The Essential Belize Packing List For Families
Wondering what to pack for Belize? Wondering if it will be hot, will there will be bugs, what do we need to survive?! Thankfully for you I did a ton of research on what pack for our Belize vacation so you don’t have to! This list is your one stop shop to the perfect suitcase for your family trip to Belize.
What to Know before you start packing
There are a few things you should know about traveling to Belize before you start packing!
Weather and Best Time of Year to Go
Belize is located in Central America which is close to the equator so you really only have two seasons: hot and very hot. The staff at our hotel kept joking that I must be Canadian because I was having such a hard time with the heat. But it is truly no joke! Most days of the year, you’ll enjoy temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (23-29 degrees Celsius). The coolest months are December and January but even then temperatures rarely dip below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
With that said, in addition to heat you can expect your trip to Belize to be very humid. So while the temperatures may be hovering around 85 degrees Fahrenheit, it absolutely feels like 100 degrees! Be prepared too be hot and sweaty.
The dry season in Belize runs from December to May, however, you can expect some rainfall during your trip. The wet season runs from June to November.
What you don’t need to pack for belize
Given the weather is always on the warm to hot side you will definitely not need any heavy weight sweaters, coats, or jackets. Due to the humidity, I also felt most comfortable in quick drying clothing and the idea of wearing jeans sounds miserable.
We found Belize to be a very casual country even at more upscale hotels and restaurants. Leave your formal attire at home!
Fancy clothes and jackets aren’t the only thing you can leave at home. Ditch your stroller! You won’t find yourself strolling massive cities like you do in Europe. You are going to be hoping into the ocean or trekking around Mayan ruins. Neither of which are particularly stroller friendly.
What to Pack for Belize – The Perfect Family Belize Packing List
Below are the list of essential items for a perfect family trip to Belize. It can be hard to figure out what to pack for Belize but you are well on your way to a perfect suitcase!
I’ve broken the list into two parts. General items that are a good option for any traveler heading to Belize and a list just for families full of kid friendly necessities.
Insect Repellent
Bug spray might be the single most important thing you pack for Belize, especially if you are traveling with kids! Honestly, I live in fear of my toddler telling me he can’t sleep because he has itchy legs. While everyone has their own preference, I’d recommend a strong insect repellant, especially if you are headed to the interior of the country and the jungle. We brought DEET and it worked relatively well although we did leave with a few welts. I don’t think I saw any tourists without at least some bug bites! DEET will work on mosquitos and no-see-ums, a horrid blood-sucking bug that leaves what looks like a small scratch and a massive red welt. Thankfully it at least doesn’t itch!
In addition to bug spray, bring some baby oil. In addition to mosquitos and no-see-ums, if you travel to the coast you will contend with sand fleas. DEET unfortunately doesn’t work on them so the best way to protect yourself is to lather up in baby oil. It will essentially drown the sand flea before it can bite you. These bites hurt and in some people can cause a rash like reaction. Most websites will tell you that they aim for your ankles on the sand at dusk. However, we got bit in our hotel pool on our arms. Possibly just bad luck but if you are out at dusk, I’d just lather up your whole body.
Another line of defense against the bugs is the right clothing so keep reading!
Sunscreen
Another essential item when you are creating your packing list for Belize is sunscreen, preferably reef-safe sunscreen. The Belize Barrier Reef is the largest in the Northern Hemisphere so you are going to want to take care of it! And yourself, you are near the equator and the sun is strong! We found there wasn’t much shade even when we were visiting ancient Mayan ruins so I brought an easy to apply face stick of sunscreen and an active sport sunscreen since we were all so sweaty.
A Packable Sun Hat
That sun again! The best option for avoiding a sunburn? Keeping your skin out of the sun! Sunscreen is great but a sunhat is even better. I brought my favorite packable sun hat and wore it everywhere we went. Bring a cute one and it will look just as fitting at dinner as it will at the pool.
Bathing Suit
Any trip that requires a bathing suit is always a good idea! You definitely don’t want to head to Belize without a pathing suit. Most mid-range to luxury hotels have pools onsite and if you travel to Ambergris Caye or Caye Caulker you are going to want to spend a good amount of time in the ocean snorkeling. I’d recommend bringing two bathing suits so you can alternate them each day while one is drying.
Long-Sleeved Rashguard
Especially if you are traveling with kids, rashguards are essential in Belize! Rashguards are such an easy form of sun protection. I love not having to worry about reapplying sunscreen on squirmy toddlers every hour. As a bonus they can double as a long-sleeved shirt when you are out of the water.
Waterproof Camera or Waterproof Phone Case
No list of what to pack for Belize would be completed without mentioning a waterproof camera or waterproof phone case. I’m terrified of losing my phone in the ocean, a lake, river, bath tub. Pretty much any body of water! And in Belize the odds are you are going to want to get in the water! I opted to bring my GoPro Hero 11 so I could get great action shots of the kids snorkeling. If you don’t want to make that kind of investment, then make sure you grab a waterproof phone case for your phone so you can confidently bring it with you to the pool or out on a boat.
Water Shoes or Flip Flops
I personally would opt for water shoes over flip flops because you’ll get more mileage out of them and it will help keep your suitcase lighter. I brought Teva’s Original Universal sandal and it was absolutely perfect for wearing out to a casual lunch or dinner and water activities. Flip flops are a good option if you are planning a more laid back vacation filled with time in your hotel pool.
Comfortable Footwear or Hiking Shoes
You are going to be doing a lot of walking in Belize. Especially if you base yourself out of San Ignacio for some or all of your trip. In addition to water shoes, you will want to make sure you bring your pair of most comfortable shoes. I opted for a broken in pair of sneakers and it was really all that was necessary. You really don’t need anything bulky like a mid-height hiking boot.
Long-Sleeved Shirts
Wait, didn’t I say it was going to be 85 degrees each day but feel like 100? It is! But do you remember the mosquito repellent I recommended you bring? Another way to avoid the bugs and the blazing sun is to pack long-sleeved shirts. The trick is to make sure you bring moisture wicking, quick dry material. Something like this is perfect for a day of hiking the ancient Mayan ruins.
Pair of Lightweight Pants
Yes, we are still avoiding the bugs! I found my legs got hit the worst and I absolutely wish I’d have some long pants to protect them. Again, because of the heat you are going to want to bring something that is made from quick-dry fabrics and can keep you dry and cool. I love this stain and water resistant pair from Columbia.
Rain Jacket
I was so relieved when there was no rain on the forecast before our trip. And then it rained for the last three days! It happens when you travel. We certainly didn’t melt in the rain, but I learned the hard way that you should always pack a rain jacket just in case. It can also double as an extra layer if you hit some uncharacteristically cool nights due to unexpected rain (ugh!).
Water Bottle
A refillable water bottle is a must have for your Belize packing list. The heat and humidity will really get to you and you aren’t going to want to keep doling out for plastic water bottles. Just make sure you are using filtered water to avoid any stomach issues!
Credit Cards and Cash
Did you know you can use the US dollar in Belize? At the time of writing this the conversion rate is exactly 2-to-1 so you can just half the Belizean dollar price and pay in US dollars. Talk about convenient! Fortunately everywhere we went also accepted credit card. If you are sticking to established restaurants you’ll be fine with credit cards. It’s just nice to have some cash to buy the occasional water bottle at a Mayan ruin or beach stand.
Personal Items and Medication
Of course you are going to need travel essentials like toothpaste and deodorant. Something else I would recommend bringing is any medication you think you’ll need while in Belize. We did find some supermarkets but the medication stock was limited. I was very happy to have brought anti-itch medication: Zyrtec, Benadryl, and hydrocortisone cream. In addition to that we had pain relievers, cold medicine, and Pepto Bismol. My kids have gotten sick enough times on a trip that we know to bring it all! I definitely recommend bringing medication for an upset stomach. A few of us got Giardia before we left and having some medication definitely helped!
First Aid Kit
Especially if you are planning on visiting Mayan ruins make sure to bring band aids, antibiotic ointment, and some gauze. Even if you bring your most comfortable footwear you might end up with a blister and you’ll want to get that covered right away so you can get back on your adventures!
What to Pack for Belize with Kids
Wondering what to pack for Belize with young kids in tow? In addition to a child sized version of all of the packing essentials above you are going to want to bring a few extra things just for your kids. But don’t worry, of course I’ve listed them out!
A Hiking Pack or Baby Carrier
Belize is not stroller friendly so you are going to want to have a carrier for wearing tired little kids. This is really important if you are heading to one of the Mayan ruins in Belize. Most of those don’t have modern stairs or hand rails and you don’t want to trust a young child on their own. It’s much safer to wear them while you climb to the top and back down. We brought our Deuter that we’ve been using for over 8-years and it was perfect for this trip. It even counts as a baby item on most airlines so you can check it for free!
Car Seat or Booster Seat
You are definitely going to want to travel with your own car seat or booster seat. Our hotel arranged transfers for us to different excursions bought they didn’t have a variety of car seats and our big kid would have needed to ride without a booster. We always travel with our own car and booster seats so this was a non-issue for us. I definitely recommend always traveling with your own!
Snorkeling Gear
Our tour operator actually had child sized snorkeling gear for a big kid, I’d say someone ages six or older could have fit in it. However, I’d recommend you bring your own, especially if this will be their first time practicing or if they are younger than six. Our kids practiced using their snorkeling gear in the pool and it was a blast.
Child Sized Inflatable Ring
If you are heading to San Pedro definitely bring some water toys with you! I was kicking myself for not bringing inflatable rings for the kids so they could float in the crystal clear water. Luckily you can learn from my travel experience. Bring the simple kind that are easy to inflate and deflate and they’ll fit in your suitcase just fine.
Planning a day trip to Guatemala?
Many people visit the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal while they are staying in San Ignacio, Belize. If that is in your itinerary I strongly recommend you pack: lots of water, sunscreen, bug spray and hydrocortisone cream, a hat, and moisture-wicking long sleeve pants and shirt. And don’t forget to bring your travel documentation. You are going to need a passport to cross the border into Guatemala!
Planning your perfect family vacation to Belize? You don’t just need a packing list you need an itinerary. Check out our 7-day Belize itinerary! It’s packed full of family fun in San Ignacio and San Pedro.
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