Today I was reminded that no matter where you are in this world there is a possibility of danger. I have a part-time job waiting tables at a brewpub in Portland, OR and had just stepped outside to take some orders when a block up gunshots went off – it was a drive by shooting one block away. No one was hurt thankfully but it was a shocking reminder that in America, in a relatively nice neighborhood, there is a danger of random crime and violence. It’s not a very good feeling either. I immediately thought of all the concerned emails I have received about the safety of Belize and I thought to myself that unless there are legitimate warnings against visiting a place you shouldn’t use the possibility of crime occurring as an excuse not to see a gorgeous country such as Belize.
Be appropriately cautious but don’t let that fear hinder your potentially incredible experiences.
Thanks for your thoughts Belizedragonfly!
The last paragraph of your post really is a fantastic summary of what travelers to any country should take note of.
Your words are very helpful.
Comment re safety in San Pedro Town , Ambergris Caye, BZ—-We’ve stayed twice for a month at a time (November) in southern San Pedro, several blocks from Carolina’s Kitchen. In 2010 there were 2 murders–one victim was a local bar fight in another part of town, one was a foreign airline employee on vacation in a park late at night. This year (2011) we heard several “room robbery” stories from upscale tourist locations. Most shocking was that there was a violent home-invasion robbery in which our upstairs neighbor was tied up, hit on the head with a gun, and thoroughly robbed. Most surprising was that although the victims went to the police department to make a report, the police never came to the crime scene to take pictures of the mayhem (blood on the floor, the mess, etc.) , or question others. We were renting a studio apartment right below, and I had a rough night sleeping our last night there.
Were these all just “freaky” outliers? I still feel reasonably safe on Ambergris, but am now looking at other areas to spend my hard-earned tourist bucks….
Thank you for the updated comment on the safety of San Pedro town. I do have to agree that things have changed slightly since I wrote this post. I know that the incidences of crime on foreigners seems to have increased based on the news I see around Belize. Also, more people I know have had incidents that were random. I have not been living in Belize since June, but will be back in a couple weeks and plan on paying close attention to what may be different as far as safety goes. If anyone else has an opinion to share please feel free to do so here. Thanks!