img#mv-trellis-img-1::before{padding-top:66.666666666667%; }img#mv-trellis-img-1{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-2::before{padding-top:100%; }img#mv-trellis-img-2{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-3::before{padding-top:100%; }img#mv-trellis-img-3{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-4::before{padding-top:100%; }img#mv-trellis-img-4{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-5::before{padding-top:100%; }img#mv-trellis-img-5{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-6::before{padding-top:100%; }img#mv-trellis-img-6{display:block;}Feeling like something different on your next trip?
As much as we love Mexico’s leading resort city, Cancun, and here at Travel Off Path we’ve covered it extensively for years, sometimes all you need is something a little out of the ordinary. You know, straying off the beaten track a little.
If you’re planning on a Caribbean adventure, but you don’t want to go where just about everyone else is headed, you should know Spirit Airlines is launching direct flights to Belize, a small, lesser-known country just south of Mexico, for only $85.
Belize has those white-sand beaches, turquoise seas, and even Mayan ruins, and most importantly, it feels far less commercialized:
Where Even Is Belize?
The first country you pass through when you leave Mexico and enter Central America, Belize is a small nation of 8,867 sq mi, only slightly larger than the U.S. state of Massachusetts, characterized by its lush jungle and unspoiled Caribbean coast.
The latter is, without question, the country’s leading attraction, with unruffled sands extending for what seems like endless miles, and laid-back islands that have not yet succumbed to the pressures of overtourism, though they’re open to foreigners.
Think Caye Caulker, just off the mainland, home to a vibrant main settlement, distinguished by its vibrant-colored wooden houses and lively beach bars, or Ambergris Caye, Belize’s largest island, and a highly sought-after destination for snorkelers and divers worldwide.
After all, Belize’s maritime borders include the 124m-deep Great Blue Hole, a deep-azure sinkhole ringed by teal-colored seas, and Ambergris Caye in particular offers easy access to the attraction.
Wait, Do They Have Mayan Ruins Here Too?
To the culture buffs out there, Belize has a rich native Mayan culture that’s often overshadowed by its much more famous neighbor to the north.
Tucked away in the country’s jungle-clad hinterlands, San Ignacio is a beautiful riverside town home to the ruined Mayan town of Cahal Pech, abandoned as early as the 9th century, and largely preserved from looting.
Belize’s crown jewel, however, is Caracol: one of the most impressive ancient pre-Columbian cities, with over 100,000 residents at its peak, it is home to the ‘Sky Palace’, a monumental pyramid that still holds the title of the tallest building in Belize, rising 141 ft tall.
If you’re visiting Caracol, San Ignacio is a great base, as most roads leading to the archaeological zone start from there, and there are numerous tour operators you can pick from. Prices for this popular Caracol & Big Rock Waterfall tour start from only $130 per person.
For more equally fascinating Mayan ruins, look up Lamanai, famous for its quaint lakeside setting, and the mystical Altun Ha, just outside Belize City.
Fly Nonstop To Belize City From Fort Lauderdale With Spirit
Speaking of Belize City, though it is not the capital, as many have mistakenly claimed in the blogosphere over the years—that title belongs to inland Belmopan—it is where Spirit Airlines will be flying to starting November 21, 2025.
After all, it is the largest conurbation in the 417,000-people-strong nation, with over 65,000 residents, and though it’s not the country’s administrative center, it plays host to its largest international airport.
Soon enough, Americans will be able to board nonstop flights in Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) traveling to Belize City’s Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (BZE).
Flights will be available three times a week, on Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and introductory fares have been set at $85 one-way from South Florida to Belize, and $180 one-way for the return trip. Tickets go on sale August 11.
In the words of John Kirby, Spirit’s Vice President of Network Planning, Belize is an ‘incredible addition’ to their international service, owing to the country’s ‘world-class water excursions and beautiful landscapes’.
How To Prepare For A Belize Vacay
If you’ve never really given Belize too much thought, you must be wondering what to expect when it comes to, well, Belize as a destination.
How safe is it? What are the entry requirements that apply to Americans? Does it have one of those annoying Entry Travel Requirements you need to get before flying out? What does the U.S. State of Department advise that Americans do?
Digging up all this info online isn’t always easy, especially when you don’t even know where to kick things off, and those official government sites? Straight-up impossible to make sense of at times.
That’s why we launched the Traveler Tools, Travel Off Path’s collection of user-friendly, interactive gadgets that help you get to the bottom of it in under a minute, without opening all those tabs, and all the unnecessary fluff.
Check it out for yourself here.
Vinicius CostaVini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.
The Travel Off Path Advantage: Your Travel Toolkit
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