Boris K. Says:
How does the postal service work in Belize?
IL Belize Correspondent Shane Kenny Says:
Hi Boris,
The postal service in Belize is not widely used. In the 4+ years that I have lived in Belize, I have been to the post office maybe three times. Unlike the U.S., mail is not delivered house-to-house, so if you are expecting something, you will need to visit the nearest post office to check if it has arrived.
Post offices are generally open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to noon and then from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. On Fridays, they usually close at 4:30 p.m. On Saturdays, post offices are open only for delivery and pickup of mail, and hours vary from city to city. Someone sent my wife a Christmas card, and it arrived in May!
Most residents, if they need to mail something within Belize, will use a service such as Speed It or EZY. These courier-style services are more expensive, but much more reliable.
For areas with a local airport serviced by Tropic Air or Maya Island Air, sending a package or a letter by plane is also commonplace and fairly economical.
If you need to send something to the U.S., DHL and FedEx are also available, but can be fairly expensive. It is cheaper to find someone headed back to the U.S. and ask them to post it when they get there.
For packages, take a look at a service like Belizean Queen. You ship to an address in Houston, and about three weeks later, your package will be delivered to your door in Belize. They take care of all of the work associated with customs and importation for a “per box” price (starting at $35). They will even consolidate packages into a single box for you.
This is how many expats use Amazon from Belize.
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