5 Reasons to Visit Belize During Winter
There are two types of travelers: those who love to visit Belize during its highest season whether for convenience or to enjoy the prime attractions and those who visit in the low season to take advantage of lower hotel rates and smaller crowds. Whether you’re traveler #1 or traveler #2, chances are that for 2020 your plans have drastically changed. Perhaps you’re usually traveler #1 but as the world attempts to wrap its mind around the current situation, it’s safe to assume almost everyone is rebooking their plans for later this year or early next year. Here are some reasons why you should consider visiting Belize during the Winter.
- Holiday Spirit. Like any other place, the entire country is plunged into a warm holiday spirit during December. The famous Fruit Cake is baked in homes and offered as gifts to family and close friends, rumpopo (an eggnog-like drink) flows from every dinner table and the people are generally giddier as they go about their day preparing for Christmas in Belize.
- San Pedro Lighted Boat Parade. Also known as the “Christmas Boat Parade,” this event takes place on Ambergris Caye. Participants spend a lot of time and effort decorating their boat with Christmas themes, lights and music. The route starts from Wayo’s Restaurant near Boca Del Rio, and makes its way south to Caribbean Villas ending at the Central Park, where there is usually an after party.
- ‘Jankunu” Dance. This specific dance originated from our Garifuna culture and can be witnessed on Christmas Day in towns like Hopkins or Dangriga. The world-famous dance is called the Wanaragua Dance (or “Jankunu/John Canoe” dance). The dancer dons a mask to resemble the “European slave master,” complete with shells tied to each knee, and an extravagant headpiece for their performance. Jerking movements and vibrating shells are accompanied by the pounding of the drums with a fast-paced beat.
- Access to our most Popular Nature Tours. Though there are still many things to do and attractions to see during the summer, some tours like the ATM cave or hiking may be seasonal due to the rains. In the Winter however, you can rest assured that no tour will be impeded by the weather and you can enjoy spelunking and chasing waterfalls to your hearts content.
- The weather. It’s no secret Belize can get quite warm during the summer (though the beautiful beaches and crystal-clear Caribbean Sea make up for it.) But undoubtedly the weather in December is absolutely lovely. Cold fronts are common during this time, providing some much-needed relief from the tropical sun. Temperatures drop as low as 50 degrees (F) in the nights and climb to around 60-70 (F) during the day.
Right now, we highly recommend our beloved travelers to postpone – not cancel – their Belize vacation. As you bunker down in your homes, we invite you to virtually explore Belize and look towards reschedule your visit when it’s safe to travel again. . A winter trip will not only afford you an escape the freezing northern temperatures, but it’ll be a well-deserved break from the challenging times we’re all currently experiencing.
For more information on travel to Belize, call us toll-free at1-800-624-0686 or email us at info@travelbelize.org.
