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Depending on who you ask, you may hear varying times of the year all labeled as the “best” time to visit Belize. In a way, they’re all correct — the best time to visit Belize will change by destination, your favorite activities, and, flexibility, which even includes the off-season months during the rainy or hurricane season. With year-round warm weather and activities with something for everyone to love, no destination surpasses Belize as being a top choice to vacation — any month of the year! We’re walking you through the best times of the year to visit Belize, what to do, the weather to expect, and small tips of how you can even save money while doing it.
Whether you’re traveling to Belize as a family, a couple, or solo, it pays to think about when to go. Unlike North America or even destinations in Europe that has four divisions of the year (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) marked by particular weather patterns and daylight hours, Belize does not. There is no daylight savings in Belize and only two seasons in Belize: the rainy season, and the dry season. However if you’re a traveler, it’s important to learn about the third season in Belize when visiting, which is based on visitation and occupancy numbers: shoulder season.
In short, the slow season, rainy season, and hurricane season in Belize are all one and the same! Low season means low prices, but this is the off-season for a reason. Heavy rainfall and high humidity sweep across the country from June to November, which is the official Belize rainy season and also the Atlantic Hurricane Season. As such, tourists in Belize thin out during these months which means accommodations’ occupancy is low. Most hotels and resorts will offer a ‘low season’ rate for travelers still looking to capitalize on crowd-free attractions unfettered by rain. Before you swear off to never travel during the Belize rainy season or Belize hurricane season, know that it doesn’t rain all day – or indeed every day – and most of the showers take place overnight or early morning. Still, trip insurance is a valuable purchase and a lightweight raincoat goes a long way in Belize during this time of year!
Don’t be surprised that everyone else has the same idea of visiting Belize during its official Dry Season in January through May, which also coincides with most of its ‘High Season’ months when it comes to travel. Visitation will also peak outside of the Belize dry season months during holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve, so reservations are highly recommended during this time of year in Belize. With high demand comes high prices for accommodations, tours, and flights, but it’s the best time of year to visit and explore Belize without the damper of rain on island-hopping, rainforest ziplining, cave spelunking, or ancient temple crusading!
A third season only relevant to travelers, the Belize shoulder season comes on the heels of its high season and low season for tourism, grouped as both April to May and October to November. It’s during these months that you’re more likely to get a bargain for the same great attractions experienced during the dry season in Belize, without the full-force of the rainy season starting yet. Temperatures stay warm and since most travelers will flee the possibility of rainstorms on their tropical beach vacation, even during the Belize shoulder season, though you won’t need to fight for towel space while sunbathing or worry about accidentally photo-bombing another traveler’s selfie.
August is a great time to visit for Belize shoulder season savings, warm and sunny days, plus crowd-free attractions. Despite being a month during Belize’s rainy season, August is actually nicknamed as “the little dry season,” considering the rainfall in Belize decreases during this last month of summer thanks to a shift in winds. The Belize rainy season, which starts in July, is also time when visitation decreases. Because of this, you’ll find hotels, tour companies, and even restaurants to lower their prices as an incentive for those who choose to visit Belize during rainy season for an average 40% off high-season rates. The biggest event in Belize during August is the International Costa Maya Festival, a three-day block to host a regional beauty pageant, block parties, and live music in San Pedro Town on the island of Ambergris Caye. August is the best month to visit Belize if your travel plans can withstand the possibility of rain and if you’re hoping to save some extra cash while traveling.
Although Belize does not celebrate the four temperate seasons of Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer, the months during Autumn (September, October, November) hold fun events across the country, aside from year-round archeological attractions and activities! September is the most festive month of Belize as the country celebrates its Independence Day and St. George’s Caye Day with exuberant displays of patriotism. The enthusiasm of Belizeans is infectious and visiting during September should be on every savvy traveller’s travel bucket list as the best month to go to Belize for patriotic celebrations: high-spirited, month-long partying takes the form of block parties, an Annual Belize Soca and Culture Festival, road marches, Carnival, and much more.
In October, you’ll have your pick of the litter when it comes to attractions and activities in Belize with the lowest prices of the year and crowd-free beaches. Some hotels and restaurants in Belize do close during the month of October for staff vacations and renovations, so it’s important to check beforehand. Belize is also set to host its 3rd Annual Belize Birding Festival, taking place this year in Belize City on October 7, 2023.
During the month of November, ride the cultural high of Garifuna Settlement Day — one of the most important holidays in Belize and a pore-raising celebration of indigenous resilience, earmarking the arrival of the Garinagu to the shores of Belize. Although honored across the country, Southern Belize is the epicenter of truly authentic experiences, including re-enactments of Garifuna descendants arriving singing and drumming in canoes, called Yurumein. For an immersive, cultural experience, the best time to vacation in Belize this month is around the 19th for the Garifuna Settlement Day celebrations.
Every year, Belize celebrates the opening of the Caribbean Spiny Lobster season on July 1, running to February 28 of the following year, or until the catch quota is met. We say celebrate because it truly is a celebration, especially in coastal communities that rely on lobster fishing! Besides being such a commercially important fishery for Belize, lobster season is also one of the most popular times to visit Belize for the unforgettable Lobster Festival held in Caye Caulker, Ambergris Caye, and Placencia at the start of the season. This delicious seafood festival is the unofficial start of summer in Belize. For foodies specifically, the best time to go to Belize is a sweet spot that overlaps with both lobster season and the 2-day Belize International Music and Food Festival.
If you’re trying to decide which is the best month to visit Belize, weather can significantly impact your travel plans.
The hottest month in Belize is typically August, as temperatures on the edge of summer clash with the humidity of the rainy season for an average 86°F; short-lived afternoon showers help to cool things down.
The “coldest” month of Belize is January, averaging 75°F, full of cool, crisp, sunny days. Evenings are especially pleasant as temperatures drop into the high 60s at night and is considered cold for the Caribbean! The wettest month of Belize is October, with an average 5.33 inches expected during this peak month of the rainy season.
As for the windiest month in Belize, it’s April — an average 9 mph can be found on the coast, making it perfect for sailing, flying kites, or simply keeping cool while sunbathing. However, this is the tropics and Belize weather by month can still vary.
January through April is hailed as the best time to visit Belize for scuba diving and snorkeling, with clear visibility, favorable winds, and reliably cloud-free skies. However, scuba diving and snorkeling in Belize is fantastic any month of the year, thanks to the 185-mile-long Belize Barrier Reef and year-round stable warm temperatures with an average 12-24m/40-80 ft visibility or better! Visiting in April, May and June means peak visibility and a chance of spotting Whale Sharks in Southern Belize. Starting in October, you may have the opportunity to experience Nassau grouper mating season in Belize, all the way through December. And if you don’t mind a bumpy ride, diving in Belize June through November saves you money while having the reef (and tour) seemingly all to yourself.
There is no bad time to visit Belize, but if your itinerary is rigid, it’s best to stick to traveling during the Belize dry season (specifically, January through May) since the weather is more dependable to not interrupt your travel plans or sightseeing tours. However, this also coincides with the busiest time to visit Belize, which means you’ll likely pay full price for lodgings and accommodations, as well as pricier airfare rates. Ultimately, the best time to vacation in Belize is whenever aligns best with your budget and travel flexibility! Choose a season in Belize (dry, rainy, shoulder, hurricane) then from that quarter, you can then decide the best month to travel to Belize.
Depending on your itinerary, a week (6 nights, 7 days) is the minimum recommended time most Belizeans say to travelers asking how many days is enough to spend in Belize! Eco-adventures by the score inside lush rainforests, the world’s second-largest barrier reef, hundreds of islands, and a cultural heritage as diverse as its food means you likely won’t get to experience it all on your first trip to Belize. However, don’t let that overwhelm you: splitting your Belize itinerary between offshore, reef-based adventures and rainforest-based adventures can give you the best of both worlds, without over exhausting yourself in between.
The cheapest month to vacation in Belize is any time during the Belize shoulder season, between August and October, since occupancy rates drop and lodgings and tours go on sale. Airline fares for flights to Belize also drop between August and October, as it’s considering the “slowest” months to travel to the Central American gem.
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