Belize News Archives

Belize has virtually no chain stores, and there are no fast food chains. For most of us expats, this is a good thing. We moved here to get away from fast-paced North American commercialism, and to enjoy a more laidback way of living.

The holidays tend to conjure up images of snow falling, warm fires, and being indoors…but all that changes when you move to tropical and exotic Belize. The holiday season is celebrated in full swing here, but be prepared for some changes from North American traditions.

Belize has a "high season" and a "low season" for visitors. The exact dates of each are debatable, though typically December through April is referred to as high season, and July to October as low season. From my point of view, Belize is a place that never feels crowded… That's one of the things that makes it so appealing for the traveler looking for something different.

A week-long trip is not truly enough time to see everything Belize has to offer. If possible, spend at least two weeks here on your scouting trip—this will give you a much more complete feel for the country. You can also be flexible with your time, spending more of it in the areas that speak to you and less in locations you feel are not a great fit.

I recommend you take an initial scouting trip of no less than a week. You can check out the major sites, explore the different areas to live in Belize, and you should then be able to decide if you want to discover more. If you like what you find on your scouting trip, take a "test drive" of life here by coming back and renting for a couple of months. By then you should know if you're ready to make a more permanent move.

No matter where you live in Belize—in the north or south, in the jungle, on the beach, in a big town, or in a small town—you'll find an amazing array of street food vendors, food shacks, and informal places to grab a meal.

Although numerous high-end projects are slated to come to Belize in the next few years, for the most part life here remains laidback, unhurried, and nonmaterialistic. The country has the lowest population density in Central America—the vast majority of Belize is rolling mountains of jungle, waterfalls, Maya villages, and coastline.

Getting around Belize is one of the great adventures and joys of living here. Indeed, how you go about getting around your new home is likely one of the biggest adjustments you'll make from your old life.

If you do a quick internet search, you'll find a lot of contradictory information about prices in Belize. The truth is that living in Belize can cost about 60% of what it costs to live in the U.S.—or it can be more expensive than back home, if you don't get the right information.

As more and more expats call Belize home—and the tourism numbers continue to climb—North Americans are finding that these tourists and expats are hungry for some of the comforts of home, to supplement their exotic experiences. This has led to more expats deciding to set up businesses here—to take advantage of Belize's growth.