Can You Belize It?

travel

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you have to see it to “belize” it WRITTEN BY Maria V. Snyder

EVERY WRITER TRIES TO AVOID USING CLICHÉS, but “good things come in small packages” is the perfect way to describe Belize.

Approximately the size of Massachusetts, this small Central American country is chock full of adventure and history, and contains a tropical paradise. The bonus with Belize’s petite size is you can sample a wide variety of activities in a short period of time.

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Left: El Castillo, the partiallyexcavated and largest pyramid found at the Mayan ruin site of Xunantunich, rises 130 feet above the main plaza.

Next page: A colorful resort surrounded by many of the abundant plant life in Belize.

“

Belize may be limited in size, but the possibilities for adventure are unlimited.

”

Belize’s biggest boast is its 185-mile

two islands that offer numerous hotels

City has an unfortunate reputation, but if

Barrier Reef, which is the second longest

and resorts. While you won’t find wide

you stick to the most popular tourist areas

continuous barrier reef in the world. The

white-sand beaches in Belize, you’ll still

and use caution, you should be fine.

reef runs along Belize’s entire coastline,

find access to the warm crystal-clear

and protects hundreds of offshore islands

Caribbean waters and plenty of docks with

Town and Corozal Town. Primarily swamp

or cayes (pronounced “keys”) and atolls

deck chairs for sunbathing.

and mangrove, this is the area where you

that lie between the reef and the underwater flora and fauna make this

Atoll, Lighthouse Reef Atoll, and Glover’s

area one of the best scuba-diving and

Reef are unique formations of rings of

and is a well-preserved site that has

snorkeling sites in the world.

limestone, mangrove, and coral cayes that

several mid-sized pyramids surrounding

surround a protected saltwater lagoon.

two large central plazas. Retaining its

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To get to Belize’s cayes or anywhere

Altun Ha is accessible from Belize City

traditional name, Lamanai features three

can support resorts and other vacation

else in the country, first you must go

large pyramids and is considered the most

destinations. The beauty lies in having the

through Belize City, the transportation

picturesque ruin in Belize.

choice to stay where you either get the

center. With its cruise ship docks and the

deserted-island vibe or need the night-life

only international airport in the country,

is also located in northern Belize. The

resort town energy.

Belize City is a mid-sized port city located

sanctuary is home to more than 250

at the mouth of the Belize River. Belize

species of birds and is the primary nesting

Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye are

((

Lamanai, Cerros, and Santa Rita.

three open-ocean atolls. Turneffe Island

from a tiny patch of sand to a size that

will find the Mayan ruins of Altun Ha,

mainland. The diverse selection of

The cayes come in a variety of sizes,

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And don’t forget to visit one of the

North of Belize City is Orange Walk

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The Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

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travel ) ) ) belize

site of the endangered jabiru stork, which is the largest bird in the Americas. Cruising the network of lagoons in a dugout canoe is the best way to explore this sanctuary.

The Maya Mountains in Western Belize offer a vacationer a chance to explore numerous caves, sinkholes, jagged peaks, underground rivers, and waterfalls. These limestone mountains rise to more than 3,000 feet and are the source of many rivers. One of the most popular adventures in this area is to take an inner tube ride on the slow-moving Caves Branch River, which winds through a network of limestone caves.

Western Belize is also home to the Cayo District. Considered the heart of Belize’s Mayan world, this area is a wonderful ecotourism destination and home to the impressive Mayan ruin of Caracol. Caracol is the largest known ruin in Belize. A great citystate that thrived during the classical era, it is located within the Chiquibil Forest Reserve. Its main pyramid, Caana (Sky Palace), reaches a height of 136 feet and is the tallest manmade structure in the entire country.

Other Mayan ruins can be visited while in western Belize. The sites of Xunantunich and El Pilar are close to the town of San Ignacio.

Xunantunich is easy to find and is well excavated. It was a thriving Mayan city from 600 to 900 A.D. and has a tall pyramid that offers a spectacular view of the countryside.

Spanning some 100 acres, El Pilar is a huge site with more than 25 known plazas.

Located near the Guatemala border, the excavation of the site is in the early stages but shows promise of being considered one of the major sites of the region.

Southern Belize can be broken into two major districts, Toledo and Stann Creek. Toledo is at the outer edge of Belize and is populated with lesser-known Mayan sites. It’s a great

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Left: A jaguar walks along a trail in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and Forest Reserve, the world’s only jaguar preserve.

location for ecotourism as it’s home to the richest, wettest, and most undisturbed rainforest in all of Belize.

Stann Creek’s claim to fame is the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary & Forest Reserve. An immense protected area that spans rugged forested mountains, Cockscomb was created as the world’s only jaguar preserve. Belize hosts the densest concentration of jaguars in the entire world.

But you’ll be able to see Belize’s other four wildcat species, which are the puma, ocelot, margay, and jaguarondi, as well.

Cockscomb is also a birdwatcher’s paradise and it is home to more than 300 species of resident and migratory birds.

Inside the sanctuary you can see Victoria’s Peak, the country’s highest mountain.

Belize might be limited in size, but with its Mayan ruins, clear Caribbean waters, cave explorations, abundant wildlife, and plenty of jaguars, the possibilities for adventure are unlimited. ) ) ) Maria V. Snyder is a world traveler and New York Times bestselling author of novels such

Lethea M. Myers, Associate Broker

as Poison Study. Visit www.mariavsnyder.com.

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•

361-HOME

> www.travelbelize.org (Belize Tourism Board)

> www.belizenet.com > www.belizeforum.com > www.belizex.com > www.caracol.org (Caracol Mayan Ruins) > www1.lanic.utexas.edu/la/ca/belize (Latin America Network Info Center – hosted by the University of Texas)

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