Is Belize City Safe in December 2026?

When cruise ships dock at the Fort Street Tourism Village, dozens of unofficial guides and transport operators swarm the exit, intercepting passengers with hand-drawn signs, aggressive pitches, and false claims that official excursions are sold out. Excursions sold this way are typically uninsured, use unregistered vehicles, and may have no connection to the destination advertised.

How to avoid: Book shore excursions in advance through the cruise line or through registered operators vetted by the Belize Tourism Board. If booking independently in port, ask to see the operator licence issued by the Belize Tourism Board before paying. Ignore any person who approaches you unsolicited at the terminal exit.

Taxis in Belize City operate without meters and charge negotiated rates. Drivers regularly quote tourists two to four times the standard fare and may take longer routes to the international airport or water taxi terminals to inflate the price further. The airport run is a frequent target, with drivers quoting 60-80 USD for a journey that should cost 20-25 USD.

How to avoid: Ask your hotel or hostel for the current going rate to your destination before hailing any taxi. Agree the price explicitly before getting in the vehicle. For the international airport, the official rate is posted at the airport taxi stand — use it as a reference.

Belize City has documented higher street crime rates than other Central American capitals, and daylight street robbery targeting tourists with visible electronics occurs on streets in the downtown core outside the tourist corridor. The situation worsens after dark, when areas south of the Swing Bridge become significantly less safe.

How to avoid: Stay within the tourist corridor bounded by the Fort Street area and the Marine Terminal during daylight hours. Do not walk south of the Swing Bridge after dark. Keep your phone out of sight when on the street. Travel in groups after nightfall and use registered taxis rather than walking between venues.

Street touts near the water taxi terminal and outside budget hotels offer to arrange tours to Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, or inland sites at apparently competitive prices. The price quoted is the operator commission — the actual tour price is collected again by the real operator on arrival, leaving visitors having paid twice.

How to avoid: Buy water taxi tickets and tour bookings directly at the Marine Terminal ticket windows or through established agencies. Never pay a street tout for services that require a separate vendor to provide the actual transport or tour. Verify the ticket against the posted prices at the terminal before paying.

Vendors outside the Tourism Village and in the craft market near the swing bridge sell imitation jade jewellery and carvings as authentic Belizean jade, which is a genuine and valuable stone found in the country. Imitation pieces are made from green glass, dyed serpentine, or plastic and sold at prices suggesting authenticity.

How to avoid: Only purchase jade from established craft shops with provenance documentation or from the Museum of Belize gift shop, which stocks authenticated pieces. Ask for a written statement of authenticity before paying significant amounts. Be sceptical of any jade priced more than 30 percent below what you see at licensed retailers.