Things To Do Belize / Belize in September and October
Green season guideBelize in September and October: what is open, the holidays, and the deals
Every guide says the same two things about this time of year: it is hurricane season, and “some hotels close.” Both are true and neither is the whole picture. This is the version for people deciding whether to book.
The weather, honestly
The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to November 30, and the National Hurricane Center’s climatology puts the most activity from August through October. For Belize that means September and October carry real, if small, odds of a tropical storm, and a near certainty of rain on some days. The usual pattern is hot, humid days with heavy afternoon or overnight showers rather than washed-out weeks, and the sea is warm.
What that means for planning: buy travel insurance that covers weather disruption, book refundable or flexible rates, keep one spare day in the itinerary, and watch forecasts in the week before you fly. People who do those four things visit in September and October every year and come home happy; people who do not are the stories you read.
The September celebrations
September is Belize’s patriotic month. Two national public holidays anchor it:
- September 10, St. George’s Caye Day, marking the 1798 battle off the coast of Belize City.
- September 21, Independence Day, marking independence from Britain in 1981.
Around those dates Belize City fills with parades, concerts and a carnival; the exact parade and concert dates change each year, so check the Belize Tourism Board’s events calendar when you plan. Expect closures of government offices and some businesses on the holidays themselves, busy roads in Belize City on parade day, and a genuinely festive country. If you want to see Belize as Belizeans celebrate it rather than as a resort, this is the fortnight.
What is open and what pauses
Here is the nuance behind “some hotels close.” A number of island resorts and restaurants, especially on Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, use the low season for a few weeks of maintenance, and tour operators run fewer scheduled departures because there are fewer guests to fill boats. Mainland jungle lodges, the Cayo district cave and ruin tours, and the main reef trips from San Pedro and Caye Caulker generally keep operating.
The practical rule: shortlist the specific places you care about, then message them directly for your dates. “Are you open the week of October 12?” gets a straight answer. Our top things to do list links to the operators we recommend; ask them the same question.
What is on the plate
Belize manages its seafood with closed seasons. Spiny lobster season is open from mid-June to mid-February, so September and October are prime lobster months. Conch has a closed season from July 1 to September 30, which means it returns to menus on October 1; if conch ceviche is on your list, October is your month. Dates are set by the Belize Fisheries Department and can change, so treat these as the long-standing pattern rather than a promise. One thing you will not get in this window is whale sharks at Gladden Spit, a spring event.
Why the prices are the best of the year
Low demand plus open rooms equals the deepest discounts Belize offers. Island and jungle properties that stay open commonly run green-season rates, and flights from the U.S. are cheaper than in the winter peak. Combine that with empty snorkel boats, cooler cave rivers after rain and the September celebrations, and the trade-off is clear: you accept weather risk and a few closed doors in exchange for the country at its least crowded and least expensive.
A sample week that works in October
| Days | Where | What |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Cayo (San Ignacio) | ATM cave, Xunantunich or Caracol, cave tubing; rivers run well after rain |
| 4–6 | Caye Caulker or San Pedro | Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley snorkel, a reef day, conch and lobster dinners |
| 7 | Belize City | Museum, market, flight home; or shift the week to catch September 21 if you can |
Keep the island days at the end so a weather day on the mainland does not cost you the reef. Build the trip in the free trip planner and print it before you go.
Sources: National Hurricane Center, tropical cyclone climatology; Belize Tourism Board, travelbelize.org (holidays and events calendar); Belize Fisheries Department, fisheries.gov.bz (lobster and conch seasons).
Good to know
Is September a bad time to visit Belize?
It is the wettest, quietest and cheapest stretch of the year, inside the Atlantic hurricane season that runs June 1 to November 30. Most days are hot with passing showers rather than storms, and the country celebrates its two national holidays on September 10 and 21. Buy travel insurance that covers weather, book refundable rates, and you get the lowest prices and emptiest reef trips of the year.
What are the holidays in Belize in September?
St. George's Caye Day on September 10 and Independence Day on September 21 are national public holidays. Belize City holds parades and celebrations around them; dates for the carnival parade and concerts change each year, so check the Belize Tourism Board calendar before you plan around them.
Are hotels and tours in Belize closed in September and October?
Some island resorts and restaurants, especially on Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, pause for a few weeks of maintenance in this period, and tour operators run fewer departures. Mainland lodges and the main reef, cave and ruin tours generally keep operating. Confirm directly with the places you care about before booking.
Can I eat lobster in Belize in October?
Yes. Belize's lobster season is open from mid-June to mid-February, so September and October are in season. Conch is the one that reopens in October: its closed season runs July 1 to September 30. Confirm current dates with the Belize Fisheries Department, as regulations can change.