Belize City in December: Weather, the Sea, Things to Do and a Two-Day Plan

In December, Belize City wakes to the sound of Creole kitchens: johnnycakes and fry jacks on the stove, stew chicken simmering, Christmas songs drifting from a radio on a porch. Down by the water, the Swing Bridge over Haulover Creek keeps its slow rhythm and the harbor looks out toward the cayes. The hurricane season has just ended, the sea is still warm, and the city offers a Caribbean December for travelers who want museums, Creole food and a jumping-off point for the reef.

The waterfront of Belize City in the dry season · Illustration

What is the weather like in Belize City in December?

December in Belize City is warm and humid, with afternoons that suit a short-sleeved shirt and evenings that ask for nothing heavier than a light layer. Rain has eased since November but has not gone away.

Month	Average high (°F)	Average low (°F)	Rain days	Sea (°F)
November	85.5	71.0	11.4	83.5
December	84.2	69.3	10.3	81.1
January	83.2	68.0	10.3	80.6

The change from November is easy to feel. Much less rain falls in December, so the streets spend less time wet, the harbor stays brighter and plans for a walk across town survive more often. Still, rain turns up on a good share of the days, so a December visit works best when you keep one indoor idea in your pocket.

The heat is softer than it was a few weeks earlier. You can walk the center in the middle of the day without the heaviness of the autumn months, and the nights are mild enough to eat outside. The light is low and golden early and late, which flatters the colonial-era wooden houses, the painted shopfronts and the water by the Marine Terminal.

For clothes, think breathable cotton, a light rain jacket and shoes that dry quickly. A thin sweater is plenty for a breezy boat ride or an evening on the waterfront. The sea stays warm, a little cooler than in November, which matters if you are heading out to the cayes.

Can you swim in Belize City in December?

The sea near Belize City averages 81.1°F in December, which is warm enough for a long, unhurried swim and a comfortable snorkel without a wetsuit.

The water you will actually get into lies offshore. St. George’s Caye is an island in the Caribbean Sea, eight miles east of Belize City, and it is part of the Belize District. A small village shares its name, and the Spaniards once called the island Cayo Cocina, or Kitchen Cay.

Farther out, the cayes of San Pedro and Caye Caulker are reached by a flight from Belize City that gives an aerial view of the Caribbean Sea on the way. The Belize Barrier Reef runs offshore from the city, and these islands are the usual bases for time in and on the water. In the city itself the draw is the harbor and the creek, so plan your swimming for the islands.

What to do in Belize City in December

December here is about Christmas, which is celebrated on December 25, and about the city as a place to eat, walk and learn some history before heading to the water. Houses and shopfronts put up lights, radios play carols and Creole kitchens turn out holiday baking. It is a good month to slow down and spend time in neighborhoods rather than rushing through.

Food is the easiest way into the month. Look for rice and beans with stew chicken, fry jacks and johnnycakes at breakfast, conch fritters and fresh seafood from the sea, and a cold Belikin to go with them. Around Christmas, home kitchens are known for ham, fruit cake and rum-spiked drinks, and some restaurants and stalls offer a taste of them.

The Swing Bridge, the harbor and the center

The center of Belize City is built around water. The Swing Bridge crosses Haulover Creek and gives you a front-row view of boats, pelicans and the daily comings and goings of the waterfront. Wooden buildings with galleries and shutters line nearby streets, and the shops and snack stands give you a feel for ordinary city life.

The mild December weather makes this a good walking month, at least until a shower arrives. Early and late in the day the light is kind to photographs, and the harbor often has a breeze. Plan your stops around a cold drink and a bench rather than a checklist, and you will see more of the city.

The Belize History Museum and the city’s past

The Belize History Museum is the clearest indoor option in town, a good choice on a showery day. It tells the story of a place that was once British Honduras and the capital of the colony. The city carries that past in its streets, and also in a more painful chapter: Hurricane Hattie in 1961 damaged more than 70% of Belize City’s buildings, one of the reasons the capital moved inland.

Visiting the museum helps the rest of the day make sense. The wooden houses, the waterfront and the stories you hear from people in shops and restaurants all fit into a longer history. Pair it with a Creole lunch and a walk along the water, and you will have a full, relaxed day in town without needing a car.

Island days beyond the harbor

With the sea this warm, many travelers use Belize City as a gateway to the cayes. St. George’s Caye lies eight miles east of the city and is the closest island in the Belize District. A quick flight from the city also reaches the beaches of San Pedro and Caye Caulker.

December is a good month to link the two halves of a trip: a night or two in the city for food and history, then the reef and the islands. The hurricane season has ended and the water is still pleasant, so a boat day or a snorkel feels like a fitting reward after a few city walks.

Shopping and local dining fill the gaps. Browse for crafts, hot sauces and Belizean snacks, then stop at a small restaurant for whatever is on the board that day. Evenings are for a slow dinner, perhaps with rum punch, in the mild air.

A two-day itinerary for Belize City in December

Day 1 is for the center and its past. Start with a Creole breakfast of fry jacks or johnnycakes, then walk to the Swing Bridge and the harbor while the light is soft and the city is stirring. The days are a little over eleven hours long in December, so mornings and late afternoons are the best times to be outside.

At midday move indoors to the Belize History Museum, which also works as your rain card if a shower sets in. Follow it with a long lunch of rice and beans and stew chicken. In the afternoon wander the shopping streets near the water, then finish with a dinner of fresh seafood and a cold Belikin.

Day 2 is for the sea. Head out to the islands, either to nearby St. The sea is warm enough for a long snorkel or swim, and the beaches there are the reason many visitors cross the water.

Take a light rain jacket in case a shower comes through, and plan lunch on the island, where seafood is the obvious order. Return in the late afternoon so you are back before the light fades, then end the evening with a relaxed dinner and a stroll in the mild air.

Is Belize City busy in December?

December is a holiday month, and the weeks around Christmas and New Year carry the most energy, with families gathering, shops busy and a festive feel in the streets.

The hurricane season has just ended, so the month tends to attract travelers who waited for the start of calmer weather. That can make rooms and restaurant tables in the places you most want to stay more in demand around the holidays. As a habit, settle your plans first for the weeks of Christmas and New Year, and leave more room for flexibility in the quieter stretches of the month.

Inside the city, the pace remains that of a working Caribbean town. Markets, snack stands and small restaurants carry on, with a seasonal touch of lights and music. Around Christmas Day itself, expect a more family-oriented, quieter feeling in many places as people stay home and gather.

If your trip includes the islands, remember that they draw visitors who come for the reef and the warm sea. Think of December as a month when the whole country is a little livelier, then pick the days that suit your own rhythm, whether that means a busy market morning or a slow afternoon on the water.

What to pack for Belize City in December

Pack for warm days, mild evenings and the chance of a shower, with a swimsuit for the cayes.

Lightweight cotton shirts and shorts, because the days are warm and humid.
A light layer for evenings and breezy boat rides, since nights are mild rather than cold.
A compact rain jacket, because rain still falls on a good share of days.
Quick-drying walking sandals or shoes for the streets and the harbor.
A swimsuit and a rash guard for the cayes, where the sea is warm.
A sun hat and sunscreen for the open waterfront and the boat.

Good to know before you go

The U.S. State Department rates Belize Level 2, “Exercise increased caution”, because of crime, and says the south side of Belize City has historically had the highest concentration of violent crime.

December falls just after the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, so the month sits outside the official season. The city still remembers Hurricane Hattie of 1961, a reminder of how much the coast has lived with. For a trip that includes the cayes, build in some slack for weather, and keep an indoor option such as the Belize History Museum ready for showers.

Belize City in December vs November and January

Moving the trip four weeks earlier brings you to November, when the sea is a little warmer and more rain falls. It is also the last month of the Atlantic hurricane season, which ends on November 30. If you prefer the warmest possible water and do not mind more showers, November has its appeal, but December is drier and more settled.

Moving four weeks later brings you to January, when the water is a touch cooler and the days begin to lengthen again. The holiday crowds ease, and George Price Day, a public holiday on January 15, honors the country’s first Prime Minister. The rain days are the same as in December, so the weather feels much alike.

Travelers who want the Christmas atmosphere, with lights, music and seasonal food, should stay with December. Those who prefer a calmer pace after the holidays might shift to January, and anyone chasing the warmest sea could consider November. For a balance of mild weather, warm water and a festive city, December is the middle path.

Is December a good time to visit Belize City?

Yes, December suits travelers who like warm weather without the heaviest rain, who enjoy food and history, and who want to pair a city stay with a few days on the water. It is also a good fit for anyone who likes the idea of a Caribbean Christmas.

It suits less well those who want a very quiet trip during the holiday weeks, or who plan days built entirely around dry skies, since showers still come. If that is you, consider a calmer stretch of the month or another season.

On arrival, start with the center: walk to the Swing Bridge, take in the harbor and eat a Creole meal before you decide how to spend the rest of your days. Then plan your island time, whether that is St. George’s Caye or a flight to San Pedro or Caye Caulker. What stays with you from December here is the mix of a working Creole city dressed for Christmas, johnnycakes in the morning, rum punch in the evening, and a warm sea waiting just offshore.

Sources

NOAA NCEI, GHCN-Daily station BHM00078583 (Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport, Belize City), normals 1991-2020 computed from the daily record (https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=daily-summaries&stations=BHM00078583), checked October 11, 2026
Open-Meteo Marine API, average 2015-2024, checked October 11, 2026
sunrise-sunset.org, sunrise and sunset calculated for the 15th of the month, checked October 11, 2026
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