Belize Flights and Travel Guide

Language

English is the official language and the one most commonly spoken, but you will hear Creole, Spanish, Garifuna and Mayan as well.

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Money

The unit of currency is the Belize Dollar (BZD), which is fixed against the U.S.$ as BZ$2 = U.S.$1. Most tourist resorts, hotels, restaurants and tour operators accept U.S. currency and travelers checks. Credit cards are also accepted, and most banks in Belize City and Belmopan will advance cash against Visa or MasterCard. When using credit cards most establishments will add a 5 percent service charge to the bill. First Caribbean International Bank has several ATMs in Belize City. Always make sure you understand which dollar rate is being quoted, that is, is it Belize Dollars or U.S. Dollars?

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Communications

The international dialing code for Belize is +501. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 001 for the United States). The area code for Belize City is (0)2. International Direct Dialing is available. Mobile telephonecoverage is available throughout most of the country with the Belize Telecommunications Ltd GSM 1900 network, and cellphone rental is available. There are two Internet service providers in Belize, with Internet cafes in urban centers and tourist areas, and an e-mail center at the BTL office in Belize City.

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Tipping

A service charge of 10 percent is almost always added to hotel and restaurant bills, so tipping is unnecessary. If a service charge has not been added tipping is voluntary. Taxi drivers are not usually tipped.

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Safety

Although most visits to Belize are trouble-free, there have been incidents of tourists falling victim to violent crime. Mugging is frequent in Belize City.

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Health

No vaccinations are required for entry to Belize although Hepatitis A and typhoid immunization is recommended. Travelers arriving from a yellow-fever infected area require a vaccination certificate. Some cases of dengue fever have occurred so insect repellent is strongly advised. Malaria prevention is recommendedfor those traveling outside Belize City. Potable water is available in most areas of Belize but it is advisable, if in doubt, to drink bottled or boiled water. Medical facilities are poor in the city, and almost non-existent elsewhere. Cases of severe illness or injury usually require expensive medical evacuation. Adequatemedical insurance is therefore vital. For divers there is a hyperbaric chamber at Ambergris Caye.

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Electricity

Electrical current is 110/220 volts AC, 60Hz. Flat blades with round grounding pin or rectangular blade plugs are used. Most of the electricity is provided by Diesel/GeneratorSets.

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