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Threat assessment · Belize
Belize
Our rating, plus the advisories, health notices, emergency numbers and crime data behind it, from official sources checked Oct 20, 2026.
Nepsis threat assessment
Belize
Reviewed Oct 20, 2026. Scored with our published method; never below the State Department level.
Crime and scams sets the level.
Top actions
- Use ATMs inside banks or businesses, or in well-lit public areas, and keep cash out of sight.
- Follow your hotel's advice on which areas to skip, and avoid dark alleys after nightfall.
- Check the hurricane forecast daily through November and know your lodging's storm plan.
Know before you go
Dial 911 or 90 in Belize for ambulance, fire or police; Atlantic hurricane season runs through November.
Official advisories
What governments say right now.
Checked Oct 20, 2026. We link every source so you can read it yourself.
| U.S. State Department | Level 2: Exercise increased caution (updated Mar 11, 2026) Read it → |
|---|---|
| UK Foreign Office (FCDO) | Last updated Jun 12, 2026. Latest change: Removal of information about the State of Emergency, which has now ended ('Warnings and insurance' page). Read it → |
| CDC health notices | No active CDC travel health notice for this country. CDC travel notices → |
| Emergency numbers | Telephone: 911 or 90 (ambulance, fire, police) |
| Main airport | BZE |
Crime and scams
What the UK Foreign Office advises.
Excerpt from UK FCDO travel advice, lightly trimmed for travelers outside the UK. Full FCDO safety advice →
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Investigations can take several weeks, police capacity is limited and most crimes remain unsolved and unprosecuted.
Belize has one of the highest per capita murder rates in the world. Other violent crime, including armed robbery, shootings, domestic abuse and sexual assault are also a concern.
Serious gang-related violence occurs most frequently in Belize City, particularly in the area to the south of the Haulover Creek (known as Southside). Tourists are not normally the targets of gang violence, but anyone near an incident could be affected. You should:
- follow the advice of your hotel and local authorities
- be watchful of your surroundings
Armed criminals have been active in the remote forested areas of Belize, particularly the border area with Guatemala and close to tourist sites there. However, the area is patrolled by the Belize Defence Force and there have been no reported incidents involving tourists.
Tourists, in general, are vulnerable to theft of cash, credit cards, phones and other personal belongings, including in tourist destinations such as San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Placencia and San Ignacio. You should:
- avoid dark alleys
- use ATMs located in well-lit public areas or inside a bank or business
- keep valuables out of sight
- be aware that wearing expensive jewellery could attract attention
- use a qualified guide for trips off the beaten track
- only use accommodation and campgrounds that appear genuine and established
What this page is
Built on official data.
Our rating above is built on the official government and police data on this page, checked Oct 20, 2026. It does not replace your government's advisory. Planning a trip here? A Nepsis kit turns it into an arrival plan you can carry. See the kits.