When is a good time to visit Blue Reef Island in Belize? The short answer: Anytime! Any time of the year is beautiful and exciting in its own way and you’re sure to have an incredible experience regardless of which month you choose to come. Here is a brief overview of what to expect from a visit during different times of the year.
In Belize, we don’t prescribe to the Winter-Spring-Summer-Fall seasons. Some people say Belize has 2 distinct seasons: wet and dry. We’ve heard a tongue-in-cheek description of Belize’s seasons being “hot, hotter, and wet.” In many tropical destinations, and particularly in the Caribbean, many people ascribe a tourism lens to seasons and refer to High, Low and Shoulder. We prefer those titles for Belize seasons over terms like “hot” or “dry” because the weather here is varying degrees of “hot” year-round and rain can sweep in at any time, though typically falls overnight and blows out quickly after a brief, hard downpour. Let’s look at what make our High, Low, and Shoulder seasons special and why anytime of the year is the best time to visit Belize.
High Season
Our typical “high season” for tourism is December through March; when the weather in most of Northern America is inhospitable, the climate in Belize is nothing short of beautiful—sunny days cooled by Caribbean breezes. Spending the holidays in Belize can be a memorably different experience to what many are accustomed to; our White Christmas would only refer to the color of sand, not snow. When you trim the tree, you’ll likely be stringing lights to a palm tree, our most common evergreen on the island.
February is arguably our best month with predictably perfect weather. Placencia’s Arts Festival weekend, mid-month, along the sidewalk is not to be missed. February is also the final month of Lobster season in Belize, as it closes on the 28th and doesn’t resume until July. Diving for, and hooking a spiny lobster for lunch is one of the uniquely rewarding activities guests on Blue Reef Island enjoy.
March is madness with Spring Break celebrations in hotspots like San Pedro, Caye Caulker, and Placencia where devout party people come to dance and drink the long Easter weekend away at the craziest parties of the year. March also boasts the Ruta Maya endurance canoe race, a special spectacle that draws competitors from far and wide. The longest race of its kind in all of Central America, La Ruta Maya takes place over 3 days in the central and northern part of the country. In Southern Belize, March is your best shot at seeing wild scarlet macaws by the dozen on their migration as they descend on the sleepy Maya village of Red Bank and feed along the jungle-fringed river.
Shoulder Season
The “shoulder seasons” for tourism in Belize are April/ May and October/November. The “start” and “end” to our rainy season, respectively. If the term rainy season or hurricane season fills you with trepidation, I’m here to tell you: it shouldn’t! Don’t fear the word “wet.” Wet won’t ruin your vacation! Do we get rain? Of course! But it’s typically overnight (and in deluge quantity, providing a relaxing roar of white noise for sleeping) or those afternoon, quick-hitting showers where the sun reappears as quickly as the storms passed. Very rarely will you have “wash-out” days that are wasted in your hotel room because the precipitation doesn’t let up. These days are most likely to happen in October if they happen.
Shoulder season has its perks. I’d say that April is firmly in the “hotter” season; humidity ramps up but the rains have rarely started, it’s a steamy month but it’s the best time of year to spot the massive and rare whale sharks as they pass our shores. It is not uncommon to come upon huge schools of bonefish numbering in the hundreds. April and May are also stars for seasonal foods and their celebratory festivals. Trees explode with nature’s bounty: cashews, mangoes, cacao! There seems to be a food festival somewhere in the country every other week, which keeps the momentum going for June.
Low Season?
June through September are considered our “slow” months for tourism though happily that seems to be changing as more American and Canadian families are traveling to Belize for culture and adventure during the school’s summer holiday.
June, July and August are completely the opposite for Blue Reef Island guests. This is our high season! The diving is at its best boasting 100-foot visibility! Lobster season opens on the 1st of July. Guests get to help harvest fresh lobster for the chef to prepare for breakfast, lunch and dinner if that’s what they desire! Continue to enjoy Belize after your vacation, bring a cooler bag and take your lobster home with you. The fishing is fabulous during the summer months. Catch of the day is mostly delicious tuna & dorado and anglers can get lucky with a sailfish (catch and release only).
You might be thinking, “hey isn’t this hurricane season?” I suppose it is but what that usually means for Belize is absolutely stunning beach days. Huh? Yes! Tropical depressions formed elsewhere nearby suck the wind from our sails and leave our sea perfectly flat and clear and clean. There will be day after glorious day when the sea looks like a turquoise lake and even the most timid of snorkelers could skim the glassy surface for hours in a state of Zen. These calm, windless days are the best for fly fishing because the flats are perfectly smooth and migratory Tarpon are moving south.
The summer months are a wonderful time to visit and bring the kids; everyone will be dazzled by Belize’s natural beauty and landscapes. The rains have made the jungles thrive and the rivers flow briskly. Zip lining, hiking, canoeing or tubing, caving, ATVing, horseback riding, fishing-there’s no shortage of outdoor activities to keep families busy.
September was historically the lowest month for numbers of international visitors and many local businesses would take that time to close for a few weeks, give staff an extended break and make any renovations or repairs. What a pity! September is a great month to visit, full of uniquely Belizean holidays and celebrations. September also sees the greatest number of really large Tarpon caught. Most Grand Slams are hit in September.
So, there you have it—there is no wrong time to visit Belize. Or maybe I should say, the time is always right for a Blue Reef Island getaway.
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