10 Reasons Why You Will Love Retiring in Belize

1. Sub-tropical climate - Belize has a sub-tropical year round climate where frosts and freezes are unknown.
2. Hol Chan Marine Reserve - Hol Chan is a national park that includes part of the barrier reef.
3. Shark Ray Alley - Belize is one of the best places to get up close and personal with sharks and stingrays.
4. The Barrier Reef - The Belize Barrier Reef is the largest in the western hemisphere and is 190 miles long.
5. The Howler Monkey – Belize has a rare breed of howler monkey that is known as one of the top ten loudest animals in the world.
6. Mayan Ruins - Belize has a rich Mayan history with over 900 historic locations.
7. The People – Belize is home to some of the most interesting and friendliest people who are very accepting of other cultures.
8. The Jungles – 60% of Belize is forested, hiking through the jungles is an amazing experience.
9. The Caribbean Sea – The waters off of Belize are known to inhabit more than 400 species of sub tropical fish.
10.  BELIKIN BEER – “The Only Beer Worth Drinking”

Photo:  AJ Baxter, Picture Belize

Belize has the Second Largest Barrier Reef in the World

One of the main reasons we chose to retire to Belize was the great Barrier Reef. We love being near the water and being able to snorkel. Belize has the second largest Barrier Reef in the world, making it a sanctuary to a wide variety of marine wildlife and plants.

The reef is home to over 70 hard coral species, 36 soft coral species and 500 species of fish. Today only about 10 percent of the species have been discovered in the reef, while the other 90 percent is still being researched.

The Belize Barrier Reef is a series of coral reefs straddling the coast of Belize. The reef is an approximately 186 mile long section of the 560 mile long Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. It is Belize's top tourist destination popular for scuba diving and snorkeling.

Reef Etiquette

• Never take anything living or dead out of the water.
• Do not touch or handle marine life unless you are with a knowledgeable guide.
• Never feed marine life.
• Never touch corals. 
• Do not chase or try to ride any marine life.
• Look, enjoy, but don't touch.