Belize
is a wonderful mix of Caribbean and Latin culture and is geographically,
culturally, and historically tied to both regions. Belize is also unique
in that it is the only country in Central America where English is the
official language and is widely spoken throughout the country. For our
fly fishing guests this means that all our guides speak English and that
there will be no language barriers between you and your BFFE guide. For
anyone who has had trouble communicating with a guide because of language,
in countries where English is not widely spoken, you know how relevant
this issue is to the overall success of your fly fishing trip.
The country
of Belize, previously known as British Honduras until 1981 when it gained
full independence from England, lies on the East coast of Central America,
in the heart of the Caribbean basin. It is bordered to the north by Mexico
and to the west and south by Guatemala
At
just over two hours flying time from Miami, Houston, or Dallas, Belize
is much closer than most people think and both American Airlines and Continental
Airlines fly daily to Belize from the United States. For our European
guests, there are direct flights from London England to Belize City as
well as many flights from around Europe to Cancun, Mexico. Cancun may
be used as an economical alternative to a direct flight into Belize City
and is less than an hour by air from Belize City.
Belize is subtropical and the average daily temperature throughout the year is about 85 degrees F. The weather between December and April is usually great but winter storms from the north can roll in for a few days, which may bring the temperature down into the 60's. If you're coming, make sure that you bring a thick sweater or fleece pullover just in case.
Belize has a population of only 250,000 people, of which 65,000 live in Belize City. What this means for us fly rodders is that there is little fishing pressure on the nation's fishing resources, especially in the southern half of the country where there is little population density.
The Belize Dollar (BZ$) is pegged to the American dollar at a rate of 2 to 1. The American dollar is widely accepted throughout the country and it is good to have U.S. bills of a smaller denomination. U.S. twenties are perhaps the best denomination to have a supply of. Traveler's checks and credit cards are also accepted at many hotels and tourist areas, but be advised that a 5% service charge will be placed on most transactions involving credit cards.
Same as the U.S. (110 volts) Much of the power provided out on the islands is from diesel generators so don't bring unnecessary electrical devices.
Time observed year round is GMT-6. For those in Canada and the U.S. this is Central Standard Time.
For American, Canadian, and E.U. citizens, all that is required for entrance to Belize is a valid passport. If you plan to spend more than a month (lucky you) in Belize, you will have to request an extension from the Immigration Office. Guests from China, Columbia, Cuba, India, South Africa, and Taiwan require a visa for entrance to Belize. Visa information can be obtained from the Belize Immigration and Nationality Department, Belmopan, Cayo District, Belize, Central America. (telephone 011-501-8-22423 or fax 011-501-8-22662)