As a former British colony, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official language. The vast majority of people in Belize speak standard English, but a variety of dialects and other languages are often spoken at home.

These include:

Creole/Kriol

Traditionally spelled Creole, the Kriol dialect (preferred modern spelling) is not a different language than English but a distinct dialect that can be difficult for non-speakers to understand. Many Kriol speakers “code switch,” speaking the Kriol dialect with friends and family and standard English in public.

Approximately one-third of the population speaks the Kriol dialect as their first language.

Spanish

Located in Central America, Belize has been strongly influenced by Spanish, including groups of self-styled Mestizos (literally “mixed race”) who emigrated in the early 19th century following a civil war in neighboring Mexico.

Today, many people in Belize speak Spanish as a native language, particularly near the Mexican and Guatemalan borders. In addition, some Belizeans speak a “kitchen Spanish,” a simplified version of the language used by people whose first language is English.

Mayan

The descendants of the ancient Maya that built the impressive pyramids, palaces, and ceremonial sites that dot the Belizean landscape, the Maya in Belize speak three different dialects: Kekchi (various spellings), Mopan, and the increasingly rare Yucatec.

Maya communities tend to be located in rural areas, but most Maya speakers are bilingual in either English or Spanish.

Garifuna

An Afro-Caribbean tongue, Garifuna is a unique language spoken by approximately 4% of the population. The Garifuna tongue is a blend of indigenous Caribbean languages and West African languages and was recognized in 2001 by the United Nations as a valued contribution to the intangible heritage of humanity.

German

Different than standard high German (Hochdeutsch), the German spoken in Belize is predominantly the Plautdietsch or Mennonite Low German variety similar to the Pennsylvania Dutch spoken by Amish communities in the United States. Belize has a well-established Mennonite community consisting of several villages and towns.

Most German-speaking Mennonites in Belize are also bilingual in English.

Chinese and Arabic

Belize has a small but well-established community of Chinese communities located primarily in urban areas. Originally brought into the country as an unskilled labor force, the Chinese community of Belize soon expanded into more entrepreneurial activities.

Predominantly hailing from Lebanon, there is also a small Arabic-speaking community in Belize.

For more information about Belize, feel free to chat with our Concierge at: concierge@chabilmarvillas.com or contact our Reservations Manager at: reservations@chabilmarvillas.com. Or perhaps you would like to call toll free from the US or Canada: 1-866-417-2377.

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The Maya Ruins of Caracol

Caracol is one of the most interesting and well-preserved ancient Maya sites in Belize. Previously known as Uxwitza (“Three Water Hill”) to the ancient Maya, the current name of the site was coined in 1938 when the local British head archeologist dubbed it Caracol (Spanish for “Snail Shell”) on account of the curving access road that leads to the site.

Far bigger than even Belize City, Caracol once housed up to 180,000 people at the height of the city’s power. Caracol dominated the ancient Maya geopolitical world, variously allying or fighting against other city-states, including Naranjo and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Tikal that is currently located just across the border in neighboring Guatemala.

The most famous building in Caracol is the Canaa (“Sky Palace). An enormous period that contains four palaces and three temples, Canaa is still the tallest building in the country at 141 feet (43 meters) high. Other important buildings and items discovered in Caracol include 24 religious altars, three large ball court, five big plazas, 24 carved stelae, reservoirs, causeways, and a very advanced astronomical observatory. A total of 35,000 lesser buildings have also been identified in Caracol along with more than 100 tombs.

Due to its enormous footprint (some 75 square miles), much of Caracol is still awaiting further excavation. A 2009 aerial survey was used to create a 3D map of how the city stands, including large sections of causeway and agricultural terraces that still lie buried in the jungle. The remote location of Caracol in the foothills of the Maya Mountains in southwest Belize also add to the difficulty of performing large-scale archeological work.

Caracol rose to the height of its power during the Maya classic period but the city seems to have been abandoned around the year 1050 for unknown reasons relating to the wide scale collapse of Maya civilization in the area. Once reclaimed by the jungle, the city was accidentally rediscovered in 1938 by a local logger named Rosa Mai who was in the area searching for mahogany trees.

Today, Caracol is located approximately 25 miles south of San Ignacio in the western Cayo District of Belize. The site of Caracol is within the Chiquibul Forest Reserve and is surrounded by both primary and secondary tropical rain forest. The abundance of carved stelae, altars, markers in ball courts, walls, and capstones have allowed archaeologists to accurately document the history of the city, including a monumental military victory of Tikal in the year 562 AD.

Chabil Mar in Placencia Belize & Caracol Mayan Ruins

Chabil Mar resort on the Placencia Peninsula is close to all of the most exciting mainland destinations in Belize. Guests of the resort can include a visit to Caracol Mayan Ruins as part of one of Chabil Mar’s fantastic Belize Reef & Jungle vacation packages.

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Visit our website chabilmarvillas.com for more information on Belize, and don’t hesitate to send us an email, or call US/CAN Toll Free: 1-866-417-2377, Local: (011-501) 523-3606, if you have questions or need help in planning a Belize vacation.

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Belize doesn’t have states, provinces, or departments. Instead, the country is divided into six different districts. Cayo District is the largest district in the country, located in the west of Belize along the border with Guatemala.

While you won’t find many cowboys in Cayo, the area is often referred to as the “Wild West” thanks to its abundance of lush rainforests, mountains, pristine rivers, and enormous national parks. The biggest urban area in Cayo is San Ignacio Town and its twin Santa Elena across the river, the second-largest municipal area in the country. San Ignacio is a popular jumping off point to experience the beauty of nature in Cayo, but the town is worth a visit if only for its thriving open-air market where farmers, artisans, and villagers meet to exchange gossip and sell fresh produce, dairy products, handicrafts, and traditional medicinal compounds.

Cayo is home to several small villages dispersed throughout the territory, including the Mennonite settlement of Spanish Lookout where hardworking people of faith produce some of the country’s best cheeses and furniture.

Most people, however, come to Cayo to explore the rich abundance of wild nature in the area. There are several Important Birding Areas located in the district, as identified by the Belize Audobon Society. And massive national parks like the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve (some 106,000 acres/430 square kilometers), home to the tallest waterfalls in Central America and exotic wildlife like jaguars, monkeys, crocodiles, and endangered ocellated turkeys.

Adventure options in Cayo include horseback riding, hiking, bird watching, zip lining, and the uniquely Belizean sport of cave tubing at sites like Caves Brach. Cave tubing involves participants aboard an inflatable inner tube exploring vast underground river systems. Cayo District is also home to the Rio Frio Cave, once used by the ancient Maya for religious ceremonies, and Rio on Pools, a collection of swimming holes located at the base of a waterfall.

Other popular destinations in Cayo include ancient Maya sites, including Caracol and Xunantunich, two vast cities that once competed against Tikal (just across the border in modern-day Guatemala) for dominance of the region. And just across from San Ignacio lies the ruins of Cahal Pech, a cliffside community built exclusively for Maya nobles and members of the elite.

Chabil Mar is an award-winning luxury resort located on the Caribbean coastline in Placencia, Belize. Chabil Mar offers visitors Belize all-inclusive jungle and sea vacation packages that include guided tours to the best spots in Cayo.

For more information about Cayo, feel free to chat with our Concierge at: concierge@chabilmarvillas.com or contact our Reservations Manager at: reservations@chabilmarvillas.com. Or perhaps you would like to call toll free from the US or Canada: 1-866-417-2377.

Belize is located in Central America between Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and Guatemala. Belize is the only English-speaking country in the region and has a long coastline on the Caribbean Sea.

Although relatively small, Belize has an incredibly diverse landscape, including misty mountains, enormous waterfalls, pristine rivers, savannah, jungles teeming with wildlife, massive cave systems, and hundreds of offshore islands along the Belize Barrier Reef, the second-largest barrier reef in the world.

Misconceptions About Belize

Is Belize an island?

No. Belize is on the mainland of Central America, although it does have hundreds of offshore islands.

Is Belize located in the Caribbean?

Belize has a Caribbean culture as well as a lengthy coastline along the Caribbean, but Belize is not technically “in” the Caribbean as it is located on the mainland of Central America.

Is Belize located in South America?

No. Belize is in Central America. For purists that only consider South and North America to be true continents, Belize would be located in North America.

Is Belize in Honduras?

No. Belize was called British Honduras back during the colonial days, but it got this name because the southern part of the country opens onto the Bay of Honduras. Today, Belize and Honduras are two separate nations separated by a narrow band of land belonging to Guatemala. It takes about two hours with a boat to travel from Punta Gorda in the south of Belize to Puerto Cortez in Honduras.

What’s the Right Way to Spell Belize?

Over the centuries, Belize has been spelled lots of different ways, including Belieze, Belise, Balize, and Beleez. The official name of the country in English is Belize, which you better “Belize” matters to the people who live there!

Facts About Belize

• The official location of Belize is 17 degrees 15 minutes north and 88 degrees 45 west.
• Belize has approximately 360,000 people.
• English is the official language of Belize but other languages spoken in the country include Spanish, Mennonite German, Maya, and Garifuna.
• Belize is about two hours flying time from Miami or Dallas/Houston.
• Belize has 240 miles (386 km) of Caribbean coastline and hundreds of offshore islands.
• Belize has a landmass of around 8,860 square miles (22,960 square km), just a bit bigger than the state of Massachusetts.
• The highest point of land in Belize is Doyle’s Delight at 3,688 feet (1,124 meters).
• Islands in Belize are known as “cayes” (pronounced “keys”).

Belize Maps

Map of Placencia Belize

Map of Placencia and Chabil Mar

Only about 2,000 year-round residents live in the village located on the southern tip of the Placencia Peninsula. The village is a fifteen-minute stroll along the beach or 5-minutes by bike, kayak or paddle board from Chabil Mar. (Click on the Map for Larger Image and to Zoom)

For more information about Belize, feel free to chat with our Concierge at: concierge@chabilmarvillas.com or contact our Reservations Manager at: reservations@chabilmarvillas.com. Or perhaps you would like to call toll free from the US or Canada: 1-866-417-2377.

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