Belize Cruise Port Guide Info
Located on the northeastern coast of Central America, known for its rich Mayan cultural heritage, lush tropical vegetation, and the second-longest reef in the world – Belize Barrier Reef, Belize is an attractive Caribbean cruise destination and the only country in Central America where English is an official language. Belize is a tendering cruise port, which means that cruise ships drop the anchor outside in the sea and use tender boats to transfer passengers ashore. The tender ride lasts around 15-20 minutes, and the boats disembark the cruise guests at the Tourist Village dock, located in the vicinity of Belize City – the capital of Belize, and its administrative and commercial center. Tourist Village is a nice area consisting of a wide range of souvenir shops, snack bars, cafés, restaurants, and tourist desks offering tours, car rental services, and more.
There is another cruise port reserved exclusively for Norwegian Cruise Line passengers – Harvest Caye cruise port, located around 185 km (115 mi) south of Belize City. This port is situated on Harvest Caye, a private island that features a variety of facilities such as pools, shops, bars, restaurants, ziplines, and water activities. It is surrounded by beautiful nature and turquoise crystal clear waters of the Caribbean Sea, and if passengers want to go to the mainland, they can use take tender boats or join shore excursions.
Belize City is a place of many natural attractions, and there are a great number of things you can do. Cave tubing – floating down the river and through a fascinating cave system once used by Mayas, is one of the coolest activities you can experience. Snorkeling and scuba diving in the Barrier Reef waters are said to be among the top scuba diving and snorkeling sites in the entire world. If you seek more thrilling activities, go for Canopy / Zip-line activities, or if you are into nature and wildlife, you can go to the Bird Sanctuary or Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center.
However, if you want to explore the history of Mayan presence in Belize, you can visit several major Mayan ruins and archaeological sites, such as Altun Ha (a 1-hour drive), Lamanai Archaeological Reserve (a 2 hour 30-minute drive), Cahal Pech (a 2-hour drive), or Xunantunich (a 2 hour 30-minute drive).
If you decide to stay and explore the city, you can check out a few places of interest, such as Baron Bliss Lighthouse, located by the entrance to the harbor, the Museum of Belize, the House of Culture, and St. John’s Cathedral.
As for the beaches, Caye Caulker island and Starfish island offer great swimming and snorkeling experiences, as well as facilities such as restaurants, bars, and gift shops. It is possible to visit them either with a cruise ship shore excursion or by boat (you can purchase the tours/tickets at the Tourist Village). If you are passionate about nature, underwater activities, and Mayan ruins, Belize is the place you will always want to return to.
