Mountain Pine Ridge and Belize City are served by Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (IATA code BZE), which is located 9.1 miles northwest of Belize City. Mountain Pine Ridge is accessible by airplane (Tropic Air), bus, or taxi. A taxi will cost between BZ$240-300 from Belize City to Mountain Pine Ridge. It is recommended that you arrange transportation into Mountain Pine Ridge in advance for the best price and most reliability. Depending on where you are staying, many accommodations and tours will include transportation to Mountain Pine Ridge, so be sure to ask your host.

The park roads are not paved and are not served by any significant bus service. Renting a car is not recommended as the roads are extremely bumpy and once you reach Mountain Pine Ridge, you will not need a car to get around. The best ways to get around are by hiking or paying for full and half day trips from a lodge. Other options are renting a mountain bike or by horseback riding.

Yes, Mountain Pine Ridge is a great place to get around by foot. The reserve is about 166 square miles and the entire area is perfect for hiking.

No, Mountain Pine Ridge is a very safe area to visit. Most of the crimes committed are petty and rarely violent. When walking around, keep your passport safely locked away in your hotel room. Pickpockets have been known to target tourists, so make sure your purses, bags, and wallets are close to your body at all times. Stay alert and contact the police immediately if you are the victim of a crime.

The currency of Belize is the Belize dollar. US dollars are not accepted. Please be sure to have the correct currency on hand or be prepared to exchange your dollars for Belize dollars upon arrival. Currency exchange desks can be found at the airport and many locations throughout the city.

Yes, English is the official language of Belize and about 63 percent of Belizeans speak English as their first language. Other languages common to Belize are Creole and Spanish.

No, there are currently no vaccination requirements to visit Belize. There is no risk of yellow fever in Belize. The government of Belize requires proof of yellow fever vaccination only if you are arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever. This does not include the US. Zika is a risk in Belize. Because Zika infection in a pregnant woman can cause serious birth defects, women who are pregnant should not travel to Belize. All travelers should strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites and sexual exposure to Zika virus during and after the trip. For the latest updates visit the CDC page https://www.cdc.gov/ on the internet.

A typical breakfast is hearty and consists of Meat Pies, beans with eggs, cheese and flour tortillas, burritos, tacos, and stuffed fry jacks (a flour tortilla deep fried and filled with your choice, eggs, cheese, beans, chicken, ham, or bacon for example). Lunch is solid too, the typical fare includes rice and beans with your choice of meat, varying from chicken, pork, fish, lobster, beef, shrimp or conch (shellfish) stewed, baked, fried or grilled.

For supper, pupusas are a Belizean favorite. Pupusas are a thick corn tortilla stuffed and grilled, tostadas, garnarches (a fried corn tortilla, fried beans cheese and onion and cabbage sauce with tomato sauce). Dinner menus also include BBQ, (usually chicken or ribs) soups, and rice and beans. For drinks, because of the subtropical climate, there is a wide variety of fruits to choose from such as orange, lime, watermelon, cantaloupe, and banana depending on the season.

No, the water is not drinkable in Belize. We suggest that you carry bottled water with you. Most tourist areas will have bottled water available for purchase.