Belize
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
Day 1 – Thursday: Arrival in Belize & Transfer to Reef Haven
After a long and exhausting flight with a stopover in Miami, we finally landed at Belize International Airport. Customs, passport control, and baggage claim were all surprisingly efficient.
Once outside the airport, we hired a taxi to take us to the ferry terminal. There are two ways to reach Ambergris Caye- San Pedro:
By air with Maya or Tropic Air (a quick 13-minute flight)
By ferry, which takes about 1.5 hours
We chose to take the ferry on the way in and fly back on departure so we could experience both.
The ferry terminal was well set up, with small shops selling drinks, snacks, and souvenirs. After checking in, we relaxed on the waterfront benches while waiting to board. Once on the ferry, we chose seats on the upper deck for the open air and best views. Keep in mind: once the ferry leaves the terminal and picks up speed, it can get quite chilly up top.
The ride was beautiful, with crystal-clear water and small islands scattered throughout. After a quick stop at Caye Caulker, we continued to San Pedro.
Once we disembarked and collected our luggage, we met our driver and took a short ride to the Reef Haven welcome center in San Pedro. We were greeted with a refreshing drink and cool towels, such a nice touch after a long travel day.
We enjoyed a short waterfront stroll while waiting for the resort boat to pick us up. Reef Haven is located at one of the northernmost points of Ambergris Caye, and the fastest way to reach it is by a 30-minute speedboat ride.
We boarded again, and as we rode north, our captain and host pointed out landmarks along the way. It was a fantastic ride, though once night fell, it got quite chilly. If you’re arriving in the evening, definitely bring a sweater.
Soon, we spotted the lighthouse marking our destination. At the dock, security helped with our bags while the hostess welcomed us, gave us our keys, toured the resort with us, and escorted us to our room.
After washing up, we grabbed a quick drink and crashed into bed after a full day of traveling.
Day 2 – Friday: Snorkeling at Hol Chan Marine Reserve
We had an early tour scheduled, so after a quick coffee, we headed to the dock for our boat back to San Pedro town.
We had booked a snorkeling tour to Hol Chan Marine Reserve with Ridge and Reef Adventures, located right next to Reef Haven’s welcome center. After a brief safety and snorkel gear introduction, we were fitted with masks and fins and headed out.
The ride is just about 10 minutes, and along the way, we were lucky enough to spot dolphins up close- an incredible bonus.
At Hol Chan, we anchored and jumped into the water one by one. The water felt cold at first, but after a minute or two, it was perfectly comfortable. The snorkeling loop takes about 45 minutes to complete.
The reserve is absolutely magnificent, full of coral, colorful fish, stingrays, barracuda, sea turtles, manatees, and even octopus if you’re lucky.
Although you may be a strong swimmer, we recommend using the life vests provided. Swimming in the ocean for 45 minutes can be more tiring than expected. The guides carry rescue tubes, but wearing a vest allows you to relax and fully enjoy the experience.
After completing the loop, we boarded our boat again and headed to Shark and Stingray Alley. The guides tossed sardines into the water, and within moments, dozens of nurse sharks surrounded the boat. We jumped in and swam among them for about 20 minutes. The experience was absolutely surreal.
Tip: Bring a towel. The ride back is fast, and being wet makes it feel much colder.
There are full-day options that also stop at Caye Caulker, where you can go to Stingray beach, to see, touch, and feed the stingrays up close, but since it was Friday and we were short on time, we opted for the half-day tour.
After returning to San Pedro, we changed at the welcome center and explored the town, shopping for souvenirs, strolling the streets, and enjoying the friendly atmosphere. We even found what looked like a wooden swingset with slides into the water in a few different spots. After stocking up on food for Shabbos, we returned to the resort.
We then prepared for Shabbos, lit candles, and enjoyed a breathtaking sunset before davening and the seudah.
Day 3 – Shabbos: Peaceful Nature & Secluded Beaches
We spent Shabbos walking along the quiet road leading toward San Pedro. On one side were endless palm forests; on the other, beautiful Caribbean beaches. Other than the occasional passing golf cart, the area felt completely deserted.
After a beautiful seudah, we walked in the opposite direction—between Reef Haven and the next resort, where another stretch of untouched forest and beach awaited.
We couldn’t get enough of the peaceful scenery.
After another stunning sunset, we returned for shalosh seudos and havdalah.
Day 4 – Sunday: Secret Beach
After breakfast, we headed out on our golf cart toward Secret Beach. Since San Pedro only has a few main roads, navigation was easy.
Every blog and influencer calls Secret Beach a “must-visit,” but we found that description slightly misleading. It’s less of a traditional beach and more of a lively beach-bar scene. The sandy area is much smaller than expected, and much of the waterfront is lined with bars and water activity rentals rather than wide-open beach space.
The water, however, is a magnificent turquoise and shallow for a while out, making it a great spot to hang out in the many hammocks, swings, and picnic tables dotting the water. Many places offer jet skiing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and even a floating water park.
Looking for something quieter, we continued driving further down. The farther we went, the more spacious and refined the properties became.
Our jackpot was Mistico, located at the far end. It felt secluded and upscale, with two actual sandy beaches on either side of the property, both nearly empty. We lounged, swam, and enjoyed a perfect beach day capped off with a stunning sunset.
That evening, we returned to the resort and enjoyed a delicious BBQ dinner.
Day 5 – Monday: Relaxation & Kayaking
After a relaxing morning walk and breakfast, we spent the day enjoying a more local stretch of beach, lounging, swimming, and soaking up the views.
Later, we returned to the resort pool. There are two large pools, and the back one was completely empty all day, our own private oasis surrounded by nature and birdsong.
In the afternoon, we used the resort’s kayaks and paddled to the neighboring resort, explored briefly, and kayaked back. Being out on the open turquoise water was spectacular.
We ended the day, once again, with a beautiful sunset and dinner at the BBQ area.
Day 6 – Tuesday: Cave Tubing, Ziplining & Departure
We woke before sunrise for our 6:30 AM departure and were treated to a gorgeous sunrise on the boat ride back to San Pedro.
From there, we took a short ride to the Maya terminal and boarded a small plane. If possible, request the front seat near the pilot for incredible views, but honestly, every seat offers stunning scenery.
After landing at Belize Municipal Airport, our guide from Cave Tubing Belize was waiting to take us to the rainforest, about an hour’s drive. Along the way, he shared fascinating insights into Mayan history and Belizean culture.
At the park entrance, we geared up for cave tubing. When booking, make sure your tour includes tubes waiting at the cave entrance so you don’t have to carry them during the hike.
The hike included three shallow river crossings and plenty of information about mahogany trees, hearts of palm, cashews, and other native plants.
At the cave entrance, we connected our tubes and floated into the darkness. We spent part of the tour with our helmet lights off for the full experience and part with the lights on to see the stalactite and stalagmite formations inside the cave. There was even a small waterfall inside the cave. We also spotted bats in the cave; some were so tiny they looked like large flies.
After exiting the cave, we continued tubing along the river before returning to the entrance.
We highly recommend Cave Tubing Belize for a seamless and personalized experience.
After washing up in the provided showers and changing rooms, we headed to Caves Branch Outpost for ziplining. The course is located within the same parking lot as the cave tubing, which made it so convenient. The zipline course includes six zip lines soaring over the jungle canopy, offering a breathtaking bird’s-eye view of palms, rivers, and colorful flora. It was the perfect ending to our trip.
Finally, we headed to Belize International Airport and said goodbye to this beautiful country.
Activities We Skipped (But You Might Consider)
1. ATM Cave Tour- Widely considered one of Belize’s top attractions. We skipped it because it’s a full-day tour and includes viewing Mayan human remains, which wasn’t something we personally wanted to experience.
2. The Great Blue Hole- A bucket-list site, but snorkeling/diving requires a 3-hour boat ride each way. A flyover is another option, and friends highly recommended it, but we chose to skip it due to time.
3. Mayan Ruins- We opted out since we may visit similar sites in neighboring countries in the future.
4. Waterfall Rainforest Tours- We would have loved to explore more waterfalls and hiking trails, but simply ran out of time.
Belize offers an incredible mix of adventure and relaxation. We chose to balance activity with downtime rather than rush through everything, and it was the perfect decision for us.
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