Where to stay in Belize

The four Belizes

• Caye Caulker - small, sandy, cheap, no cars, backpackers and a "go slow" sign. The best value in the country.
• Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) - bigger, busier, golf carts, resorts, the diving base. More expensive.
• Cayo, around San Ignacio - jungle lodges, Maya sites, caves, the Guatemala border. Green, cheap, and a completely different holiday from the cayes.
• Placencia and Hopkins - southern mainland beaches, quieter, Garifuna culture, a long drive or a short flight.

Belize City

• Almost nobody stays here and there is little reason to. The FCDO's gang violence warning centres on the Southside, south of Haulover Creek.
• If you have an early flight, there are hotels near the airport rather than in the city.

Practical

• On the cayes, the FCDO warns about theft - avoid dark alleys at night and keep valuables out of sight. This is opportunistic, not violent.
• Air conditioning versus fan is the main price difference on the cayes, and in April and May the difference matters.
• Check for a generator. Power cuts happen on the islands.
• Book ahead for Easter and Christmas, when Belizeans holiday on their own cayes and everything fills.