Things to Do in Belize

A unique site among all the Mayan caves in Belize is Barton Creek, a tall river cave that was once used for sacrificial purposes and can be explored only by canoe. The striking features of this site and the adrenaline of touring it are the low stalactite, so low you will have to occasionally bend back into the canoe to avoid getting struck. Over seven miles long, the ride to the very end is well worth it, if seldom done by tour guides, with sightings early on of Mayan ceramics high up on ledges, including human bones and a child’s skull.

Home of the motto "Go slow," Caye Caulker is a prime Caribbean island with a relaxed atmosphere, beautiful ocean and excellent oceanfront restaurants and bars that make it one of the best places to visit in Belize. 

Lighthouse Reef is an incredible atoll, a coral island encircling a lagoon, in the Caribbean Sea, and was made famous by legendary sea explorer Jacques Cousteau, who rightfully declared it one of the top ten diving locations in the world. 

Part of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Shark Ray Alley is a zone where an impressive multitude of magnificent stingrays with four-foot wingspans and six-foot nurse sharks congregate every day. As fishermen came to this area of the reef to clean out their catch over the years, nurse sharks and stingrays eventually began to gather regularly in search of the boats and their daily treats. The thrill is to swim in waters surrounded by these beautiful creatures. Shark Ray Alley is often best combined in a snorkel tour of Hol Chan and the Coral Gardens.

Located four miles south from the shores of Ambergris Caye, Hol Chan Marine Reserve is the most visited snorkeling and diving area in Belize. Part of the Belize Barrier Reef, the reserve covers approximately three square miles and is divided into various zones according to marine habitat. The most popular zone is called Hol Chan or “small channel” in Maya -- a 30-foot deep “cut” in the reef where all sorts of marine life have now gathered in one area, making it one giant aquarium. The channel has beautiful live corals and an abundant variety of fish that includes angelfish, turtles, nurse sharks, hog fish, snappers and many other species.

The second most popular zone of the reserve is Shark Ray Alley, a shallower area where nurse sharks and stingrays are plentiful. Grass beds and mangrove areas make up the other zones of the reserve and require a more personalized expert guide -- and while less visited, these areas provide for unique spotting opportunities, including manatees. The Hol Chan Marine Reserve is constantly patrolled and visitors are obligated by law to observe its rules, such as no touching or standing on corals. The reserve has an informative and worthwhile Visitors’ Center in town with clear displays of the various marine habitats in Belize.

The Actun Tunichil Muknal (Cave of the Stone Sepulchre) is the most well known cave in Cayo and the most popular tour just outside of San Ignacio: the entire experience is an Indiana Jones type of adventure, where you’ll wonder if you will make it in and back out. Reaching the best parts of the once sacrificial cave requires hiking through a rainforest for an hour and a half, crossing three rivers on foot, swimming through parts of the cave and even going up a narrow ladder to reach the deeper, darker chambers. Efforts are rewarded with the sight of the “Crystal Maiden”--the skeleton of a young female, fully preserved from thousands of years ago. Along the hike there are also ancient ceramics to see, and you’ll leave with a definite sense that the Maya came before you thousands of years ago.

Established as a reserve in 1944, the over 100,000-acre Mountain Pine Ridge is easily the most breathtaking scenery in all of the Cayo District, if not Belize. The Chiquibul Road will lead you through pine forests, waterfalls, cascading water pools over granite boulders and the Maya Mountains in the distance – it’s a sight to be seen. Touring the area can be done from San Ignacio by car, as there is no public transportation out this way. The road can get fairly difficult in the wet summer season and requires strong knowledge of the area as well as a good dose of patience. There are opportunities for stops showing the varied landscapes of the reserve, including at the Rio on Pools for a fresh water swim or exploring the limestone Rio Frio Cave.

Tours can be either relaxing, with swims and picnics, or bordering on extreme adventure – such as hiking to Thousand Foot Falls, Central America’s largest waterfall. Visits to the Belize’s highest Mayan structure, at the Caracol Archeological Reserve, also require passing through the Mountain Pine Ridge. There are also opportunities to spot the rich wildlife in this area, including tapirs and toucans, though jaguars only come out at night.

Located just a mile from the town center, Cahal Pech is a small but significant archeological reserve that can be visited in a couple of hours. The site, settled around 1,000 BC and abandoned in 800 AD, includes plazas, ball courts, an altar and even a royal burial chamber. It is believed that an elite Mayan ruling family once resided here. There is a comprehensive museum before reaching the site, with detailed information on Cahal Pech, Maya history and way of life.