Belize Tourism Best Places To Visit in Belize
Belize Tourism Best Places To Visit in Belize
Belize brims with natural beauty. A top spot for eco-tourists, this fascinating country lies in Central America, between Mexico and Guatemala, and was known as British Honduras during its colonial days. Few countries offer such a rich diversity of ecosystems packed into a relatively small area. In addition to the world's second largest barrier reef, Belize is home to dense jungles with howler monkeys and jaguars, mountain pine forests, palm-fringed beaches, bonefish flats, rivers, caves, and coral atolls rimmed by fish-rich reefs. Not surprisingly, diving and snorkeling are superb. The Great Blue Hole is a UNESCO World Heritage dive site, and anglers flock here from all corners of the globe for fantastic flats fishing and deep-sea adventures.
1 Great Blue Hole
The most popular dive destination in Belize, the Great Blue Hole offers divers interesting observations of limestone formations that mold its walls. This massive sinkhole under the water is near the Lighthouse Reef and creates a perfect circle of deep blue water. The deeper one dives into the Great Blue Hole, the clearer the water and the more breathtaking the scenery, as the array of bizarre stalactites and limestone formations become more complex and intense.
2 Caracol
Siting high on the Vaca Plateau, 500 meters (1650 ft) above sea level, Caracol is the largest Maya site in Belize. It was once one of the largest ancient Maya cities, covering some 168 square kilometers (65 mi²). At its peak around 650 AD it had an estimated population of about 150,000, more than twice as many people as Belize City has today. The largest pyramid in Caracol is Canaa
3 Lamanai
Located in northern Belize, Lamanai was once a considerably sized Maya city. The ancient ruins are not completely uncovered yet. Archaeological work has concentrated on the investigation and restoration of the larger structures such as the High Temple, a 33 meter tall temple. Since it was still occupied by the Maya when the Spanish arrived, Lamanai, which in Maya means “submerged crocodile”, is one of the few Mayan sites to retain its traditional name.
4 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the biggest, protected destinations in Belize. The reserve was founded in 1990 as the first wilderness sanctuary for the jaguar. Although roughly 60 of Belize’s 700 jaguars are believed to live in the sanctuary, your chances of seeing one are very slim. However, it’s an ideal environment for plant-spotting, bird viewing or seeking out other wildlife, and the trail system is the best developed in any of Belize’s protected areas.
5 Ambergris Caye
Just off the tip of the Yucatán Peninsula, laidback Ambergris Caye is the largest of Belize's 200 cayes and a prime tourist destination. Off the coast, Hol Chan Marine Reserve is one of Belize's most visited diving and snorkeling sites. It's named after the Mayan for little cut and is one of seven reserves within the Belize Barrier Reef system, which is the second largest in the world after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.