It was last minute for our trip to Belize. The original plan was to go to Amsterdam, but the Netherlands imposed a strict lockdown just a week before our flight. We had two options: scrap the trip or find a new place to go at the last minute.
The beautiful weather, reasonable flights and simple travel requirements were reasons why Belize was chosen. The country of Belize is one of the top countries to visit in the year 2022. The flights from the US to the country were still very reasonable, with a last minute flight coming in at only around $250.
A negative test result, taken no more than 96 hours before arrival, was all that was required according to our initial research. Visitors were allowed to take a rapid test at the airport for $50 in lieu of that. I wasn't able to get my results within the window, so I ended up doing both.
We were told that if the test was positive, we would be confined to the hotel after the phone call and that we would not be able to leave. The length of isolation was not mentioned at the airport, but according to the board, those who test positive will be confined to their hotels for 10 days at their own expense.
We had not checked the specifics ahead of time, but we did expect aQuarantine should one of us test positive. I bought travel insurance in case of a medical emergency, which would have covered up to $50,000 in the event of a positive test for COVID-19.
I was asked to show my result in New York when I checked in for the flight with American Airlines. I am not sure if this is standard, however it is worth checking with your airline to see if they want to see a result ahead of time even though you are taking the test in Belize.
There is an additional requirement that was not mentioned on the American Airlines website or any other travel sites where we searched for information. In order to combat COVID-19, the Belize Tourism Board set up a certain safety standard for accommodations that have passed. If you stay at one of these resorts, you will need to provide proof of your stay when you get to the airport. It is worth it to print out a copy of your hotel reservation so you can check it out later.
Paper copies of test results, reservations, and even boarding passes were required in Belize. For someone who used to have most of their travel documents stored electronically, this can cause some delays, so plan ahead.
A plane is getting ready to leave from the San Pedro airport. The images are of Lux Blue.
We took an American Airlines flight out of Miami and it was full, which was a bit surprising. When drinks were served, the mask requirement was not in place. The only exception was alcohol, which is not available in the main cabin.
All Gold Star Accomodations in Belize are required to meet a 9 point safety standard. housekeeping was back to normal at both of the hotels we stayed in. Guests were required to wear masks if they were eating or drinking in the facility in San Ignacio. The breakfast buffet is a former hotel standard that has been eliminated in many places due to COVID-19 concerns. There were hand sanitizing stations on the beach.
The masks should be worn by both visitors and locals in public. This wasn't always strictly followed on the ground. I saw a few visitors with N95 masks or double masks, but most people in the country seem to wear cloth masks. Service workers in both locations were masked. We didn't have to purchase any surgical masks because we brought enough to sell at some of the larger convenience stores.
There were no vaccine certification requirements at restaurants in the country. Some of the most masked people I saw were restaurant workers. I am not sure if there were any extra Sanitation measures taken. Restaurants and bars were closed on New Year's Eve because of a curfew.
The town of San Ignacio is much smaller. Most businesses were closed by 5pm and the restaurants and bars were always open.
The Xunantunich Ancient Maya ruin is in Belize.
Many of the ruins in San Ignacio, which are the main attractions of the area, were mostly empty. We were the only ones on both tours that were set up by our hotel. The site at Caracol was so large that we rarely saw any of the small groups that were nearby, and it was from a distance of six feet.
My friend took a more or less private horseback riding tour to the Xunantunich ruin, as no one else had signed up for the tour through the hotel. This particular ruin was a popular stop for cruise lines and was usually very crowded.
We walked through the Cahal Peche ruins on our own, where we were part of a small group of people. Some of the sites have museums on-site where you can learn more about the history and culture of the Maya, however all of them were closed because of COVID-19.
Things were different in Caye Caulker. The island was lively with visitors. The main attractions are the bars and water sports. It was not always strictly followed on the beaches. People didn't wear masks outdoors and there was some confusion as to what was considered an outdoor because many of the buildings were built in an open-air pavilion style. Patrons at bars were not always wearing masks, but the server still did. Individual beach towels were given out from the front desk of the hotel. It was nice to have hand sanitizing stations around the island.
We ended up spending time with a lot of locals because there were less tourists. In San Ignacio, we talked to our tour guides a lot about the area and how COVID-19 had affected them. It was difficult to make ends meet without tourism, but many seemed excited to have the time to share what they loved most about the area. One of our tour guides started making special stops to show my friend, an amateur arborist and herbalist, interesting local plants along the way to the ruins. Some locals who ran a snorkeling and scuba operation on the island told us about the importance of preserving the reef and what was being done to it.
Before boarding a flight back, the US requires a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery. This was very easy to get on Caye Caulker. There is a small cottage on the main street that can do the test for you and turn the results around in a few hours. The cost of the test is $75 and certified copies of your results are available for pick up. You can take the test at a clinic in San Ignacio, but you can also make arrangements at many of the resorts.
If you go to the airport, you can skip the self-check-in kiosk and wait in the long line for an agent. You have to get an agent to visually check your documentation and check you in either way.
When you get in the immigration line, you need to have a printed copy of your boarding pass, filled out immigration form, and a printed copy of your COVID-19 results in hand. If you don't have everything in hand when you get to the immigration officials, they will send you back and make you wait in the line again. Extra time is needed for the check-in process just in case.
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