Belize is a low key tropical destination that is considered part Caribbean and part Central American. Bursting with incredible reefs, rainforests, ancient ruins and an abundance of wildlife this warm-weather, accessible location has gained significant momentum in the past decade.
Belize is nestled into the corner of the Yucatan Peninsula. It borders Mexico and is a historically important part of the region (the Mundo Maya region), where 5 countries have been home to the Mayans and their artifacts for 3,000 years.
Today Belize has transformed into one of the most stable governments in Central America. Independent travelers, birdwatchers, and archaeologists alike have discovered the country’s beautiful cayes or islands, lying off the Caribbean coast as well as inland rainforests.
Food and Beverage
Belizean food reflects its people, a rich mixture of Maya, British, Spanish-American, African, Indigenous, Caribbean, and Creole heritages. The Garifuna, who are descendants of free Africans and Indigenous Arawak and Afro-Caribbeans, have all contributed to bread, pudding, and drinks made from cassava. The Maya’s food legacy includes chocolate, tamales, and masa, a type of corn dough. From Creole settlers, look for rice and beans, hearty soups, and engaging spices. Belize is also abundant in seafood and delicious and juicy tropical fruits. Fun fact: 80% of the food produced in Belize comes the mennonites who immigrated here from Canada. They are literally the only farmers.
Conch soup is a must try while visiting Belize. Conch season runs from October 1 through June 30, making those months the best time to order anything with conch in it. Chefs hammer the conch in order to tenderize it, then it is either diced or added almost whole (like mine was) and mixed with onions, garlic, peppers, and thrown into a delicious soup.
Another delicious specialty are Conch fritters! These are made similar to fish cakes and served with tartar sauce and Belizean salsa:) I really enjoyed the fritters!
Conch ceviche is a real treat for the palate. It’s served with tortilla chips and looks and tastes like homemade salsa….with diced up conch added of course.
Journey Cakes are a staple for many Caribbean cultures, and are eaten most often at breakfast. This delicious treat is made of biscuit-like bread, which includes flour and coconut milk. Originally called “journey cakes” because workers who traveled throughout the Caribbean often brought this snack along with them for the journey.
Fry Jacks are popular with Belizeans, often topping or splitting the puffy, deep-fried triangles of dough with jam or honey. It’s a lovely snack but mostly we ate them for breakfast. I smothered mine in grated cheese lol
Hudut is a delicious fish stew with a coconut milk base. The broth is then flavored with okra, cilantro, oregano, garlic, and onions. After sauteing the fish, typically red snapper, it’s placed into the soup base. This liquid gold definitely has a Thai feel to it:)
Panade is Belize’s version of an empanada. This corn dough is pressed thin, topped with refried beans, fish, or chicken, then folded into a crescent shape and deep-fried. When served, there is a side of pickled onion sauce or a Belizean salsa.
Garnaches are one of Belize’s many corn-based dishes and it’s a super popular street food. It’s basically a fried tortilla that is topped with refried beans, onions, shredded cabbage, tomato salsa, and cheese.
Gibnut is basically a rat…or at least from the same family as the rat. When Queen Elizabeth II was on a tour of the commonwealth and came to Belize in 1985, she had gibnut. During a ceremonial dinner, she was served a gibnut stew and she said it tasted like rabbit. After receiving the Queen’s blessing, the gibnut received the distinction of being the “royal rat.”
Noni is a lumpy, mango-sized fruit that is yellow in color. It’s very bitter and has a distinct odor that is sometimes compared to stinky cheese. It has been used in traditional folk medicine for over 2,000 years. It’s commonly used to treat health issues like constipation, infections, pain, and arthritis. Noni is mostly consumed as a juice blend. The juice is packed with potent antioxidants and may provide several health benefits.
Belikin Beer is a rich texture Caribbean brew that is considered lighter than an English Stout. It’s also far less hoppy too. It actually tastes a bit like coffee, caramel and chocolate all wrapped up in liquid gold.
The Panty Ripper is one of Belize’s most popular cocktails. It is a sweet mixture of coconut rum and pineapple juice with a splash of grenadine. Word of the street is that it is specifically tailored for women. You are definitely selling yourself short if you come to Belize and not try one of these specialties!
Belize City
Belize city is split into two areas: North side Belize City, and Belize City South side. Both of these areas actually sit 2ft beneath sea level so the entire city is prone to flooding. Belize City north side is considered the safest and most prosperous area of this population center. Here you will find loads of good hotels, casinos and the Museum of Belize. The southside has a couple of tourist attractions, namely historic St. John’s Cathedral and the House of Culture.
Things to do in Belize City
Tropical Rainforests take up at least half of the mainland of Belize and they are absolutely critical to stabilize the world’s climate. It is here, like the Amazon jungles of Ecuador, Peru and Brazil that oxygen is found in abundance and it is often referred to as the “lungs” of the earth.
Much of the rainforest area in Belize is under government protection that is either designated a National park, animal sanctuary or, wilderness area. The best way to explore the area is to take a boat into the jungle and hike in from a point of land.
The highly diverse ecosystem of a rainforest is fascinating to explore as it is home to a phenomenal number of plants, trees, animals, and birds. When you set foot in a rainforest, the sights, sounds snd the inviting tropical smells will transport you to another world as you create new memories.
We got to see leaf cutter ants in all their glory. What makes these insects particularly cool is that they can carry up 50 times their body weight. They are the strongest creature on the planet! Like their name suggests, they are huge fans of leaves. Leaf cutter ants are actually blind….yep they use their other senses to navigate the jungle and follow their fellow ants. But the coolest thing about them is the fact that their mandibles can be used to close a human wound, acting like sutures. By grabbing the ant by the back of the head and pushing the mouth over a wound, it will click into place and then their body can be pulled away from the head. Their powerful jaws will releases formic acid that is a natural disinfectant.
Lamanai Maya Ruins is one of Belize’s largest Maya sites. The artifacts sit on the bank of the New River Lagoon amongst the tropical forest. Its setting provides amazing views from several of its large temples. A major attraction of Lamanai is the well-preserved mask of a Maya ruler emerging from a crocodile headdress which is pretty rad tbh.
Lamanai is the community with the longest history of human habitation in Belize. It was settled around 900 B.C and was still occupied 2500 years later, when Spanish missionaries arrived in 1544. During their almost century- long domination, the Spanish built two “Ramada” Churches that were used in their efforts to “Christianize” the Maya inhabitants.
The Jaguar Temple is also an impressive structure that you can climb to the top of. If you are lucky enough to get to go on a day when there are no other people exploring then it’s a real bonus!
Eventually, in 1640 the Maya in several frontier towns rebelled against churches and villages throughout Belize. By the 1800’s, investors began a sugar operation at Lamanai. A dramatic fall in world sugar prices, and outbreakes of malaria among the workers resulted in failure of the enterprise, and the mill and farm were abandoned, just a few years after its establishment.
Cave Tubing is definitely a cool and fun thing to do in Belize, and it’s also one of the most popular activities as well. Jonathan had done this before in Belize and was excited to have done something that I hadn’t yet. I have to admit, floating around on an inner tube on a river through cave systems is pretty neat. You basically go down a set of wooden stairs and you arrive at the waterline. Clear turquoise water awaits:) It certainly was a peaceful experience.
The Belize Blue Hole used to be a local secret and its location was only known to Belizean fisherman. In 1971, its cover was blown after legendary marine biologist and underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau visited the site. Jacques Cousteau and his crew confirmed that it had been created thousands of years ago when rising tides flooded a network of caves. The best way to see this gem is from above!
It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, part of a vast barrier reef that is the second-largest barrier reef in the world after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
The vertical entrance to this magnificent formation measures over 300 meters across with a bottom more than 125 meters below the surface. At roughly 88 meters, a layer of hydrogen sulfate permeates the rest of the way down, robbing the last 37 meters of oxygen. Nothing survives below this level. The bodies of 2 divers rest at the bottom, along with a coke bottle, a go pro and dead conch shells.
The Belize Blue Hole is located approximately 100 km off the coast of Belize and is ranked within the top 10 dive destinations in the world. The circular body of water, which is almost perfectly round in shape, is surrounded by the Lighthouse Reef Atoll.
The cave network system is home to a variety of marine life, including hammerhead sharks. The coral atoll surrounding the Belize Blue Hole has an inner ring of shallow, lighter colored water that forms a natural ring around the deeper sapphire waters of the flooded cave, making it very stunning to look at, especially from above. This is the reason we chose to explore this sea wonder by air 🙂
Altun Ha is the archaeological site closest to Belize City, was a major Maya culture ceremonial center and the discovery site of Belize’s famous Jade Head. Altun Ha once functioned as a central trading link between the Caribbean coast and Maya centers.
The Jade head is a large jade carving of the Maya sun god “Kinich Ahau.” It weighs almost 10 pounds, and is considered to be the largest carved jade object to be found in any Maya community in the region. The Altun Ha Jade head stands 6 inches tall and the jade from which this artifact was made was imported from ancient mines along the Motagua River valley in eastern Guatemala. Today the jade head is considered the crown jewel of Belize.
The Howler Monkey Sanctuary is an area where these monkeys are protected. Howler monkeys inhabit the forests of Central and South America and produce one of the loudest vocal sounds of any land animal. Pretty obvious where their name comes from. They are one of the largest New World monkeys and they happen to be the most abundant species of monkey in Central America. Here, they are often called baboons and that’s to continue to honor the slaves that were brought over from Africa by the British to work the land. The slaves referred to all monkeys as baboons, which are abundant all over the continent of Africa.
The howler monkey’s powerful vocal calls are produced by their overly large larynx and throat, which balloon outward, through inflation and resonation. Females have even louder wails and groans that usually indicate distress or calling an aloof infant. Hearing a howler monkey scream is the most distressing thing to happen to me in a jungle environment.
They live and travel in troops of 4 to 19 members, each having its own territory. The territory is where they feed and live, and the size of the territory usually ranges between 3 to 25 acres. The biggest threat to howler monkeys is habitat loss due to clear cutting and logging leading to fragmented corridors. This in turn prevents them from moving freely from tree to tree. This may force them to relocate to areas that are less habitable. The major problem with forest fragmentation, besides impacting food sources, is the forest is not reseeded.
This particular species of monkeys play an integral role in reseeding the forests they call home. Suffice to say, they eat and travel through the canopy, they drop seeds or brush against them, or seeds may pass through their digestive system, falling to the forest floor. Hence, their vital role in this type of ecosystem.
The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center were started in 1983, as a last ditch effort to provide a home for a collection of wild animals which had been used in making documentary films about tropical forests. This place is really a sanctuary that provides protection and rehabilitation for many animals that have been injured or neglected, all of which are uniquely Belizean. When this place first started up, many Belizean visitors were unfamiliar with the different species of wildlife that shared their country which gave this sanctuary the incentive it needed to continue to educate the public, especially its native inhabitants.
Today, The Belize Zoo is settled upon 29 acres of tropical savanna and exhibits over 125 animals, all native to Belize. The zoo keeps animals who were either orphaned, born at the zoo, rehabilitated animals, or sent here as gifts from other zoological institutions. A visit to the zoo is the best way to get an introduction to the animals of Belize, and to understand why it is important to protect the habitats that sustain them.
We came for the Tapirs….this was the highlight for me. Tapirs are the largest native mammal in Central America, and the National Animal of Belize. They are odd-toed ungulates, and closely related to horses, rhinos, and donkeys. They are often referred to as “living fossils” as their species has been around for millions of years. The Central American tapir is the second largest species of tapir in the world…….And between 10 and 11 am each day, you can meet and feed the Tapirs at the zoo.
A tapir’s snout has a highly developed sense of smell, and is also an excellent tool for grasping leaves and fruit. Their sensitive hearing also helps them navigate their environment in poor light conditions; while generally considered to be crepuscular, they are also quite comfortable moving around at night. They occupy a range of different habitats, but are always close to bodies of water. Tapirs are excellent swimmers, and feel right at home in rivers, ponds, lakes, and streams.
Ambergris Caye
This is Belize’s largest island and San Pedro is its capital. The history of the island goes back to the days of the Maya, European Pirates, and Mexican Refugees who fled during the Caste War. The descendants from Mexico make up most of the island’s population today. The economy of the island was once dependent on the coconut industry, followed by the fishing industry. Today, its economy is almost completely dependent on tourism.
Ambergris Caye was once a part of Mexico and therefore its wildlife is vastly similar to that found in northern Belize and southern Mexico. Plant life for the most part consists of White, Red and Black Mangrove, Buttonwood; littoral forest plants such as black poison wood,m, wild sea grape, fig,coco plum, coconut, and saltwater palmetto. Fauna includes over 200 species or birds as well!
Things to do in Ambergris Caye
The Hol Chan Marine Reserve was established as a marine protected area in 1987 under the Fisheries Act. Its name in Mayan means “narrow channel”. A zoning scheme was developed in order to organize its use and guarantee its conservation. Hol Chan is divided into 4 zones which include no-take areas and zones that regulate and promote sustainable fishing practices.
Zone A (Hol Chan Channel)
This is a no-take area and consists of coral reefs. The biggest attraction of this site is the abundance and diversity of fish. Due to the no fishing policy, there are large schools of grunts, snappers and jacks.
Zone B
This zone provides special management for a large area of seagrass beds. Sports and traditional commercial fishing are allowed in order to promote sustainable use of fisheries resources. Destructive fishing methods, such as spear fishing and netting, are prohibited.
Zone C
This area includes the mangrove areas. The main objectives of this area is to protect the mangrove forest. Sports fishing (catch & release) is encouraged but spear fishing and netting are prohibited.
Zone D (Shark Ray Alley)
This zone emcompssses 4sq km of coral reef and seagrass bed habitat. The main attraction in this site is the opportunity to snorkel with Nurse Sharks and Southern Sting Rays.
Additionally, the site possesses spectacular coral formations in the back reef for snorkelers and on the reef for Scuba divers. This zone is home to Manta rays, leopard mantas, loggerhead turtles, nurse sharks, black and yellow angel fish, green moray eels, conch shells, groupers, and the Christmas tree worms!
The Iguana Eco Sanctuary is a conservation project that aims to protect the endangered green iguana. These reptiles face threats from habitat loss, hunting, and predators. The sanctuary is small but it is home to hundreds of iguanas, mostly green iguanas, however there black spiny-tailed iguanas and blue iguanas as well.
The green iguana is the most common, and it can grow up to 6 ft long. It is also known as a bamboo chicken, guana, or garobo, because its meat and eggs are considered a delicacy in Belize.
The black spiny-tailed iguana is an introduced species that is native to Mexico and Central America. It is smaller than the green iguana but faster and more aggressive.
The blue iguana is a rare and endangered species that is endemic to Belize. It has a distinctive blue color that becomes more intense during the breeding season. It is also the largest species of iguana, reaching up to 7 ft long.
The Belize Barrier Reef is the largest in the Western Hemisphere, stretching for 298kms along the coastline of the Caribbean Sea. This particular reef system is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular destination for scuba divers and snorkelers. In fact, it’s the 2nd largest reef system in the world after Australia’s Great Barrier reef.
The most incredible and biodiverse snorkeling and diving locations are within proximity to the Cayes and are easily accessible by boat. The clear blue waters of the Caribbean combined with an almost sandy white ocean floor make for some crisp and picturesque views of the reef the incredible marine life that live here.
Worth the visit or not: WORTH
Belize or not, this place is worth the hype! With its small size of just under 23,000km, Belize is jam packed with opportunities that are sure to satisfy the thrill-seeking adventurer, the laid-back beach bum, the culture aficionado and history buff.
Belize is also home to many friendly and welcoming people. It is rich in diverse cultures, with a mixture of Maya, Garinagu, Spanish, Indian, Mennonites, German and many other cultures like Chinese and Lebanese.
To boot, there are at least 543 varieties of bird species, most of which are found in the rainforest. Belize’s rainforests are filled with wildcats, margay, monkeys, large rodents, mountain cow, ocelot and pumas.
With a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the largest barrier reefs in both Northern and Western Hemispheres, and it spans over 250 kms. Explorers have ample opportunities to experience everything this barrier reef has to offer like islands and over 400 white sand beaches. Additionally, Belize is host to over 100 varieties of corals, 125 fish species and other marine life like manatees, eagle rays and turtles.
Given that Belize is one of the most abundantly beautiful and unspoiled natural gems on the planet, above and below the waterline, it is 100% worth the trip to explore for yourself!
Happy Travels 🙂
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.