It is time to give a definite answer to a question the WowBelize team has received over the past decade. Many of our clients are curious to know where to find the best beaches in Belize (BBB), so we’ve explored this diverse country to bring accurate results to our readers. Here are the results of our investigation:
What are the best beaches in Belize?
The following is a list of beaches we have ranked for our readers with a brief description of every beach. This list is also advice to first time newcomers to the country. Anyone who comes to Belize to step on the cleanest and most exotic beaches of the Caribbean should skip Belize city and go straight to the beaches we’ve listed here.
Those who visit Belize exclusively for picture-perfect beaches should do as the expats do and take a boat to one of more than 400 islands in Belize. While not all islands have the same type of sand, our preference would definitely be the white coral sand beach, which is composed of finely crushed coral. This type of sand does not burn your feet and makes Belizean beaches look like no other in the world.
WowBelize recommends finding an experienced guide to get your party to an island safely.
Previous Caribbean sailing experience is needed when sailing to the cayes and islands, as it is important to maneuver your ship through the sometimes shallow Belizean waters. Experienced local guides can steer you safely into your island of choice. These are our top picks!
The Silk Cayes
Goff’s Caye
Visiting these islands should be on everyone’s travel goal list in the coming years. These zones are still not experiencing heavy tourist traffic, but this is expected to change in the next decade. As of today, you can still relax and enjoy the privacy of an entire island for you and your party. If you decide you want to live in an island, then why not buy one while they’re still affordable?
The Best Beaches in Belize — the Mainland
If you’re not the biggest fan of floating land, then try the mainland beaches. Our recommendations can be found in the Placencia and Hopkins, the latter of these has a recently paved main road. These two villages are experiencing a tourism hike thanks to the cruise ships that come down to Belize and bring new beach lovers every day. Do not worry about crowded beaches; It will be a long time until Placencia or Hopkins become anything like Cancun or Playa del Carmen.
And lastly, if your idea of a beach is a secluded rocky haven where you can jump into ice cold water, then there’s also a place for you in the little beaches found at river banks, such as the Swasey River— a place with large rocks that serve as diving platforms, with a nearby white sand bank.
In conclusion: If the deciding factor in your travel plans is finding a nice sandy Caribbean beach to have a beer at, then forget Mexico and come down to peaceful Belize.
Note from the author: San Pedro is a beautiful place, and one of my favorite places in Belize, but it did not make the list due to its abundance of seagrass, which removed it from the list of best beaches. My condolences, Isla Bonita.