
Catching yellowtail snapper in Belize (2006)
Introduction
In early 2006, I began to throw around ideas of where to travel in the spring.
The year before, I had made my first journey to Central America when I backpacked around Costa Rica.
A lot of people I met on that trip were touring all of Central America, and many had either come from or were headed to Panama.
Bocas del Toro was a popular island chain on the Caribbean side, the exchange rate was better, and of course, there was the Panama Canal.
Somehow, Belize came to my attention. Given I was interested in a Caribbean feel to my trip, I began to read through some guidebooks at my local bookstore.
All sorts of exciting activities jumped from the pages – swimming with sharks, diving the second largest barrier reef in the world, and rappelling into a 300-foot sinkhole in the jungle.
Along with the islands offshore, and the commonness of English as a language in addition to Spanish lead me to chart a course for Belize!
Planned Budget
$400 round trip airfare
$720 daily costs ($40/day x 18 days)
$400 adventure activities
$1,520 total
Table of Contents – Backpacking in Belize & Guatemala
- Planning – Trip Inventory
- Planning – Trip Activities and Experiences
- Music – MP3 Playlist for the Road
- Day 1 – Washington, DC to San Pedro, Belize – A Caribbean Journey
- Day 2 – Snorkeling with Sharks and Sting Rays
- Day 3 – Adventures with the British Army and a Bike Ride
- Day 4 – Belize Island Hop – Ambergris Caye to Caye Caulker
- Day 5 – Island Life in Belize
- Day 6 – Fishing by Day, Charades by Night
- Day 7 – Caye Caulker, Belize – Hammocks, Food and Fun
See also: Guatemala Travel Tips and Top 10 Things to Do in Guatemala
Last Updated on August 24, 2020 by Dave Lee
Dave is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Go Backpacking and Feastio. He's been to 66 countries and lived in Colombia and Peru. Read the full story of how he became a travel blogger.