Belize City Guide » More About Belize City: Overview

Overview

Legend has it that Belize City, a sprawling Caribbean settlement of 70,000, was built atop the refuse of pirates and woodcutters, with the town's foundation built upon rum bottles and logs. There may be some truth to that in the gritty, edgy streets of "Belize"; as the country's largest, most commercially important town is commonly known by the same name as the country. Belize is a small, hot, stewing peninsula city, surrounded by the sea to the east, south and north, and by marshland and forests to the west. Many travelers avoid Belize City altogether, heading straight for the islands or inland. Others stop and stay in the city, on business, or just impressed by the unique multicultural rhythm on Belize's streets. The handful of decent restaurants, convivial bars, and humble accommodations make this a perfectly enjoyable town, but use common sense and always take a taxi after dark. (Street violence, often gang related, is a recent problem.)Overall, Belize City is an extremely relaxed ex-capital. (The country's government moved inland to Belmopan after a particularly disastrous hurricane.) There are also a plethora of adventurous day trips within 30 miles of the city, and two professional dive shops to whisk you to the nearby reef, which is the longest barrier coral reef in both the northern and western hemispheres. Enjoy, mon, and go slow.

Overview

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