A Belize Adventure

by Kay Harwell Fernandez

When you discover that one-third of Belize is set aside as conservation area, it is easy to see why this small Central American country is touted as "Mother Nature’s Best-Kept Secret."

Like an auction rattling off bids, Belize’s awesome list goes on ad infinitum: dazzling white beaches; crystal-clear azure waters; the second-largest barrier reef in the world; top-notch diving, snorkeling, fly-fishing and boating sites; a plethora of Mayan ruins; unspoiled spots to hike and bike; breathtaking treks to the jungle and mountains; colorful multicultural festivals; cave exploration; kayaking and canoeing in pristine rivers; and unparalleled sightings of endangered wildlife.

If you are not into high-adventure eco-tourism, you need not worry. This warm and inviting English-speaking country of only 250,000 offers much for the less-adventuresome soul. You can experience the seemingly endless underwater kaleidoscope in a glass-bottom boat, or amble at your own pace on any number of nature trails dotted throughout the terrain. Or just put dibs on a hammock and sway in the balmy breeze. It is also a breeze to travel to Belize. Unlike many exotic places that seem so far away, Belize remains easily accessible—only two hours by air from Houston, New Orleans or Miami. Once you arrive at the international airport, take a taxi into Belize City, only 10 minutes away. Or jump into your rental vehicle. Although the few highways are good, expect to be on unpaved roads of hard-packed red sand or clay, especially if you want to truly explore the countryside; thus, you can see why rentals are generally Trackers, Sidekicks and 4x4 Troopers.

All roads lead to Belize City, the country’s only urban area. Once the capital (before a couple of devastating hurricanes moved it inland to the small town of Belmopan), this bustling seaport city retains its British Colonial charm with clapboard buildings and narrow streets that harken back to bygone days. Reportedly, the town’s first settlers were former rum-swigging British pirates who became logwood cutters. Legend has it that the place was built in the early 1700’s atop liquor bottles and mahogany chips to fill in the low swampland.

Haulover Creek bisects the town in two. The Swing Bridge is said to be the only manually operated swing bridge in the world still in operation. Watch the historic bridge being hand-cranked open—usually twice a day. At the foot of the bridge, take in the Maritime Museum and Terminal with model displays of sailboats used for lobster-pot hauling, freighters and a dugout canoe used for centuries by the Maya. The terminal is also the point of departure and arrival for water taxis that leave several times each day to nearby cayes (pronounced keys).

Before you venture outside of Belize City, visit the House of Culture, formerly known as the Government House. One of the oldest structures in the country, the 1814 landmark now houses art exhibitions, silver pieces that date to the 17th century and a collection of crystal wine glasses from the days of Queen Victoria and King George VI.

Across the street, St. John’s Cathedral, circa 1812-1824, remains the oldest Anglican Church in Central America. Nearby, the Colonial Fort George area, with its whitewashed buildings, is the new home of the National Museum of Belize.

At 30 miles long, Ambergris Caye, the largest and most popular of Belize’s 200 offshore islands, is the epitome of a laid-back lifestyle. You’ll see sandy byways instead of asphalt, and golf carts instead of cars and buses. Count on renting a golf cart to get around. You do not even have to don shoes, as the norm is bare feet—a genuine sand-between-your-toes experience.

Not far from Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, the slender stretch of Ambergris parallels the famed barrier reef, which lies less than a quarter mile offshore. Clearly visible from the flat Ambergris, the 185-mile reef attracts visitors from around the globe who come for watersports or just to marvel at this natural phenomenon chock full of coral canyons and technicolor marine life. The reef boasts more sealife per square foot than any place on Earth.

For your first introduction to the underwater world of the barrier reef, it is best that you go with a professional guide. Your initial caution: never attempt to swim to the reef. At the favorite site of Shark-Ray Alley, snorkelers can get up close and personal with stingrays and sharks in the eight-foot deep sea of this protected area. Hol Chan Marine Reserve, another popular spot, provides a five-square-mile haven for marine life in its shallow waters.

Back on land, visit the Ambergris Museum & Cultural Center, which showcases the tiny island’s history and diverse culture. Along the way, remember to check out Belizean art. Once a whaling port, Ambergris continues its fishing traditions with "reel" rewards for amateur and expert fishermen. Even if you are a beginning angler, you will likely bring in a catch. Charters, fishing boats and guides can be found along the seafront. Sailing enthusiasts are also in their element within Belize’s waters. It is not unusual to nab eight or more species of fishes in a given day, depending on your fishing grounds. Some go for the Grand Slam of fly fishing: catching a bonefish, permit and tarpon in one day. If you feel a tad waterlogged, go to the new national park on the north end of Ambergris called Bacalar Chico. This mangrove-filled sanctuary is an outstanding birding site. Belize is a bird mecca, to the tune of 540 species, including several on the endangered list.

For other island or caye hopping, you have your pick of St. Georges Caye, South Water Caye, Glover’s, Turneffe Islands, Lighthouse Reef, Half Moon Caye or Long Caye, among others. Off Lighthouse Reef, you’ll encounter the famed Blue Hole, a near-perfect circle that is 1,000 feet in diameter and more than 400 feet deep.

When you are ready to dry dock your body, travel inland for a whole other world. A must-see: Mayan ruins. Belize assumes the honor of having the highest concentration of Maya sites in Central America with at last count about 1,000. Going back 3,000 years, the visionary Mayans constructed spectacular temples and stone monuments. Their civilization developed an intricate 13-month calendar, chartered seasons according to astronomy, recorded math and science achievements, and produced a hieroglyphic writing system. The civilization virtually vanished, possibly due to natural disasters, famine, disease and even uprisings. All ruins throughout Belize are well-kept and easy to reach.

Near the western border that abuts Guatemala, the enormous El Castillo towers more than 250 feet above the river valley below. Situated in the Maya city of Xunantunich (Maiden of the Rock), this pyramid affords a panoramic view of the Cayo District. A new adjacent museum features displays of the Maya civilization and 3D models of the site. Lubaantun (Place of Fallen Stones) has been recently excavated and reconstructed. Built without mortar, its 11 major structures are grouped around five main plazas. In the Toledo District, in the far southern reaches of Belize, this site appears to have been an important commercial center for La Ruta Maya. Be sure and inspect the visitors’ center. Off the old Northern Highway, the ruins of Altun Ha showcase two main plazas and 13 temples. Here, the Jade Head was discovered. Representing the sun god Kinich Ahau, the find is the largest carved-jade object in Maya civilization. Now a national symbol of Belize, you can see the Jade Head on most every Belizean banknote.

Visit El Pilar about 12 miles northwest of San Ignacio at Bullet Tree Falls. Bordering Guatemala, this incredible 100-acre site comprises 25 plazas of three sections linked by limestone walkways. This national park has been tagged by the "World Monument Fund’s 100 Most Endangered Sites in the World." Deep in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve in western Belize, Caracol’s (The Snail) importance became known only in the mid-1980s. Now considered one of the most influential Maya cities, Caracol was once home to 200,000 Mayans. Its pyramid, Canaa (Sky Place), rises 140 feet and represents the tallest human-made design in Belize.

One of the largest ceremonial centers, Lamanai (Submerged Crocodile) exhibits exotic features of ancient Maya architecture and art. You can explore this ruin on the New River Lagoon in the Orange Walk District in northwest Belize; you will see a number of crocodile symbols along the river.

While in the Orange Walk District, which is about an hour and 15 minutes from Belize City, explore the river and jungle with a qualified guide. Teeming with such wildlife as jaguars, pumas and ocelots, flora, fauna and rare birds, this wild side of Belize is not to be missed.

Embark on yet another escapade. With a seasoned guide in tow, tour the honeycomb of caves. You can pick a soft adventure or a more grueling pace. Easy to maneuver, Rio Frio Cave is a good stop if you are heading to Caracol and into the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. Actun Tunichil Muknal requires a top fitness level. You have to swim into the entrance, and then wade waist high and chest deep through the stream inside the cave. Not for the faint of heart, this journey, led by specially trained guides, is said to be challenging and exhilarating.

The clean rivers of Belize provide a green tapestry that wind throughout the countryside. Opt for canoeing, kayaking, tubing, rafting or simply boating through the byways. Choose the tropical Belize River, Monkey River, home to hundreds of howler monkeys, or the Sibun River that weaves through underground passages.

A number of rivers grace the 300 square miles of Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, one of the country’s greatest assets. It is a place for fresh air, cascading waterfalls, hiking trails, horseback riding or just enjoying natural ingredients, replete with a vibrant array of wildflowers, butterflies and birds.

South of Belize City, Dangriga is domicile to Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, the world’s only jaguar preserve. Here, jaguars outnumber visitors. Overlooking the jungle, 3,675-foot Victoria Peak looms as the highest point in the country.

Farther south, Placencia has one of the loveliest stretches of white sandy beach in Belize. Founded in the early 1600’s by English buccaneers, it is now a Creole fishing village and site of the annual Lobster Festival each June. Placencia boasts having the narrowest street in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Wander up this walkway, where you’ll discover bakeries, shops and friendly locals who greet you.

Wherever your journey takes you, count on Belize to illustrate Mother Nature at her best.

Florida-based freelance travel writer Kay Harwell Fernandez last wrote of Orlando in the July 1998 issue of ASU Travel Guide.