Belize Vs Cancun: Which Is a Better Destination For Vacation? 

Belize vs Cancun, where to go for a family trip? In short, both are insanely beautiful places to visit and stunning places to visit. 

While visiting Belize, you have the opportunity to enjoy pristine beaches, class 1 scuba diving, kayaking, fishing, snorkeling, exploring flora and fauna in tropical rain forests, and visiting ancient Maya ruins.

belize vs cancun 

All these make Belize one of the best tourist destinations in the world. 

On the other hand, Cancun is enriched with stunning beaches, crystal clear water, rejoicing weather, gorgeous Maya temples, delicious dining, luxurious resorts, and sensational spas.

All these amazing tourist spots & activities make Cancun a dream destination for tourists.  

Now, it may be confusing & difficult to decide as both are great to go on a trip.

Right?

Don’t worry. We are going to help you with your decision. We will make vast comparisons between Belize and Cancun. If you go through our comparison, you will get a real picture of both. So, let’s start…

But, here if you have a thought to get a wide picture of Belize and Mexico instead of only Cancun, then you can explore our complete comparison between Mexico and Belize.

Popular ActivitiesBelizeCancun
BeachesYesYes
Eco-parksNo Yes
Eco-toursYesNo
Cenote DivingNoYes
Canoe Diving YesNo
Shopping MallsLessYes
Scuba Diving YesYes
Maya ruinsYesYes

Belize And Cancun- Cost Comparison Chart

CostBelizeCancun 
Living Cost$75 (for a couple)$120-$150 (for a couple)
Fooding$50 or less (for 2 a day)Around $100 (for 2 a day)
Rent CostAround $1000 (monthly)Around $1200-$1800 (monthly)

Overview Of Belize And Cancun

If you want to spend some time in peace, the beaches of Belize will be a wonderful choice. Cancun is almost the opposite of Belize. If you like the festival vibe, Cancun will be a great option.

Now you may ask where is Belize city and where is Cancun? Well, I’ve mentioned the exact location here:

overview in belize

Belize is a Central American country. You will find the Caribbean sea from the east of Belize. In the north of Belize, you will find Mexico. And the west and south borders are shared with Guatemala. 

Belize has many Caribbean islands along with some great beaches. But people know Belize only because of the Ambergris Caye. 

On the other hand, Cancun is a great tourist spot in Mexico. You will find Cancun on the north of Riviera Maya (Mexico’s resort area of the Caribbean coast). 

overview in cancun

Cancun is almost the opposite of Belize. Starting with the high-end hotels and restaurants, you will see eco-parks, luxurious pools, and so on. Diving in cenotes is another specialty of Cancun.

Cancun Vs Belize Accessibility 

If you want to travel to Belize, you have two options. First, you have to go to the United States. From there, you can fly to Belize. Second, you can travel from Europe with special planes. 

accessibility in belize

The moment you are in Belize, you can get around Belize with pretty much everything. You can even roam around in kayaks!

Talking about Cancun, you have to fly to Mexico first. Flights should be easily available. 

accessibility in cancun

In addition, you have to issue a tourism card from a Mexican consulate as this card (FMM) will also be necessary to visit Cancun. To roam around Cancun, you can use familiar transportation like taxis.

Belize Or Cancun- Which One Is Best For a Honeymoon Or Family Trip 

The purpose of a family trip is to enjoy the moments with kids and sometimes with parents. 

On the other hand, you go on a honeymoon trip to spend some lovely moments with your life partner. 

honeymoon in belize

That is why you should search for a calm and quiet place where you can pass your first few days of marriage. And family trips are best where a lot of parks and fun activities are associated.

For the above reasons, our pick for the honeymoon trip is in Belize. You may wonder why go to Belize? Why not somewhere else? You can visit some of the quiet beaches. 

honeymoon in cancun

You can even experience the adventure of visiting some undiscovered lands with a canoe or kayak. 

We think Cancun will be your best option if you are planning a family tour for similar reasons. Enjoying some great moments will be very easy in Cancun.  

Belize is a place where people go to find calmness and feel nature. The time you will pass there will be most likely adventurous with some different types of activities. What you can do on Belize sea beaches are the following: 

1. Kayak Or Canoe Diving

As you are getting closure to nature, kayaking is one step further to achieving your goal. Kayak or Canoe diving is available at Belize sea beaches. 

kayak or canoe diving in belize

You have just to wear protective gear and hop into one of the kayaks. 

2. Eco Tours From The Guides Or Hotels

Most of the guides give Eco tours to tourists. If you are lucky, the hotel where you are staying may offer Eco tours also. Offer all of them if you have time in hand.

eco tours from the guides or hotels in belize

You won’t regret it all. 

3. Scuba Diving 

Who doesn’t love Scuba diving? And having the option to do scuba diving in a place like Belize makes it more appealing to visit. 

scuba diving in belize

4. Fishing

Yes, you heard it right. You can get the chance of fishing. That is why carrying your fishing components is a good thing to do. 

fishing in belize

Tips For Visiting Belize 

We know that you are excited. Out of excitement, you can do something silly that may cost the pleasure of your trip. Follow the following tips to have a nice and clean trip experience in Belize-

  • Make a budget
  • Select a place to stay and the time of your visit
  • Make a tour plan of your activities on the trip
  • Make a prior decision about traveling and roaming method
  • Take swimsuits as some of the places offer diving
  • Don’t forget the necessary documents

For party-minded people, Cancun is a blessing. You will find plenty of hotels staying up all night partying. Along with that, the following are the most popular activities in Cancun.

1. Swimming In Luxurious Pools

Unlike Belize, Cancun has some premium hotels to stay in. If you spend enough, you will get the chance to swim in some of the luxurious pools.

swimming in luxurious pools in cancun

As swimming at the beaches is not ideal, you can cover it up here. 

2. Cenote Diving 

Cenote diving is one of the most unique experiences you will ever get, regardless of the place. In Cancun, you will get an amazing experience by diving into the beautiful Cenotes. 

Cenote Diving in Cancun

3. Scuba Diving

You can also go scuba diving, just like the sea beaches of Belize. If you have the time, you shouldn’t miss it. 

scuba diving in cancun

4. Visiting Eco-Parks

There are plenty of Eco-parks in Cancun. You can visit the eco-parks too, to get a different experience.

visiting eco-parks in cancun

Having a guide with you will help you a lot in this regard. 

5. Shopping

There are a lot of shopping malls in Cancun. For this reason, you can spend some of your time and money to buy something special for yourself or for a special person, here in Cancun.

shopping in cancun

Tips For Visiting Cancun 

To make sure you will have a great tour experience, consider following the following tips-

  • Pack your bag with the necessary items. Don’t take anything unnecessary. 
  • Travel credit cards offer discounts (sometimes even free flights!)
  • You have to tip a lot. Remember it. 
  • Pre-book the places you want to stay in
  • Use cash instead of credit or debit cards
  • Don’t forget the documents

Accommodations In Cancun And Belize

Belize is cheaper than Cancun. This is our one-line verdict. People pay a bit more attention to Cancun as this spot is already deemed to be a premium place. That is why you need to pay extra money in almost every sector. 

hotels in belize and cancun

Accommodation is not an exception too. You have to pay $30 to $50 more in Cancun to stay a night than in Belize.

Belize And Cancun-Best Time To Visit 

To visit Belize, visiting between January and May is the best time. You will be in the dry season at that time. That is why you won’t need to worry about cold temperatures. 

belize and cancun

Unlike the best period of visiting Belize, you have to visit Cancun between December and April to get the best experience. Even if the crowd is heavy during that time, you will experience perfect weather during this period.

Weather Comparison Chart

WeatherCancunBelize
Climate TypeTropical Tropical
Temperature26°C-29°C (Jan-Jul)24°C-27°C (Jan-Jul)
Humidity73%-78%73% (yearly average)
Rainfall53 inches to 180 inches50 inches to 175 inches
Tropical storm seasonMay to DecemberJune to November (serious damage occurs)

Belize Vs Cancun- How Long To Stay 

Staying for 7 days in Belize will cover most of the important spots. But it will be a fast-paced visit. Considering 10 days to even 14 days will be the best period to stay and experience Belize. 

On the other hand, staying 5 days in Cancun will be able to show you the best of it. However, you can extend your visit to 7 or 10 days so that you don’t miss a single bit of Cancun. 

Culture In Belize And Cancun

Belize has an astoundingly mixed culture with only around 400K population. Can you believe Belize has people of East Indian, Maya, Kriol, Garifuna, Mennonites, Mestizo, and many more? 

culture in belize

It’s amazingly unbelievable! Belize has diversity in languages too. With English as its national language, there are more than ten different languages in Belize. 

Do you want to spend your time elsewhere than in fancy restaurants and pools in Cancun? No worries. You have the option to visit archaeological places consisting of Mayan ruins. 

culture in cancun

If you want, you can also see the traditional Mexican bullfight. Do you want something relaxing? You can please your eyes by watching traditional ballet in Cancun.

 Food In Cancun & Belize

Let’s start with Cancun here this time. Mexican Cuisine is a unique one with its mouthwatering foods. The amazing thing is that you will get all the best dishes of Mexico to try in Cancun. 

food in cancun

The fact that makes Mexican Cuisine a divine one is all the ingredients are available in the local market. You can even try some of the dishes on the street! Naming a few, you will get Lime Soup (Sopa de Lima), Tamales, Empanadas, Castacan (Fried Pork Belly), and many more in Cancun!

On the other hand, Belize has a diverse population. For this reason, the Cuisine is not unique one rather mixed. You have the option to try a standard breakfast (cereal with milk or bread and butter). You can also try some traditional Belizean breakfasts like Johnny cakes or Fry jacks. 

 food in belize

For lunch and dinner, you again have the chance to try both standard and traditional dishes. A traditional Belizean dinner consists of rice and beans with various types of fish or meats. 

And don’t forget to try the traditional foods of Belize like Chimole, Stewed Chicken, Salbutes, Garnache.

Decision Time, Belize Vs Cancun Who Wins 

Long story short- Cancun for a trip with family. Belize for honeymoon. 

We have already discussed it several times. Belize and Cancun are almost the opposite. While you will see crowds and lots of fun activities in Cancun, Belize is a calm and adventurous place. 

choose the best place for your next vacation

Your kids will not even want to leave Cancun for the activities. That is why Cancun is the best place to travel with your family. 

To understand your life partner better, you will need a calm and quiet place. Belize will serve that purpose perfectly.

FAQ:

Is Belize Cheaper Than Mexico? 

Interestingly, Belize is expensive, to put the exact figure, 59.6% more than Mexico. But if you consider our article, you can stay on the sea beaches of Belize cheaper than the likes of Cancun.

Is Belize Safer Than Mexico? 

While comparing the safety issue between Mexico and Belize, the short answer is Belize is safer for tourists than Mexico. You will hear many bad things about Belize. But the reality is different. The reason behind the safety is, Belize is mostly dependent on tourism. To make sure more and more foreigners visit the country, they have to provide extra safety.

Is Cancun A Dangerous Place To Visit? 

As Mexico is well known for the passages of drug cartels and other crimes, you may question the safety of Cancun. But Cancun is an extremely safe place to visit. The crime rate is very low here, and the shootings that happen in the hotels are far away from tourist zones.

Final Verdict

From a neutral ground, Belize is our pick from the comparison between Belize & Cancun. The foods are cheap, and staying in hotels is also cheap in Belize. Most importantly, you will have the option to explore the unexplored in Belize. 

If you want to get a premium experience of visiting the Caribbean, Cancun is a great choice. You can get a first-class experience from everything in Cancun. 

Have a great trip. And don’t forget to share your thoughts about the article.

Note: As a frequent traveler and vacation lover, you might have a plan to visit Tybee Island or Hilton Head. Then reading our complete comparison between Tybee Island and Hilton Head will certainly help to pick the right one for your next trip.

About Ishaque

I am a frequent traveler who likes to explore the beauty of the earth and live an independent lifestyle. Also, I am working as a freelance writer to support my independent lifestyle. Learn more about us.

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