Things to Do in Belmopan, Belize

Admit it, you almost skipped Belmopan. Most travellers land in Belize City and bolt straight for the cayes or the jungle lodges, and the capital gets written off as a work town with nothing to see. I nearly made that mistake, and I am glad I did not. Belmopan is the small, quiet, planned capital of Belize, and once you adjust to its pace it rewards you with one of the most relaxed and friendly days you can spend in the country. It is also the perfect launching point for some of the best day trips in Belize. Here is my honest list of things to do there.

Start at the market and soak up the pace

Half of Belmopan’s charm is that it simply does not hustle. The hub of the city is the market on the barter road, and it is the best place to start. Vendors sell fresh fruit you have never seen, local chocolate lattes and the sweetest tamarind under bright awnings. Grab a lime or a ripe mango, sit and people watch for half an hour. This is where the creole, Spanish and Maya mix that makes Belize what it is, all in one bright, friendly square.

Do not miss the Parliament building

Belmopan was built from scratch in the early 1970s after a hurricane leveled Belize City, and the National Assembly building is the heart of that plan. You do not need to be a politics fan to enjoy it. The building sits on a green lawn with the flag flying, and the grounds are spotless and calm. Best of all, it is free and you can walk right up to it. I spent a happy half hour just taking in how quiet and orderly it all is, surrounded by the low jungle covered hills that ring the capital.

Walk the city and find the murals

Belmopan is small enough to cross on foot in a morning, and the best way to see it is to just wander. Look for the murals painted on the public walls, full of Mayan symbols, wildlife and faces. The park and the small plazas give you shade and benches. Unlike the crowded coastal towns, here you get smiled at and nodded to and left alone. It feels safe and easy, which is exactly what I wanted for my first day in Belize after a long flight.

Use the city as a jungle base

The best thing about Belmopan is where it sits. It is the closest city to the Mountain Pine Ridge and the western jungle, which means you can plan a proper day trip without long drives. From the city center you can book a guide to the Actun Tunichil Muknal caves or to the ruins at Xunantunich, both doable as day trips. For me, the pull of the cave river and the howler monkey soundtrack was impossible to resist, and Belmopan made it effortless. This is the real reason to stay here.

River swimming nearby

If you arrived this far you are close to some of Belize’s best water. The Sibun and the Macal rivers both run near the capital, and there are swimming holes locals have used forever. Ask at your hotel and they will point you to the nearest calm spot. The cayes of the coast are further away, but the turquoise water is worth the drive to Belize City and the water taxi. Belmopan works best as a base where you stay two or three nights and push out in different directions each morning.

Eat like a local at the food stalls

Come hungry because Belmopan eats well. The stalls around the market and the main road serve rice and beans, stewed chicken and fried plantain, the food of Belize done right for almost nothing. Do not skip the local bakeries and the panades and sausage rolls. For dinner, a ceviche or stewed beef with fresh tomato salsa was my favorite. This is real food, no tourist menu, and the local beer was the best I had anywhere in the country.

Practical tips for your Belmopan stop

Belmopan is easy to reach by bus from Belize City, about eighty kilometers and an easy ride. The city is walkable but the midday heat is real, so start early and rest through the hottest hours. Carry cash because small stalls and the market do not take cards. English is spoken everywhere, which makes it an easy first stop. And give yourself the right plan: Belmopan is not a place to tick off in an hour. It is a base, a mellow welcome to Belize, and the calmest capital you are likely to visit. Slow down, eat well, and use it as your open door to the jungle and the river, and you will love it as much as I did.