Belize is the smallest of all the Central American countries.

Here you will find Mayan archaeological sites, rain forests, lots of animal species, a unique culture with a deeply noticeable British influence and beautiful beaches. This is the only country in Central America where the official language is English.

Ambergris Caye

This is one of Belize’s islands, the largest actually. And it is right in the middle of the second largest barrier reef of the world. There are several villages in the island filled with hotels, rentals, family friendly resorts restaurants and most services you need.

Things to Do in Ambergris Caye

1. The thing to do here is Diving and snorkeling.

2. A great way to get to know the island and to have a fun family adventure is to rent bikes.

3. Another way of exploring the city in a more relaxed way, but still fun is to rent a golf cart.

Where to Stay in Ambergris Caye

1. If you want to stay on a luxury condo by the beach on your vacation check out Belizean Cove Estates. These guys offer fully equipped, luxurious and spacious apartments with a kitchen, a dining room, a Living room, a master bedroom and a bathroom with a fantastic shower.

2. San Pedro is the largest town on Ambergris Caye. It is saturated with hotels and viewing them online is hard to see which is good for you. If you want to stay in a hotel that is located on the beach, away from the noise, but still close to everything pay a visit to Blue Tang. The hotel is small with a lot of homey touches that makes is just adorable to stay in.

Caye Caulker

This is a small island of Belize where all you see are white sanded beaches. This is the place to be if you prefer a relaxed, private place instead of a touristy area.

What to do in Caye Caulker

1. Caye Caulker is great for snorkeling. Taking a private tour with kids makes such a difference. Hol Chan Marine Park and Shark Ray Alley are the hot spots for diving and snorkeling.

2. If you want to explore the island without your kids getting bored go Biking. This is without a doubt the best way to get around the beach areas, especially the Cayes which are smaller.

Where to Stay in Caye Caulker

1. If you want to stay on this precious two mile island where Rastas, locals, fishermen and travelers enjoy the truly simple, relaxed life I highly recommend to check out Caye Reef. This is one of the newer hotels in the area. In it you will find one or two bedroom fully furnished apartments with fantastic ocean views.

Hopkins Village

Hopkins village is a small Garifuna town with a population of around 1,000 villagers located right in the center of the country. This beach town is a place where fishing is still one of the main activities.

Many travelers talk about it as “The Friendliest Village in Belize”.

Where to stay in Hopkins Village

1. In this village you won’t find any large resorts just small guesthouses and cabins in front of the beach. If that’s what you like for your family you will love All Season’s Guest House. This is a beach front building with a total of 3 apartments, fully furnished.

2. In this garifuna town of Belize you will also find Beaches and Dreams. It’s a small hotel with wooden beachfront cabins and access to free kayaking.

Placencia

This is my family’s favorite place on the mainland Belize. This is a small town known for having the narrowest main street in the world. It is a place where people come to relax on the beach, do some water sports, explore the mangroves, art galleries and great restaurants.

Where to stay in Placencia

1. If you come to Placencia Laru Beya Resort is a Must Stay. This is a beachfront hotel with a kid friendly pool. We stayed in their two bedroom condo, which had huge rooms, was fully furnished and had an ocean view veranda.

San Ignacio

San Ignacio is a tiny town of Belize. It is located just 70 miles ayay fron Belize’s capital city. The beauty of this place is that it is located next to the Macal River.

The locals are also really nice and have a unique culture, a mixture of Creole, Mestizo, Lebanese, Chinese, Mennonite, Maya and other cultures.

Things To Do in San Ignacio

1. If you are in the area you can’t miss a relaxing walk in the middle of the forest to the Mayan Ruins of Cahal Pech. This is one of the oldest known archaeological sites of the Maya in Belize.

2. One of the highlights of traveling anywhere is visiting the local market. It is where you meet the locals and take a better look at what their daily life is like. I definitely recommend visiting the one in San Ignacio, but make sure to get there on Saturday. That’s where you will find the most activity.

Where to stay in San Ignacio

1. Chaa Creek – This is a luxury eco lodge located in the middle of the Belizean jungle that offers gorgeous private cabins with hammocks. This 145 acre farm offers what can be compared to a 5 star restaurant, a butterfly garden and a swimming pool.

2. Macal River Camp – Chaa Creek also offers a River camp for those adventurers who prefer camping. The rustic cabins are located right next to Macal River. If you have the time to experience both of the options at Chaa Creek, I would sooooo recommend spending some time in each.

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Article by Marina Kuperman Villatoro

Marina Kuperman Villatoro CEO of TravelExperta.com, a travel resource site to inspire families to travel with kids of all ages. I've been an expat 10+ years in Central America raising 2 boys in a multicultural, trilingual household. We travel all over the world. Needless to say, it’s never boring! Join Marina on Facebook and Twitter for more Central and Latin American fun!