Belize in December – Why This Is The Best Time To Visit

Are you considering planning a trip to Belize in December?

Belize is an incredible country tucked in between Mexico and Guatemala in Central America. This wonderful country is a great place to visit any time of the year but we are here to tell you why you should visit Belize in December.

We visited in December and didn’t realise just how well we had timed our visit. The weather was perfect and there is so much to see and do. Which we will get into a little bit more shortly.

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The rainy season has just ended, meaning that the jungles are still lush and green and you can leave the warm winter coat at home. The weather is lovely and warm without being too hot and everyone is getting festive and ready for Christmas. The perfect recipe for a fantastic vacation.

December is also a very popular time to visit but that just means there is usually even more to do.

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Typically Belize is spoilt with pretty great weather all year round thanks to its location by the Caribbean Sea. However, It does have two distinct seasons;

Dry Season: December – May

Wet Season: June – November

As you can see, December is right at the start of the dry season, meaning it is not yet the height of the summer temperatures either.

The wet season also corresponds with the Hurricane season, meaning you will miss this too.

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During the nine nights leading up to Christmas, groups of people form parades and go from house to house, singing and acting out the story of Mary and Joseph’s journey. At each house, they are turned away until they finally find a place to stay on the final night, which will be Christmas Eve.

If you want to have a real authentic experience you can join in the nine nights parade. Just ask at a local church, tour company or with your accommodation for details on how to join in.

From our experience, they aren’t hard to miss as you will hear all the singing and music and know where to find them.

The event is a parade of small to large boats that are all decorated elaborately with Christmas lights and festive scenes and then float along the shore from the north to the south of the island. The parade starts around Wayo’s Beach Bar and ends at the Caribbean Villas.

It is usually on the first weekend in December and runs mid-afternoon.

The boats have music and carolers and at the end, the boats are judged and a winner is announced afterwards in Central Park. In the park, there is also a Christmas market and more fun to be had.

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• Go Diving or Snorkelling in Hol Chan Marine Reserve
• Fly out or take a boat trip to see the Famous Blue Hole
  This is a lot easier to do in December, as it is no longer the wet season so your flights shouldn’t have any issues with cancellations.
• Relax on the beaches of Caye Caulker or visit the beautiful Ambergris Caye
• Explore the Ancient Mayan ruins of Cahal Pech, Caracol and Xunantunich
• Visit the sacred ATM caves
• Go Ziplining through the jungle
• Try the local festive dishes including Tamales, rice and beans and fruitcake

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Belize City Airport code – BZE

I recommend looking for flights in June for your trip to December. This is 6 months in advance and should give you the best prices.

We like to use SkyScanner to compare prices and find the best flight deals.

✈️ Search SkyScanner to find the best deals for flights to Belize!

When we arrived from Mexico we took a Taxi to the border from Bacalar and then a local Chicken bus down to Belize City.

Arriving from Guatemala would be equally Simple only I would advise taking a taxi from the border to San Ignacio as it is just a short ride away.

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Things like accommodation can get booked up and if you are travelling on a certain budget you want to make sure you can find the right place for you.

I wouldn’t advise going to Belize in December without having your accommodation all rebooked. I would also try and book it as far in advance as possible. Remember to use Booking.com to find accommodation options with free cancellation options in case for any reason you need to change your plans.

It is also possible to book tours and activities in advance too. We didn’t book anything in advance and still managed to do everything we wanted to do while we were in Belize so don’t worry too much.

However, most Belizeans are multilingual and will also speak other languages too depending on where they are from and their heritage. Other languages include Spanish, creole patois, Yucatec, Mopán, and Kekchí.

Particularly around Christmas and new year, many locals will be travelling to be closer to their family for the festive season so buses will be a lot of busies and potentially slower.

Buses in Belize don’t have set stops, they just stop whenever someone wants to get on or off. So you can see how if the bus is packed full of people it will be stopping much more often.

I would recommend booking your transport a day or two in advance to be on the safe side and I would avoid the local buses during peak travel times.

If you want some more inspiration we have a guide to spending a week in Belize that you can read here.

It is uncommon for tourists to be involved in any serious crimes. However, petty crimes such as theft can happen especially on crowded buses or in the city at night. These can be avoided by keeping your belongings close and not being out on the streets alone at night.

For more information, you can always check your government’s website for travel advice before you leave for your trip.

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Belize in December is magical and guaranteed to leave you so glad you chose to spend your Christmas vacation on their beautiful beaches and exploring their rich Mayan history.

We hope you love it there as much as we did, let us know what you think when you go!