Weather and Stuff to do in Belize

My feeling is "never too long". One month gives you time to include Tikal (a must see) and Rio Dulce, both in Guatemala. September and October are historically when hurricanes have hit Belize; but in general there is not very much rain, and mostly at night. Car rental is expensive in Belize. You have the time to take bus and boat.

My photos and recommendations are below. Have a great trip!

You have a great opportunity to settle into different areas, see many things, relax and get to know Belize and Belizeans. Cayo has alot to offer and you can easily cross over the border into Guatemala to see Tikal and Ya Xha sites. I would also spend time in Toledo, our least developed district with abundant rainforest, many cultures and ethnicities and small villages. For beach, look at Ambergris, Caye Caulker, Hopkins and Placencia areas. You can also spend some time on one of the small islands on the reef with walk in snorkeling. You can move around by rental vehicle, tours, bus, taxis, guided transfers and air, depending on how free you want to be to travel on your own schedule. You can find longer term rentals as well, some with kitchens if you prefer. There is alot to do in Belize and each area has its own distinct flavor, cultures and activities, all friendly and interesting. Enjoy.

A month is a great amount of time to explore Belize and Guatemala a bit, and to really get to enjoy each place. The local buses are cheap, safe, and easy to use. You will get some rain for sure, but to put it in perspective, if you lived where I live most of the year (Boston) it could be SNOWING by the end of October. If you are adventurous, a little warm rain shouldn't slow you down. And the weather in early November can actually be quite lovely.

A few of my favorite destinations in Belize include Caye Caulker for a few laid back days on the beach, and Toledo to get away from the more touristy stuff and enjoy the jungle and some seldom-visited waterfalls and caves. From Punta Gorda, Toledo, there are daily boats running to Livingston, Guatemala or Puerto Barrios, Guatemala. From there you can explore the Rio Dulce a bit as well, which is lovely. There are some really unique lodgings along the waterfront including El Tortugal http://tortugal.com/hotel and El Hotelito Perdido http://www.hotelitoperdido.com/main.php?page=links&lang=en&res=1024x768 . It should be easy to get connections from Fronteras up north to Flores for Tikal, and then to use local buses to get back over the border into Belize again.

I'd say maybe 5 days on Caye Caulker (get around by water taxi/bicycle/by foot), head down to Toledo via bus for another 5 (rent a car locally in PG if you need it), spend some time working your way up the Rio Dulce ( by lancha), then connect to Flores and Tikal (don't know about car rental there-- I haven't done it). Then back through Cayo and return to the airport. Don't try to bring a rental car across borders. It's a huge hassle.

Enjoy yourself!