Maybe your Belize vacation entails sipping cold beers on a beach and a surplus of snorkeling. Or maybe it involves channeling your inner Indiana Jones and bushwhacking through old-growth jungle and scrambling over ancient Maya temples. Or maybe it involves both! You want to remember your vacation for all the right reasons and that means packing appropriately for a comfortably unforgettable time. As a self-proclaimed guru on the subject of Belize vacations (I’ve basically been on an extended holiday for 5 years now), here are my recommendations on things to pack for your trip:
Pills, Potions, and Lotions
OTC meds! Like the old Boy Scout motto, when traveling in Belize you want to be prepared. You need a bit of self reliance and foresight. There are not Urgent Care Centers or any 24-hour CVS/ Walgreens pharmacies in Belize so this one is really important… it might even save your life, let alone your vacation.
Pack Benadryl or the generic version of it, whether you think you’ll need it or not- maybe you’ve never had an allergic reaction before but you wouldn’t necessarily know you were allergic to a Doctor Fly bite or a custard apple until a reaction happened. You might be far from a pharmacy or clinic or your emergency might fall outside their operating hours. In Belize, you are responsible for your safety so plan accordingly. I always have a liquid antihistamine in my First Aid kit so I can administer quickly to either a child or adult and adjust the quantity accordingly.
Other OTC med essentials to bring along are Tylenol or similar and Imodium or similar. A fever and cramps from heat exhaustion can be self-treated in your hotel room with a bit of rest and water and pain relief tablets. A mild case of Traveler’s diarrhea can be sorted out with a dose or two of Imodium or Pepto Bismol or in an unfortunate case of food poisoning, can get you through until the morning when you can seek a doctor’s appointment.
Bring the obvious array of sunscreens and insect repellant but if you neglect the application of these products, as I often do while enjoying my day, then bring along subsequent solutions to the common vacation-woes. A thick moisturizer will make tight, sun-burned skin more manageable. Calamine cream or other anti-itch gels can help take the edge off of bug bites.
The Correct Clothes
Remember the saying, “the suit makes the man.” The right clothes go a long way in making you comfortable and confident and performing at your peak- in real life as well as recess! Pack the proper pieces for your particular adventures. Light-weight, fast-drying clothes are the best. Belize is very casual so don’t go overboard with resort-wear or jewelry or bags that are more fashion than function.
Your footwear should be broken in ahead of time and there’s hardly ever an occasion to wear heels. Hearty hiking boots probably aren’t necessary but a sturdy sneaker certainly is.
Bring high performance pieces you can move in. Belize vacations are memorable for their adventure activities. You’re string bikini might look great lounging beside the pool but can it keep up on a reef snorkel? It would be a real shame if you forewent an excursion because you lacked the correct attire.
An Open Mind
Don’t forget to bring along your adventurous spirit and open mind. Belize is a curious place and we encourage your curiosity! Fall in love with this country as so many others have: through discovery. Try new foods, hear new music, see new sights; that’s the fun of travel! If you are an amenable student, Belize offers so many lessons to be learned. Say “yes” to the street food or unidentifiable fruit at the roadside stand. Say “yes” to the cave crawl or zip lining excursion even though it’s not something you would ordinarily do. Say “yes” to the request to join the joyful Garifuna dancers as they move to the beat of their drums. Pack your can-do-will-do attitude and leave your doubt at home. Make it an un-belize-able vacation.
