Post-Lockdown Positivity: Brits Could Fly To Caribbean In 6 Weeks’ Time

British sunseekers could be jetting off to the Caribbean in as little as six weeks as Boris Johnson prepares to gradually ease the ban on foreign holidays. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that from April 12, non-essential shops will reopen and pubs and restaurants will restart outdoor dining as the country moves to step two of the roadmap out of the Covid-19 lockdown. The PM is set to confirm step-by-step plans to lift international travel restrictions on Monday, starting with countries with the best vaccination rates. Under his ‘roadmap’ out of lockdown, non-essential trips abroad could resume from May 17, with the Government expected to adopt a ‘traffic light system’. Safer ‘green’ countries expected to be opened first include the Cayman Islands, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda and Barbados, due to successful vaccination programs around the Caribbean.

“The net result of your efforts and of course the vaccine rollout is that I can today confirm that from Monday April 12, we will move to step two of our road map.”

– Boris Johnson

Inject Some Sun From The Corner Of The Commonwealth: Belize 

It is often forgotten that Britain also dipped its colonial toes into Central America. Belize, once known as British Honduras, is found at the base of the Yucatan Peninsula, hugged between Mexico and Guatemala. And as Belize celebrated thirty-nine years of Independence last September, it still is and remains a less-heralded segment of the region to Europeans and Britons alike. Roughly the size of Wales, Belize blends eco-adventures alongside its UNESCO-attested Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System and a near-blindingly bright shoreline of the Caribbean Sea. This year, here’s how Britons can safely enjoy the Caribbean nation of Belize with no quarantine on arrival. In the UK, nearly 31.6 million people have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine, according to official figures.

Getting Here & Belize’s Entry Requirements

Belize reopens its international airport starting October 1. (Photo taken pre-covid). Photo courtesy Maya Island Air.

The UK Telegraph recaps it best by saying bite-size Belize has long been overshadowed by neighboring Mexico to the north and the Caribbean to the east. While direct flights across the pond in Europe is not (yet) available, more routes arise for how to get to Central America’s corner of the Commonwealth. Mainly, connecting with routes through Latin America. Tropic Air, a domestic airline in Belize servicing international destinations to Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras, also offers a direct link to Europe and the United Kingdom.

Additionally, TAG Airlines also offers a layover option Monday through Sunday via Flores (FRS) and Guatemala City (GUA). Flights are also available through San Salvador – El Salvador International (SAL) with Avianca Airlines; bookings available as of December 2, 2020, on Avianca.com. It should be noted that Mexico does not require a negative test to enter, but Guatemala does. In late March 2021, the Belize Tourism Board confirmed COPA Airlines’ return to Belize in June 2021. COPA Airlines began offering non-stop service to Belize from Panama City in December 2015.

Photo by the Belize Tourism Board

While AeroMexico was one of the 12 international carriers offering direct flights from Mexico City (MEX) to Belize (BZE)—which began in November 2018—service remains suspended. Earlier Monday, British health authorities announced that everyone in England will be able to take a free rapid Covid-19 test twice a week from Friday as the government seeks to extend its testing program. In March, Belize became the first Caribbean country to welcome vaccinated travelers; travelers who have been fully vaccinated for at least two weeks prior to visiting Belize will not need to present a negative Covid-19 test upon arrival.

Wondering Where to Stay in Belize?

Orchid Bay

See our full list of hotels to stay HERE 

Header image courtesy ROEming Belize Travel Agency