[Renfield]

How safe is it for Americans to travel there now? I’d love to do this. How is the dollar doing versus Belizean currency?

Is it now safe to travel to Piedras Negras?

[Bernard Marx]

The tourist areas in Belize are generally pretty safe but it's always wise to check with the State Department about conditions at any given time. When I was there several years ago I had no problems at all: it's a wonderful place. The country that was of concern then (and now, I understand) is Guatemala, and I suspect that includes Piedras Negras. Check before you travel. My Guatemalan guide hovered over us, afraid we'd be kidnapped for ransom. Our hotel in Peten had guards armed with AK's.

American dollars are used just like the local currency in Belize. We paid for everything in dollars and locals preferred them, although it's wise to have some local cash on hand for unexpected situations. At that time the dollar bought lots of Belizean goods. I have no idea how current values compare. You can ask a travel specialist or use Google.