Yes, Belize is generally a safe country to visit, except for some areas where travelers should take precautions, such as Belize City after dark. However, you may hear news about Belize having a high crime rate or being placed on travel advisories by first world countries. This is mainly due to a small pocket of high crime in Belize City, which accounts for most of the reported crimes in the country.
When deciding whether to visit or live in Belize, safety is an important factor to consider. It’s important to note that a significant portion of violent crime is gang-related. Therefore, travelers are advised to exercise caution when traveling to the south side of Belize City. Moreover, local police may lack the resources and training to respond effectively to serious criminal incidents.
To summarize, while Belize has some areas that require caution, overall, it is a safe country to visit. It’s always a good idea to stay aware of your surroundings and take appropriate precautions, especially in unfamiliar places. Despite these concerns Belize Is Considered A Good Place For Americans To Retire.
Personal Safety In Belize
Criminals in Belize engage in a range of criminal activities such as jewelry and purse snatching, pickpocketing, armed robbery, home invasions, assault, and homicide. Unfortunately, tourists are sometimes targeted by these criminals. Additionally, drinks being spiked have been reported, especially to target women. While most of these incidents occur in Belize City, they are prevalent throughout the country, including popular tourist destinations such as San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Placencia, and San Ignacio. To avoid becoming a victim, it is recommended to stay away from dark alleys, not to hitchhike or accept lifts from strangers, keep valuables out of sight, and avoid wearing expensive jewelry that could attract unwanted attention. If possible, travel in groups and use a qualified guide for trips off the beaten track.
Are the taxis in Belize safe?
Taxis are safe and preferred when getting around at night. You can ask your hotel or resort to call a taxi for you. Be sure to get take an authorized taxi (they have green license plates). Use your smartphone and track the route on your offline map, and if the driver seems to be going off said route, speak up and ask why they’ve decided to take this direction instead. At the end of the day, always trust your gut: if a taxi driver seems shady, stop the cab and get out.
Be aware of your surroundings. Avoid walking or driving at night. Do not physically resist any robbery attempt. Be extra vigilant when visiting banks or ATMs. Do not display signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry. Drive with extreme caution, even on major streets, and avoid night trips. Road conditions are generally poor, at maximum width of 26 feet not up to international standards and may be hazardous. Ensure that you have a cell phone, spare tire, and other emergency equipment. Do not do drugs. Cartels have made life difficult for the local population. Don’t support them by buying their products. Drug penalties are draconian, criminal defence attorneys are good but like everywhere else expensive.
Solo Women Travellers
When travelling alone, women should take extra precautions when interacting with new male acquaintances in restaurants and bars, particularly in Belize City and the cayes. As is the case in many parts of the world, drugs intended to make women vulnerable to date rape and other violent crimes are sometimes added to food or drinks. Although most victims of such crimes have been local women, it is still not advisable to accept food or drinks from strangers. Additionally, it is important to verify the credentials of anyone claiming to be a guide, as all legal tour guides in Belize are licensed and carry photo ID. If you are unsure about a guide, it is best to trust your instincts and report any incidents to the authorities.
Police emergency numbers The police emergency number in Belize is 90 or 911; to contact the tourism police or to report a crime in Belize City, call 227-2210 or 227-2222, in the districts the Belize Police Department default phone number is 2222, for example in Belmopan dial 822 2222.
Travel Advisories For Belize
Foreign governments regularly issue travel advisories aimed at their nationals who are travelling abroad. How are these advisories categorised? Borrowing from tropical weather updates with Category 1 being smallest and Category 5 the largest, in the case of the U.S.A. the travel advisories are categorised by “levels”, with Level 1 being considered normal, and Level 4 the worst. For example: Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions, Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution, Level 3: Reconsider Travel and Level 4: Do Not Travel.
Belize travel advice by the United Kingdom government for British nationals can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/belize
Travel advisory for U.S.A. nationals visiting or living in Belize can be found here: https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/belize/
Travel advisories for Canadian nationals travelling to or living in Belize can be found here: https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/belize As of September 2022 Canada has a consulate in Belize: The Consulate of Canada to Belize is located at No.8 Newton Barracks, Belize City, Belize. For Consular Services please book your appointment by phone to (501) 223-1060 /223-3722 or by email to belize-city@international.gc.ca. For Consular Emergencies please contact: Phone +1 613 996 8885. Email belize-city@international.gc.ca & sos@international.gc.ca. Or you can contact the Embassy of Canada to Guatemala, in Guatemala City. For emergency consular assistance, call the Embassy of Canada to Guatemala, in Guatemala City, and follow the instructions.
State Of Emergency – SOE
From time to time the government implements limited States Of Emergency in specific areas of the country to quell criminal activity. These are similar to a National State Of Emergency in critical emergency situations such as to maintain public order in the aftermath of a hurricane. These SOEs suspend certain sections of the Belize Constitution, and are invoked by a Statutory Instrument which is a temporary law put into effect by the signature of a minister of the government of Belize. An SOE suspends removes certain civil liberties and increases the powers of the state to search for and detain individuals suspected of criminal activity or affiliation.
Among the restrictions imposed by the SI are prohibitions on loitering, public drinking, and assembly in groups of three or more in any public place within the emergency area. Authorities are granted enhanced powers, including the ability to conduct searches of people, premises, and vehicles without a warrant if evidence of an offense is suspected.
Article by M.A. Romero Chief Information Officer (RET) to the Government of Belize. M.A. Romero has served as advisor in the office of the Deputy Prime Minister. His most recent posting was Communications Advisor in the Ministry of National Security.