Three Things You Have to Experience in Belize

Three things you have to experience in Belize

1. Diving on the world’s second-largest coral reef

Everyone probably knows the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the largest coral reef in the world. But few know about the second-largest coral reef. It stretches along the coast of Belize and offers wonderful opportunities for diving. During our travel, we decided to go on a day snorkelling tour. The tour started and ended on Caye Caulker – it’s a pleasant and relaxing island with sandy streets and palm trees. But the diving and ocean experience was what we’ll remember Belize for most. We saw so many marine animals as never before. And they weren’t afraid of us, since the area around Caye Caulker is a large protected area and fishing and hunting have been prohibited for years. We saw a manatee rolling over on the bottom of the sea, we saw nurse sharks, which bumped into us and examined us curiously, wondering if we had brought some food. These sharks don’t eat people, but they are used to get snacks from visitors, which is why they always eagerly dart towards ships or swimmers. They’re not dangerous, so there’s nothing to worry about. We also saw a seahorse, a stingray, hundreds of colourful fish, turtles and beautiful corals. Even though these kinds of trips are quite expensive in Belize (they’ll cost you around one hundred US dollars per person), it was more than worth it.

If you’re thinking about this kind of trip, I recommend that you choose an eco-agency that doesn’t feed the fish. That’s because we change their natural behaviour by feeding them. They become too spoiled and don’t know how to find food for themselves anymore. Also, it’s good to use a strong sunscreen. But it should be coral-friendly, though it’s even better if you’re diving with your t-shirt on. The Globetrotter travel t-shirt is perfect for the job.

2. Howler monkeys

A large part of Belize is covered in forests that are home to all kinds of animals. Among them is the jaguar, but it’s really difficult to spot. Howler monkeys, on the other hand, are somewhat easier to see and especially easy to hear. Black howler monkeys are endemic to the Yucatan peninsula (part of which is also Belize). These monkeys live in tree canopies and never step on the ground, but they’re extremely loud. Their roars can reach up to 90 decibels. Trust me when I say they’re really loud. Since they live in the canopies, you hear them first and then start to catch glimpses of them, if you’re lucky.

There’s also a howler monkey “sanctuary” in Belize called Community Baboon Sanctuary. It was a local initiative where the people from the village of Bermuda Landing decided to leave a part of the forest intact, so the monkeys could live there in peace. So, it’s a natural environment and there’s no guarantee you’ll see them, but the local guides know them well and the chances of them finding the monkeys or at least luring them out are great. Our guide had a funny way of calling them: “Come, baby, come!”, after which he mimicked their calls. All this happened while we were walking through the jungle. He told us many things about Belize and the local environment as we went, and called the monkeys along the way. They responded after about half an hour. At first, one monkey started to roar and was then others slowly joined in. We followed the sound and finally caught a glimpse of them. The guide picked a fern stem from the ground and offered it to them. One of the monkeys was brave enough and got closer. She clung to a tree branch with its tail, hanging from it, while quickly picking leaves with its arms and shoving them into the mouth. The other monkeys continued with their “concert”. It was a special moment I wish every visitor in Belize would experience.

3. Maya archaeological sites

When thinking of the Maya, we usually think of Mexico, sometimes also Guatemala. Few people know, though, the Maya also lived in the present-day Belize. And it is in Belize that you can see some of the incredibly interesting Maya pyramids, temples and even cities. The ancient Maya city of Caracol is very famous, but we think Lamanai is even more special. It might be a bit smaller than Caracol, but impressive nonetheless.

The best part of our visit to Lamanai was the one-hour river boat ride. Lamanai is located in the middle of the Belizean jungle. There’s not even a motorway or an airport nearby. That’s why we had to travel on the river. When you’re driving in a boat for an hour and watching crocodiles in the water and unusual birds above the water, you realise how very remote Lamanai is. And when you’re almost alone walking among ancient temples, you know it was all worth it.

Lamanai is generally known for its Mask Temple which has human face carvings. What is unusual, though, is that the carvings don’t depict the Maya, but the Olmec people that used to live in Mesoamerica. No one has figured out why the Maya carved out the faces of the Olmecs on their temples.

The best part of our visit to the Lamanai temples and pyramids was definitely the combination of the archaeological site and the jungle. Nothing is as sterile as the surroundings of the more famous Chichen Itza in Mexico. Here, however, some pyramids are still overgrown with jungle growth and you even have to cross the jungle if you want to go from one pyramid to another. You’re also constantly accompanied by howler monkeys that deliver a soundtrack to your visit. It really feels like being Indiana Jones and discovering ancient treasures for the first time.

But Belize also offers many other attractions, such as numerous caves and the world-famous Great Blue Hole. Even if you visit the above-mentioned top three things in Belize, you’ll experience the country’s essence. Have a safe journey.