Belize travel information
Capital
Belmopan
Area
8,867 square miles
Population
270,000
Time zone
GMT-6
Voltage
110V
Language
Official language is English, but Spanish and Creole are widely spoken.
Health
Yellow fever, tetanus and malaria advisable. Malaria is a risk in all areas but the highest risk is in the south and west.
Visas
Not required for EU, US or most Commonwealth citizens for 30 day stays.
Money
The local currency is the Belizean Dollar, and is fixed at Bz$2 to US$1. US Dollars are accepted everywhere. It is recommended to bring either US Dollars or dollar denomination travellers cheques to change, although in remoter areas it can be hard to find places willing to accept or change travellers’ cheques. Keep official exchange slips as without them you will be unable to change soles back into dollars. Visa credit cards are generally widely accepted in the larger towns, followed by American Express. MasterCard is not as commonly accepted as most of the others. Cash can be withdrawn with your Visa card from ATM machines in all major cities.
Telephones
There are public telephone offices in most towns.
If you have a BT Chargecard then take it. You can dial 552 (free) from some telephones (814 for payphones) and will be connected straight to the BT operator in the UK.
Driving
Traffic drives on the right, and while the main highways are in good condition and asphalted minor roads are often bumpy and dusty. It is usual procedure to pull over to the right before making a left turn, as it is the turning driver's responsibility to make sure the road is clear.