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Itineraries
7-day beach & islands
A short Belize beach trip works best when you keep the routing light and let one island do most of the work.
Relaxed pace · 7 days
7 days
in Belize
Belize's Barrier Reef, 185 miles long and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, creates a protected corridor of calm, warm, clear water between the cayes and the open Caribbean. San Pedro, Caye Caulker, and Placencia each offer a completely different island experience.
- Hol Chan Marine Reserve, nurse sharks, stingrays, and sea turtles in 30 feet of water
- Great Blue Hole, 1,000 ft across, 450 ft deep; Jacques Cousteau's top 10 dive list
- Caye Caulker's 'Go Slow' culture, no cars, no rush, the best snorkelling value in Belize
- Gladden Spit whale sharks (March to June full moon), largest gathering in the Western Hemisphere
- Placencia's 17-mile peninsula, Belize's finest mainland beach and best restaurant scene
Phase 01
Island arrival
01
Day 1
Ambergris Caye, San Pedro
Fly directly to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, Belize's largest island and the most developed beach destination in the country. Rent a golf cart for the afternoon (the only practical way to explore the island's north and south ends), find your bearings, and choose a beachside bar for the sunset.
02
Day 2
Hol Chan Marine Reserve + Shark Ray Alley
Half-day snorkel tour to Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley. The channel at Hol Chan is 30 feet deep and dense with grouper, snapper, and barracuda. Shark Ray Alley puts you in calm, shallow water surrounded by nurse sharks and southern stingrays, one of the most accessible marine wildlife encounters in the Caribbean.
185 miles of barrier reef. All yours.
The second-largest coral reef system in the world, and Belize has it entirely to itself.
Browse island regionsPhase 02
Reef & diving
03
Day 3
Caye Caulker
Water taxi south to Caye Caulker (30 min). The island's motto is 'Go Slow' for good reason, no traffic, no stress, one long beach road. Swim at The Split, kayak the lagoon side, and book a manatee tour to Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary for a late afternoon.
04
Day 4
Caye Caulker, Reef Day
Full reef day from Caye Caulker. The island sits right on the Barrier Reef, making trips shorter and less expensive than from San Pedro. Options: a second snorkel, a beginner SCUBA dive, windsurfing on the lagoon, or a sailboat sunset trip.
05
Day 5
Return to Ambergris, Water Sports
Water taxi back to San Pedro. Day for water sports: parasailing for aerial reef and island views, paddleboarding north toward the mangrove lagoons, kayaking, or a spa afternoon at one of the island's resort spas.
Phase 03
Go slow
06
Day 6
Great Blue Hole or Turneffe Atoll
Advanced divers: full-day liveaboard to the Great Blue Hole at Lighthouse Reef (1,000 ft diameter, 450 ft deep, Jacques Cousteau's top 10 list). Snorkelers or beginner divers: day trip to Turneffe Atoll, the closest of Belize's three coral atolls and an exceptional diving and snorkeling destination in its own right.
07
Day 7
Final Morning + Departure
Final swim off the beach or a morning kayak before water taxi or domestic flight back to Belize City. The journey north over the reef from the air is a fitting farewell.
Insider tip
Travelers constantly compare San Pedro and Caye Caulker for short beach trips. If you mainly want a relaxed snorkel-and-swim week, do not overload it with extra hotel changes just because the islands are close together.
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