Posted: Thursday, April 3, 2025. 6:35 am CST.
By Horace Palacio: TikTok travel influencer Cara Celeste West, known for her digital nomad lifestyle, has recently come under fire for her disparaging remarks about Belize. In a viral TikTok video, West ranked Belize as her ninth worst travel destination, citing the country’s food as “the worst” she has encountered. Compounding her critique, West repeatedly referred to Belize as an “island,” showcasing a glaring geographical inaccuracy that did not go unnoticed by Belizeans.
“Number nine: Placencia, Belize. Okay, don’t come for me in the comments,” West prefaced in her video. “But Belize was the destination with the worst food. I thought it would be full of spice and flavor, but it was just…bland and mediocre.”
Her comments ignited swift backlash from locals and fans of Belize alike. One user commented, “Don’t come back. We don’t need people like you!” Another added, “BELIZE IS okay without you! So please never come back, we don’t need you. Our country is a tropical paradise full of adventures.”
West’s mischaracterization of Belize as an island further fueled criticism. Belize is a mainland Central American country with numerous offshore islands, but it is not an island itself. This oversight led many to question the credibility of her travel insights.
In addition to her comments on the cuisine and geography, West highlighted other grievances from her December 2024 trip to Placencia. She described transportation as “very expensive,” mentioned being “eaten alive by mosquitoes,” and noted that grocery stores lacked air conditioning and offered subpar produce. However, she did praise Belizean piña coladas, calling them “really good.”
Despite her attempts to provide travel tips, such as recommending golf carts to save on gas and advising travelers to carry copies of their children’s birth certificates, the overall tone of her review was met with widespread disapproval. Many Belizeans felt her comments were uninformed and did not reflect the true essence of our country’s rich culture and culinary offerings.
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