Your Best Inspo from Belize for ‘National Plan For Vacation Day’

by Carolee Chanona

Whether you’re planning on a pre-summer glow this Spring Break, a mid-year escape, or just need an excuse to take on another imagined day—there’s no time like the present to start planning your future vacation. After all, experts predict a surge in travel demand as early as February, so the window of opportunity to benefit from better availability and lower prices at your favorite destination is now. In 2022, National Plan for Vacation Day makes a comeback today—January 25. It encourages Americans to carve out time during the day to look at the 2022 calendar and lock in their vacation days for the year. Designed to battle burnout, today is more important than you might think: only 25% of Americans used all their paid time off in 2021, according to the latest survey at the U.S. Travel Association. Now, we’re taking your inspiration straight from Belize to dive headfirst into planning our future vacation, on today of all days.

Find a flight deal

Maximize your vacation time this National Plan Vacation Day with any of Belize’s 12 non-stop routes here from various carriers: each U.S. hub is listed in alphabetical order, so find your origin city and match it with your carrier of choice. After, all that’s left is to pack your carry-on with the Caribbean essentials and go.

  1. Atlanta (ATL)
  2. Charlotte (CLT)
  3. Chicago (ORD)
  4. Dallas (DFW)
  5. Denver (DEN)
  6. Houston (HOU) & (IAH)
  7. Los Angeles (LAX)
  8. Miami (MIA)
  9. Minnesota (MSP)
  10. Newark (EWR)
  11. Orlando (MCO)
  12. Seattle (SEA)

Pick your destination

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An aqua approach to Moho Caye in Southern Belize. Photo by Duarte Dellarole

In truth, Belize is really two different destinations: verdant, tropical rainforests and postcard-worthy beachy outposts like the popular Ambergris Caye and, more recently, the sizzling area of Placencia. All eyes are trained on the Atlantic, which lines a 175-mile long coastline facing the Western Caribbean.

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Caye Caulker, Belize. Image via @veveordie

Fishing towns and villages—reliant on the bounty offshore long before tourism came into the picture—feel far more Caribbean than Belize’s innermost corners, which border our Central American neighbors and pulls on Yucatán flavors. After all, we’re the only Central American country without a Pacific coastline.

Dive in (or under) to adrenaline-packed adventures in the innermost corners like the Cayo District, including the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) cave. Wade into the chambers of Xibalba through hip-deep water: you’re in the Cave of the Stone Sepulcher now. Slip and slide through tight spaces on slippery rocks (butts up!) and discover sparkling crystal walls and dripping limestone stalactites. Or, venture to once-sprawling Maya metropolises, like Caracol or Xunantunich; the adrenaline of being an archeologist for the day can propel your adventures (and discoveries) ahead.

Entry Requirements to Belize

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Graphic via Belize Tourism Board

All travelers must have a negative PCR COVID-19 test done within 96 hours of travel or a negative result from an approved Antigen Test taken within 48 hours of travel. However, if no test is presented, a COVID-19 test will be administered at the airport for a fee of USD $50 per passenger. Children under 5 years of age will not be required to present a negative test. Starting February 15, 2022, all incoming travelers will also need to buy Belize’s mandatory travel health insurance for US$18 (with coverage for 21 days), which works out to less than $1 a day.

Find somewhere to stay here this National Vacation Day, and Belize travel deals here. Header image courtesy Chabil Mar.

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