Tipping: Service charges are not included in the bill so a 10% tip is customary. Porters should get around $1.

Shopping: Opening hours are usually 8:00 am to 12:00 noon and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm daily except Wednesday when stores do not reopen in the afternoon. There is a lot of tortoiseshell here but it is illegal to bring this into the US because of the endangered species law.

Food and Drink: The national dishes of rice, beans and lobsters as well as conch and tomales should be tried. Many international favorites are available in Belize City but more limited elsewhere. The local drink is called "A and P" because it is a blend of Anise and peppermint. Rum is the main drink here. Otherwise try some of the fruit drinks which come in all sorts of flavors.

Social: The native are friendly here but as you get away from the main towns, little or no English is spoken. Handshaking is done more in the cities than in the country where a nod of the head in acknowledgment is sufficient at meeting someone.