure all valuables. Cross-body bags are recommended to prevent someone snatching a bag off your shoulder.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: HIGH
Belize sits right in the hurricane and tropical system zone, and the copious amounts of rain that the city experiences can lead to a lot of flooding. Pay attention to weather reports, and if heavy storms are in the area and flooding is predicted (not necessarily hurricanes, but any strong storms), stick close to your hotel and ask the staff about safety precautions.
MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
Depending on the part of town. The Southside has a high risk of armed robbery. The tourist areas tend to have less of a risk, but muggings can still happen. Make yourself an unattractive target, and don't flash a lot of cash.
TERRORISM RISK: LOW
Outside of the south side of the city, there isn't much of a terrorism threat except for the general level of caution you should observe anywhere you go. The Southside is known for gang violence, however, so you need to avoid that section of town.
SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
This is assuming you stay out of the Southside of the city. If you're in tourist areas, you'll face the same tourist scams that most places have. ATM skimming, bait-and-switch scams, overcharging, and more all exist in Belize City. Use ATMs in banks only, and don't use your credit or debit cards in shops you're not familiar with. Try to go cash only for your daily expenses. If you take a tour or do an activity where there's a fee, confirm the full fee -- the final price you pay -- before starting. It's common for scam artists to offer, say, a tour for a fee, and then in the middle of it tell you that you had paid only the first half of the total fee, or something similar. Merchants can overcharge tourists, especially because you may find prices listed in either US or Belize dollars (it's easy for a scammer to claim the price is in US dollars when it's really in Belize dollars). Also, don't try to exchange money with people on the street who claim they can give you a better rate. They can't. Go to a bank instead.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: MEDIUM
A number of women travel bloggers like traveling to Belize and Belize City. However, even they will state that the street harassment of women is off the charts. Some women who claim online to have traveled many times to Belize say if you use common sense and treat it like big U.S. cities -- don't go off and have drinks with strangers, don't walk around alone at night, and so on -- you should be OK. Additional advice has been to avoid the Southside of the city, as that's the most dangerous area and is known for severe gang violence. Also, don't accept rides from strangers, and be aware of your surroundings at all times. Lock doors and windows in cars, taxis, and your accommodations.
TAP WATER RISK: HIGH
Don't drink tap water in Belize City. The contamination risk is too great, and you needto stick to drinking bottled water. You'll find comments in forums where people say they drink the tap water without a problem, but you'll also see that these people have been living in Belize for decades. In other words, they're not tourists whose bodies aren't able to handle the tap water.
Safest Places to Visit in Belize City
Areas in the north of the city are generally better.
However, all areas have some risk of things like petty theft or mugging.
Places to Avoid in Belize City
The Southside, especially south of Haulover Creek Canal.
Also avoid deserted beaches and rural areas, and watch out for thieves in tourist areas.
Safety Tips for Traveling to Belize City
- Stay out of the Southside. We can’t repeat that enough.
- Don’t fall for sympathy scams. That broken-down car with a distraught driver could be a scam, that nice lady offering to show you her favorite bar could be a scam, and so on.
- Don’t exchange money with random people. Go to the bank.
- Avoid overcrowded water taxis.
- Don’t drink the tap water, no matter what anyone tells you.
- Don’t walk around alone, especially at night.
- Avoid deserted areas. That deserted beach might not be as deserted as you think.
- Register for the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to get travel advisories when they’re issued.
- Wandering around in the rain along the Caribbean coast might sound romantic, but in Belize City, it can be a flood accident waiting to happen. Pay attention to weather reports and don’t go to low-lying areas.
- Don’t let your guard down in tourist areas. Yes, a populated tourist zone is better than the Southside, but petty theft and pickpocketing can still be a problem there.
So... How Safe Is Belize City Really?
Belize City does have its issues with crime, and you do need to be cautious.
But remember that the country itself still has a Level 2 travel advisory, and the Level 3 advisory for Belize City has a lot to do with the Southside.
If you’re willing to remain alert and take steps to make your travel safe and secure (including staying out of the Southside), you could have a good trip.
The fact is that crime can happen anywhere, and not just in bad areas.
You can influence how risky your trip is by practicing good safety habits and staying alert.
Belize relies on tourism for a chunk of its national budget (40 percent of GDP in 2023 to 2024), so people are definitely traveling there.
Think about the precautions you’d take traveling to a city like Houston or St. Louis; you’d know to stay out of bad neighborhoods and stick to the tourist areas, and you’d know not to walk around at night with your backpack open, right? It’s the same with Belize City.
By the way, in a recent ranking of the world’s 100 most dangerous cities, St. Louis ranked #25 and Houston #50, while Belize City wasn’t on the list at all.
How Does Belize City Compare?
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
 Belize City |
30 |
 Matamoros | 35 |
 Hopkinsville | 74 |
 Lund | 92 |
| South Portland | 82 |
| Nebraska | 82 |
| Stonecrest | 53 |
Useful Information
Visas
U.S. citizens don't need visas to enter Belize and stay for up to 30 days. If you want to stay longer than that, you'll need a stamp from an immigration office. You'll also have to pay a fee for the months you want to stay, up to six months. For those who want to stay more than six months, more fees and more paperwork are in your future. Also, land-border crossings into Belize have their own fees that vary according to how long you're staying in the country.
Currency
Belize uses the Belize dollar, or BZD. This is actually pegged to the US dollar at US$1 = BZD$0.50, but official exchange rates can often show a tiny variance. A lot of places in Belize City accept US dollars, so double-check which currency a price is in. You'll often find places to stay putting prices in US dollars, while shops and restaurants have prices in Belize dollars. Despite the widespread acceptance of US currency, it helps to have Belize dollars and to ensure that any US dollars you have are in small bills. By the way, a quirk of Belize is that, if you use US dollars, use bills that are in very good condition. You can get Belize dollars from ATMs, and many places accept US credit cards. Just remember to notify your bank and credit card companies that you'll be traveling to Belize.
Weather
Belize City is great if you don't like cold and dry weather. Temperatures remain warm all year round, and the city is wet. January temperatures in Fahrenheit average in the mid 80s for highs and upper 60s for lows, with average humidity around 83 percent. In June, you're looking at upper 80s and low 90s for highs and upper 70s for lows, with humidity often around 80 percent. Yearly rainfall totals are a whopping 70.95 inches, with October being the wettest month on average. Dress in layers that can wick moisture away from your skin, bring hats (despite the rain, the city averages over 2,600 sunny hours a year), and don't forget the umbrella.
Airports
Two airports serve Belize City, but only one has international flights. That's Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport in Ladyville, northwest of Belize City. Transportation from the airport to town is available in a few forms. You can rent a car at the airport; you will need auto insurance, and the car rental agency should be able to help you with that. There are airport taxis, too; official taxis have green license plates. Your hotel may have a shuttle service as well, although there are private airport shuttle companies, too. Anecdotal reports online mention walking from the airport to a bus stop on the highway, which apparently takes about an hour, but after a long international flight, you might not want to have another hour of walking before you get to town -- especially if that town isn't even Belize City! The other airport is Sir Barry Bowen Municipal Airport in Belize City itself, but that's for domestic flights only. If you're flying in from outside the country, you'll land at Goldson.
Travel Insurance
You're not required to have travel insurance to enter the country of Belize. However, it's highly recommended that you get policies to cover not only trip cancellation and baggage loss, but also medical costs. You're not going to be able to use your regular U.S. health insurance in the country, and you could face some difficult medical bills if you don't have a policy that Belizean doctors and hospitals will take. Plus, with the travel warning in place for much of Belize City, being fully insured during your stay will help you feel more secure.
Belize City Weather Averages (Temperatures)
Average High/Low Temperature
| Temperature / Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C |
28 | 29 | 30 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 28 |
| Low °C |
19 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 20 |
| High °F |
82 | 84 | 86 | 90 | 91 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 86 | 84 | 82 |
| Low °F |
66 | 66 | 70 | 72 | 73 | 75 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 72 | 70 | 68 |
Belize - Safety by City
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Belize City | 30 |
Not a great trip for us...
My wife and I had gone to Belize City in 2017. While I can’t say it was the best experience I have had, it was not the worse. There are issues within the city few people seem to talk about. It is easy to get swept away in the weather and attractions. My wife and I ended up cutting our trip short however as my wife’s belongings had gone missing. We believe someone at the hotel we were staying in robbed us. We were refunded for our stay but because we had to book different tickets to go back home, we ended up losing money. Not worth it.
Yummy streetfood
The cheapest way for going around from our experience was a bus, although I would say if you shell out a bit more a private car would give you a better time as it would be easier to go around. Also if you are on a budget you would get your money’s worth with the streetfood! They are great and affordable.
Always a blast
Belize, like Greece, is one of our two favorite destinations for the summer months when kids are off school and we can travel as a family.
Most of the crime reported in Belize City is either gang-related or has something to do with people finding themselves in foolish situations. I won’t go for a midnight stroll in NYC in Midtown, no matter how touristy it might be during the day. Extrapolating this, when you’re in Belize you should avoid the neighborhoods that have gang issues and in this case, not that much potential for tourists. Almost anyone will tell you that the southern part of the city should be off limits and you have to listen. Heck, even locals don’t strut around there when it’s dark.
If you use drugs, recreational or not, you might end up in a world of trouble so don’t do it. As for drinking, never let the drink out of your sight.
With tourism being a big chunk of their GDP, you will notice that everyone is extremely friendly and helpful. From bar staff to hotel employees, everyone will go above and beyond to help you. Don’t take this for granted and be a generous tipper, they need the extra cash.
If there’s barely a living soul around, change direction asap. Keeping your jewelry to a minimum, and if possible less fancy stuff is perfect. The same applies for cash, keep the bare minimum in your wallet and don’t flash it around. Obviously, this applies to those who are not staying in a resort. In a resort you just lay in the sun all day long and enjoy the warm weather.
Stay within the boundaries recommended by the hotel/travel agency and enjoy your time in Belize, you will want to come back for sure, trust me.
I had such a mixed experience there; the beaches are stunning, but I definitely felt uneasy in some parts of the city.
I was totally not expecting to feel so welcomed in Belize City, but the locals really do make you feel at home despite the warnings!
Did you ever get that feeling of excitement mixed with a little unease while wandering through the streets, like you’re in a real-life adventure movie?
Went to Belize City last year, the beaches are amazing but I felt uneasy walking the waterfront at night with groups loitering near the bus terminal.
Walked the beaches and felt really moved by how friendly folks were, but I also felt uneasy passing the troubled blocks and noticed police around the tourist spots.