More than 70 cayes line the coast of Belize. Not all are inhabited, but several offer the beach holiday of your dreams:
While most visitors spend the majority of their Belize vacation on the Cayes or Coasts, the interior mainland is really not to be missed. Here you will find:
A vast network of caves chock full of Maya pottery and remains. Explore them by foot, tubes or canoes. National Geographic’s famous Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM cave), Barton Creek Cave, Che Chem Ha pottery cave, Tiger Cave, Ho Keb, Rio Frio & Crystal Cave to name a few just waiting to be explored….
- Conduct an educational exploration of some of the oldest Mayan
Ruins on the planet.
- Join an archeological dig.
- Study with traditional native healers, bush doctors and drummers.
- Spot rare birds and wildlife.
- View wild orchids and flora you’ve only seen in botanical gardens
…and many more Maya sites in various stages of excavation.
Adventure enthusiasts and weekend warriors – Belize will get your blood pumping and challenge your very soul! From rappelling down sinkholes to zip lining through the jungle canopy, from trekking and hiking through dense rainforest to parasailing & skydiving over the crystal clear sea, from spelunking dry caves & scuba diving underwater caves to rock climbing and cliff diving – Belize has it all! Experience the ultimate adventure vacation with experienced guides.
An easy & interesting day trip across the Guatemala border brings you to the magnificent Tikal ruins – huge, powerful, amazing pyramids including an ancient Maya astronomical observatory. Fantastic nearby hotels, like Francis Ford Coppola’s La Lancha or several lodges right in the Tikal National Park itself, offer accommodations for any budget.
Far to the South, in the Toledo district, you will find the home of many of Belize’s current Maya population. Here you can experience indigenous home stay opportunities, see tortillas being made by hand, observe traditional musical instrument making. Or visit one of several Cacao plantations, with hands on chocolate making sessions. If you are lucky enough to be in the area in May you can attend the annual Cacao Festival, with competitions, chocolate food & drink samples and traditional Maya pageantry & dancing.
Carnival in Belize is celebrated in September between two of the National Holidays, St George’s Caye Day (10 Sept) & Independence Day (21 Sept). The pageantry and parades have grown over the years and are now considered to be one of the largest and best organized in the entire Caribbean. Spectacular floats with elaborately costumed performers and wildly choreographed dancing “mas” bands parade down the streets of Belize City and most villages, competing for prizes.
Belize is home to over 560 species of birds including the huge Jabiru Stork, rare Harpy Eagles, and the national bird of Belize, the Keel -Billed Toucan. Visit bird sanctuaries like Crooked Tree or Aguacate lagoon, or the island nesting site (and World Heritage Site) of Half Moon Caye National Monument where the Red Footed Boobies and Magnificent Frigate birds nest. In the rainforest and mountain areas inland see over 10 types of parrots including colorful Scarlet Macaws take flight.. 32 different kind of kites, hawks & eagles, 42 types of warblers, 25 types of tanagers, 22 types of hummingbirds! Everything from cormorants, herons & ibis to kingfishers, motmots & vireos can be found in Belize. Delightful birds with fanciful names such as Red Legged Honeycreepers, Laughing Falcons, Black Bellied Whistling Ducks, Tawny Throated Leaf Tossers, Rufous Browed Pepper Shrikes and Purple Crowned Fairy Hummingbirds are yours to discover! Whether you are a serious birder with a “life list” or a casual observer, birding in Belize will delight and satisfy you.
Attend the Belize Birding Festival held every October with lectures from birding experts, small guided group birding to some of the most popular sites, social events and prizes.