Last day in Belize. Before heading to the next destination, I walked through downtown Belize City one more time.
The Swing Bridge
The Swing Bridge, crossing Haulover Creek through the heart of Belize City, is a city symbol. Built in 1923, it's a manually operated movable bridge that originally rotated 90 degrees to let large ships pass. Globally rare in design, it's been broken for some time now and no longer rotates.
Looking out from the bridge, both sides of the creek show daily life: small fishing boats, water taxis, and buildings lining the waterway. A historic bridge living alongside everyday city life β that's very Belize City.
Looking Back on Belize
Belize is a peculiar place in Latin America. English is the official language, and Caribbean resort culture mixes with the unpolished daily life of Central America. There's an air all its own that's neither quite the Spanish-speaking countries nor quite the Caribbean island states.
The Great Blue Hole flight is worth seeing once in your life. From a small plane, the deep blue circle is a shape the planet built over very long time. Even for travelers who didn't know about Belize before, that view alone makes the country worth visiting.
Travel guide (general info)
β» This section combines public information with the author's notes; please confirm the latest entry, safety, and operating details on the official sites.
History of the Swing Bridge
- Built in 1923 in then-British Honduras (the colonial-era name for Belize). Designed by a Liverpool shipbuilder, with a manually operated swing span.
- One of very few hand-cranked rotating bridges still standing in the world β rare even in North America and the Caribbean. For decades, four crew members rotated it 90 degrees by hand at dawn and dusk.
- The mechanism has been unreliable in recent years and the bridge no longer operates regularly, but it still carries pedestrians and vehicles across Haulover Creek.
Walking around Belize City
- The bridge separates the "North Side" from the "South Side." The tourism board's recommended sights β Museum of Belize, Image Factory, St. John's Cathedral, and others β are spread across both.
- When cruise ships are in port, the center gets busy and the area around the Tourist Village in the Fort George district fills up.
- Japan's MOFA also flags night hours and quiet back streets. Daytime walking is the rule.
Heading out: airport and onward travel
- Philip Goldson International Airport (BZE): about 16 km northwest of the center, around US$25 by taxi. Departure tax is usually included in your ticket β confirm in advance to be safe.
- Long-distance buses run overland to Mexico (Chetumal direction) and Guatemala (Tikal direction). Travel time around 4β6 hours.
- Belize City has also developed as a cruise port β ferries to the cayes also depart from the Tourist Village on the North Side.
References
Belize and Central America travel info in one book β Globe-Trotter: Central America is the go-to Japanese guidebook covering seven Central American countries, including Belize and Panama.
