I’m just back from a shoot at El Pescador Lodge in Belize—my first international travel since March. This trip was a long time coming; I held a total of five different ticketings since July, as the reopening date for Belize continued to shift back. Finally, on 1 October, the country re-opened and I hopped a plane to head south.
Here’s a brief look at what international travel looks like right now:
- Step 1: Get a rapid PCR COVID test within 72 hours of your originating (departing from your home destination) flight. I was able to do this in Montana, so the odds are you can do it where you live, too. There are also a number of companies now offering rapid tests by mail.
- Download and fill out the Belize Health App. You’ll go through a quick questionnaire (it felt similar
to a customs form, but with additional health questions), and be given a QR code, which you’ll have to show several times upon arrival at Belize City Airport. It took about five minutes to fill out the questionnaire and get my code. This must be done no less than 72 hours prior to your arrival in Belize.
- My route to Belize was this: Missoula to Denver, Denver to Houston. Overnight in Houston. Then Houston to Belize City. Right now only United and American are flying to Belize (Delta supposedly will resume flights in late November). I’m not a fan of United, but the routing wasn’t bad and the overnight was easy in Houston; I was able to book a Hampton Inn near the airport for about $70. Even before the COVID era, I didn’t have an option to get from Montana to Belize in a single day; my normal routing is on Delta with a red-eye through Atlanta. I’m a die-hard Delta flyer when possible, so I’ll resume that route when Delta is flying to Belize once more.
- Honestly, I was just very, very happy to be flying and traveling once more. There are a plethora of sanitizing stations in most airports, and I felt very relaxed flying. Airports were still more quiet than they used to be, but are looking far busier than in April and May. I’ve always loved airports, and that certainly hasn’t gone away, even in this weird era we find ourselves in.
- Upon landing in Belize City, we deplaned and queued up on the tarmac near the airport. Officials were very careful about spacing travelers out on the “social distancing” dots that had been placed on the concrete. I was the sixth from last person out of the airplane after a seat change from United that left me 14 rows away from my Pelican case in the overhead bin (thanks, United). Being at the very end of the line, I waited outside for about 50 minutes before making it inside the terminal.
- Once inside the terminal, we moved through a “Hospitality Meet & Greet” room, where Belize Tourism Board team members greeted travelers, and verified that we’d downloaded the Health App and had a negative COVID test to present. Those with a negative test and healthy temperature were given a slip of paper with a green star on it. A red mark on the paper indicated that someone would need to take an on-site COVID test (available at a cost of $50 for those who chose not to test in advance).
I did have a friend not receive his test results in time, and therefore was required to test in Belize City. He said the process was easy, quick, and pretty painless.
- We were also given bight yellow bracelets to wear during the duration of our stay in Belize. These bracelets let locals know that the wearer is from outside the country. For a while Belize was only allowing travelers to stay at “Gold Star approved” lodgings that met rigorous health requirements, and the bracelets would help identify if anyone strayed off-property. As of mid-October, however, it appears travelers are no longer tied to the Gold Star properties.
- After the health screening room, we were sent down a long hallway where test results and the Health App QR code were once more verified.
- Once passing this secondary check, travelers proceed through Customs & Immigration as usual. This part of the process was quick and easy. All told, I was through the airport in about one hour and 45 minutes.
- I was traveling on with Tropic Air to San Pedro, and so carried my luggage to the Tropic desk. I love this little airline; they accepted my three heavy bags full of photography gear with no questions, and I was sent on through to security for the domestic terminal. There was no line in security, and I quickly passed through.
- In domestic departures, there was plenty of room for everyone to spread out and relax. I grabbed a cold water and waited about 20 minutes for my Tropic Air flight.
- Once inside the terminal, we moved through a “Hospitality Meet & Greet” room, where Belize Tourism Board team members greeted travelers, and verified that we’d downloaded the Health App and had a negative COVID test to present. Those with a negative test and healthy temperature were given a slip of paper with a green star on it. A red mark on the paper indicated that someone would need to take an on-site COVID test (available at a cost of $50 for those who chose not to test in advance).
All in all, travel to Belize was easier than I’d expected. People were happy and friendly. I was last in Belize in February, and while the process feels quite different now, eight months (and what feels like several lifetimes) later, it was very doable and an encouraging first international experience after the arrival of COVID.
El Pescador is one of my favorite lodges around the world—it’s homey, and the staff and guides are like family. I’m planning a return trip this winter, and will readily jump through the travel hoops (we’ll see what the world presents us with) to get down to the saltwater flats once again.
And you know what, after seven months of not seeing angling pressure, the fish seemed pretty damn happy to see us, too. See a few images here.
