Two weeks in Belize was the vacation of a lifetime! Belize is a small country, about the size of Massachusetts, which makes getting around and exploring the country very easy. Belize may be small but it is loaded with activities and adventures to keep you busy and to keep people coming back year after year. Although it's located in Spanish-speaking Central America, the official language is English. There is a diverse culture of Maya, Creole, Garifuna, Mestizo, Mennonite, Chinese and Taiwanese making Belize a melting pot.
We began our journey with the scenic drive to Blancaneaux a pristine resort in the Cayo district (owned by Francis Ford Coppola). We crossed the border and visited the infamous Tikal Archeological site on our first full day in Belize. My father had been waiting to visit Tikal for the past 30 years since seeing the temples featured in Star Wars Episode IV and it was every bit as amazing as he pictured it. Tikal is the largest Mayan city in Central America with spectacular temples, park-like grounds and all the signature wildlife such as blue morpho butterflies, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, coatimundis, toucans, and the list goes on.
San Ignacio in the Cayo District market was bustling with Mayan women chatting and exchanging goods. The Mennonite communities also have a strong presence in the area and you can see the men trading timber and riding into town by horse and buggy. Of the many tours in this area, we chose BartonCreekCave canoeing and the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave expedition. Both were incredible and unique tours! Our guides were the most informative I have ever had, with great passion they shared their history and knowledge with us.
We then moved on to the mainland coast villages of Placencia and Hopkins. Both are small fishing villages with lots of local flavor and you can access both jungle and beach from these locations which makes them popular among visitors that want the best of both worlds but don't want to move hotels during their stay. We enjoyed our hike through the Cockscomb Jaguar Preserve looking for any sign of the elusive and majestic creature. The Belize Zoo is well worth a visit and you are guaranteed to see all the charismatic mega fauna up close and personal. The best food on the trip was by far the cheesy shrimp Creole at a local restaurant called Wendy's in Placencia and the native Garifuna drumming and dancing at King Cassava's in Hopkins is another "not to missed" hotspot.
Turneffe Atoll at Blackbird Caye Resort, a diver's paradise, was our next stop. The underwater colors and abundance of life were truly amazing. The Blue Hole dive was out of this world! We swam among schools of brilliantly colored fish, eagle rays, black-tip reef sharks, and turtles. Each dive was different and equally as amazing as the next.
Our last stop was the popular island get-away of Ambergris Caye. With the laid back "no worries mon" attitude of the island, the hustle and bustle of everyday life a distant memory. You won't find any chain hotels, cruise ship docks or Super stores here. If you're not the type to sit relax on the beach, there's plenty to do on the island, such as diving, snorkeling, fishing, manatee watching, kayaking, and wind surfing to name a few.
One of Belize's best attributes is that you still get the feeling that you're discovering new things, as opposed to the "been there done that" of the typical tourist trap places. It's clear that Belize has a profound respect for its natural resources and is working hard to make sure they're both protected and able to be enjoyed by Belizeans and visitors alike.
This is a fabulous destination for the whole family, couples or those looking for soft adventure. I can set up journey that best meets your wishes.
Written by Katie Nelson, James TravelPOINTS Belize/Costa Rica and Dive Specialist 303 938-9165/1-800-626-3483, www.belizetravelpoints.com