Sidney H. Says:
I’m looking for a warm place to winter from December to May, and I’m interested in Belize. Is it safe?
IL Belize Correspondent Shane Kenny Says:
Hi Sidney,
Belize is a very safe location to live in, mostly. Like other countries, Belize has its rough spots that I always recommend that expats (or visitors) avoid.
The primary of which is the south side of Belize City.
You may see news about Belize having a “high crime rate” or being placed on lists of country’s with high murder rates. Most of that is coming from Belize City. There is really nothing there that you will need anyway, so avoiding it is easy to do.
If you’re not a very seasoned Belize traveler, I really recommend starting out in Placencia, Hopkins, and Ambergris Caye. You’re going to feel comfortable in those places. You’re going to find a lot of expats. You should feel pretty safe in those areas.
Other than that, use your common sense when it comes to safety, just like you would back home.
In touristy parts of the country, keep an eye out for the petty crime that is in these kinds of places worldwide. Don’t flash wads of cash around or wear too much super expensive jewelry.
As for violent crime, there are about 140 murders a year in the country. In the last decade there have been 20 murders of Americans. If you look at the total statistics of number of American visitors and the murder rate, this would be over the last 10 years, about 20 chances in 10 million.
The U.S. Department of State lists Belize at a Level 2—this means exercise caution—but note, this is the same level as the U.K., France, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, and many others.
You can read more on the safety in Belize on the IL website here.
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