The much-fancied holiday destinations are becoming less appealing due to the human population’s growing encroachment into these serene places. To take a break from today’s hectic life, families look for holiday destinations where they can be away from the materialistic world and enjoy the charm of Mother Nature. This dream will be fulfilled, and your request will be met when you plan a vacation to a country in Central America named Belize.
Amid COVID, let me take you to a virtual trip to Belize, after which I am sure you would not be able to resist planning a vacation.
How to Reach Belize
Numerous cruises, flights, and even smooth, free-flowing roads from North America make it completely trouble-free to enter Belize. The most chosen way to get to Belize is by flying into the Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) in Belize City. There are five primary US airlines and five other airlines that fly into Belize.
Cayes and Reefs
Belize Barrier Reef is the second-largest globally, after Australia’s, and with more than 500 species of tropical fish and 100 types of coral, it’s pure paradise for snorkelers and scuba divers. Swimming through crystalline seas, snorkelers are blessed to a kaleidoscope of fish, coral, turtles, and whale sharks. At the same time, divers go more in-depth, traversing underwater walls and caves and the world-renowned Blue Hole.
Add to this archipelago life on the sandy cays, where you can spend your days’ windsurfing, kayaking, swimming, stand-up paddleboarding, lazing in a hammock, or fishing, and you’ve got an ideal tropical vacation.
In the Wild
Inland, a vast network of wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, and protected areas, offers a haven for wildlife, ranging from noisy howler monkeys to the industrious parades of cutter ants to tapirs and the humble jaguar. Belize also houses the largest subspecies of the West Indian manatee, one of four manatees’ living species. You can Snorkel with them. Birders direct their binoculars at some 500+ species, which roost along the lagoons and rivers and in the broadleaf forest. Keen-eyed travelers who take the time to stroll and hike can easily spot coatimundis, peccaries, spider monkeys, and green iguanas. Even the shy keel-billed toucan – the national bird of Belize – sometimes makes an appearance in public.
Mayans
Belize is home to one of the world’s most baffling civilizations – the ancient Maya. Toledo’s Deep South and The Cayo District are covered with archaeological sites that record to the Maya heyday (CE 250–1000), where gigantic steps lead to tall stone temples’ tops yielding 360-degree forest views. Explore unearthed tombs and analyze elaborate hieroglyphs, or fall into natural caves to explore where the Maya kings performed rituals and made supreme sacrifices to their Gods. In the south, you can understand the culture today by staying in village guesthouses and learning the art of chocolate-making.
Adventure
Whether you’re ziplining through the forest canopy, scuba diving the Blue Hole, rappelling down waterfalls, or walking through ancient cave systems, Belize is a whole adventure. Head to Cayo District, where you canoe or tube through shadowed underground river systems or hard-core spelunk in the famous Actun Tunichil Muknal cave. Ziplining is one of the oldest art forms in Cayo and Southern Belize, where you can sail through the forest at half a dozen places. Horseback riding is well organized, and hiking is magnificent in national parks, such as Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, Mayflower Bocawina National Park, Río Bravo, and Shipstern Nature Reserve.
Quick Things to do in Belize
- Explore the world’s best Cave, Actun Tunichil Muknal.
- Chill in an inner tube outside of a bar.
- Explore authentic Mayan Ruins.
- Snorkel and sail with turtles and whale sharks.
- Understand the ruins of Altun Ha
- Snorkel with manatees in Caye Caulker.
- Visit Zoos, National Parks, and forests.
In Belize, every destination is a history article in itself.
