Why honeymoon here? Newlyweds today are looking for something more than merely romping on any beach somewhere, they are increasingly thinking and planning for something unique, something so memorable few of their friends will have done. A recent study by Conde Naste Bridal Groups American Study shows honeymooners from North America typically spend twice as much and stay twice as long as your average vacationer. They spend on average $5,000. and want a really great experience. According to a recent travel article on CNN, Costa Rica and Belize are “are two of the most up and coming honeymoon destinations right now.”
Compared to other destinations, honeymooners in Belize can get the full package: beaches, SCUBA or snorkelling, tour the rainforest, swim under secluded waterfalls, visit the majestic Maya Ruins, hike in the jungles, explore vast cave systems and best of all, hop across the border to either Mexico or Guatemala for a quick change of scenery and culture. Besides these advantages, as the former British Honduras, Belizeans speak English as their first language. Honeymooners from Latin America will be delighted to know that most locals also speak Spanish, and in some areas like Northern and Western Belize, most of the residents speak Spanish as their first language. U.S. dollars are accepted everywhere and you do not need a currency converter to figure out the exchange rate – it is two BZ dollars to one U.S. dollar. Here is a list compiled by our editors on why Belize should be at the top of your list.
Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Honeymoon In Belize
1. Belizeans are great! Belizeans are super friendly and welcoming to visitors. To put it another way, most appear to genuinely like North Americans and Europeans. Many Belizeans have relatives living in the “States” and 90 per cent of television programming beamed into the country is North American. There is no professional baseball or basketball in Belize, but Belizeans avidly watch the NBA and MLB series and are in tune with the daily diet of soap operas and reality shows on U.S. television. This is one of the reasons visitors and honeymooners find it so easy to sync up and converse with Belizeans.
2. Getting to Belize is easy. Getting to and from Belize is delightfully easy from North America. Daily flights by major carriers such as American Airlines, United and Continental means that from most major population centers, Belize is an easy two hour flight. Although airline ticket prices are a little on the high side, alternative routes such as going to Cancun, Mexico by air, and from there catching the First Class ADO bus service is an alternative for those on a budget.
3. Belize is safe for visitors. Although the truth is that Belize is struggling with high crime rates, these are mostly limited to gang-infested areas in certain areas of Belize city, and affect mainly Belizeans living in those areas. Honeymooners staying at resorts be they on the islands, beaches or inland rainforests, are safe. Apart from the surfeit of street hustlers and street vendors in the more populated areas of the country, travelers report that they generally feel safe.
4. Location, location, location. Situated in Central America makes Belize a compelling honeymoon destination for several reasons. Its weather is around 84 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, it is in close proximity to the U.S.A. ( a two hour flight from the airline hubs at Dallas, Atlanta or Miami), its incredibly beautiful 190 mile long Belize Barrier Reef just off the coast makes it a spectacular spot for scuba and snorkeling day trips, fishing and romantic overnight cruises.
5. Belize is a uniquely interesting and fascinating little country. Belize is a uniquely interesting and fascinating little country. O.K., Belize is a Third World Country. The good side is that while it can be very rough on the edges, the absence of concrete jungles and mega hotels are part of its aura as a natural paradise. You will see much more of nature in its rainforests, wildlife, wide open spaces, beaches, uninhabited islands and mountainsscapes, and best of all for honeymooners, much more opportunities for privacy and intimacy.
6. Belize offers a lot for most any honeymooner. The country attracts a wide variety of honeymooners looking for diverse things to do during that very special time of their life. Diving fanatics, history buffs (especially those interested in Mesoamerican history and archaeology) nature and wildlife lovers, zip-liners, mountain climbing are a few of the many attractions available. And for those who simply like to lounge on the beach with a Margarita in hand and listen to reggae music, well that is one of our top passtimes.
7. Belize is beautiful by nature. Picture perfect vistas abound, so bring your camera. Incredible sunrises and sunsets, especially on an island or mountain location are the norm. The tropical beaches with their varying hues of azure water and white, powdery sand, coconut and palm trees make the perfect setting for a wedding or honeymoon. And their is nothing quite as spectacular as getting married on, or hiking as honeymooners to one of the many Maya Temples, archaeological sites and parks that dot the landscape.
8. Belize is environmentally aware. Most of the island inland jungle resorts you will find in Belize use solar power to conserve energy, recycle waste for compost heaps to feed their in-house organic gardens and follow government rules to properly recycle or bag waste to have a minimal impact on the environment. Signs to turn off unneeded lights and put garbage in its place abound.
9. Belize has options for many different budgets. No one on their honeymoon wants to be herded around on the regular tourist tours, and you will be happy to learn that most any resort has specials for honeymooners. Discretion and tailoring a package for honeymooners can be arranged with the individual hotel or tour operator you select. The larger hotels, while more expensive, have the most experience in arranging personalized honeymoon packages. But if you look around, you will be be surprised that even budget accommodations are prepared to work with you to develop a package that meets your expectations.
10. Belizean cuisine will turn you on. Based on a mix of native Belizean dishes, with dashes of Caribbean, Mexican and North American cuisine, the variety of food in Belize is almost too much to savor in one week. Expect lots of fresh seafood, tropical fruits and vegetables. Like most anywhere in the tropics, to stay properly hydrated we recommend bottled water which is widely available, and fresh orange juice.