Belize is one of the easiest Caribbean trips with kids. English is the official language, US dollars work everywhere, flights are short, and Secret Beach has calm, waist-deep water.
Getting there
Fly into Belize City, then take the 15-minute flight to San Pedro on Tropic Air or Maya Island Air; kids tend to love the small planes. A water taxi is the slower option. Ambergris Caye runs on golf carts, so car seats and traffic mostly stop mattering.
What to do
- Secret BeachShallow, sandy water for wading, plus paddleboards and kayaks. The default day for younger kids.
- SnorkelingHol Chan and Shark Ray Alley, with nurse sharks and rays in shallow water. With a life vest and guide, kids around five and up often do well. Book a half day for little ones.
- The Belize ZooNear Belize City. Jaguars, tapirs, toucans and other native species.
- Maya ruinsAltun Ha and Xunantunich are open-air and climbable.
- Cave tubingBest for older kids. Age and height minimums vary by operator.
- Caye CaulkerA laid-back island an easy water-taxi ride away.
Health & safety
No special vaccines are required; routine ones are recommended, so check the CDC’s Belize travel page before you go. Dengue, Zika and chikungunya occur in the region, so use repellent and light cover-ups. Pack reef-safe sunscreen. Drink bottled, filtered or purified water; many villas, ours included, run filtered rainwater systems. Secret Beach is calm, but still supervise, and reef tours provide guides and life vests.
Villa or resort
A villa gives you a kitchen for picky eaters, bedrooms with blackout drapes for early bedtimes, a pool by the door and an uncrowded beach. At Black Orchid Oasis, breakfast is included daily, the menus include nuggets, hot dogs and pizza, and the paddleboards, kayaks, pool floats, cornhole and bocce are already here. Our guest guide covers arrival and day trips.
Share this articleAn easy family trip
A private beachfront villa on Secret Beach with calm, shallow water out front.
Book Today