Sure, this new 8pm curfew is a little earlier than what we’re used to, but there’s still plenty to enjoy on a Belize vacation. From early-morning road trips to picnics with a sundowner, we’ve got you covered to finish right on time. As of December 20, 2020, Belize enacted a nationwide daily curfew that starts at 8:00 pm, and ends at 5:00 am. Stay curfew-friendly, whether you’re more of a spontaneous adventurer or prefer to stick to a pre-planned itinerary, with these top recommendations.
Editor’s Note: Belize relaxes its national curfew to 10:00 pm, effective Monday, February 1, 2021. The 10:00 pm children’s curfew is also extended to accompanied minors. Read more here.
Morning Hike at Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
Photo via Instagram @helenaontherocks
Curfew ends at 5:00 am, and daybreak happens just around 6:00 am, which is more than enough time to begin the six mile access road into Cockscomb Basin. Grab a pair of binoculars to tuck into 350 species of birds recorded on-site or your hiking boots for a waterfall trail. Oversized ferns and vines line the 118 combined kilometers of jungle trails inside the world’s first jaguar reserve, encompassing 128,000 protected acres. Be sure to pack breakfast (or brunch) for a half-day well spent. Still craving more? Leisurely glide downstream with their on-site river tubing tour. Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, like all Belize Audubon Society co-managed protected areas, are Gold Standard certified.
Rooftop Brunch at Rain Restaurant
Sushi and Sake at Rain Restaurant at Grand Caribe Belize. That’s considered brunch, right?
Four floors up from Grand Caribe Belize, you’ll find the hotel restaurant & bar of Rain Restaurant & Rooftop Terrace. The full bar, tucked around the corner from dining tables, sports big-screen TVs and comfy seating, offers an incredible location and view. Several families with polite youngsters dine at the same time; perhaps Grand Caribe guests take advantage of the restaurant’s ideal location for them. After all, its the only rooftop Ambergris Caye restaurant on the island. Stop in for stellar brunch options (and cocktails) with a view.
The Belize Zoo
Feed tapirs at The Belize Zoo! Photo by Duarte Dellarole
Early mornings and afternoons may very well be the best time to visit The Belize Zoo (TBZ)! Besides beating possible traffic on your way to La Democracia, just 29 miles from Belize City, it’s a lot cooler which means the animals tend to be more active. Called the best little zoo in the world, The Belize Zoo offers an immersive wildlife experience that stretches across 29 acres of tropical savanna. Additionally, the Gold Standard certified Belize Zoo is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 4 pm; however, TBZ is offering a special “by appointment only” tour program available from Monday to Thursday.
4 o’clock Afternoon Tea at Itz’ana Resort
An illustrious affair of savory canapes, decadent pastries, traditional tea, and sparkling champagne; all in the perfect setting of a colonial-inspired and tropical scope. After all, the tradition of high tea or afternoon dates back as early the 1700s in England when the 7th Duchess of Bedford requested tea and a light snack to ease her stomach. Friends and family were often invited to “high tea”. Traditionally, the upper-class would be served high tea around 4 o’clock in the afternoon, prior to an evening promenade before dinner. The tradition followed in many hotels in England, seeping into the average home. It was by 1862 that Belize (then, British Honduras) as a colony shared many English traditions, including high tea. An afternoon of ‘champagne tea’ may be the best excuse to share thoughts with great minds, all set against the Caribbean Sea.
Take-Out Picnic in a Park
Bocawina National Park’s Antelope Falls. Photo by Duarte Dellarole
Yea, it could be a local park, but why not take advantage of Belize’s numerous National Parks? After all, the country is home to approximately 113 protected areas. For example, the onsite Bocawina Rainforest Resort offers take-out options from their Wild Fig Restaurant, which boasts a farm-to-table menu. Only four miles from the Southern Highway, the Mayflower Bocawina National Park a short drive from the beach towns of Dangriga, Hopkins and Placencia. Order up a hike-friendly meal and hit the trails for a Belize spin on take-out picnic in the park that’s also curfew-friendly!
Header photo courtesy Rain Restaurant at Grand Caribe Belize
