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The water around Ambergris Caye runs through several shades of blue. Farther inland, jungle surrounds ancient Maya cities, underground caves and rivers where you can float beneath limestone ceilings. Along the southern Caribbean, small communities lead to some of Belize’s most celebrated snorkeling, fishing and diving destinations.
This winter, reaching it all will become considerably easier from the Canadian Prairies (part of a broader increase in flights to Belize from North America).
WestJet is launching a new nonstop flight between Winnipeg and Belize City beginning Dec. 14, creating the first direct link between Manitoba and the Central American country for the peak winter travel season.
The new flight will operate once each week between Winnipeg Richardson International Airport and Philip Goldson International Airport, the international gateway just outside Belize City.
The route gives Winnipeg-area residents a direct trip to one of the Caribbean region’s most diverse warm-weather destinations, replacing connections through Calgary, Toronto or the United States with a single WestJet flight.
It also expands WestJet’s growing Belize network. The Canadian carrier already flies nonstop to Belize from Calgary and Toronto, giving the country direct service from three Canadian cities this winter.
A New Warm-Weather Route From Winnipeg
The Dec. 14 launch places the new flight near the beginning of Manitoba’s coldest travel period, when Canadians are searching for destinations with warm water, beaches and outdoor experiences.
WestJet said the expansion is part of its broader winter leisure program, designed around rising demand for Mexico, Belize and other destinations in the region.
“These additions support the growing demand for options in Mexico and the Latin Caribbean, while sustainably expanding our schedule and managing our fleet during the peak winter travel season,” said John Weatherill, WestJet’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer.
“We are excited to offer more ways for guests to trade their snow boots for sandals in the destinations that matter most to them, and we look forward to the travel stories that will take off from these exciting new options.”
The once-weekly schedule makes Belize particularly well suited to a seven-night vacation, whether you spend the entire trip on an island or divide the week between the Caribbean Sea and Belize’s rainforest interior.
WestJet has not yet released the specific operating day or departure hours for the new service.
Why Belize Works From Canada
Belize has long held a distinctive place on the Caribbean travel map. English is the country’s official language, the Belize dollar is tied to the US dollar and the destination offers an unusually broad range of experiences within a relatively compact country.
You can spend several nights beside the Belize Barrier Reef, then travel inland to a jungle lodge near San Ignacio. A single itinerary can include snorkeling, diving, fly-fishing, cave tubing, birding and visits to Maya archaeological sites.
The country’s Caribbean culture is equally varied, drawing from Garifuna, Creole, Maya, Mestizo and other communities. Placencia, Hopkins, San Pedro, Caye Caulker and the Cayo District each offer a different version of Belize.
Canada remains one of Belize’s leading international source markets, according to the Belize Tourism Board, with demand driven in part by travelers interested in nature, culture and smaller-scale hotels.
“The launch of WestJet’s new Winnipeg–Belize City service is an important step in strengthening air connectivity between Canada and Belize, and a strong sign of confidence in our destination’s continued growth,” said Anthony Mahler, Belize’s minister of tourism, youth, sport and diaspora relations.
“Canada is one of Belize’s most important international markets, and with this new route complementing WestJet’s existing service from Toronto and Calgary, Canadians now have more options than ever to experience everything Belize has to offer.”
From Belize City to the Islands
The WestJet flight will arrive at Philip Goldson International Airport, which is the starting point for travel throughout the country.
Many visitors heading to Ambergris Caye or Caye Caulker connect to short domestic flights from the international airport. Tropic Air and Maya Island Air operate frequent service to San Pedro, where golf carts, beach hotels and overwater restaurants line Belize’s busiest island destination.
Ambergris Caye is also one of the primary bases for exploring the Belize Barrier Reef. Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley are among the country’s best-known snorkeling excursions, while experienced divers can continue farther offshore to the Great Blue Hole and Lighthouse Reef Atoll.
Caye Caulker offers a smaller, more casual alternative, with sandy lanes, waterfront restaurants and easy excursions to nearby reef sites.
Travelers continuing south can connect by road or domestic flight to Placencia, a peninsula known for its long beach, independent restaurants and growing collection of boutique hotels and villa resorts.
Farther north, the cayes around Turneffe Atoll appeal to divers, anglers and travelers seeking a more remote island stay.
The Reef-and-Rainforest Trip
The new Winnipeg route also opens the door to one of Belize’s signature vacations: several nights on the Caribbean followed by several nights in the western jungle.
The Cayo District, centered around San Ignacio, is home to riverfront lodges, forest reserves and some of Belize’s most significant Maya sites. Xunantunich, reached by a small hand-cranked ferry across the Mopan River, is known for the towering El Castillo temple. Caracol, deeper in the Chiquibul Forest, was once one of the largest cities in the Maya world.
Belize’s cave systems provide another reason to travel inland. Actun Tunichil Muknal, commonly called ATM Cave, combines hiking, river crossings and an underground archaeological site. Other excursions include cave tubing through the Caves Branch system and canoe trips into Barton Creek Cave.
Several of Belize’s best-known jungle properties are located in this region, including Blancaneaux Lodge, Ka’ana Resort, The Lodge at Chaa Creek and Gaia Riverlodge.
A split stay works especially well with a weekly nonstop flight. You can begin inland, continue to the reef and return to Belize City for the flight home, or reverse the order and finish the trip in the jungle.
Where Canadians Can Stay
Belize offers a wide selection of smaller hotels rather than the vast resort districts found in some larger Caribbean destinations.
On Ambergris Caye, Alaia Belize combines a beachfront setting with multiple pools, restaurants and a rooftop venue close to San Pedro. Victoria House Resort and Spa offers a quieter beachfront experience south of town, while Matachica Resort and Spa has colorful casitas north of San Pedro.
Caye Caulker’s hotels tend to be smaller and more informal, fitting the island’s walkable, low-key character.
On the Placencia Peninsula, Itz’ana Resort and Residences, Naia Resort and Spa and Turtle Inn offer different interpretations of a Belizean beach vacation. Hopkins, farther north, is closely tied to Garifuna culture and provides convenient trips to nearby waterfalls, wildlife reserves and offshore snorkeling sites.
The country also has dedicated island resorts reached by boat, including properties centered on diving, fishing and private-island stays.
What the New Flight Means
Winnipeg has not traditionally had the same selection of nonstop Caribbean routes available from larger Canadian gateways such as Toronto, Montreal or Calgary.
The Belize service adds a destination with a very different vacation profile. Belize is not centered on a single resort corridor or an all-inclusive district. Trips are often built around two or more regions, with local hotels, independent guides and outdoor excursions playing a central role.
The flight could also draw travelers from across Manitoba and neighboring parts of Saskatchewan and northwestern Ontario who previously needed an additional Canadian connection before continuing south.
Belize, meanwhile, gains a direct link to a new Canadian market during the country’s busiest tourism season.
“Greater air connectivity is the cornerstone of tourism growth, and we are excited to welcome more Canadian travelers to discover Belize’s vibrant culture and our legendary reef-to-rainforest experiences through this deepening partnership with WestJet,” Mahler said.
Belize’s Expanding Canadian Network
With the addition of Winnipeg, WestJet will connect Belize with three major Canadian regions: Ontario, Alberta and Manitoba.
The new service comes as Caribbean and Central American destinations continue competing for Canadian winter travelers. Nonstop flights play an especially important role in that decision from cities where passengers often face multiple connections.
Belize now has an opportunity to reach Canadians who may have considered the destination but chosen an easier nonstop vacation elsewhere.
Beginning Dec. 14, a traveler leaving Winnipeg will be able to arrive in Belize without changing planes, then continue by boat, domestic aircraft or road to an island, a jungle lodge or a small Caribbean beach town.
For Manitoba, the flight adds another escape from winter. For Belize, it brings an entirely new part of Canada within one nonstop journey of the reef.
The post WestJet Is Launching a New Nonstop Flight From Canada to Belize, With Reefs, Rainforests, and Maya Sites appeared first on Caribbean Journal.
