Weather
Although the weather is starting to get hotter in April, this is still a great month to visit Belize. Temps can spike inland, topping out around 92°F (32°C) but these are offset by occasional light showers to cool things down. The temperature on the coast, meanwhile, averages a less oppressive high of 81°F (27°C).
The coastal winds pick up during April as well, blowing in around 12-16 knots. While that can sometimes mean choppier waters, it makes for overall refreshing weather, and the seas behind the reef are typically calm. They're so calm, in fact, that April is a peak month for snorkeling, scuba diving, and fishing. The milder weather also allows for catamaran excursions to the outer atolls.
Crowds & Costs
Just like in February and March, sun-seekers, divers, and water sports lovers flock to Belize during April. This is still the high season, especially when it concerns island holidays and barrier reef excursions. Hotels fill up fast, as do the most popular boat tours around Belize's famous marine reserves. Book your trip at least a couple of months in advance, and be prepared to pay high season prices.
Where to Go
In April, most visitors choose Belize's islands over its inland areas. There are over 400 such islands off the coast of this country, and near to these are unspoiled marine reserves that make for great excursions. There are eight reserves in fact, with one of the most popular being Hol Chan. It's ideally situated near Belize's largest island, Ambergris Caye, which makes it perfect for day trips.
However, if you don't mind the weather being a few degrees hotter, there are countless amazing locales on mainland Belize just waiting to be discovered. Mayflower Bocawina National Park, for example, is home to beautiful rainforest landscapes in the Maya Mountains. Then there's Altun Ha. a famous archeological site that was an important Maya trading center up until about 900 CE. Indigenous villages like Santa Theresa keep Mayan culture alive, and there are countless protected areas home to Belize's famed wildlife, like the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
What to Do
Snorkeling, diving, and kayaking are all popular excursions during April. And there are plenty of places to enjoy such activities, as Belize's famed barrier reef stretches 180 miles (290 km) along the coast. Great diving spots and can't miss highlights include coastal Placencia, the famous Blue Hole (a marine sinkhole and atoll), Turneffe Atoll, Half Moon Caye, and the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Many of these locales, particularly Hol Chan, are great places to view marine life like nurse sharks, rays, and various turtles such as loggerheads and green sea turtles.
Then there's the mainland, which is a great place to spot Belize's land and air-based animals. The Belize Zoo is home to magnificent wildcats like jaguars and ocelots, while river cruises, like those down the New River and Moho River, reveal howler monkeys and macaws on the banks. The Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary is a wetland area and thus great for spotting aquatic birds like herons and storks.
Maya ruins are also highlights of the mainland, and there are many to explore. Beyond Altun Ha, there's also Lamanai, which are the oldest Maya ruins in Belize (they date back to around 1500 BCE). Caracol is a massive site (even bigger than present-day Belize City) one well worth visiting and which is home to impressive pyramids like Caana (or "sky palace"), which stands 141-feet (43-m) high.
Events in April
Easter (Late Apr). This is one of the biggest holidays in Belize and spans five days: Easter Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday. Belizeans celebrate the occasion with religious processions, all-day church services, and dramatizations of events like The Passion. Expect most stores and services to shut down starting Thursday and remain closed throughout the festivities.
Traveling to Belize in April? Check out these great itineraries
Belize Lighthouse Reef Adventure - 7 Days. This weeklong adventure is all about nature reserves and protected areas. It starts with wildlife spotting on the mainland at Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary. It continues on the water where you'll snorkel and kayak around the Lighthouse Reef Atoll, a marine park and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Wildlife, Mayan Ruins, & Reef Tour - 9 Days. Enjoy the greatest hits of Belize in just nine days. It begins with a birding and wildlife tour down the New River, followed by a hike around the Maya ruins of Altun Ha before heading off to Belize's famous barrier reef. There, you'll snorkel around the Turneffe Atoll and Lighthouse Reef.
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