Eco-Yacht Charters. Background Information On Belize.

Eco-Yacht Charters

	Where are Eco-Yachts?? Belize lies on the eastern coastline of Central America, bordered on the north by Mexico, on the west and south by Guatemala, and on the east by the Caribbean Sea. It is separated by sea from its neighbor to the southwest, Honduras. Getting to Belize: Belize is about 2 hours and 15 minutes by air from Miami, Florida and Houston, Texas. U.S. gateway cities to Belize include Miami, Houston and New Orleans, Louisiana. Direct flights are also available from Los Angeles, NewYork and Washington, D.C; and from Toronto, Canada. From Mexico, direct flights to Belize are available from Cancun and Chetumal. Most Central American countries offer direct flights to Belize, including Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica. International airlines serving Belize: American Airlines: (800) 433-7300. Direct flights from Dallas/Ft. Worth, Miami Continental Airlines: (800) 525-0280. Nonstop from Houston Taca (El Salvador): (800) 535-8780. Direct flights from Houston, New Orleans, Miami, Los Angeles, New York (Kennedy) and Washington, D.C. (Dulles)
Entry Requirements: A passport and return ticket is required to enter Belize. No visas are required for citizens of the U.S., British Commonwealth nations, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey and Uruguay. Departure Tax: A tax of $11.25 US is charged when leaving Belize; this must be paid in cash or travellers' checks (credit cards not accepted for departure tax.) Further, travellers entering Belize International by air and connecting to in-country flights are charged a $.75 US security fee.
	Belizean Airlines Offering In-Country Service: Tropic Air: (800) 422-3435 (from US) or (501) 26-2012. Belize International, Belize Municipal, Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, Corozal, Placencia, Punta Gorda, Flores (Guatemala) Island Air: (501) 26-2435. Belize International, Belize Municipal, Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, Corozal Maya Airways: (800) 422-3435 (from US) or (501) 27-2312. Belize International, Belize Municipal, Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, Corozal, Dangriga, Big Creek, Punta Gorda. Private Aircraft: Private aircraft must enter Philip Goldson International Airport in Belize City. Ports of Entry By Sea: Boats may clear customs and entry at Belize City, Dangriga, Big Creek, Punta Gorda and San Pedro, on Ambergris Caye. There is no customs officer in San Pedro; boats wishing to enter must pay the cost of transport for the customs officer to and from San Pedro from Belize City. Bus services: Several bus lines--Battys (501-27-4924), Venus (501-27-3354), and Novelos (501-27-7372)--depart out of Belize City for most of the major towns (Corozal, Orange Walk, San Ignacio, Belmopan, Dangriga, Punta Gorda) and border towns in Mexico and Guatemala.

Customs: U.S. residents are permitted a $400 per person (or $1,100 per family) duty-free tax exemption upon returning to the U.S., and can also bring back one quart of alcohol and 200 cigarettes duty-free.
Currency: Local currency is the Belize Dollar. One U.S. dollar is worth BZ$2. U.S. dollars should be exchanged directly in purchasing goods and services, as banks will charge a fee (currently is at .0125) to exchange U.S. to Belize dollars. U.S. dollars are accepted everywhere in Belize.
Credit Cards/Travellers' Checks: Nearly all hotels, restaurants and shops in the major towns and tourist areas take all major credit cards. Street vendors and smaller establishments in remote areas may accept only cash or travellers' checks. It's important to keep travellers' checks in a waterproof pouch, as they are considered void if they get wet. Representatives of VISA, MasterCard and American Express can be contacted at the four commercial banks in Belize City (Atlantic Bank Ltd.,Bank of Nova Scotia, Barclays Bank, and the Belize Bank. Banks are generally open Monday-Friday from 8 AM-1 PM and Saturdays, 8 AM-11 AM. American Express also has a representative at Belize Global Travel Services, Inc., at 27-7257.
Tipping: Tipping is voluntary; tips of 10% are acceptable; more if the service is exceptionally good.

Electrical System: Same as US (110 volts AC).
Telecommunications: All telecommunications services (direct dial phones, fax, telex, cable) are available; but calls from Belize are much higher than an equivalent call to Belize. The country code for Belize is (501) and there are currently 17 area codes within Belize. Remote jungle lodges usually have short wave radio communications linked to cellular service. If you are business visitor planning to spend some time in Belize and want a temporary internet account, you can make arrangements by contacting Belize Telecommunications, Inc. ("BTL"), Belize's sole internet access provider (email them at: sales@btl.net).

Climate: Belize is subtropical, with a mean annual temperature of 80 degrees F. Winter storms may bring the temperature down to the low '60's; it can reach the mid-90's on the mainland in the hottest part of summer. Trade winds blow along the coast and on the cayes most of the year, keeping temperatures pleasant even in the hottest months, except for a few weeks, generally around mid-August through mid-September. The dry season generally lasts from November through May; the rainy season is typically June-November. Hurricanes occasionally occur; they are most likely to hit in August and September. Rainfall is heaviest in the south and the jungle areas, lightest in the north and on the Cayes. Water temperature averages between 79 and 83 degrees F.
Water: Most Belizean homes use cisterns to collect rainwater for drinking and home use; The vast majority now has a safe water supply provided by reverse osmosis plants throughout the country thus, tap water is potable with no ill effects. In severe droughts, cisterns may run dry, making bottled water advisable. Visitors should be aware of the need to conserve water during the dry season, especially on the Cayes.

Go forward

Return to front page.

Go to the Contact information