Is Belize really as Unbelizeable as they say? I’ve got to be honest. I always thought that was the corniest thing to say, and yet now I use the term. But yes, Belize is pretty unbelievable! If you like the jungle and the beach, then this country is for you. And, if you are from the US; it really is such a quick trip to get there.
Belize was always one of those destinations that we simply put on the back-burner. It’s one of the easiest countries to get to from the US, so we always said, “we’ll get there someday; we don’t have to rush to see it now.” In hindsight, that was pretty ridiculous on our part. But at least we eventually made it!
Belize is situated on the Caribbean coast, with Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the east and south. This English-speaking country is relatively small, with just over 360,000 people. But it packs a large punch. It’s home to some of the most incredible wildlife, top archaeological sites and has the world’s second-largest barrier reef.
We spent a week in Belize and spent half our time in the jungle and the other half on the beach. I would highly recommend starting in the jungle first. This gives you the chance to do all the adventuring first, and then you can relax the days away on the beach if you choose.
If traveling to Belize, here are the top 6 things I would do:
Visit the ATM Caves (Actun Tunichil Muknal)
The ATM caves are one of those places you don’t want to miss. Words really can’t describe the experience, though I’ll try! If your kids are tall enough (48 inches, to be exact), and no one in your group has claustrophobia, then book this tour.
You are required to enter with a tour guide. There are currently just over 20 tour guides who have gone through an immense application process to be chosen for this responsibility. I can imagine all are excellent, but we felt like we lucked out with ours – Philip at Yute Expeditions. The lodge we were staying at, Chaa Creek Lodge, arranged the tour. But you can always book directly with him. Not only did he guide us safely through the caves, but he explained in such detail the history behind everything we were seeing. Even better – he kept the kids’ attention, and that is hard to do!
You’ll start by wading waist-high, at some parts, through three different rivers. There is a rope to hold on to if needed. After about a 45 minute walk, you will come to the entrance of the cave. This is where the fun begins. Your tour guide will tell you to swim a few feet and enter the cave.
You then start slithering through tight rock formations, climbing up and down rocks, and trekking through pools of water. Only your headlamp will guide you through the darkness. You’ll pass by incredible stalagmites and stalactites protruding from the caverns. Eventually, you make your way to the first cathedral-sized chambers. It’s incredible the Mayans even discovered this, let alone carried out ceremonial sacrificial acts deep within the cave.
After about an hour of walking, your tour guide will tell you that you made it to the final stop. Now you have to climb up maybe 10 feet of rocks, take your shoes off and only wear your socks. Removing your shoes adds an extra level of precaution to avoid accidentally stepping on any artifacts. You will then carefully step around thousand-year-old relics and human remains. Yes, you read that right, human remains! You will climb a ladder (nope, that was not there in the Mayan times, but that is the only way we can access the final cavern.) And this is where you will see the fully intact skeleton of the Crystal Maiden – presumed to be a young adolescent sacrificed to the gods. You will then make your way back out of the cave.
It truly is an Indiana Jones-style adventure that everyone in the family will enjoy. Even more so, it’s an incredible way to walk the path the Mayans did years ago and glimpse what really happened between those dark cavern walls.
Explore the Ancient Mayan Ruins
There are three main Mayan ruins near the San Ignacio region. The most popular one, Tikal, is not even in Belize but in the neighboring country of Guatemala. As it’s only a two-hour drive away and considered one of the world’s largest Mayan sites, this is where most go. When we traveled here in June 2021, the borders were not open, so we opted to explore one of the sites within Belize.
I’d say the next most popular one to explore is Xunantunich. If you are staying in San Ignacio, it’s just a short drive followed by a quick five-minute hand-cranked ferry ride. We had heard this was beautiful, and the boat ride sounded fun, but we were interested in exploring a larger Mayan site.
So we chose Caracol – the furthest and most remote! The total journey is about 2 hours, and albeit for a few bumps along an unpaved road, it’s not that bad. Plus, the scenery is gorgeous. Eventually, you will arrive at Caracol. Once home to over 140,000 people, this is the largest Mayan site in Belize. Situated at the edge of the Guatemalan border and surrounded by the lush Chiquibul National Park, the ruins of this Mayan city encompass an area of over 70 square miles.
At this site, archaeologists are working on excavating but not replicating the site. So what you see is what it was indeed like many years ago. Today you can explore the three main plaza areas and two ball courts. However, there are still many structures to be uncovered. Over time, the jungle engulfed the ruins, and today multiple small hills dot the area hiding the undiscovered ruins.
There are plans to pave the entire road to Caracol eventually. And slowly, the archaeologists will uncover new ruins. I expect the whole experience to be quite different in a few years. So if you are looking for an archeological site with hardly any crowds and incredible Maya ruins to explore, then this is the place for you.
Float on the Macal River
If you stay in the jungle, there are numerous activities such as bird watching, fishing, medicinal plant trails, night hikes, iguana and howler monkey spotting, etc. One thing I would not miss, though, is getting out on the Macal River. If you want to be one with nature in complete peace and solitude, this is one way to do it.
The Macal River runs through the main town. If you stay outside San Ignacio as we did, you can even float down the river to the city center. It takes about 2 hours to get there, though, so keep that in mind. We opted to stay closer to our accommodation and explored with tubes and canoes. When you think of tubing, you may think of fast-moving rapids, and this was more like a very lazy river. This mode of transport lent itself to a relaxing day on the water, though.
You can also canoe. The river is not rough, so easy to paddle upriver or downriver. Just remember, you must allot time and energy to make the return. Also, be on the lookout for wildlife. You may find a howler monkey perched in a tree, getting ready to make that intense howling sound.
Snorkel Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley
Have you ever received so many recommendations, whether from friends or internet research, that you question, “Can it really be that good?” Well, these two spots were just that. While both sounded incredible, I never imagined how awe-inspiring both experiences would be.
Expect to be out on the water for a good 4 hours. Our guide picked us up at 8 am, and off we went. Our first stop was Hol Chan to snorkel the marine preserve. Once we jumped in the water, it felt like we were swimming in an aquarium. The water was crystal clear, and the abundance of sea life was everywhere.
Make sure you book with a recommended tour guide. Ours came highly recommended from the hotel we were staying at, Xanadu Island Resort. After some Trip Advisor and other review checks, I decided he was the one. And wow, Lil’ Alphonse was incredible! He would clap his hands loudly and then dive down and point at whatever he saw, whether it was a fish, eel, stingray, turtle, or coral. He would then pop up above the water, and while we were still looking at what he had just shown us, he would be above water, explaining what we had just seen. We have snorkeled many times and worldwide, and hands down, this was the best guide and experience we have ever had.
Our next stop was Shark Ray Alley. Again, from pictures and videos, I had an idea of what we’d be seeing. Yet nothing can quite prepare you for what you will experience.
Our guide put some chum in the water. And yes, I know, it’s one of those is it ethical or not questions you have to decide for yourself. But instantaneously, 20 or so nurse sharks started swimming around our boat. Our guide then asked, “Okay, who wants to jump in first?” I looked at him and said, “You want us to jump into the middle of all those sharks?”
He nodded his head and smiled, and I thought, “Okay, my husband is going first then!” I don’t think anything can quite prepare you for jumping straight into a sea of hungry nurse sharks. But they didn’t bother us at all. Though I did keep my fists balled up just in case they thought one of my fingers looked like lunch. It was an incredibly thrilling experience. To be that close watching the sharks swim amongst us was mind-boggling.
Eventually, it was time to get out of the water. Sitting on the boat drying off and looking out at the multitude of shark fins will make you pause and think, “Did I really just jump into that?” And yes, you did, and yes, you would do it all over again!
Rent a Golf Cart to Explore Ambergris Caye
When you arrive in San Pedro, it’s a freeway of golf carts whizzing past you. Now, this is the kind of transportation I could get used to as it immediately puts you in this relaxed, resort-feel mode.
We decided to rent a golf cart for one of the days we were there. It’s a fun way to explore the town, and the kids love facing backward and watching those drive behind us.
Depending on where your accommodation is, golf carting will be the best way to head into San Pedro for lunch, dinner or any shopping you might need. Plus, it’s such a fun way to explore as much as island as you can.
Enjoy a Day at Secret Beach
When we arrived at Ambergris Caye, we met these travelers who had been coming to Belize frequently. They told us we must go to Secret Beach. Once we arrived at our hotel, the front desk also gave the same recommendation. And then, when we went out to dinner that first night, even our server said, “Oh, you must already know about Secret Beach.” The funny thing is that I had not ever heard about it until we landed on Ambergris Caye. Yet obviously, if all the locals were telling us about it, we must go.
We decided to keep it for our last day. If it were really as secret and special as everyone made it sound, we figured it would be a great way to end our trip. Though it might not be such a secret anymore, it’s incredibly spectacular.
The best way to reach Secret Beach is by golf cart, and it took approximately 45 minutes to drive there. Once you arrive, walk out to the beach and select which restaurant/bar looks the best to you. Each restaurant has lounge chairs, and some even have over-the-water and in-the-water seating. The cost for a lounge chair and umbrella is complimentary as long as you purchase food and beverages, which you will because there is nothing else around! Now I’m sure it can get a bit wild and crazy at times (I can imagine lots of drinking might occur here). But as the water is so shallow, if you need an escape, simply wade out until a sea of blue water surrounds you. Pack a plethora of sunscreen and bring a floatie or two, so you can float the day away.
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Belize was definitely Unbelizeable! I never imagined a country to have such a wide array of activities for the entire family to enjoy. Add in some spectacular historical sites, incredible wildlife, gorgeous scenery, and friendly locals, and you’ve got yourself a fantastic destination.
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