Belize The Americas

Epic 10 Day Belize Travel Itinerary for the Best Trip

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Planning a trip to Belize? You’re in the right place! Welcome to your detailed, customizable Belize travel itinerary! This Belize travel itinerary, as is, is perfect for a 10 day trip. However, you can easily adjust it for a shorter trip to Belize by leaving out a few stops. It’s completely customizable for all types of travelers – no matter how long you plan to spend in Belize. Let’s get right into your go-to Belize travel itinerary! 

Like I mentioned above, this itinerary is perfect for a 10 day trip. The reason I recommend 10 days in Belize is that with this amount of time you’ll really be able to explore most of the country and see a wide variety of the amazing things Belize has to offer. You’ll visit Mayan ruins, the famous islands, go zip lining, snorkeling and cave tubing and even fit in a day trip to the amazing Tikal ruins in Guatemala. 

I know that sounds like a lot, but since Belize is such a small country, and it’s so easy to drive there – you can really pack a lot in! 

Days 1-2: Belize City

I will preface this by saying that there isn’t much to do in Belize City. I know that probably sounds like a wild statement, as every major city has great things to offer. Usually, yes, I agree. However, in the case of Belize City, this is where you’ll fly into, take the ferry to the islands, and also take a really cool ½ day trip to Altun Ha Mayan Ruins. 

Beyond that, if you have extra time, a Belize City tour is a good option, but I would say it’s not entirely necessary. There are a lot of really cool places to see in Belize, but Belize City just doesn’t make that list. 

Belize sign in Belize City.
Belize Sign in Belize City

Day 1 – Arrive to Belize

Depending on where you’ll be flying from, you’ll likely arrive in Belize sometime in the afternoon. From here, take an airport shuttle or taxi to your hotel. Rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft don’t operate in Belize, so private transportation or a hotel shuttle is your best option. 

While later in the trip I recommend renting a car, you don’t need to rent one just yet. After your short stay in Belize City you’ll be headed to the islands, Ambergris Caye and/or Caye Caulker, and you won’t need/can’t have your car there. 

To save money, I’d recommend picking up a rental car after you get back from the islands! 

If you arrive early enough in the day, you can take a Belize City tour in the afternoon. Otherwise, you can spend the afternoon relaxing at your hotel and getting ready for your trip to Altun Ha Mayan ruins tomorrow!

Hotel Recommendations in Belize City 

Day 2 – Altun Ha Mayan Ruins and Ferry to San Pedro

Start your morning with a trip to Altun Ha Mayan ruins, about one hour by car from Belize City. While Altun Ha is not the largest Mayan site in the region, it’s incredible to visit and learn about the history of this village and see the preserved sites. 

Altun Ha was inhabited between 250 BC and 1000 AD, and while touring the grounds you can see ceremonial pyramids, former residential areas as well as plazas. You can even climb many of the structures, which offer amazing views over the entire site. 

The best part of visiting Altun Ha, in my opinion, is that it’s usually not too busy. If you’ve visited other Mayan ruins, like Chichen Itza or Teotiuachan in Mexico, it’s common for them to be absolutely packed. 

When we visited Altun Ha, on the other hand, we were the only group there. We could explore the entire area with our guide and really gain an understanding of the site’s history and significance. 

TIP: Get a Guide for Altun Ha

My biggest piece of advice is to go on a guided tour. While you can drive to Altun Ha and explore on your own (or find a guide there), going on a tour is a great way to get both transportation to the site and also the knowledge and expertise of a local guide. 

There are tons of tours to Altun Ha from Belize City. Some only visit the Mayan ruins, and others combine the ruins with other activities like zip lining or cave tubing. 

I do recommend zip lining and cave tubing, so you can do all of these in one day before taking a later ferry over to San Pedro, or, you can just visit Altun Ha and take an earlier ferry. If you choose to just visit Altun Ha, you can always zipline and cave tube after visiting the islands from one of the other stops on this itinerary! 

Altun Ha Guided Tours

Altun Ha Mayan Ruins, Belize.
Exploring Altun Ha Mayan Ruins Belize.
Altun Ha Mayan Ruins

Getting to San Pedro

After exploring Altun Ha, and maybe also zip lining and cave tubing, it’s time to head to San Pedro, on Ambergris Caye. 

San Pedro is the largest town on Ambergris Caye, which is the largest island in Belize. If you’d prefer, Caye Caulker is another popular island. It’s smaller, less developed and can be slightly cheaper. 

These islands are close to one another, about 30-45 minutes by ferry, so you can easily visit both. For this itinerary, however, I’m recommending basing yourself in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye and taking a day trip to Caye Caulker as part of an epic snorkeling expedition. 

If you’d like to visit both islands, you can easily extend this itinerary by a day or two. 

Ferry to San Pedro 

Taking the ferry to San Pedro is the most common way to travel to the island. From Belize City, you head to the ferry terminal and hop on one of the ferries over to the island. 

Ferries go all day long, with the last one departing Belize City at 5:30pm. The journey to the island takes about 1.5 hours, with a stop to drop people off at Caye Caulker, and costs about $25-$44 USD each way per person. Buy your timed ferry tickets online in advance here. 

Ferry to San Pedro Belize
Ferry from Belize City to San Pedro

Flight to San Pedro 

The other option is to fly to San Pedro or Caye Caulker on Tropic Air or Maya Island Air. This is a much quicker option, with flight times lasting approximately 15 minutes. The views from the flight on these tiny planes are also epic! 

These flights are also quite affordable, with one way tickets often under $100. Depending on the day of the week, the last flight to San Pedro is usually at 5:40pm or 7:30pm. 

Arriving in San Pedro – Useful Information

Once you arrive in San Pedro, either by ferry or plane, it will be time to head to your hotel. Many hotels are walkable from the ferry dock and air strip and some offer transportation. If your hotel is further away and doesn’t offer transportation, you’ll want to take a taxi or pick up a golf cart. 

Golf cart travel is very common in San Pedro and you’ll definitely want one for your stay. Some companies will drop your golf cart off at the ferry terminal so it’s there waiting for you! 

Excellent Hotels in San Pedro:

San Pedro, Belize, pool.
San Pedro, Belize

Restaurants in San Pedro

Now that you’re all checked into your hotel, it’s time to head out for some dinner! San Pedro has a lot of restaurants that are easily walkable, so pick one that looks great and enjoy a nice meal. 

  • Coffee de los Mayas
    • They have a few locations throughout Belize and it’s my favorite coffee I had on the trip. Local, fresh and so good!
    • They also have a golf cart drive through, which is cute
  • Patz Delicatessen
    • Casual restaurant with outdoor seating, great for breakfast or lunch
  • Green Espresso Cafe Bar
    • Great for breakfast, lunch or coffee
  • Elvi’s Kitchen
    • One of the most famous restaurants on Ambergris Caye
  • Maxie’s Restaurant & Lounge
    • Known for their seafood
    • Make a reservation
  • Neri’s Tacos
    • Very affordable and casual – more of a street food option
      • These are Belizean style burritos, tacos, etc
  • Paradice Cream
    • Lots of delicious flavors
Coffee de los Mayas, Belize.
Coffee de los Mayas

Day 3 – Go on a Snorkeling Adventure at Hol Chan

Ambergris Caye, where the town of San Pedro is located, is known for its amazing snorkeling – specifically at Hol Chan Marine Reserve, which is located just off the coast of the island. 

There are tons of snorkeling tours that go to Hol Chan each day and travelers will have the opportunity to see incredible sealife, like amazing colorful fish, manatees and turtles. Many of these snorkeling expeditions to Hol Chan also include a stop at Shark Ray Alley, where you’ll see (you guessed it!), nurse sharks! It’s also known for having a large stingray population. 

If your Belize itinerary doesn’t include a stop in Caye Caulker, you can easily add one by booking a snorkeling tour that includes lunch on the nearby island. This is a great way to see Caye Caulker without adding any additional days to your Belize trip! 

Day 4 – Spend the Day at Secret Beach

Secret Beach, not staying true to its name, is the most popular beach on Ambergris Caye! It’s about 45 minutes from San Pedro and you can easily drive your golf cart there. 

I recommend going mid-morning and then staying at least through lunch. There are tons of restaurants and places to rent beach chairs and the water is nice and warm.

My favorite place on Secret Beach is definitely Blue Bayou! You can rent beach chairs to hang out for the day and they also have a restaurant where you get served at tables in the water. The food is pretty good and it makes for a fun day! 

While at Secret Beach, you can also rent jet skis and kayaks and sometimes there’s also a large inflatable obstacle course set up in the water. 

Cocktails in the ocean, Secret Beach Belize.
Blue Bayou at Secret Beach

More Fun Activities in San Pedro

In addition to the beaches and snorkeling, San Pedro has tons of other fun things to do! Below are a few tours and activities I definitely recommend adding to your itinerary. 

OPTIONAL EXTENSION: Take a Trip to the Great Blue Hole or a Scenic Flight Above It

The Great Blue Hole is one of Belize’s most famous natural wonders! The Great Blue Hole is a gigantic sinkhole located about 50 miles off the coast of the country. It’s easily visible by boat from San Pedro or Placencia and takes about 2.5 hours to reach. 

The reason I’m adding this as an optional activity, is because it’s not exactly easy to get to the Great Blue Hole and it’s a *tad* bit adventurous. If you go on the boat tour, these are usually full day adventures for snorkelers and divers. If you’re comfortable being on the water all day, it’s totally doable and amazing, but it’s not for everyone. 

The other way you can see the Great Blue Hole is from above. You can book short scenic plane rides with Tropic Air Belize and take in the incredible views of the Great Blue Hole from a small plane. I didn’t do this on my last trip and really regret it – it’s on the list for next time! 

These scenic flights leave from San Pedro, Caye Caulker and Belize City at 1pm and last one hour. 

Blue Hole National Park.
Blue Hole National Park (not as cool as the Great Blue Hole)

OPTIONAL EXTENSION: 1-2 Days in Caye Caulker

If you have time and would like to spend a day or two on another nearby island, Caye Caulker is a popular choice. Caye Caulker is about 30 minutes by ferry from San Pedro. Your ferry from Belize City may even have made a drop off at Caye Caulker before you got off in San Pedro. 

Caye Caulker is smaller and less developed than San Pedro. Some people really like this and others prefer all of the restaurants, hotels and amenities that San Pedro has to offer. If you have time, it’s worth spending a day here so you can see which island has more of your vibe! 

Caye Caulker definitely gives more of a “village” vibe and has less of a modernized resort town feel. It’s very popular with backpackers and also tends to be a little less expensive than visiting San Pedro. 

Hotels in Caye Caulker

Things to do in Caye Caulker

Day 5 – Travel to San Ignacio

Hop on a morning ferry back to Belize City and get ready for the 1:45-2 hour drive to San Ignacio! 

At this point in the itinerary, you will need to pick up a rental car or book private transportation. Both are good options. Renting a car allows you more flexibility and driving in Belize is pretty easy. However, with a private driver, you can sit back and relax without worrying about navigating. Hiring a private driver is also, relatively, affordable! 

Private transportation from Belize City to San Ignacio

Once you arrive in San Ignacio, I recommend grabbing some lunch, exploring the town a little and resting up for your big day trip to Tikal tomorrow! 

Restaurants in San Ignacio

Hotels in San Ignacio

Many hotels in San Ignacio have pools, so if you book one of these, you can have a wonderful, relaxing afternoon. 

Enjoying the sunset over San Ignacio, Belize.
San Ignacio Belize

Day 6 – Day Trip To Tikal, Guatemala

Is Tikal in Guatemala, yes. Was it the highlight of my trip to Belize, also yes. It’s actually so much easier to visit Tikal from San Ignacio, Belize, than it is from many popular Guatemalan destinations like Lake Atitlan and Antigua. 

The Mayan ruins of Tikal are the most spectacular I’ve seen. Teotihuacan and Chicen Itza in Mexico are amazing, but Tikal, in my opinion, is even more amazing. Tikal is now a National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At its peak, around 700 AD, it is estimated that Tikal was home to around 90,000 inhabitants. 

Construction of Tikal began around 900 BC and the major decline of the community occurred around 900 AD. There is so much history to learn about and see in Tikal and it’s truly an incredible place to be able to explore and visit. You’ll see temples, plazas, and acropolises and you’ll even be able to climb many of the structures! 

Visiting from San Ignacio is easy. You’ll hire a tour guide that meets you in San Ignacio, they’ll help you walk across the border into Guatemala (super easy) and from there you’ll make the 2ish hour drive to Tikal. You’ll spend the day exploring, enjoy a Guatemalan lunch and then be taken back to your accommodations in San Ignacio. 

Tikal Tours from San Ignacio

Tikal, Guatemala.
Tikal Pyramids, Guatemala.
Tikal, Guatemala

Day 7  –  Go Zip Lining and Cave Tubing

Two of the best activities to do in Belize are definitely zip lining and cave tubing! Both of these, in my opinion, are must-dos in Belize. 

There are several places around the country to go zip lining and cave tubing, including near Belize City, near Placencia and near San Ignacio. While you can go on any of the above itinerary stops while in Belize, I think fitting it into your time in San Ignacio makes the most sense. 

Zip lining anywhere is fun, but in Belize it’s an extra special experience to zip line through the jungle and over rivers! I loved combining ziplining with cave tubing, as they’re located quite closely together, and it gives you the opportunity to take part in two amazing activities. 

Cave tubing in Belize is a truly unique experience. The Branch River and Sibun River are both popular cave tubing spots. The Sibun River offers slightly more challenging rapids, but either river is great. Depending on which tour/company you book with will determine which river you tube on. 

What makes cave tubing in Belize so unique is that you’ll be inside ancient Mayan caves learning all about the ceremonies and activities that took place inside of them. Floating down the river all while learning about the fascinating history of the caves is truly a wonderful experience. 

Cave tubing in Belize is very, very safe. I’m not a super strong swimmer and I felt safe the whole time. You’ll have a life jacket and helmet and the entire time your tube is connected to the other tubers in your group and the guide. 

Tours will pick you up and drop you off at your accommodation in San Ignacio! 

Cave Tubing + Zip Lining Tours in San Ignacio:

Ziplining in Belize.
Zip Lining
Cave tubing in Belize.
Cave Tubing

Day 8 – Head to Placencia – OR Extend One Day in San Ignacio

For the last part of your trip, you’ll head to the beautiful beach town of Placencia to spend a couple days relaxing and enjoying some Belizian adventures!

OR – if you’d like to spend a little more time in San Ignacio for some fun tours and activities, that’s a great option, too. Below are a few great tours you can take part in if you decide to extend your stay in San Ignacio. 

San Ignacio to Placencia

To get from San Ignacio to Placencia, you can either hop in your rental car and take the 3 hour drive. Or, you can hire a driver. Just like before, either option is great! 

Assuming you leave after breakfast, you’ll get to Placencia in time for lunch! Check into your hotel and then head into town to explore and get something to eat. 

Great hotels in Placencia: 

Where to eat in Placencia:

Umaya resort Maya Beach, Placencia, Belize.
Umaya Resort
Placencia, Belize

Day 9 – Explore Placencia and Have a Beach Day

Placencia is an adorable, colorful town known for its beaches and laid back lifestyle. Many hotels are beachfront, but there’s also a wonderful, public beach right in town (many hotels sit right on this beach). The beach is 16 miles long so you can swim, walk, relax and hangout! 

Placencia Beach, Belize.
Placencia Beach

Right off of the public beach in downtown Placencia, you’ll find what’s known as the Placencia Sidewalk. This is a pedestrian only area that’s lined with tons of restaurants, coffee shops and cute shops. 

You’ll find everything you need right downtown and can easily spend the entire day on the beach and checking out the shops and restaurants. 

Exploring Placencia

Day 10 – OPTIONAL Fun Last Day Activity

Now it’s your final day in Belize! There are several great options for how to spend your last day. First, you can enjoy another relaxing beach day. This is a wonderful way to end your time in Belize before your vacation ends. 

If you’re looking for something a little more adventurous, there are tons of fun and unique tours that depart from Placencia. A few great options include:

ice cream at a Mayan chocolate factory in Belize.
Ice Cream at Che’il Mayan Chocolate

Day 11 – Drive to Belize City and Fly Home!

Time to head home! Hop in your rental car or book a private transfer from Placencia to Belize City to go to the airport. The drive will take about 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Transfers from Placencia to Belize City Airport:

FAQ: Belize Travel Itinerary

  • How many days do I need in Belize?
    • 10 days in Belize is ideal, especially for everything on the above itinerary. However, with 7 days you can see almost everything and with 5 days you can still visit the islands and do some great, fun activities. 
  • What is the best month to go to Belize?
    • December – May is the dry season, so many travelers prefer to travel during this time of year. However, there really isn’t a terrible time to go.  The “worst time” is probably hurricane season, which is August – November. However, I visited in October and it was great, it hardly rained at all. 
  • Is Belize an affordable vacation?
    • Belize can be a luxury or a budget-friendly vacation destination. It all depends on where you eat, where you stay and what you do. However, although it is definitely possible to visit Belize on a budget, Belize is more expensive than most other Latin American countries. 
    • The Belize dollar is pegged to the US dollar at 2USD=1 Belize. This exchange rate doesn’t change and you can pay in either currency. Expect to get change back in either (or a mix of both) currencies. 
  • Is it safe to travel to Belize right now?
    • Yes, Belize is considered to be a safe travel destination for tourists. The islands, Placencia and San Ignacio are all very safe. There are some parts of Belize City, like all major cities, that you should not visit or wander around alone. However, Belize City makes up a very, very small part of most travelers’ Belize itineraries. 
    • Overall, I felt very safe during my entire trip to Belize. 

In Conclusion

And just like that, your trip to Belize is planned and ready! I hope you found this Belize travel itinerary to be helpful. If you have any questions, or anything to add to this post, let me know in the comments. 

More posts for planning your trip:

11 Incredible Things to do in Belize

Lastly, make sure to follow us on Instagram, @twosistersabroad, for tons of photo inspo and mini travel guides! 

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10 day Belize travel itinerary blog post.
Epic, customizable Belize travel itinerary.
♡Kate

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