Volunteer and Intern Abroad in Belize

Next Step: Click here to choose a project in Belize

Getting involved in a Projects Abroad volunteer project or internship in Belize is a chance for anyone with a passion for meaningful travel to give back to disadvantaged communities in this beautiful Central American country. Whether you are on a gap year, career break, or looking for a meaningful experience during a vacation, volunteering with Projects Abroad gives you the chance to live and work alongside a diverse and friendly people.

Although Belize is an increasingly popular destination for tourists with over one million tourists visiting each year, the country still faces major development challenges and there are many people in need. Volunteers can have a hugely positive impact by helping to improve literacy levels as teachers, caring for children and contributing to their educational development in care centres and kindergartens, and providing healthcare in impoverished communities.

Where You Will Live in Belize with Projects Abroad

Projects Abroad Belize is based in San Pedro, a town on the southern part of the island of Ambergris Caye. It is the second largest town in the Belize District. Our volunteer projects are all based here, except for the Diving & Marine Conservation Project, which is located in Placencia, a peninsula nestled between a lagoon and the Caribbean.

When you arrive in Belize, you will fly into either San Pedro (SPR) or Placencia (PLJ) airport.

Volunteers on the Conservation project will stay in shared apartments. All other volunteers will live with a local host family, who will welcome you into their home and help you become part of the local community. This is a fantastic opportunity for cross-cultural exchange and you will find yourself learning a great deal about the local culture and you could even pick up some of the local languages, such as Belizean Creole or one of the Mayan dialects. 

As a former British colony, Belize is a country with numerous cultures, languages, and ethnic groups. The population is a complex mix of Creols, Garifuna, Mestizos, Mennonites, and Mayan descendants. There are also immigrants from other Central American and Asian countries. English is the official language, so most volunteers will find it easy to communicate with locals and the staff at their placements. Spanish is also widely spoken.

Volunteer Travel and Tourism in Belize

As a volunteer living and working in Belize, you will have plenty of opportunity to explore the stunning landscape around you, both on the weekends or after finishing your placement. Belize is home to an incredibly diverse ecosystem and features an abundance of natural wonders, including the second largest barrier reef in the world and the largest cave system in Central America. The country also has a rich Mayan history, with almost a thousand Mayan ruins for you to explore.

Volunteers have plenty of activities to choose from in Belize and more than 250 different Cayes (islands) for you to discover. The waters are safe and ideal for boating, scuba diving, and snorkelling and there are numerous rivers for rafting and kayaking. You can also visit various jungle and wildlife reserves for hiking, bird watching, and helicopter touring, where you can see more than five thousand species of plants and hundreds of animal species, including jaguars, armadillos, snakes, monkeys, and more.