Belmopan



Belmopan is the capital of Belize, nearer the geographic center of the country than (former capital) Belize City. It was established following the massive damage that occurred when Hurricane Hattie struck Belize City in 1961. An inland location was deemed a safer location for the national government than the low-lying seaside metropolis of Belize City.

Get in
Getting into Belmopan is easy. Two highways serve as an entrance to Belmopan: the Hummingbird Highway and George Price Highway (formerly known as Western Highway). Travel from Belmopan to Belize City using the novelos or the batty bus lines is less than BZ$12 (Belizean dollars) - US$6 - per person. The is on the corner of Constitution Dr & Bliss Parade towards the southwest corner of the government campus.

Get around
You can get around Belmopan by car or taxi, but Belmopan is a small city. Walking can get you around and really show you the true city.

See


Many tour companies in and around Belmopan, Belize Jungle Masters being the best for zip lining and run tours to a wide variety of interesting caves, ruins, and jungle trails. Belize True Adventures and Upside Down Tours are known for providing amazing tours to St. Herman's Cave and Crystal Cave at the Blue Hole National Park. It's a good idea to look for reviews for other tour companies on review sites before booking, in case some of them may have treated guests poorly.

Most of these are day trips, leaving early in the morning and returning the same afternoon. Note that not all tours are available on any given day. Most tour companies require a certain minimum number of registrations before they'll make the run. Checking in the night before for which tours are available the next day is often the best option.
 * Cave tubing - Enjoy floating past side windows that filters the jungle light through the mist as you swirl around stalactites and stalagmites looming from above and below through the underworld mystic cave caverns. Cave tubing can be done at either Jaguar Paw or St. Herman's Blue Hole National park, just minutes away from Belmopan.
 * Mountain Cow/Crystal Cave Entry to cave is only allowed with tour/approved guide
 * Zip lining - is as close as you can get to flying over the jungle. As you soar from tree to tree, experience a bird's-eye view of the Belize jungle, and scenery that cannot be seen from the ground. You will be securely fastened to a harness that is attached to a cable. You push off from a platform up in a tree and zip along the cable to another platform
 * Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) is a Mayan sacrificial burial site near Belmopan. The site is contained entirely within a cave system, and access to the relics is gained via some 500 metres of climbing over rocks, wading and swimming through water that is at times over 1.5 metres deep. The cave was a sacred site for the Mayans and it contains many examples of pottery, ceramics and stoneware, as well as several sets of human sacrificial remains, one of which (known as the "Crystal Maiden") has been almost entirely covered in limestone crystals by the water in the cave. The site is about 45 minutes drive from San Ignacio, and, due to the caving aspect, it may only be visited when accompanied by an official guide (who will provide appropriate safety equipment). Most tour companies in San Ignacio are able to offer officially guided tours.
 * Barton Creek Cave Barton Creek Outpost: Take the road in Georgeville to Mountain Pine Ridge, drive 50-60 minutes and turn at the large brown sign on the left to Barton Creek Archaeological Reserve. It's about 4 miles (6.4 km) from there.
 * Caracol Biggest ruin in Belize, yet mostly unexcavated, so you really feel like you are in a national park on a ruin. Ca'ana, place of the sky, is one of the biggest and most massive temples in the Mayan world. Definitely a must-see ruin, and it comes with stops at Rio On Pools and Rio Frio Cave too.
 * Xunantunich (Maya Ruins)
 * The Artbox, an art gallery which is great for tourists.
 * Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) is a Mayan sacrificial burial site near Belmopan. The site is contained entirely within a cave system, and access to the relics is gained via some 500 metres of climbing over rocks, wading and swimming through water that is at times over 1.5 metres deep. The cave was a sacred site for the Mayans and it contains many examples of pottery, ceramics and stoneware, as well as several sets of human sacrificial remains, one of which (known as the "Crystal Maiden") has been almost entirely covered in limestone crystals by the water in the cave. The site is about 45 minutes drive from San Ignacio, and, due to the caving aspect, it may only be visited when accompanied by an official guide (who will provide appropriate safety equipment). Most tour companies in San Ignacio are able to offer officially guided tours.
 * Barton Creek Cave Barton Creek Outpost: Take the road in Georgeville to Mountain Pine Ridge, drive 50-60 minutes and turn at the large brown sign on the left to Barton Creek Archaeological Reserve. It's about 4 miles (6.4 km) from there.
 * Caracol Biggest ruin in Belize, yet mostly unexcavated, so you really feel like you are in a national park on a ruin. Ca'ana, place of the sky, is one of the biggest and most massive temples in the Mayan world. Definitely a must-see ruin, and it comes with stops at Rio On Pools and Rio Frio Cave too.
 * Xunantunich (Maya Ruins)
 * The Artbox, an art gallery which is great for tourists.

Do
Belmopan is a good place to walk around the neighbourhoods and market plazas. It is a great place to discover, as it has a low crime rate and is very laid back and relaxing.

Buy
Things to buy in Belmopan include Belizean groceries and gifts from the gift shops. Angelus Press is a great place to shop for gifts where you can buy flags, maps, books, and Belizean trinkets.

Every Tuesday and Friday there is a market held in the centre of the city. Many locals set up booths selling inexpensive clothes, DVDs, trinkets, food, and produce. Many Belizians from surrounding towns and villages ride the bus to get to Belmopan's market day so it is a great way to experience the culture. If you want to experience it at its busiest point, plan to come early, because many booths close down during the hottest part of the day.

Eat
There are a lot of clean, Chinese-owned restaurants in Belmopan that make great Belizean food. The Yim Saan restaurant has great food and is a 4-star restaurant/hotel.

Drink
Drink only the bottled water.

Embassies and High Commissions
Some of the foreign diplomatic missions are located in Belmopan (the national capital) while others are in Belize City. Other countries maintain non-resident diplomatic representation to Belize through their embassy in Mexico City, Guatemala City, San Salvador, Washington DC or elsewhere in the region:


 * 🇦🇺 Australia
 * 🇧🇷 Brazil
 * 🇨🇦 Canada
 * 🇹🇼 Taiwan
 * 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
 * 🇨🇺 Cuba
 * 🇸🇻 El Salvador
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇬🇹 Guatemala
 * 🇭🇳 Honduras
 * 🇲🇽 Mexico
 * 🇳🇱 Netherlands
 * 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
 * 🇵🇦 Panama
 * 🇪🇸 Spain
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇸 United States

Go next

 * The largest city and former capital Belize city