Belize Travel Guide

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Top Things to See

Bird watching
Visit the rare Red-footed booby at the Half Moon Caye Bird Sanctuary.

Explore the Cayes
Head offshore to Ambergris Caye's resorts or chill out at a beachside cabaña in laid-back Caye Caulker: the islands make ideal bases for diving and snorkeling.

Mayan culture
Visit Altun Ha, a major Mayan ceremonial center and trading center in the Classic period (AD 250-900); an extraordinary head of the sun god, ornately carved in jade, was found here and is now a national symbol of Belize.

Historical boat trip
Take a motorboat up the New River from Orange Walk to Lamanai: the spectacular Mayan citadel ruin sits in its own archaeological reserve, which also contains a museum, the remains of two 16th-century Spanish churches and a 19th-century sugar mill.

Belize Zoo
See local mammals and birds at this world famous zoo. It has been nicknamed the best little zoo in the world.

Discover nature
Learn about the flora of Belize at the San Ignacio Botanical Gardens. Discover the healing herbs of Belize at the Chaa Creek Medicine Trail nearby or visit the ancient agricultural settlements of the Maya at the nearby archaeological ruins of El Pilar.

Ancient ruins
Wander through the exquisitely carved Xunantunich ruins, considered some of the . most beautiful and intricate in the Maya world.

Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve
Enjoy fine views and secluded streams in the 121-hectare (300-acre) Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve in the Cayo district. The area contains the Hidden Valley Falls, which plunge 305m (1,000ft) into the valley.

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
The 40,500 hectares (100,000 acres) of tropical forest were set aside in the Maya Mountains in 1984 to protect the jaguar population. Other residents include jaguarundis, howler monkeys and toucans.

Belize City
Among the sights are St John's Cathedral (the oldest Anglican church in Central America) and Government House, the former residence of the governor-general, built in 1814 and now accommodating the House of Culture Museum (http://nichbelize.org).

Top Things to Do

Blue Hole
Plummet into the depths of the Blue Hole: the startlingly vivid blue sinkhole measures 300m (1,000ft) across and over 120m (400ft) deep and is considered one of the best dive sites in the world.

Snorkel
Belize has the longest barrier reef in the Western hemisphere and covers 296km (185 miles), including a nearly continuous wall of coral stretching almost 224km (140 miles) from Mexico to the Sapodilla Cayes.

Shark Ray Alley
Swim with the nurse sharks and stingrays in the crystal-clear waters of Hol Chan Marine Reserve.

Caye Caulker
Windsurf or kite surf off Caye Caulker. The water is so clear beneath, it may be possible to spot fish, stingrays and even dolphins. The best wind conditions usually occur from February to June.

Bird Spotting
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary is most notable for its jaribu stork population and is also home to howler monkeys, crocodiles, coatimundis, turtles and iguanas.

Manatee-watching
Join a tour at the Swallow Caye Marine Sanctuary: these gentle aquatic mammals are an endangered species, typically growing to about 3m (9.8ft) long.

Sailing
The beautiful bay at Placencia has gentle winds will push you along the azure waters.

St Herman's Blue Hole National Park
The turquoise waters of the Blue Hole, a 7.6m- (25ft-) deep collapsed sinkhole, are a popular swimming spot. The park is home to an abundance of birds, animals, flora and St Herman's Cave, an ancient Mayan cave.

Hummingbird Highway
Go caving and spelunking. Belize's interior hides thousands of caves. The most accessible is Rio Frio Cave in the Mountain Pine Ridge area. Others which are easy to visit include Che Chem Ha Cave in Cayo district and Blue Creek Cave in Toledo.

Go hiking
Hike along the Macal River in Cayo district to the Hidden Valley Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in Central America. See hundreds of different bird species and mammals along the way.