Late January through April is the classic window for Belize: dry, calm and reliable. May and November are the months experienced travellers prefer, and any month can give you a perfect week; we've had flat, cloudless days in October and grey ones in February.
- Dec–MayDry season. Calm seas, best visibility, most reliable tours. Christmas and Easter are the busiest weeks.
- Jun–NovGreen season. Rain comes in short afternoon bursts. September and October are the wettest and cheapest.
The dry season
From about December to May the trade winds settle, humidity drops and the sea flattens. Visibility at the offshore atolls often runs past a hundred feet, and Blue Hole conditions are at their best. Expect the high seventies to high eighties Fahrenheit, with the odd northern front (a norte) dropping things into the sixties for a day or two.
December and early January
Beautiful weather at peak crowds and prices. Christmas to New Year is the busiest week on Ambergris Caye, and the villa's minimum stay is longer then. Book far ahead.
Late January through March
The sweet spot: low humidity, calm seas and every operator on a full schedule. February and March balance conditions and crowds best, though cruise traffic peaks from February to mid-April and spring break fills San Pedro in March.
April and May
The hottest, driest stretch. Inland it pushes into the nineties, which matters if you're climbing El Castillo at Xunantunich and not much on the water. Crowds thin after Easter. May is the most underrated month: dry-season conditions, fewer people and lower rates.
The wet season
June through November is green, not washed out. Rain usually comes as an hour or two of heavy afternoon showers, then clears. September and October are the rainy months; June to August is warm and mostly sunny between showers, with a drier break in late July and August that Belizeans call the mauger. The jungle is lush, birding is excellent, prices drop and the island is quiet.
Atlantic hurricane season runs 1 June to 30 November. Belize sits in the south-western corner of the basin, below the track most systems follow, and goes years between direct hits. The barrier reef and the shallow shelf in front of the island take the energy out of what does arrive.
Timing by what you came for
The reef
February through April gives the best visibility and the best chance a Blue Hole day runs, whether you're flying it or diving it. Hol Chan is good year-round; it's the long open-water crossings that depend on the forecast.
Fishing
Bonefish and permit are easiest in the dry season, when calm water makes sight fishing work. Tarpon peak in summer as the migratory fish move through.
Caves and ruins
Go in the dry months. The ATM cave can close for days after heavy rain, and the tours are capped, so rebooking mid-trip is close to impossible. Keep a flexible day for Actun Tunichil Muknal and confirm it's open before you set off.
Whale sharks
Historically March through June at Gladden Spit, off Placencia, around the full moon. It's a long way south of Ambergris Caye and sightings have become unreliable, so treat it as a bonus.
Seafood
Lobster season runs roughly 1 July to 28 February, so don't order fresh local lobster in March or April. Conch runs roughly 1 October to 30 June but closes early when the national quota is reached. Dates shift slightly each year. San Pedro, Caye Caulker and Placencia hold Lobsterfest around the opening in late June and early July.
Sargassum
It builds from spring through summer and hits east-facing shores. The west-facing lagoon side of Ambergris Caye, where Secret Beach is, is sheltered by the island itself; the exception is a strong storm occasionally pushing a little sea grass onto the west shore for a short spell. More in why Belize's west shore stays clear.
Month by month
- DecemberLovely. Packed and expensive from mid-month; book a year out for Christmas.
- JanuaryQuiet after the first week, then excellent. Occasional cool fronts.
- FebruaryThe best all-round month. Busy in town with cruise passengers.
- MarchExcellent conditions, spring break crowds.
- AprilHot inland, superb on the water. Quieter after Easter.
- MayDry, fewer people, lower rates. No fresh lobster.
- JuneRains begin; lobster opens at month's end.
- July–AugustHot and lush with afternoon showers and the mauger break. Good for school holidays.
- September–OctoberThe wettest and cheapest months, with plenty of good days.
- NovemberImproving all month, and good value by the end.
Whatever the month, Delma cooks breakfast every morning, Delma and Everaldo book the boats, guides and tables, and the lagoon in front of the dock is flat because the villa is on the leeward side. Tell us when you can travel and we'll tell you what that month is good for. Our four-day and eight-day itineraries flex around the season.
Common questions
What is the best month to visit Belize?
February for most people: dry, calm and comfortable, with every operator running. May and November are quieter alternatives.
When is the rainy season in Belize?
June through November, but September and October are the properly wet months. Rain usually comes as a heavy afternoon burst.
When is hurricane season in Belize?
1 June to 30 November. Belize sits below the track most Atlantic storms follow, and direct hits are years apart.
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