Must-Have List of Items to Pack for Belize

If you saw our packing ideas for some of our other trips, such as the Bahamas resorts Atlantis and Baha Mar, you may have noticed we brought a LOT of stuff to save money such as non-perishable food and cooking utensils. Eating on resorts gets very expensive! For this trip we are doing the opposite – packing light to limit the luggage we have to drag back and forth on the water taxis and on the golf carts in Caye Caulker.

Our packing list:

• Lightweight, breathable clothing (shorts, t-shirts, tank tops) – it will be hot and humid! We also packed our clothes based on washability – quick drying linens that could be washed and hung up to limit the amount we brought!
• Long sleeves/light jackets for potentially buggy evenings or the breeze on the cayes
• Swimwear – for swimming in waterfalls, rivers, or the Caribbean sea
• Waterproof sandals/shoes for exploring ruins, hiking, water activities. We each packed a different brand – Keen Newport, Sperry Top Sider, Crocs Literide, and a pair of rubber soled unbranded water shoes. We got them all on Poshmark for a fraction of the cost.
• BINOCULARS!
• Hat and sunglasses for sun protection
• Reef-safe sunscreen
• Mosquito repellent
• Small backpack or bag for daily excursions (we bring waterproof crossbody bags for documents as well, we don’t leave anything in the rental cars while exploring)
• Travel towel for swimming, showers, etc.
• Toiletries – deodorant, toothbrush, shampoo, etc.
• Copies of passport, travel documents (we printed everything – tickets, rental car info, embassy info, list of hospitals and pharmacies covered by our health insurance, and airbnb info just in case we didn’t have service when we landed)
• Valid no international fee credit card and some local currency (in Belize all places actually take USD if that’s easier for you! You can also easily exchange some there)
• Phone charger, camera/GoPro, batteries
• First aid kit with bandages, insect bite treatment, motion sickness pills
• Medications you normally take
• Flashlight or headlamp – for dark jungle areas or nights on the beach
• Rain poncho or umbrella in case of rain showers
• Reusable water bottle to stay hydrated in the heat
• Cell phone tripod stand, obviously, for those family photo moments when there isn’t someone to take the picture for us!

Our children are teens now so this list is probably a lot longer with younger kiddos!