AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Talk Belize Travel What can we bring into the country?

On my way to AC, I found the Duty Free shop to be the best deal around for non local spirits. I stocked up on extras and figured even with the tax, it would be less expensive than buying locally, ie, a 1.75L bottle of Absolute was $26 US at Duty Free and last time I looked, a 1L bottle was $40+ US in AC. Now, that being said, Rum is my new favorite drink, especially the 1 Barrel, and very inexpensive.

Can someone please remind me?

If I buy a duty free bottle in Houston, am I allowed to carry it on Tropics to the island? I'd swear I did that on the last trip, but things being what they are, it makes no sense that I'd have been able to do that.

Please advise. And thanks in advance.

No SS, you now have to put that bottle into your checked luggage at Tropic. At least I had to do that on my last trip. Like SweetJane said on another post, be sure to leave room for the bottle..

gailtor, you're absolutely right.....it's been that way ever since the minimum liquids requirement has been in effect.

Also for the smokers, the US allows a lighter to be carried in your pocket. Belize does not.

Wade, I ran into that last time down.....emptied my pocket into the tray while going through security prior to boarding Tropic Air and they confiscated my lighter......I told them it was now allowed in the US and said they hadn't received any word on it yet.

In our travels we have found that the security is not standardized between countries or even airports in the same country. The US requires you to take off your shoes and allows a lighter other countries do not. Some allow knitting needles some do not and Continental serves a drink with a long hard plastic stir stick that could easily do harm to someone... Some airlines (Air Jamaica) will have a secondary security check at the gate before you are allowed to board the plane... You would think the airport security would be the same for all countries if the planes are landing in or flying over the other countries....

No SS, you now have to put that bottle into your checked luggage at Tropic. At least I had to do that on my last trip. Like SweetJane said on another post, be sure to leave room for the bottle..

OK - not to sound repetitive, but is this what is allowed? You buy the booze at the duty-fee in the US, carry it on the plane, and then when you arrive in BC, transfer it to your checked bag (which I assumes comes to you before it goes to the plane taking you to AC)- I have done my share of traveling, and I would think if some airport personnel saw this, you may get it taken away. Does anyone have a comment on this? Thanks-- Susie

Susie, before transfering to your Tropic Flight you need to pass through immigration, then collect your luggage, then customs, then you proceed to Tropic and check in your bag again.

Tropic Air does not have a problem with you bringing on liquids (you can bring a case of booze from AC TO BC), the issue arises when you go through security in BC. The Tropic Air waiting area is the same as the international flights and so you have to pass through the same security screening as going on an International flight.

pretty much, yes. and, if you have a layover within the US on the way back, any liquids you buy at the bz airport (hot sauce, rum, etc) has to be put into your checked luggage at your US connection point.

for example, say you are flying home from Bz to TX to NY, you must put liquid containers into the checked luggage in TX, or will be taken at that entry point. and it's a damn shame if they do.

if they see you, it will not be taken. it is legal to bring it in, but against TSA rules to carry it on the plane. even when you buy duty free, they hand it to you right before you board (unlike the old days). the thinking is that the container cannot be tampered with and used in a harmful manner between duty-free and your destination.

but like barnacle pointed out, you could kill someone with the pen you use to fill your forms out, but that's allowed. crazy, huh?