Belize is a small country, but somehow you need to get from the mainland to the islands. You can take a ferry from Belize City but keep in mind that if you land at Belize international airport then you would need to take a taxi to the ferry port first.
The other option is to fly. Both Maya Island Air and Tropic Air have domestic flights in Belize. They operate small planes but they have a good safety record. Their on time performance is like anything else in Central America – you are probably going to leave a bit late!
This is a Cessna caravan. In some cases, if you ask nicely, you can sit in the copilot seat. I did this between Belize international and San Pedro and it was really neat. Either way, wherever you sit you will get a great view.
This view is departing Belize international in the evening on the way down to Dangrigria. And then the following view is from San Pedro towards the Belize domestic airport.
If you fly from the islands to connect to an international flight be aware that they often fly into Belize domestic first and then carry on. So, don’t get off the plane at the domestic airport! I met a couple that did this and started negotiating a taxi to the international airport not realizing that the flight continued on 🙂